Climate change and extreme weather events are posing a significant threat to the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) of young adolescents in Kenya, as per a recent study published in BMJ Global Health. The study highlights how food, water, and sanitation insecurities are placing adolescents aged 10–14, particularly girls, at a higher risk of school dropout, transactional sex, gender-based violence, and early pregnancy.
Lead author Dr. Carmen Logie, a Professor at the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, emphasized that climate change is not just an environmental issue but also an urgent public health emergency for young adolescents. The study collected stories from young adolescents and community elders detailing how factors like drought, floods, and resource shortages are pushing children towards dropping out of school or engaging in transactional sex to fulfill basic needs.
The research, conducted in collaboration with two Kenyan community-based organizations, involved 297 participants across six climate-affected regions in Kenya. Through focus groups, walk-along interviews, and participatory mapping workshops, the study explored how climate change-induced insecurities are impacting the SRH risks among youth, especially girls.
The study identified various direct and indirect pathways linking extreme weather events to negative SRH outcomes. Droughts and floods disrupted food systems, leading to school dropout, homelessness, and sexual exploitation. Water shortages resulted in educational disruptions and exposed girls to harassment and violence. The lack of safe sanitation contributed to school absences and coercive sexual encounters in exchange for menstrual supplies.
The authors of the study stressed the need for climate-informed SRH interventions that are tailored to the specific challenges faced by young adolescents in low-resource and high-risk settings. They called for the development of programs that address the root causes of insecurity to safeguard the health and future of young people.
Dr. Julia Kagunda, Director of Elim Trust and a co-author of the study, emphasized the importance of implementing climate-informed, adolescent-centered, and gender-transformative programs to protect the well-being of young people. The findings of the study provide valuable insights for policymakers, NGOs, and health systems working at the intersection of environmental justice and adolescent health.
The study, titled “Climate change, resource insecurities and sexual and reproductive health among young adolescents in Kenya: a multi-method qualitative inquiry,” is a significant contribution towards understanding the impact of climate change on the SRH of young adolescents. It calls for urgent action to address the challenges faced by young people in the face of a changing climate.
