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April 2, 2025.
Introduction:
Union Ministry of Women And Child Development (WCD) recently released the report titled “How Does Climate Change Impact Women and Children Across Agroecological Zones”. According to the report, women and children face higher risk of death during disasters compared to men. This disparity is exacerbated by existing societal roles and responsibilities. The need for gender-disaggregated data is crucial for developing effective disaster management strategies.
Agro-Ecological Zones in India
- India has 20 agro-ecological zones with different climates and landscapes.
- Climate change affects these zones differently, and its impact on women and children also varies by region.
- Some states have multiple agro-ecosystems:
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- Jharkhand, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh each have five agro-ecosystems.
- Some agro-ecosystems spread across multiple states:
- North Eastern Hills (Agro-eco region 17) covers nine states.
- Western Coastal Plains (Agro-eco region 19) spans eight states.
- This means inter-state coordination is crucial for effective climate adaptation policies.
Impact of Climate Change on Women
- Heatwaves in India: The frequency of heatwaves has increased 30 times in India by 2022, making them a serious health risk. Elderly women, pregnant women, infants, children, outdoor workers, and the poor are the most vulnerable.
- Women’s Vulnerability in Households: Women over 60 in Puducherry are more vulnerable due to spending more time indoors without air conditioning, increasing their exposure to urban heat island effects.
- Impact on Women Workers: Female brickfield workers in West Bengal saw lower productivity and increased heart strain due to extreme heat.
- Increased Risk of Violence: After climate disasters, women and girls—especially the elderly and those in poor socio-economic conditions—face a higher risk of physical, sexual, and domestic violence.
- Pregnancy Risks: In the U.S. and China, studies show heatwaves increase risks of pregnancy-related complications like hypertension, bleeding, and pre-eclampsia.
- Child Marriage Due to Climate Stress: Studies from Bangladesh show that extreme heat events force families to marry off girls into poorer households.
- Health Risks: Due to air pollution, women are exposed to risks associated with osteoporosis, respiratory issues, cardiovascular diseases and pregnancy.
- Flood: During floods, older women face mobility issues, while younger women struggle with both earning money and caregiving responsibilities.
- Drought: Increased workload for women for water collection and agricultural responsibilities. It also causes health issues like malnutrition and physical strain. Drought has been linked to a rise in intimate partner violence as well.
- Limited Gender-Specific Policies: Most climate policies do not focus on how extreme weather, heat, and pollution impact women differently.
- Livelihood: Women are at the forefront of sustaining agriculture, forest and coastal livelihoods but face severe risks due to climate change and resource depletion.
Impact of Climate Change on Children
- Women and children are 14 times more likely to die in disasters than men (UNDP).
- Children under 5 years face the highest risk due to their small size, weaker immunity, and dependence on caregivers.
- Studies show children under 4-5 years face the highest death rates during extreme temperature events.
- Floods and storms kill, injure, or displace children, cutting them off from essential services.
- From 2000-2016, over 17,671 children died in India’s major natural disasters.
- Floods cause diarrhea outbreaks due to dirty water, leading to dehydration and death. 300,000 child deaths per year in India are linked to diarrhea.
- Air Pollution and Child Health
- Poor air quality worsens children’s lung diseases and overall health.
- 116,000 infants in India died due to air pollution in 2020 (State of Global Air Report).
- PM 2.5 pollution increases infant mortality and stunted growth.
- Air pollution during pregnancy affects child growth, intelligence, and health.
- Nutrition
- Climate change may reverse progress in reducing malnutrition.
- Poor nutrition in pregnancy can cause lifelong health issues (David Barker’s Fetal Origins Hypothesis).