Drought, Depression & Despair: How Climate Shocks Are Hurting Kenya Women
In Kenya Kilifi region, extreme weather is doing more than damaging crops and homes it’s devastating mental health, especially for women. A new study reveals how rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and deepening droughts are triggering higher rates of depression and suicidal thoughts among women in some of the country’s poorest households.
Conducted between 2010 and 2024 across Kaloleni and Rabai sub-counties, the study involved over 14,800 women. It found that those living in slum-like, informal rural household without basics like running water and toilets were hit hardest. Compared to women in better-equipped homes, they reported a 10.8% higher rate of depressive symptoms.
But the crisis runs deeper. The same group experienced a 48.3% increase in suicidal thoughts, driven by a combi...









