Women most affected by climate change: NGOs
Women have been identified as the most affected by climate change as they are relied on by the community to ensure there is food on the table. Speaking in Wote, Makueni County, at the launch of a project aimed to link population growth and climate change, Clive Mutunga, a senior research associate at Population Action International said that population increase leads to straining of resources. Mr Mutunga said that there has been a population explosion in Kenya leading to greater pressure on available natural resources such as water and land. “Population growth is occurring most rapidly in Africa making people more vulnerable to climate change impacts,” said Mr Mutunga, adding that due to climate change rain patterns have changed leading to prolonged droughts resulting in women having to walk long distances in search of water. Mr Mutunga said that deforestation is the major cause of climate change as forests have been cleared to create space for human settlement. According to Mr Mutunga, the combined effects of population growth and climate change are escalating food insecurity, depletion of natural resources, environmental degradation and poverty levels in Kenya. “For Makueni this will be competition for water resources that will affect main rivers such as the Athi River which is perennial as well as its tributaries that feed it,” he said. Speaking at the same forum, the coordinator for Climate Change Network, Kenya, Joseph Ngondi said the life of a woman is intertwined with climate change. Ngondi urged the women to be more responsible when it comes to reproduction as he urged them to consider the use of contraceptives. “I urge women to have children they can maintain so that the available resources are not over exploited,” said Mr Ngondi, adding that the organisation would work with county governments to create awareness on the importance of family planning.