THE ROLE OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN EXACERBATING SEXUAL AND GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN: A NEW CHALLENGE FOR THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR HUMAN MOBILITY IN AFRICA

Climate change is rarely discussed in relation to violence against women. Though climate change has become one of the greatest existential threats to humanity, for many of women, it is also one of the indirect causes of different forms of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). Growing evidence amongst researchers and other stakeholders suggests that the impact of climate change also exacerbates the risk of violence against women and girls. Due to their traditional roles, women are heavily dependent on natural resources that are impacted by climate change. In periods of prolonged drought, women and girls make more frequent and longer journeys to obtain food or water, which makes them vulnerable to sexual assault. There is a growing acknowledgement of the linkages and the need to address and protect these vulnerable groups. Whilst the climate change legal framework (1992 UNFCCC, 1997 Kyoto Protocol and 2015 Paris Agreement) in their text does not address this issue, there are acknowledgements in IPCC Reports and other pertinent UNFCCC Decisions such as Decision 3/CP.25 and the Gender Action Plan. Though the fight against climate change has become a struggle to protect our environment in general, for many of women, it is also an indirect cause of different forms of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). This paper aims to highlight how human mobility that occurs in the context of climate change is also an indirect cause of different forms of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and the gaps in the existing regional framework. The paper suggests that there is an immediate need for adaptation and mitigation actions to address the linkages. Conversely, climate action is an essential component in the ongoing fight to eliminate violence against women and girls through such efforts including gender mainstreaming in the policymaking process. It is a new challenge globally and particularly in Africa because of its vulnerability to climate change and the required resources needed for mitigation, adaptation, and resilience building.