In less than a year Kenya has transitioned from a catastrophic multi-year drought to deadly flooding. In a country where 75% of people rely on farming for their main source of income, according to the World Bank, the swing between extremes is a crisis.
The extreme weather has triggered acute food insecurity and displacement. It’s also increasing the risk of gender-based violence, multiple studies have found. While the drivers of violence against women and girls are complex and multi-faceted, experts are clear that climate change amplifies the risks.
Stress from loss of income can aggravate intimate partner violence and during times of disaster, women may also be coerced into sexual exploitation in exchange for necessities or be forced to trek long distances to fetch food and water, putting them at greater risk of violence.
Violence against women and girls is the most widespread and pervasive human rights violation worldwide, estimated to affect one in three women throughout their lifetime, according to the UN.
Organizations are trying to break the cycle. The Coalition on Violence Against Women, a nonprofit in Kenya, champions the rights of women and girls and seeks to protect them from all forms of violence through advocacy and by providing services and resources.
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