Silent Victims of the Climate Crisis: The Urgent Call to Protect Maternal and Child Health

Climate change stands as an imminent threat to pregnant women and children, a revelation echoing in a recent Call for Action by United Nations agencies. As the world braces for the global COP28 negotiations on climate change, the document underscores the alarming negligence, underreporting, and underestimation of the impact of climate events on maternal and child health. This article delves into the critical issues unveiled by the Call for Action and the imperative need for immediate, focused climate action.

The Unseen Perils

While climate change discussions often center on broader environmental issues, pregnant women, babies, and children face some of the most severe consequences. Bruce Aylward, from the World Health Organization, emphasizes the existential threat posed, urging conscious protection of children's futures through immediate climate action. This section unveils the invisible threats that climate disasters pose to the most vulnerable members of society.

Unveiling the Devastation of 2023

The year 2023 has witnessed an onslaught of catastrophic climate events—wildfires, floods, heatwaves, and droughts—leading to displacement, crop and livestock loss, and escalated air pollution. This section details the specific environmental challenges that exacerbate health risks for pregnant women and children, emphasizing the urgent need for a paradigm shift in climate discussions.

A Lifetime Impact

Research demonstrates that climate-induced harm can commence in the womb, resulting in pregnancy-related complications, preterm birth, low birth weight, and stillbirth. For children, these consequences resonate throughout their lifetime, affecting both physical and cognitive development. This section explores the long-term repercussions climate change inflicts on the well-being of the most innocent lives.

Ignored Vulnerabilities

Omar Abdi, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director for Programmes, highlights a perilous oversight—climate change discussions often overlook the unique vulnerabilities of children's bodies and minds. This section calls attention to the jeopardy the climate crisis poses to every child's fundamental right to health and well-being, emphasizing the pivotal role of COP28 in rectifying this omission.

Urgent Actions for Change

The Call to Action outlines seven urgent measures to counteract the escalating risks. From sustained reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to focused climate finance actions, the document emphasizes the need for specific policies addressing the vulnerabilities of pregnant women, babies, and children. This section explores the actionable steps required to safeguard the health of the most susceptible populations.

Gender Equality in Climate Solutions

Diene Keita, Deputy Executive Director for Programmes at UNFPA, stresses the importance of gender equality in climate solutions. This section advocates for asking the right questions to formulate climate solutions that prioritize the distinct health needs of women and girls, emphasizing the role of global initiatives in supporting, not sacrificing, gender equality.

A Call Resonating Globally

The Call to Action, presented by WHO, UNICEF, and UNFPA, reverberates globally, reinforced by an advocacy brief from PMNCH. This section outlines the recommendations for various stakeholders—governments, global financing mechanisms, donors, foundations, private sector, and civil society. It highlights the collaborative effort needed to address the health needs of women, children, and adolescents in climate policies, financing, and programs.

A Moral Imperative for Resilient Societies

Rt Hon Helen Clark, PMNCH Board Chair, underscores climate change as a major intergenerational injustice, emphasizing the non-negotiable commitment to safeguarding the health and rights of women, children, and adolescents. This concluding section stresses the moral imperative and effective strategy in integrating their health needs into climate responses, paving the way for resilient and healthy societies.

Call to Action: #ClimateAction #COP28 #ProtectOurFuture #MaternalHealth #ChildWellBeing #ClimateJustice #GlobalHealthEquity