A window into what we are reading at the Wilson Center’s Environmental Change and Security Program

World Groundwater Levels Face Accelerated Decline

Courtesy of Reuters, Reported by David Stanway and Edited by Tomasz Janowsk

Nature recently released a report revealing that global groundwater levels have undergone a widespread and accelerated decline over the past 40 years. Researchers concluded that this has likely occurred as a result of the impact of two factors: unsustainable irrigation practices in dry climates and drought driven by climate change.

We take for granted the way health programs are financed—and often forget that there are biases in financing functions that undermine equitable access to health care.

For instance, through gender advances, women now decide on contraceptive use and childbearing. Yet the health financing related to those services tends to emphasize improving efficiency and optimizing resources, without necessarily aligning its objectives with gender equity or inclusivity.

Throughout history, women have played crucial leadership roles during wartime, even if their contributions were not always well-documented or recognized. In times of conflict, societal norms sometimes shift, allowing women to step into positions of authority that might have been traditionally reserved for men. Despite indisputable evidence of women’s leadership and bravery during conflict, however, women continue to be construed as “victims” and “passive actors”—rather than the political agents, leaders, soldiers, and visionaries that they are.

In the rugged heart of Western Afghanistan, the people of Herat Province have been grappling since October 7, 2023 with a relentless barrage of aftershocks from a series of powerful earthquakes that surpassed 6.0 in magnitude. These seismic convulsions have left an indelible mark on this land and its people. After 40 years of almost-continuous conflict, Afghanistan already faces some of the world’s most alarming health statistics. The nation has one of the highest maternal mortality rates globally, with 638 deaths per 100,000 live births, as well as an infant mortality rate of 36 deaths per 1,000 live births.

“Women’s ability to access education, pursue a career outside the home, or participate politically often hinges on their ability to exercise control and autonomy over their own bodies and reproduction,” said Sarah Craven, Director of the North American Representation Office at UNFPA at a recent Wilson Center event, hosted in partnership with Population Institute, to launch their new report, Connecting the Dots: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights as Prerequisites for Global Gender Equity and Empowerment. 

The summer of 2023 featured some of the hottest days ever recorded. Feminists should be alarmed. 

Climate change may not seem like a feminist issue on its face. A warming planet poses a cross-cutting and common threat. But the perception that climate impacts result in uniform harm produces partial solutions that neglect the world’s most vulnerable populations. This alone makes environmental justice a gender justice issue as well.

The growing climate crisis presents one of the largest public health threats of the century. However, its countless impacts on maternal and newborn health outcomes (as well as health disparities worldwide) have only recently gained global attention.