The brief outlines that extreme weather, displacement, food insecurity, and economic instability are key drivers behind the increasing prevalence and severity of gender-based violence.

These effects are felt most acutely in fragile communities, where women already face deep-rooted inequalities and heightened vulnerability to assault.

According to the study, every 1°C rise in global temperature correlates with a 4.7% increase in intimate partner violence (IPV). Under a 2°C warming scenario, an additional 40 million women and girls could experience IPV annually by 2090. In a 3.5°C scenario, that figure more than doubles.

The Spotlight Initiative— the United Nations' flagship program to end violence against women and girls— stresses that effective and sustainable climate solutions must prioritize rights, safety, and justice.

The report emphasizes that gender-based violence is already a global crisis, affecting over one billion women—at least one in three—who have experienced physical, sexual, or psychological abuse in their lifetime. These figures are likely underestimated, as only about seven percent of survivors formally report their experiences to police or medical services.

The Spotlight Initiative points to a clear pattern: incidents of violence tend to rise following climate-related disasters.

In 2023 alone, 93.1 million people were impacted by weather-related disasters and earthquakes, while an estimated 423 million women experienced intimate partner violence. As climate shocks grow more frequent and intense, the risk of gender-based violence is expected to escalate significantly.

One study cited in the report found a 28% increase in femicide during heatwaves.

Other consequences linked to climate displacement—including floods, droughts, and desertification—include rising rates of child marriage, human trafficking, and sexual exploitation.

Marginalized Communities

The burden of the climate crisis is not shared equally. Women and girls living in poverty—particularly smallholder farmers and those in informal urban settlements—face heightened risks of violence and exploitation.

Women who are Indigenous, disabled, elderly, or part of the LGBTQ+ community encounter overlapping vulnerabilities, often with limited access to essential services, shelters, or legal protections.

In sub-Saharan Africa, projections suggest that if global temperatures rise by 4°C, the number of women experiencing intimate partner violence could nearly triple, from 48 million in 2015 to 140 million by 2060. However, if warming is limited to 1.5°C, the proportion of affected women could fall from 24 percent in 2015 to 14 percent by 2060.

The report also highlights the escalating threats faced by women environmental human rights defenders, many of whom endure harassment, defamation, physical violence, and worse for challenging harmful land practices and extractive industries.

In Guatemala, women who reported illegal logging were forcibly evicted and had their homes destroyed. In the Philippines, women opposing mining activities have faced abduction and lethal violence.

An Urgent Call for Gender-Inclusive Climate Policy

Despite the critical nature of the issue, only 0.04% of climate-related development aid currently prioritizes gender equality. The report argues that this significant gap reflects a failure to fully recognize the role of gender-based violence (GBV) in shaping climate resilience and justice.

The Spotlight Initiative advocates for the integration of GBV prevention into all levels of climate policy—from local initiatives to international funding frameworks.

Examples from countries such as Haiti, Vanuatu, Liberia, and Mozambique demonstrate how programs can be designed to tackle both violence and climate resilience at once. Successful approaches include re-training former midwives who engaged in female genital mutilation (FGM) to transition into climate-smart agriculture, embedding GBV services within disaster response efforts, and deploying mobile health clinics in areas affected by natural disasters.

The report underscores that effective climate action must center safety, equity, and the leadership of women and girls.

Ultimately, ending violence against women and girls is not only a human rights imperative — it is fundamental to building a just, sustainable, and climate-resilient future.

Source: https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/04/1162461