The Climate Change: Women’s Health In Focus high level dialogue women-led research at the intersection of climate & health was hosted by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in collaboration with Panorama Global and The International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP) on the 17th of June 2025 of which the INERELA+ Executive Director was in attendance. Climate change is having a profound impact on global health: Extreme weather events, heat, water stress and air pollution are exacerbating health issues and putting stress on overstretched healthcare systems. While in the past climate discussions focused mainly on energy, transportation or agriculture, health has remained a footnote for far too long.
The consequences of climate change are being felt more intensely worldwide, threatening loss of livelihoods and mass displacement, particularly for those least responsible for the crisis. Extreme weather events—floods, droughts, and storms—destroy healthcare facilities and disrupt essential services, leaving vulnerable communities unprepared to respond. Scorching heat waves are becoming more frequent and intense thereby disrupting lives and livelihoods
One critical impact which is often overlooked is the growing threat to the health and well-being of women and girls. Current funding and attention remain inadequate.
- Only 4% of climate-related development assistance prioritizes gender equality
- Less than 1% of global philanthropic funding addresses gender and environmental issue
The consequences are profound. Women and girls face compounding health risks that threaten decades of progress in gender equity and reproductive health. Urgent action is necessary. Without collective action, progress on health and development goals—especially regarding women’s and girls’ sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR)—will be undermined.
The dialogue spotlighted the work of six inspiring, women-led research teams investigating the impacts of climate change on women’s health across Brazil, Egypt, Sudan, Ghana, India, Uganda, and Uzbekistan. The thought-provoking conversations focused on the intersection of climate change, gender equality, and sexual and reproductive health (SRHR). For INERELA+ key challenges of working at the intersection of climate, gender, and health, include the following:
- Limited healthcare access during climate disasters and displacement
- Lack of dedicated funding for integrated approaches that address the intersection of climate, gender, and health, hindering the implementation of effective interventions
- Women are often excluded from decision-making processes related to climate action and disaster preparedness, despite their crucial role as caregivers and community members.
- Siloed work and competition over limited resources including funding
Below is the recording of the dialogue and resources: