ISLAMABAD: Policymakers, government officials, climate change experts, researchers and civil society organisations have stressed the need for sustainable population growth to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change, especially on vulnerable women.

They were speaking at a dissemination event of a research study, “Climate change and population linkage: analysing adaptation and resilience strategies in Sindh, Balochistan and South Punjab.”

The study was conducted by the Population Council with the support from UNFPA in three provinces affected by the 2022 floods.

Focusing on districts Khairpur Mir, Rajanpur and Pishin which were severely affected, the study documents vulnerabilities of women caused and aggravated by climate change induced disasters.

Dr Ali Mir, senior director programmes at the Population Council said, “The impact of climate change on women’s lives is particularly pronounced with women disproportionately affected due to social, economic and cultural factors.”

He said Pakistan, despite having one of the world’s lowest carbon footprints, remains among the top 10 countries most vulnerable to extreme climate events.

“The recent floods of 2022, one of the most devastating natural catastrophes in recent times, displaced up to 33 million people, resulted in 1700 fatalities and inflicted colossal damage to infrastructure. Women are often the most vulnerable to climate change due to social, economic and cultural factors such as limited access to resources, information and decision-making”, he added.

Presenting the findings of the study, Samia Ali Shah, Project Director, Population Council, said, “The qualitative research study delves into the health impacts of natural disasters, particularly floods on women and explores the disruption of the health system and long-term implications of climate change-induced natural disasters.”

She also explained key objectives of the study which included understanding the impact of climate change on resilience and adaptation strategies adopted by local communities, particularly from women’s perspectives, and evaluating diverse adaptation strategies implemented at the local level.

“Natural calamities, ranging from unprecedented heat waves to devastating floods and prolonged droughts, have profound repercussions on the health and nutrition of women, amplifying the risks of adverse outcomes such as stillbirths, maternal and child mortality, and malnutrition”, she added.

Dr Shabana Saleem, Director General of the Population Programme Wing (PPW), Ministry of National Health Services, underscored the urgent need to sensitise policymakers about the critical link between climate change and its impact on women’s health.

She also emphasised the necessity of instilling awareness among leadership to foster ownership of women-centric climate resilience policies. Furthermore, Dr Saleem stressed the importance of training Lady Health Workers (LHWs) in disaster management to effectively handle calamities.

Muqaddar Shah, programme analyst, UNFPA, said “The findings of the study offer critical insights into the intersection of climate change and population dynamics and provide a foundation for informed policy making and programme development aimed at improving women’s resilience to climate change in Pakistan.”

He reaffirmed UNFPA’s commitment to helping the government in enhancing climate resilience through sustainable population growth.

Published in Dawn, March 10th, 2024