Context:

• The Supreme Court of India has just ruled that people have a right to be free from the adverse effects of climate change, and the right to a clean environment is already recognised as a fundamental right within the ambit of the right to life.
• These rights of Women and girls are affected as they experience disproportionately high health risks, especially in situations of poverty, and due to existing roles, responsibilities and cultural norms. This calls for an examination into problems faced by women due to the climate crisis.

Impacts of climate crisis on women:

• Disproportionate health risks: Women and girls, especially those in poverty, face higher health risks due to climate change-induced disasters.
• Higher likelihood of mortality in disasters: Women and children are 14 times more likely than men to die in a disaster, according to UNDP.
• Increased food insecurity: Climate-driven crop yield reductions exacerbate food insecurity, particularly impacting poor households where women often bear the responsibility of ensuring food security.
• Worsened domestic work burdens: Women in drought-prone areas experience higher domestic work burdens, leading to poorer physical and mental health outcomes.
• Higher vulnerability to gender-based violence: There’s a correlation between extreme weather events and an increase in gender-based violence against women.
• Health risks from air pollution: Exposure to pollutants affects women’s health, as well as the health of unborn children, leading to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

Measures to reduce these impacts could include:

• Empowering women: Providing women with equal access to resources and opportunities can enhance their resilience to climate change and improve agricultural productivity.
• Supporting women-led initiatives: Encouraging women’s participation in decision-making processes and supporting women-led environmental conservation efforts can lead to more effective local solutions.
• Improving disaster preparedness: Developing and implementing gender-responsive disaster preparedness plans can help mitigate the disproportionate impact of disasters on women and children.
• Addressing water scarcity: Investing in rainwater harvesting and storage systems, as well as improving water access through local planning and government schemes, can alleviate water scarcity issues.
• Urban planning for heat resilience: Implementing urban planning strategies such as increasing green spaces, improving tree cover, and designing heat-resilient housing can reduce the impact of heatwaves on vulnerable populations, including pregnant women and the elderly.
• Applying a gender lens to climate action: Ensuring that climate change policies and action plans recognize and address the specific vulnerabilities of women, and empowering women to lead climate adaptation efforts, can lead to more equitable and effective responses to climate change.

Climate action plans should lay stress on the need to move beyond stereotypes, recognise the vulnerabilities of all genders, and implement gender-transformative strategies, ensuring a comprehensive and equitable approach to climate adaptation. Instead of being labelled as victims, women can lead the way in climate action.