Huffington Post: Women’s Rights Must Be a Major Part of Any Climate Deal
Françoise Girard, president of International Women’s Health Coalition

“…Women and girls are the most affected by climate change and have the most to lose, or gain, from a deal [reached at the Paris talks]. They make up the majority of those displaced by climate change, and they are 14 times more likely to die from natural disasters than men. … Women and girls in such contexts have limited access to contraception and other sexual and reproductive health services, which further endangers their lives and welfare. … Women’s groups have called for the conversation to be re-centered on women’s rights — including their right to control their own bodies and fertility. Ensuring women’s and girls’ reproductive rights, and improving women’s access to contraception and reproductive health services, must be at the core of climate agreements. We will not save our planet and safeguard our environment without making women’s rights a priority” (12/10).