CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS FROM A WOMEN’S HEALTH PERSPECTIVE

Climate change, driven by human activities causing global warming, is a significant public health issue that exacerbates social and environmental inequalities worldwide. Climate-related changes such as extreme weather events, disasters, droughts, air pollution, and vector-borne diseases pose serious direct and indirect threats to health. Among the most vulnerable groups affected by these impacts are women, pregnant individuals, and children. Especially in developing countries, limitations in access to fertility, sexual, and reproductive health services further amplify the effects of climate change on women's health. Healthcare professionals, including nurses specializing in women's health and diseases, play a crucial role in mitigating the adverse effects of climate change on women's health. Empowering women against environmental stressors, increasing their adaptive capacity to climate change, and developing health policies that emphasize environmental justice form the foundation of this process. Policies developed in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals — including Gender Equality (Goal 5), Good Health and Well-being (Goal 3), and Climate Action (Goal 13) — have the potential to offer holistic and sustainable solutions for women's health. This review aims to evaluate the impacts of climate change on women's health based on current literature, discuss how these effects relate to sustainable development goals, and offer recommendations for policy and practice-level interventions.