The gendered impacts of the climate crisis in the Sahel: an urgent call for climate-resilient livelihoods

The Sahel, a semi-arid region acutely impacted by climate change, stretches across parts of Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Sudan, Eritrea and northern Cameroon. This region is facing a dual crisis: the escalating effects of resource scarcity and food insecurity are exacerbating gendered vulnerabilities, especially among women and girls. These challenges create fertile ground for extremist groups such as Boko Haram, which primarily operates in Nigeria, but also in parts of Cameroon, Chad and Niger, to exploit these vulnerabilities. The result is the perpetuation of cycles of violence, radicalisation and gender inequality. The intersection of climate change, gendered vulnerabilities and extremist exploitation in the Sahel underscores the urgent need for gender-sensitive, climate-resilient humanitarian interventions.

The climate crisis and its impact on livelihoods

The Sahel is among the world’s most vulnerable regions to climate change. Desertification, erratic rainfall, prolonged droughts and extreme flooding events have become the norm, severely impacting agriculture and pastoral livelihoods, the economic backbone of the region. Agriculture contributes to approximately 40% of the region’s GDP and provides employment for 60%–80% of its population. Yet, the impacts of climate change have led to declining agricultural productivity, loss of arable land and diminished water availability. For instance, recent flooding events have inundated over 544,172 hectares of cropland in Mali and 558,000 hectares in Nigeria, disrupting food systems and exacerbating food insecurity.

Food insecurity in the Sahel affects over 38 million people, with dire implications for vulnerable groups. Women, who are often responsible for subsistence farming and household food security, bear the brunt of these challenges. Reduced crop yields and recurring droughts force many families to abandon their land, leading to displacement and migration. As of June 2024, the Sahel region hosts 5.5 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) and 2.1 million refugees. These displaced populations frequently lack access to basic services, leaving women and girls particularly exposed to exploitation, violence and recruitment by extremist groups.

Gendered vulnerabilities in the Sahel

The impacts of the climate crisis in the Sahel region are deeply gendered, with distinct vulnerabilities faced by boys and girls, as well as men and women. While both men and boys are affected by ecological and economic disruptions brought on by climate change, such as resource scarcity, displacement and food insecurity, the consequences for women and girls tend to be more pervasive and often more severe. For instance, women in the Sahel are disproportionately affected by general problems of governance, insecurity and health shocks, which are exacerbated by climate change. Additionally, approximately 77% of Sahelian women believe climate change negatively impacts their lives, highlighting the urgency of addressing women’s concerns over the climate emergency.

They are often tasked with securing essential resources such as water and firewood – a responsibility that becomes increasingly dangerous as these resources become scarce. The need to travel long distances for resource collection exposes women and girls to heightened risks of gender-based violence, including abduction by extremist groups such as Boko Haram. The climate crisis also disrupts education for girls; 47.3% of them are not attending school basically due to sociocultural norms and economic barriers related to climate crisis, including failed harvests or forced displacement.

For example, the interruption of girls’ education in Nigeria due to armed conflict significantly limits their future economic opportunities and increases their vulnerability to recruitment by extremist groups. Between 2014 and 2019, Boko Haram and other extremist groups abducted numerous children in Nigeria and the broader Lake Chad Basin region, with a significant proportion being girls. For example, 276 girls were kidnapped in the local government area of Chibok. Additionally, Amnesty International reported that over 1,700 children were abducted by gunmen since 2014, with 17 mass school abductions recorded in six years, underscoring the group’s strategic exploitation of gendered vulnerabilities.

The role of climate change in extremist recruitment

The interplay between the climate crisis and extremist recruitment is complex and multifaceted. Climate-induced resource scarcity and displacement create socioeconomic desperation, eroding traditional livelihoods and social structures. Extremist groups such as Boko Haram capitalise on these grievances by presenting themselves as providers of food, shelter and security. In some cases, women and girls voluntarily join these groups, driven by the promise of basic needs or a sense of belonging in the face of social exclusion.

Moreover, displacement camps and host communities often lack adequate protection measures, making women and girls easy targets for recruitment and exploitation. Boko Haram’s strategy of using forced marriages as a tool for recruitment and indoctrination further perpetuates cycles of violence and gender inequality. The group’s ability to exploit both the physical vulnerabilities and socioeconomic grievances of women and girls highlights the critical need for integrated responses that address the root causes of vulnerability in the Sahel.

