A/HRC/10/61 page 16 during natural disasters and during migration, and girls are more likely to drop out of school when households come under additional stress. Rural women are particularly affected by effects on agriculture and deteriorating living conditions in rural areas. Vulnerability is exacerbated by factors such as unequal rights to property, exclusion from decision-making and difficulties in accessing information and financial services.66 46. Studies document how crucial for successful climate change adaptation the knowledge and capacities of women are. For example, there are numerous examples of how measures to empower women and to address discriminatory practices have increased the capacity of communities to cope with extreme weather events.67 47. International human rights standards and principles underline the need to adequately assess and address the gender-differentiated impacts of climate change. In the context of negotiations on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, States have highlighted gender-specific vulnerability assessments as important elements in determining adaptation options.68 Yet, there is a general lack of accurate data disaggregated by gender data in this area. 2. Children 48. Studies show that climate change will exacerbate existing health risks and undermine support structures that protect children from harm.69 Overall, the health burden of climate change will primarily be borne by children in the developing world.70 For example, extreme weather events and increased water stress already constitute leading causes of malnutrition and infant and child mortality and morbidity. Likewise, increased stress on livelihoods will make it more difficult for children to attend school. Girls will be particularly affected as traditional household chores, such as collecting firewood and water, require more time and energy when supplies are scarce. Moreover, like women, children have a higher mortality rate as a result of weather-related disasters. 66 Y. Lambrou and R. Laub, “Gender perspectives on the conventions on biodiversity, climate change and desertification”, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Gender and Population Division, pp. 7-8. 67 See e.g. IPCC AR4 WGII Report, p. 398; International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, Gender Perspectives: Integrating Disaster Risk Reduction into Climate Change Adaptation. Good Practices and Lessons Learned, UN/ISDR 2008. 68 UNFCCC, Climate Change: Impacts, Vulnerabilities and Adaptation in Developing Countries, 2007, p. 16. 69 UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre, Climate Change and Children: A Human Security Challenge, New York and Florence, 2008; UNICEF UK, Our Climate, Our Children, Our Responsibility: The Implications of Climate Change for the World’s Children, London, 2008. 70 World Bank, Global Monitoring Report 2008 - MDGs and the Environment: Agenda for Inclusive and Sustainable Development, p. 211.