Extreme heat has become a persistent threat in South Sudan, severely impacting women and girls. This phenomenon has led to health crises and educational disruptions, amplifying gender disparities in an already unequal society. Collaborative scientific research underscores climate change’s role in exacerbating these impacts, necessitating targeted adaptation strategies to support affected communities.
The ongoing extreme heat in South Sudan manifests as a significant risk, especially for women and girls who disproportionately face its harsh effects. Since mid-February, excessive daytime temperatures have notably impacted outdoor workers and individuals living in inadequate housing, leading to widespread health crises, including heatstroke cases requiring school closures. Many households lack sufficient resources such as cooling systems, clean water, and shaded areas, compelling advice for residents to stay indoors and hydrate, a challenge in poorly constructed homes with iron roofs.
Heatwaves represent one of the most lethal forms of extreme weather, influencing more than just mortality rates; they also affect morbidity, agriculture, infrastructure, and economic opportunities. The true extent of fatalities and other systemic impacts remains largely unquantified. The existing reported effects, including health crises, primarily burden women and girls, exacerbating gender disparities in an already inequitable society.
A collaborative study involving scientists from several countries investigated how human-induced climate change has intensified the likelihood and severity of this extreme heat while specifically examining its impacts on women and girls. The analysis, focusing on the highest recorded temperatures in South Sudan, aimed to propose equitable frameworks for climate resilience, coinciding with events like International Women’s Day that highlight the roles of women in society.
Key findings indicate that gender significantly influences vulnerability and coping capacities during heat events in South Sudan. Women experience notable challenges, such as staggering maternal mortality rates and limited representation in governance roles. The majority of women employed work in informal sectors, primarily in high-risk areas like agriculture, leading to long-term health repercussions due to prolonged exposure to intense heat.
Extreme heat also disrupts education, with school closures perpetuating learning losses and reinforcing societal expectations about gender. Strategies such as adjusting school hours and retrofitting buildings for better cooling could mitigate the adverse effects; alongside first aid training to manage heat-related illnesses. Additionally, extreme heat aggravates malnutrition, already affecting hundreds of thousands of children, leading to health complications particularly in female-led households facing food insecurity.
Displacement and conflict exacerbate the risks associated with extreme heat, as armed conflicts have caused significant population displacements, often resulting in overcrowded shelters where conditions worsen. Women in these scenarios struggle with limited access to essential resources such as water, cooling solutions, and healthcare, elevating their exposure to violence.
February’s extreme temperatures in South Sudan defy past expectations, highlighting a concerning trend in climate patterns due to global warming which has reached 1.3C. Temperature peaks that once seemed unusual now align with current climatic changes. Scientific models indicate that climate change has increased the prevalence and intensity of extreme heat events, making them significantly more likely and exacerbating their severity.
Conservatively estimating, climate change has rendered these extreme heat events at least 2C hotter and tenfold more frequent. Future projections suggest that as global warming surpasses 2.6C, the intensity and likelihood of such episodes will further escalate. While extensive adaptation measures remain challenging, localized interventions can mitigate heat-related challenges, especially in conflict-affected areas.
Extreme heat in South Sudan poses grave challenges, especially for women and girls who experience pronounced vulnerability and health risks. Current findings highlight the urgent need for equitable adaptation strategies that address systemic gender disparities and improve access to essential resources. Proactive measures, including infrastructure enhancements and tailored agricultural practices, will be critical in building resilience against ongoing and future climate-related adversities.
Original Source: www.worldweatherattribution.org
