Gender inequality coupled with the climate crisis is one of the greatest challenges of our time. It poses threats to ways of life, livelihoods, health, safety and security for women and girls around the world.
Across the world, women depend more on, yet have less access to, natural resources. In many regions, women bear a disproportionate responsibility for securing food, water, and fuel. Agriculture is the most important employment sector for women in low- and lower-middle income countries, during periods of drought and erratic rainfall, women, as agricultural workers and primary procurers, work harder to secure income and resources for their families. This puts added pressure on girls, who often have to leave school to help their mothers manage the increased burden.
When disasters strike, women are less likely to survive and more likely to be injured due to long standing gender inequalities that have created disparities in information, mobility, decision-making, and access to resources and training. In the aftermath, women and girls are less able to access relief and assistance, further threatening their livelihoods, wellbeing and recovery, and creating a vicious cycle of vulnerability to future disasters.
While women and girls experience disproportionate impacts from climate change at the global level, the effects are not uniform. Looking at climate change through the lens of intersectional feminism, the way in which various forms of inequality often operate together and exacerbate each other, it is clear that climate change risks are acute for indigenous and Afro-descendent women and girls, older women, LGBTIQ+ people, women and girls with disabilities, migrant women, and those living in rural, remote, conflict and disaster-prone areas.
A bad headache can ruin your workday, strain your relationship with family members and affect your ability to exercise. In the U.S., headaches cause 112 million sick days each year. While one-third of the population gets headaches, women suffer more than men do.
Pre-pubescent girls and boys get headaches at the same rate. However, they occur more often for girls once they reach puberty and their menstrual cycle begins, and headaches only level off again after menopause.
Physical therapy, especially around the neck and shoulders, can be extremely useful in easing muscle stiffness that could cause a tension headache. Behavioral therapy and relaxation training can also help with stress reduction to treat headaches.
Jessica Timmons has been working as a freelance writer since 2007, covering everything from pregnancy and parenting to cannabis, chiropractic, stand-up paddling, fitness, martial arts, home decor, and much more. Her work has appeared in mindbodygreen, Pregnancy & Newborn, Modern Parents Messy Kids, and Coffee + Crumbs. She loves weight lifting, really great lattes, and family time. You can connect with her on her web page, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Dr. Debra Sullivan is a nurse educator with over 20 years of teaching experience. Her expertise includes cardiology, psoriasis and dermatology, pediatrics, complementary medicine, and workplace burnout syndrome. She has held many leadership roles in her nursing career.
A heart attack strikes someone about every 40 seconds. It occurs when blood flow that brings oxygen to the heart muscle is severely reduced or cut off completely. This happens because the arteries that supply the heart with blood can slowly narrow from a buildup of fat, cholesterol and other substances (plaque).
Violence disproportionately affects women living in low- and lower-middle-income countries. An estimated 37% of women living in the poorest countries have experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence in their life, with some of these countries having a prevalence as high as 1 in 2.
National data collection on intimate partner violence has increased significantly since the previous 2010 estimates, although challenges remain with data quality and availability. Sexual violence, in particular, remains one of the most taboo and stigmatizing forms, and hence continues to be vastly underreported.
"Learning more about differences in abortion rates could inform strategies to reduce disparities in reproductive health care," says Jones. "The more we know about those having abortions, the better enabled we will be to meet their reproductive health needs."
Cost. School sports budgets are being slashed every day, all across the country. Fewer opportunities within schools mean families must pay to play in private programs while also footing the bill for expensive coaches, equipment and out-of-pocket travel requirements. This additional expense is just not possible for many families.
For decades, Native American and Alaska Native communities have struggled with high rates of assault, abduction, and murder of women. Community advocates describe the crisis as a legacy of generations of government policies of forced removal, land seizures and violence inflicted on Native peoples.
Polycystic (pronounced: pol-ee-SISS-tik) ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common health problem that can affect teen girls and young women. It can cause irregular menstrual periods, make periods heavier, or even make periods stop. It can also cause a girl to have excess hair and acne.
Both males and females produce sex hormones, but in different amounts. In girls, the ovaries make the hormones estrogen and progesterone, and also androgens, such as testosterone. The adrenal glands also make androgens. These small glands sit on top of each kidney. These hormones regulate a girl's menstrual cycle and document.write(def_ovulation_T); ovulation(when the egg is released).
Androgens are sometimes called "male hormones," but the female body also makes them. In girls with PCOS, the body makes a higher than normal amount of androgens. Research also suggests that the body might make too much insulin, signaling the ovaries to release extra male hormones.
The higher amounts of androgens that happen in PCOS can interfere with egg development and release. Instead of the eggs maturing, sometimes cysts (little sacs filled with liquid) develop. Then, instead of an egg being released during ovulation as in a normal period, the cysts build up in the ovaries. Polycystic ovaries can become enlarged. Girls with PCOS might not be ovulating or releasing an egg each month, so many have irregular or missed periods.
Still, many girls with PCOS can get pregnant if they have sex. So if you're sexually active, use condoms every time you have sex to avoid becoming pregnant or getting a sexually transmitted disease (STD). (Of course, this is important whether you have PCOS or not.)
If you're overweight or obese, a doctor will recommend lifestyle changes. Weight loss can be very effective in easing many of the health conditions associated with PCOS, such as high blood pressure and diabetes.
Sometimes doctors prescribe medicines to treat PCOS. A doctor might first have someone try birth control pills to help control androgen levels in their body and regulate their menstrual cycle. Birth control pills may help control acne and excessive hair growth, but they don't work for everyone. It may take up to 6 months to see whether treatment with birth control is effective.
Medicines used to treat PCOS will slow down or stop excessive hair growth for many girls. Also, different types of products can help get rid of hair where it's not wanted. Depilatory creams can gently remove facial hair on the upper lip or chin. Follow the instructions carefully so you don't develop a rash or allergic reaction.
Treatment with birth control pills or antiandrogens might make severe acne better. If it doesn't, your doctor may refer you to a dermatologist for treatment. A dermatologist can also recommend medicines to reduce skin darkening or discoloration, and to prevent hair growth.
Some girls with PCOS may become depressed, in which case it may help to talk to a therapist or other mental health professional. Talking with other teens and women with PCOS is a great way to share information about treatment and get support. Ask your doctor or search online for a local support group.
An estimated 200 million girls and women alive today are believed to have been subjected to FGM; but rates of FGM are increasing, a reflection of global population growth. Girls and women who have undergone FGM live predominately in sub-Saharan Africa and the Arab States, but FGM is also practiced in select countries in Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America. It is also practiced among migrant populations throughout Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand. (See more.)
A key challenge is not only protecting girls who are currently at risk but also ensuring that those to be born in the future will be free from the dangers of the practice. This is especially important considering that FGM-concentrated countries are generally experiencing high population growth and have large youth populations. In 2019, it was estimated that 4.1 million girls were at risk of FGM. This number of girls cut each year is projected to rise to 4.6 million girls in the year 2030. In 2020 and 2022, COVID-19 compounded the vulnerability of girls and women, especially those at risk of FGM. The pandemic has further entrenched gender inequalities, economic disparities and health risks faced by women and girls, and disrupted prevention programmes for the elimination of FGM and other harmful practices. UNFPA estimates that due to COVID-19, two million cases of FGM could occur over the next decade that would otherwise have been averted, resulting in a 33 per cent reduction in progress towards ending FGM practice.
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