NEW DELHI, 16 Dec: Climate change is increasing the workload of women and enhancing their vulnerability, particularly in rural areas, the government told the Lok Sabha.
In a written reply, the environment ministry said India’s Third National Communication submitted to the UN climate body in 2023 notes that climatic extremes and climate change are magnifying the workload of women.
Recurring instances of erratic rainfall and the rising likelihood of extreme weather events can lead to loss of agricultural produce, it said.
Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh said that women are exposed to harvest losses, which are often their sole source of food and income.
He added that climate variability usually affects sectors traditionally associated with rural women, such as paddy cultivation, cotton and tea plantations and fishing.
According to the government, about 65 percent of the total female workforce in India is engaged in agriculture, one of the most climate-sensitive sectors.
Women constitute around 30 percent of cultivators and about 43 percent of agricultural labourers in the country, the minister said.
The government said it has launched several schemes and programmes that directly or indirectly reduce the risk of women to climate change.
These include the National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health, Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, Jal Jeevan Mission, Swachh Bharat Mission, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram and the Mother and Child Tracking System under the National Health Mission.
It said these schemes reduce women’s exposure and sensitivity to climate-related risks while enhancing their adaptive abilities. (PTI)
