Gendered Health Impacts of Climate Disasters in India: A Human Rights and Socio-Economic Analysis.
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Abstract
Climate change should not only be regarded as an environmental issue because, as seen in this paper, one of its impacts is on women’s health, which is a fundamental human right. Women have the least socio-economic resources to survive these climate-induced disasters, and hence, they suffer the most. The intersection between climate vulnerabilities and socio-economic inequalities obscures the fundamental rights of women, particularly their access to healthcare and safety. These rights are ensured by different international frameworks such as CEDAW, SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), and SDG 5 (Gender Equality). The analysis presented in this paper applies to one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change: India. The paper focuses on five disaster-prone states in India and studies the impact of global warming on women’s health and children’s welfare.
West Bengal (Sundarbans) suffers from recurrent cyclones (Amphan, Aila) which impacts thousands by cutting off access to much needed healthcare. In Rajasthan, unbearable heat drives millions to the brink of starvation as they are already suffering from droughts, ultimately catching them in a never-ending cycle of poverty. Floods from the Brahmaputra River destroy several districts in Assam every year, causing internal displacement that raises infection rates amongst women. Odisha loses women to post-disaster malnutrition and anaemia as Cyclone Fani wipes out the healthcare infrastructure. Nelson describes Bihar as a laughing stock when discussing flooding, as it continuously restricts access to hospitals, sealing helpless women in a suffocating environment where maternal and infant mortality rates soared.
This study employs an intersectional framework to investigate the disparity in the provision of disaster relief services, health care services, and policies that are responsive to gender issues within the context of climate change. It underscores the crucial requirement for disaster policies that are sensitive to gender and human rights as well as the protection and promotion of climate resilient health systems. The paper aims to foster interactions among policymakers, practitioners, and scholars to address climate governance challenges that affect the health and socio-economic positions of women through integrating perspectives from global cases and best practices
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