Islanders leading the way: Resilience and rights in the face of climate change

UNITED NATIONS, New York – “Reaching the furthest behind” has long been a guiding principle for UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. But in today’s world, where climate shocks are accelerating as global solidarity is fraying, the people left furthest behind are instead often pushed even deeper into crisis.

Many of them live in Small Island Developing States, which face a storm of vulnerabilities – from geographic isolation to economic shocks and increasing exposure to climate disasters. Rising sea levels and extreme heat are daily realities, and cyclones, floods and droughts are recurrent. For women and girls, these challenges are compounded by persistent inequalities and heightened risks to their health, rights and safety.

Yet across these islands, women and girls are showing what resilience looks like in action. Below are a few stories about small islanders, making a big impact.

Midwives on the frontlines of climate crises

In Timor-Leste, midwife Dulce dos Santos cares for pregnant women in one of the country’s largest coastal towns. Many of the patients are survivors of domestic violence – often brought in by the police. “For pregnant women, domestic violence is a risk for themselves and their baby,” she says.

In this Small Island Developing State, one in three ever-married women and girls aged 15 to 49 reported experiencing physical or sexual violence by a current or former intimate partner in the past year. 

In times of crisis, midwives are often the first responders. Litia Naralulu, a retired Fijian midwife, was deployed by UNFPA to Vanuatu following Cyclone Pam in 2015. “When we got there, it was chaotic,” she recalls. “Local nurses hadn’t seen their families in weeks. We stepped in so they could rest.” Ms. Naralulu has helped hundreds of affected women and girls recover through multiple climate disasters. Midwives like her can provide life-saving services to women and girls during humanitarian crises, but they can also be mentors and role models by passing on their experience to younger healthcare workers.

Dr. Leeanne Panisi, the Solomon Islands’ first and only female obstetrician, is leading efforts to reduce maternal deaths, even as climate change makes reaching clinics increasingly difficult. “It’s definitely affecting women trying to seek help,” she says. She is determined to reduce maternal mortality in her country.

Breaking taboos and promoting health

In Papua New Guinea, UNFPA uses a traditional craft, the bilum, to spark conversations around sexual and reproductive health. The bilum – which means womb in Tok Pisin – is a bag woven in patterns that represent the stages of a woman’s life, carrying messages about fertility, motherhood and health. Through community storytelling, UNFPA and partners are breaking down taboos and opening space for dialogue on women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights.

In Tuvalu, a country extremely vulnerable to climate disasters, UNFPA works with local partners to distribute ‘dignity kits’ after emergencies, ensuring that women and girls can manage their basic hygiene and menstrual health needs. These kits include sanitary pads, basic clothing items and hygiene supplies, along with information on available services.

In the Maldives, climate advocate Hamsha, co-founder of Zero Waste Maldives, partnered with UNFPA on the ‘Cupvert Project’, a campaign linking climate action and menstrual health. Her work promotes sustainable solutions while breaking stigmas and creating safe spaces for conversations on menstrual hygiene and reproductive health, especially among youth and marginalized communities.

Mothering amid rising seas

In the Marshall Islands, single mothers like Joanne face rising seas and soaring temperatures. Amid these climate threats, UNFPA supports the government in protecting the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and young people.

Kiribati is a Small Island Developing State with just over 100,000 people spread across 32 atolls in the Pacific Ocean. Yet it has some of the highest levels of maternal deaths in the region, with a ratio estimated at 80 maternal deaths for every 100,000 live births in 2023. UNFPA works with national authorities and community-based organizations to improve access to healthcare for women like Frantelle, 24, who was expecting her fourth child at the time of the interview. “Climate change is making our country disappear,” she says. 

“But what can we do, except strive to live our best life every day?” 

Australia and UNFPA partnering for resilience and rights in the Pacific

Islanders are not waiting for the world to act – they are leading the way. They are proof of the need for equitable climate governance and increased financing, including gender-responsive policies that protect the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls.

The Government of Australia has been supporting the Transformative Agenda Programme for Women, Adolescents and Youth since 2018, ensuring that women, adolescents and young people in the Pacific can access quality sexual and reproductive health and rights, and deploying midwives where they are most needed. Australia is also supporting the Asia-Pacific Regional Prepositioning Initiative to strengthen preparedness and build resilience in the most disaster-prone countries.
 
When we invest in the health, dignity and leadership of those most at risk, we don’t just protect lives, we pave the way for a more inclusive, sustainable and resilient future.