Social vulnerability impacts women disproportionately during climate crises: B-School research

New Delhi, Nov 9 (PTI) The social vulnerability during climate crises can affect women disproportionately due to unpaid domestic work and reliance on precarious resources, a study by the Goa Institute of Management has found. The researchers at the Goa Institute of Management (GIM) conducted the study, officials said, to highlight how local feminist perspectives can be leveraged to address the crisis of climate change, which has severe health implications, especially for women. It also explores how these perspectives challenge patriarchal norms, build agency, and strengthen community decision-making.

Published by the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) as a discussion paper titled “Local Feminist Perspectives as Transformative Levers: Women’s Health and Climate Action in India”, the study advocates for the adoption of an intersectional approach towards addressing the interrelationship between gender, health, and climate for ensuring equity and justice.

According to Sreerupa Sengupta, Associate Professor, GIM, who is one of the authors, the uniqueness of the study lies in its focus on the diverse strands of local feminisms of our country, describing their influence on the women’s movement and also discussing how these feminist endeavours have given a voice and identity to women in the community.

“The study provides a historical understanding of the role of local feminisms towards mobilising diverse categories of women for equality and justice. Focusing specifically on women’s health and climate action, the study highlights the role of community-based organisations towards addressing intersecting inequalities through gender-responsive, participatory approaches,” Sengupta said.

The study documents successful practices by community-based organisations and recommends a collaborative policy design by embedding feminist, intersectional, and community-led frameworks in health and climate-related policies to accelerate gender equality and sustainable development.

"To address systemic inequities in health and climate action, cross-sectoral policy reforms must integrate intersectional frameworks that acknowledge overlapping oppressions of gender, caste, class, and disability. Embedding intersectionality in programmes ensures that marginalised groups receive tailored support to overcome barriers and participate in transformative change.

"Gender-responsive governance should actively include women, particularly from marginalised communities, in decision-making processes across sectors. Since the last two decades, ‘intersectionality’ has been a part of the discourse of global and local feminisms; however, a similar approach has neither been a policy priority nor has it been adopted while designing interventions for achieving gender equality,” Sengupta said.

The research found that women continue to face high and disproportionate inequities in health, and health policies remain primarily technocratic.

"These inequities are heightened among women of the lower caste, those with disabilities, and other intersectional ties. Community-based initiatives, such as self-help groups and community health workers, have been vital in social change pertaining to reproductive and menstrual health.

"The balance of social vulnerability during climate crises can affect women disproportionately due to unpaid domestic work and reliance on precarious resources. Women pioneers in renewable energy and sustainable agriculture show how women can be recognised as resilient ecosystem developers,” Sengupta said.

The study emphasises the need for inclusive and intersectional approaches within the health and climate sectors and participatory governance.

It also suggests that further strengthening the capacities of community organisations and incorporating varied women’s lived realities in policy and funding sources would improve climate adaptation outcomes.

"Addressing gender inequality effectively means moving beyond generic solutions toward strategies deeply rooted in local contexts. Policymakers, donors, and civil society organisations must embrace intersectional, community-led approaches, investing in long-term capacity building and genuine participation of women at all levels," Divya Singhal, Professor, GIM, who is also one of the authors, said. PTI GJS PRK PRK