Breaking the cycle: recommendations for action

The Sahel faces an intricate web of challenges, where climate change intensifies gendered vulnerabilities and provides fertile ground for extremist exploitation. Addressing these interlinked issues demands a holistic and gender-sensitive approach. The following recommendations outline key areas for intervention:

Strengthen climate-resilient livelihoods

Governments and humanitarian organisations must invest in climate-resilient agricultural practices, such as drought-resistant crops and water-efficient irrigation systems, to support local livelihoods. Programmes should prioritise the inclusion of women, who play a central role in agriculture and household food security. Furthermore, integrating gender-sensitive approaches in these interventions will empower women to be agents of change in building more resilient communities.

Enhance food security

Scaling up food assistance and nutritional support in climate-affected areas can mitigate the immediate impacts of food insecurity while reducing the socioeconomic pressures that make women and girls vulnerable to exploitation. Investments in local food systems and market access are also essential. Women should be included in decision-making processes related to food security to ensure that interventions meet their specific needs.

Ensure access to education

Keeping girls in school is one of the most effective ways to reduce their vulnerability to recruitment by extremist groups. Governments and development partners should provide targeted support to ensure that girls in crisis-affected areas have access to quality education, even during displacement. Community-based education programmes can also ensure continuity for girls whose schooling has been disrupted by conflict or climate-related events.

Protect displaced populations

Displacement camps and host communities must be equipped with adequate protection measures to safeguard women and girls from violence and exploitation. This includes the establishment of safe spaces, access to legal and psychosocial support, and setting up community-based protection mechanisms. Local leadership and women’s groups should play an active role in shaping these protective measures, ensuring they are culturally appropriate and effective.

Promote gender equality

Gender equality must be at the core of all humanitarian and development efforts in the Sahel. Empowering women through economic opportunities, leadership roles and decision-making processes can strengthen community resilience and reduce the appeal of extremist narratives. The promotion of gender equality should be integrated into every phase of climate resilience and peacebuilding programmes, ensuring that women’s voices are heard and acted upon.

Foster regional collaboration

The transnational nature of climate change and security challenges in the Sahel requires coordinated regional responses. Governments and regional bodies must work together to address cross-border issues such as resource management, displacement and extremist activity. Regional cooperation on climate adaptation and security could enhance the region’s collective ability to withstand both environmental and security crises.

Strengthen community engagement

Local leaders, women’s groups and youth organisations play a critical role in building community resilience and countering extremist narratives. Empowering these actors through training, funding and capacity-building initiatives can enhance the effectiveness of local responses. These groups are essential in mobilising collective action to mitigate the impacts of climate change and resist extremist ideologies.

Final thoughts

The climate crisis in the Sahel is a multifaceted issue that extends beyond environmental concerns, significantly affecting humanitarian conditions and regional security, particularly for women and girls. As the region grapples with the escalating impacts of climate change, manifested through desertification, extreme weather patterns and water scarcity, the resulting resource shortages exacerbate existing socioeconomic vulnerabilities. These conditions create an environment in which extremist groups such as Boko Haram can exploit the desperation of affected populations, particularly targeting vulnerable women and girls for recruitment and manipulation.

This crisis underscores the urgent need for a comprehensive response that addresses the interconnected issues of climate adaptation, gender-based vulnerabilities and security. It is essential to integrate gender-sensitive approaches into humanitarian interventions, recognising that women and girls bear the brunt of the climate crisis in multiple ways, whether through the increased risk of gender-based violence, displacement, or the disruption of education. They are not only the primary caretakers and providers but also the first to experience the impacts of food and water insecurity. As climate-induced displacement rises, these populations become easy targets for extremist groups, who exploit these vulnerabilities to further their agendas.

To break the cycle of vulnerability and exploitation in the Sahel, the global community must take urgent, coordinated action. Immediate humanitarian assistance is essential to address pressing needs, but long-term solutions must focus on building climate resilience and promoting gender equality. Investments in sustainable livelihoods, gender-sensitive education programmes, and protection for displaced populations are critical to empowering women and girls to withstand the climate crisis and reduce their susceptibility to exploitation.

The urgency of this issue cannot be overstated. As climate impacts continue to intensify, women and girls in the Sahel remain on the frontlines of a crisis that requires global attention. By prioritising their needs, amplifying their voices, and fostering resilience and equality, we can help shift the trajectory of the region. The path forward must include sustained efforts to address the root causes of vulnerability while ensuring the safety and empowerment of women and girls. Only through collective, long-term efforts can we hope to build a more resilient, secure and equitable future for the Sahel.

M.A. María Luna Itriago is a migration and electoral policy analyst, with experience in international cooperation and humanitarian diplomacy, including coordination of humanitarian and international cooperation projects with focus in West and North Africa.