Muslim women are the greatest victims of climate change.

Muslim women throughout the world are at the frontlines of the climate crisis.

While research has often highlighted the negative impacts of climate change on women in general or how Muslim nations face the brunt of the crisis (as we’ve explained previously), the impact on Muslim women is often overlooked. And yet, across Muslim countries in Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East, women are facing a disproportionate burden due to pre-existing socio-economic vulnerabilities and inequalities. 

Let’s have a look at some of these.

Somali women suffer sexual violence and exploitation in a nation ravaged by climate change.

Women in developing Muslim nations are often disproportionately involved in climate-sensitive livelihoods, such as agricultural work, to support their families. 

In Somalia,  a Muslim majority country with a female population of ~6.4 million, continuous cycles of drought and flooding have left millions of women and children vulnerable to malnutrition, lost opportunities, and violence. 

Men often have to migrate for extended periods in search of work due to droughts, leading to a rise in female-headed households. Women then not only carry out their household responsibilities, but they must also walk several kilometers daily in search of resources such as water and firewood. This physically drains them, takes time away from education or employment, and exposes them to the risk of sexual assault and harassment. 

Women are also vulnerable to physical and emotional abuse at home as men struggle to cope with financial instability, resource shortages, and other climate-induced hardships. Women displaced due to climate disasters, meanwhile, often end up in overcrowded camps where they face greater risks of sexual exploitation, harassment, and abuse. 

These pressures increase the dangers for women and girls in a country already grappling with armed conflict and widespread displacement.

(For more details, see this article by the World Bank and the Somalia Drought Impact and Needs Assessment report by the UNDP.)

Women in Pakistan were deprived of basic necessities during the 2022 floods.

Pakistan, the fifth most climate-vulnerable country according to the Global Climate Risk Index, endured the worst flood in its history during the monsoon of 2022.

Women bore the brunt of this unprecedented crisis in Pakistan, with over 650,000 pregnant women left without access to healthcare, and eight million women and girls deprived of menstrual hygiene products and access to toilets. 

This underscores how women and girls are impacted disproportionately by climate-induced hardships in developing countries. Without the ability to practice essential hygiene, not only do women and girls face social stigmatization, but they are deprived of the ability to follow Islamic principles like taharah and cleanliness.

As the frequency of natural disasters increases, these trends are expected to continue with Pakistani women being at the frontlines of climate impacts. 

Pakistani women are disproportionately represented in agriculture, livestock, and fishing, making them more vulnerable than men to the impacts of climate change-induced extreme weather events, such as heatwaves and droughts.

Declining crop yields will make it difficult for women to feed their animals and earn income, and ongoing declines in fish stocks are predicted to reach up to 40% in the hardest-hit regions, eventually leading to even more instability. 

Climate change is amplifying gender inequalities in the MENA region.

In the Middle East and North Africa, where widespread gender inequality is already a major issue, climate change is further exacerbating existing challenges. 

Women make up nearly half of the agricultural workforce in countries like Morocco and Egypt, and yet they struggle to access essential resources such as land, water, and food for their animals. 

In Yemen, for example, climate disasters are affecting the lives of women at multiple levels. At the family level, for example, recurring droughts have forced young girls to abandon their education to help their families collect water. At the societal level, displacement due to climate disasters, like Yemen’s 2020 floods, exposes women to gender-based violence and similar risks. (See this report for more information.)

Such vulnerabilities in the MENA region are amplified for women who are pregnant, elderly, or part of marginalized groups.

Muslim women must be at the forefront of global climate action.

Being at the frontlines of the climate crisis makes the perspectives and experiences of Muslim women crucial in solution-building. Efforts must be made to shift the narrative and elevate Muslim women from passive victims to frontline responders and agents of change, leading the dialogue on global climate action. 

The disproportionate impact of climate change on women in the Muslim world is a result of systemic inequalities. Therefore, addressing these challenges requires a multifaceted approach as well: investing in gender-responsive climate policies (i.e. climate policies that are sensitive to and seek to address gender-based barriers), ensuring equitable access to resources, and amplifying women’s voices in climate decision-making. 

Each of us has a responsibility to act now and help our Muslim sisters wherever they may be. As Khulafah (Stewards) of the Earth, we must protect not just the vulnerable sections of humanity, but all life under our care from the devastating effects of climate change. 

Explore our Green Living Guide to discover how you can play a part in reducing the effects of climate change for our Muslim sisters. Have a look at our Advocacy Toolkit today to learn how to raise your voice for Muslim women at the greatest risk of suffering due to the climate crisis.