Advancing the Integration of Family Planning and Reproductive Health into Climate Change Policies and Programming in Malawi
Malawi Urged to Integrate Family Planning and Reproductive Health Goals into National Climate Strategies
In a recent call to action, the USAID-funded Building Capacity for Integrated Family Planning/Reproductive Health and Population, Environment and Development Action (BUILD) Project urged the Government of Malawi to align its family planning and reproductive health (FP/RH) objectives with national climate goals, emphasizing their inclusion in key climate commitments such as the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). This strategic alignment is seen as essential for enhancing the country’s response to climate change while addressing crucial issues related to population health and gender equity.
According to analyses of various policies by the BUILD, Malawi is extremely vulnerable to environmental hazards induced by climate change due to the country’s high and persistent poverty, reliance on rainfed agriculture, and constant cyclones, floods, and droughts.
The analyses reveal that although Malawi has sound policies and strategies for climate change, family planning (FP), reproductive health (RH), youth, and gender, however, there is a lack of explicit integration of these issues in existing policy frameworks/strategies and actions.
There is a need for Malawi and its development partners to integrate population dynamics, FP/RH, gender, and youth issues into the existing climate change and other environment-related policies, strategies, programs, and actions. Such integration requires a holistic approach that encompasses all stakeholders, including women and youth-led groups, to effectively address this gap.
Malawi has been greatly affected by climate change in recent years. In 2019, the country experienced a tropical cyclone that killed more than 1,000 people and destroyed many homes and farms. Climate change is also a major threat to Malawi’s fragile health system. The floods in 2023 caused a major cholera outbreak, resulting in over 1,700 deaths across the country (UNICEF, 2023).
Key recommendations include mobilizing financial resources for integrated climate initiatives, investing in capacity building for stakeholders, and fostering collaboration among various sectors, including health, climate, and women’s rights advocacy groups.
Furthermore, the BUILD project stresses the need for robust research and data collection to evaluate the impacts of climate change on FP/RH outcomes, particularly for vulnerable populations such as women and youth.
Year: 2024
Source: The BUILD Project
