The Lancet Planetary Health recently published a study that revealed that violence against women, girls and sexual and gender minorities worsens in the aftermath of extreme weather events.
In the same way conflict and war can trigger increases in GBV, the same is true of natural disasters. Healthcare inaccessibility, disruptions to safety and protection services and law enforcement, economic instability, resource scarcity, and mental stress are all factors that heighten vulnerability to and risk of GBV.
Tackling GBV requires the collective effort of governments, international organisations, businesses and NGOs. As incidents of climate-related disasters continue to increase, it is crucial that a gender lens is incorporated into disaster response efforts to protect women, girls and sexual and gender minorities from further violence.
Read the full research paper here.