January 12, 2026
Overview
Antibiotic resistance is a growing global health threat, especially in low- and middle-income countries. But it doesn’t affect everyone equally. This OHT collaborative article explores how gender roles in caregiving; access to water, sanitation, and hygiene; healthcare access; and climate-related risks shape how antibiotics are used.
The Question
How do gender inequality and climate change influence the spread of antibiotic resistance, and what does that mean for people’s health, especially in vulnerable communities?
The Findings
With support from the World Health Organization, the research team organized a series of interdisciplinary workshops in India and South Africa. These brought together experts from public health, infectious diseases, gender studies, climate science, and policy.
The final workshop, held in Cape Town in July 2024, focused on real-world experiences from regions most affected by antibiotic resistance, climate shocks, and health inequities.
The discussions highlighted several key insights:
- Gender inequality increases the risk of antibiotic resistance.
Women and girls often face barriers to healthcare, delayed treatment, and greater exposure to infections because of caregiving roles, food preparation, and water collection.
- Poor sanitation and climate change worsen the problem.
Floods, droughts, and extreme weather can damage water and sanitation systems, increasing infections that require antibiotics and straining already overburdened health services.
- Access matters as much as misuse.
In many communities, people lack reliable access to antibiotics, clear health information, and prevention tools like clean water, vaccines, and infection control, making resistance harder to control.
- One-size-fits-all solutions don’t work.
Interventions such as sanitation improvements or vaccination programs affect people differently depending on gender, income, and social position.
These findings show that antibiotic resistance is deeply linked to social inequality and climate stress. Tackling it effectively requires community-based, gender-responsive, and cross-sector solutions that connect health, environment, and social justice.
Read the article in the Journal of Public Health in Africa here.
