By Ainembabazi Shallon
OPINION
As the world observes Mental Health Awareness Month the conversation around mental health is expanding beyond traditional causes and under looked that is to include one of the most pressing challenges of our time the climate crisis. In Uganda, this crisis is no longer just about rising temperatures and unpredictable rainfall it is increasingly shaping the psychological wellbeing of communities with women bearing a disproportionate burden.
Across the country the frequency of floods, droughts and prolonged dry spells has intensified. In some districts within the country families have experienced repeated climate shocks that disrupt livelihoods and daily life. For many women who are often primary caregivers and managers of household resources these disruptions translate into chronic stress, anxiety and emotional exhaustion.
Recent research underscores this growing concern and the 2025 study conducted in urban informal settlements in Kampala found that nearly 20% of young women experience moderate to severe climate-related anxiety often referred to as eco-anxiety. This form of distress is not abstract it is rooted in lived realities such as flooding homes, food shortages, and uncertain futures and the study further linked climate anxiety to higher risks of depression and generalized anxiety disorders.
In rural Uganda, the picture is equally troubling. Research published in 2024 revealed that over 60% of women in drought-prone regions reported high levels of stress related to food insecurity with pregnant women particularly vulnerable. Many described feelings of fear helplessness and guilt when they were unable to provide adequate food for their families. These emotional pressures are compounded by the physical toll of hunger and malnutrition.
The climate crisis also amplifies the unpaid care burden carried by women. As water sources dry up women and girls must walk longer distances to fetch water also when crops fail, they must find alternative ways to feed their households. During disease outbreaks linked to climate change such as malaria following floods, they take on additional caregiving responsibilities. This relentless cycle leaves little room for rest increasing the risk of burnout and long-term mental strain.
Women in Uganda are heavily represented in climate-sensitive sectors such as subsistence agriculture and informal trade. When extreme weather events destroy crops and disrupt markets incomes collapse. Without adequate access to land ownership credit and financial safety nets many women are left with limited coping mechanisms. The stress of financial instability often manifests as anxiety, depression and a diminished sense of agency.
There is also a darker less visible dimension evidence shows that climate-related stress can contribute to rising cases of gender-based violence, economic hardship and displacement that often heighten tensions within households placing women at greater risk of abuse. Such experiences not only cause immediate harm but also leave lasting psychological scars.
Despite these realities mental health support in Uganda remains limited. The ratio of mental health professionals to the population is critically low and services are often concentrated in urban areas. Cultural stigma further discourages many women from seeking help. Notably, climate-related mental health impacts are rarely acknowledged in national policies leaving a significant gap in both recognition and response.
Addressing the intersection of climate change and mental health requires integrated solutions and also community-based climate adaptation programs must incorporate psychosocial support. Women should be empowered not only as victims of climate change but as leaders in resilience-building efforts. Strengthening social protection systems expanding access to mental health services and investing in climate-resilient livelihoods are essential steps.
As we reflect during Mental Health Awareness Month it is clear that the climate crisis is also a human crisis one that affects minds as much as it does environments. Recognizing and addressing the mental health impacts on women is not just a matter of wellbeing it is a matter of justice.
If Uganda is to build true climate resilience it must listen to, support and invest in the mental health of its women because behind every climate statistic is a human story and behind every resilient community are women holding it together.
The writer is a Programs officer at Women for Green Economy Movement Uganda (WOGEM)
