PYQ Relevance:[UPSC 2019] What are the continued challenges for women in India against time and space? Linkage: The challenges that women still face are a major concern under the Beijing Platform for Action and are likely to be reviewed in the Beijing India Report. Pointing out these ongoing issues shows how much more needs to be done to reach the goals of the Beijing Declaration. |
Mentor’s Comment: It’s been 30 years since the Beijing Declaration set a global plan for gender equality across areas like education, health, and politics. In India, it led to key laws like the Domestic Violence Act and the POSH Act, and encouraged women’s economic empowerment. However, poor implementation still creates a gap between legal rights and the real experiences of women.
Today’s editorial discusses how gender inequality and climate change are interconnected. This topic is relevant for GS Paper 1 (Women’s Issues), GS Paper 2 (Policy Making), and GS Paper 3 (Impact of Climate Change). It highlights the challenges women face due to climate change and the need for better policies to address these issues.
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Let’s learn!
Why in the News?
The report lacks a strong link between climate and gender, and this needs to be fixed through policy improvements and changes at the grassroots level.
Why does this report lack a strong link between climate and gender?
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What challenges do rural women face due to gender inequality and climate change?
| Challenge | Impact on Rural Women | Example/Evidence |
| Education Disruption | Climate-induced migration and household burdens force girls to drop out of school. | In Dhanelikanhar village, Chhattisgarh, girls are leaving school due to displacement caused by climate stress and migration. |
| Unpaid Care Work | Resource scarcity increases women’s burden of water, fuel collection, and caregiving, limiting their economic opportunities. | Arsht-Rock report: Rural Indian women work over 8 hours daily, with 71% of their labor unpaid, deepening gender inequality. |
| Health Vulnerability | Malnutrition, anaemia, and reproductive health issues rise due to food insecurity and lack of healthcare access. | Over 50% of pregnant women in India are anaemic; food-insecure women are 1.6x more likely to suffer from anaemia. |
| Livelihood Loss | Extreme weather reduces agricultural output and affects non-farm livelihoods where women are largely employed. | Climate change causes up to 33% income loss in rural areas, with women in non-farm sectors most affected. |
| Exposure to Violence and Safety Risks | Climate stress and resource conflicts heighten risks of intimate partner violence and general insecurity. | A study shows every 1°C rise in temperature leads to 8% more physical violence and 7.3% more sexual violence against women in India. |
Why is a gender-climate lens vital for India’s sustainable future, as per the Beijing India Report 2024?
- Inclusive Policy Design: A gender-climate lens ensures that women’s specific vulnerabilities are addressed in climate policies. Eg: Only 6% of climate policies globally mention women, leading to gender-blind strategies in India’s rural development.
- Strengthening Resilience: Recognizing women’s roles in natural resource management and agriculture strengthens community resilience to climate shocks. Eg: Rural and tribal women preserve climate-resilient seeds, essential for adaptive farming during droughts and floods.
- Reducing Inequality: Targeted climate budgeting and gender audits help close gaps in access to resources, services, and decision-making power. Eg: Women’s unpaid work, like water and fuel collection, could rise to 8.3 hours/day by 2050 without gender-responsive policies.
- Boosting Food Security: Closing the gender gap in agricultural resources increases productivity and national food security. Eg: Empowering women farmers can raise farm yields by 20%-30%, feeding up to 150 million more people.
- Empowering Local Leadership: Women-led climate initiatives promote local innovation, disaster preparedness, and sustainability. Eg: Women’s self-help groups in climate-vulnerable areas act as first responders during disasters and promote eco-friendly practices.
What are the steps taken by the Indian government?
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Where should policies and budgets focus to support gender-responsive climate action? (Way forward)
- Gender-Responsive Climate Budgeting: Policies must ensure budgets address the specific climate vulnerabilities of women and prevent greenwashing. Eg: Creating separate budget lines for women’s disaster relief and climate-resilient livelihood schemes in rural areas.
- Climate Education and Skill Building: Invest in capacity building for women to participate in climate action and green jobs. Eg: Training rural women in solar panel installation or eco-friendly farming techniques.
- Support Hubs and Safety Services: Establish community hubs that offer healthcare, disaster relief, and protection from gender-based violence. Eg: Setting up women-centric climate support centers in flood-prone regions of Assam.
- Non-Farm Livelihood Diversification: Promote alternative income sources for women affected by climate-related agricultural losses. Eg: Funding mushroom farming or tailoring units for women in drought-hit Bundelkhand.
- Inclusion in Local Governance and Decision-Making: Ensure women’s representation in local climate planning and governance bodies. Eg: Mandating women’s participation in State and District Climate Action Committees in Madhya Pradesh.
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