A recent workshop was organized by the Indo-Global Social Service in Kolkata, the capital city of West Bengal in India to talk about the impacts of climate change on female workers.
Female workers toiling under the unreleting sun
The unnaturally growing summer heat leads to women working in the sun taking more frequent breaks, thus stretching their work hours from eight to ten, sometimes more.
A woman working in the construction site, or a woman who segregates waste gets tired more easily due to the intense heat. The first woman has to carry the load of building materials while the second one does not find carrying the garbage bag as easily while working under the scorching sun.
These women get paid much less than men for the same labor. “But despite the exhaustion and gender bias, these women prefer coming to the city for work. In the village, they usually have to work on farmland. The pay is less than what they get here. On top of that, the women have to do all the household chores everyday. Life in the village is much more exhausting. When they are working in the city, other members of the family do some of the household chores,” said Paramita Chowdhury, project coordinator with Indo-Global Social Service Society.
Some women in Maharashtra also choose getting hysterectomies done so as to be obliviated of the hormonal changes each month and the pain that comes with it, as it slows down their work and leads to much lesser pay.
While Manisha Bhattacharya, Joint Labour Commissioner of Bengal, spoke about the 'Bina Mulye Samajik Suraksha Yojana' scheme for the informal workers, she said that one crore and thirty lakh (thirteen million) people are already enrolled. However, this does not seem to be enough. Souvanic Roy, professor at IIEST Shibpur, said: “Urban planning should be able to accommodate the issues and concerns of the informal workers”.
https://www.telegraphindia.com/my-kolkata/news/how-weather-affects-female-workers-study-on-climate-crisis-and-informal-sector/cid/2009536
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Focusing on the impact of climate change on women's lives brings attention to their unique challenges and vulnerabilities. By addressing these issues, such as providing support for heat-induced fatigue and gender bias in wages, women can better sustain themselves financially and physically, ultimately benefiting their families' well-being and quality of life. A much needed program
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Good step by Indo Global Social services. It's a Reality that women are the most affected by climate change.Providing avenues for them to discuss such impacts a d possible mitigation measures is a game changer
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@rukia_ahmed_abdi And, the more these women are affected, the more their families suffer as well. Addressing these issues serves the women and their families altogether
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Workshops like the one in Kolkata can raise awareness and spur further research and policy discussions around gender-responsive climate adaptation strategies. Integrating diverse perspectives is key to developing equitable solutions.
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@walter_lungayi It is a pilot project that can be used as a study to assist in further progress in setting up other such programs to assist the vulnerable women in different communities as well.
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Kudos to them for their efforts in promoting gender equality and environmental sustainability!
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Dear Varsa Mahananda Your climate love has received over 50 agrees! We have reached out to Indo-Global Social Service Society by email and requested a response. I will keep you updated on any progress! To reach more people and increase the chance of a response, click the Share button above to share the review on your social accounts. For every new member that joins We Don't Have Time from your network, we will plant a tree and attribute it to you! /Varsa, We Don't Have Time
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Understanding how climate change affects women and children will definitely mean we adopt a more inclusive and gender sensitive approach is we want to see results.
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Great! This is a step in the right direction in understanding and addressing this issue.
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We need cities designed for informal workers, with proper breaks and healthcare access.
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@george_kariuki Agreed! Creating cities that are more inclusive and accessible to informal workers can help address some healthcare issues..