As global warming continues to worsen, women and children in Sub-Saharan Africa face the brunt of its consequences. International Women’s Day 2025, themed “For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment” highlights the struggles faced by women in Sub-Saharan and other underdeveloped areas of the world, where gender inequality, food insecurity, and other challenges persist. Climate change could drive 93 million women in Sub-Saharan Africa into poverty, while 105 million women in the region may face food insecurity. In areas prone to frequent droughts and arid conditions, women disproportionately face the impact, experiencing higher rates of child marriage, adolescent births, and increased challenges accessing water and necessary resources. Sub-Saharan Africa is first in the world in vulnerability to food insecurity, with South East Asia and Central Asia following closely behind, according to unwomen.org.
In countries, like Uganda, women play a crucial role in agriculture, making up more than half of the farming workforce. 76 percent of women work in agriculture, compared to the 62 percent of men who work in agriculture, according to blogs.worldbank.org. However women’s agricultural productivity remains lower than that of men. “Traditional” gender roles pose significant barriers for women, leaving them under-represented in making decisions about land use and resource management. This includes choosing what crops to plant, such as cash crops or food crops, according to farellymitchell.com.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, women account for around 43 percent of the agricultural labor force, yet they own just 13 percent of the land, according to farellymitchell.com. Globally, women own about 14 percent of land, which furthers restricts their ability to adapt to the changing climate and secure food resources. Without land ownership or the power to make decisions, women are left highly vulnerable to food insecurity. Despite these challenges, women demonstrate more ecological awareness in their agricultural practices. For example, while male farmers use 18 percent of pesticides, female farmers only use six percent, according to unwomen.org.
Across many countries in the region, women are responsible for a large portion of pre-harvest and post-harvest processes, such as weeding, transplanting, and preparing land for crops. In countries, like Nigeria, the National Gender Policy in Agriculture has helped boost productivity by giving women better access to resources on land and climate and whether information. Additionally, Malawi’s Farm Input Subsidy Program and Rwanda’s Land Tenure Regularization have tried to reduce gender disparities. These programs help by improving women’s access to modern agricultural inputs and securing land tenure. Even with these efforts, the need for continued long-term assistance remains to ensure women’s success in agriculture, according to farellymitchell.com.
In addition to the underrepresentation of women in the agriculture space, women also bear the brunt of domestic responsibilities, such as childcare. Gender inequality puts significant restraints on women’s development, hindering their access to education, labor, credit and land. Additionally, as primary caregivers, women are increasingly vulnerable to effects of climate change, exposing them to greater risks of gender based violence. Furthermore, Sub-Saharan Africa experiences some of the highest rates of child marriage globally. In East and Southern Africa, 32 percent of women under the age of 18 marry. These marriages are often the result of gender inequality and unstable living conditions, including food insecurity. They also increase the risk of gender based violence, with over 40 percent of women experiencing Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in their lifetime, according to worldbank.org.
Recently, political decisions have hindered women’s progress in gaining agricultural independence and freedom from social burdens. President Donald John Trump signed an executive order January 20, freezing foreign funding for international programs, such as the World Health Organization (WHO). This disruption halted critical support for countries, such as Ethiopia, delaying food shipments, halting health programs, and interrupting support for refugees and sexual violence survivors. Health programs, like the World Health Program (WHP), are currently at a standstill, with essential healthcare projects for Measles, Malaria, and HIV suspended. Women who are sexual violence victims are now without United States (US) aid programs that promote education for women and young girls. This is crucial as education is one of the key pathways to women’s economic independence, according to theguardian.com.
Senior Ellie Dodman, Co-Head of Community Service on Student Council, shared how the February coin drive in the Upper School raised funds to support the sister school in Uganda. She explained how this initiative has deeply impacted her.
“Personally, helping our sister school in Uganda is very important to me as I believe it is vital to support education and provide funds to improve opportunities within our Sacred Heart network, ” Ellie said. “Initiatives such as the Coin Drive are easy ways to make a big impact on others, allowing for girls in other parts of the globe to have the opportunity for growth and development through education.”
March is Women’s History Month, a time to recognize the achievements and contributions of women throughout history. This month offers an opportunity to celebrate the resilience, innovation, and leadership of women across various fields, while acknowledging the struggles that women continue to face in their fight for equality. 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action 2025, signed by 112 countries to reduce violence against women and increase women’s participation in political and economic realms. Much of Sub-Saharan Africa including Chad, Mali, Sudan, Niger, and Libya will continue to benefit from these efforts. However, despite the progress made, much more action is needed to achieve lasting change, according to unwomen.org.
Featured Image by Michaela White ’26
