By Kei Emmanuel Duku
A stark new threat is exacerbating the already dire situation for pregnant women and new mothers in South Sudan, a nation grappling with profound humanitarian challenges.
Longokwo Luiso Lojore, an environmental activist and founder of Youth Interface South Sudan, asserts that the escalating impacts of climate change are directly contributing to a worsening maternal health crisis among the country’s vulnerable women, girls, and expectant mothers.
According to Lojore, climate change manifests in South Sudan as flooding and excessive heat waves, severely affecting women and children. She noted that the past 5-6 years of flooding have created climate refugees, displacing people due to floods and other climatic shocks.
In mid-February, the Ministry of General Education and Instruction closed schools for three weeks due to extreme heat, as children struggled to cope with soaring temperatures.
Lojore further explained that the recent heat wave claimed the life of a woman in the Eastern Equatorial State who relied on collecting firewood from the forest for her livelihood.
“Children and women are at risk. This lady died from the heat wave because she couldn’t access water in the forest. Had she survived, she would have supported her family with income from selling firewood,” Lojore said.
She added that even before the current heat waves and floods, women in oil-producing areas were experiencing the impact of climate change through air pollution and oil spills into water sources. The activist noted that pollution in oil-rich areas such as Unity State and Upper Nile States has resulted in women giving birth to deformed children, miscarriages, and other maternal health complications.
“It has caused poorer maternal complications during pregnancy, and long-term infertility. Due to high temperatures, women experience dehydration and menstrual cycle irregularities, with some experiencing pain or cycles twice a month,” Lojore added.
Beyond health challenges, rural communities, which rely heavily on agriculture, are also affected by prolonged droughts and floods. These events disrupt access to markets for women’s agricultural products, she stated.
Wani Stephen Elias, Executive Director of African Democracy and Resilience Network (ADRNET), remarked that South Sudanese women, like others globally, face risks such as gender-based violence, economic inequality, and limited access to clean drinking water a direct link to climate change.
Wani recounted interactions with women from Terekeka County, Central Equatoria State, who reported experiencing biological changes. “From January to February, my cycle comes twice a month. I feel stressed, fatigued, and thirsty. Could this be the impact of heat waves?” one woman asked.
Wani argued that during long dry spells water points dry up facing women to travel long distances for water and firewood, often resulting in some being subjected to rape in forests or along the way.
He urged the South Sudan government to create an inclusive national budget that addresses the impact of climate change on women and girls.
However, policy analyst, researcher, and activist Boboya James argued that allocating funds without parliamentary oversight will have minimal impact. He called on the government to emulate neighboring countries in holding leaders and institutions accountable for mismanaging public funds.
“Without transparency and accountability, funding for climate change becomes problematic due to the high level of corruption. Strong advocacy, coupled with credible institutions, is needed to support climate governance and financing,” Boboya said.
He emphasized the need for a multi-faceted approach to address climate change challenges, ensuring the most vulnerable are not left behind.