Items filtered by date: mercredi, 29 octobre 2025

A social scientist has urged Parliament to broaden its definition of vulnerable populations in the proposed Climate Change Management Bill, warning that pregnant and postpartum women and their infants are increasingly at risk due to rising temperatures.

The Joint Portfolio Committee on Environment, Climate and Wildlife and the Thematic Committee on Climate Change, with funding from Sweden through the Sexual Reproductive Health Rights, HIV and AIDS Governance Project of the SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF), are gathering public input on the Bill as part of nationwide hearings to ensure inclusivity in the law-making process.

Speaking during a public hearing on the Bill at Shamva Country Club, Mr. Samson Chikura, a technical lead on Cool Roof Technology implementation at High Horizons, said climate change was creating new categories of vulnerability not reflected in the current draft.

“Rising temperatures pose serious risks, particularly to pregnant women—especially during their second and third trimesters—postpartum women, and their infants,” he noted.

Mr. Chikura warned that heat stress and high indoor temperatures could trigger cardiovascular strain during and after pregnancy, threatening maternal and child health outcomes. He urged Parliament to explicitly include these groups under vulnerable populations in line with Zimbabwe’s constitutional commitment to social justice.

“Their needs must be recognised and addressed within a constitutional and legislative framework. Inclusion is not only a matter of social justice but a necessary step in fostering resilience,” Chikura said.

Climate Health Interventions and Indigenous Knowledge Systems

To protect climate-affected mothers and children, Chikura proposed several interventions:

• Establish climate-related maternal health surveillance programmes to detect heat stress impacts early.
• Educate families on heat risks, hydration, and low-cost cooling methods.
• Create public cooling centres and promote heat-mitigation housing designs.
• Ensure maternal health considerations are reflected in local and national adaptation strategies.
• Integrate Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) with scientific approaches for locally tailored solutions.

“Mitigation and adaptation must tap into Indigenous Knowledge Systems,” he stressed. “By integrating these considerations, we can create a more comprehensive approach that not only addresses climate impacts but prioritises the health and well-being of our most vulnerable populations.”

Strengthening Climate Finance for Local Impact

Mr. Chikura also urged lawmakers to strengthen climate financing provisions under Clause 27 of the Bill, which establishes a National Climate Fund. He welcomed the initiative but warned that without strong governance, funds might not reach vulnerable communities.

He proposed introducing a Fiscal Equalisation Framework to prioritise poor and climate-vulnerable communities using clear criteria—such as geography, poverty levels, and exposure to droughts, floods, or extreme heat. He also called for Intergovernmental Transfer Systems to ensure resources flow efficiently from the Treasury to local communities, as well as monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to track investment impacts and prevent misuse.

“Climate finance must not get stuck in Harare. It must build resilience where climate shocks are felt the most,” he said.

Public hearings on the Bill continue across Zimbabwe as Parliament gathers input to shape the nation’s first comprehensive climate law.