Climate change is frightening us like that ghost of grandmother’s fairy tales, which sometimes left us with sleepless nights in childhood. However, this scare is even more severe as it physically appears before us. Threatening all forms of lives; damaging resources and weakening ecosystem by environmental degradation are common examples of haunting species. But let us not fear about that. Meanwhile, we are grown up to mature now, we will fight back and reduce the course of its impacts till the end of every fear if we need to.
More susceptible to this fear are women, particularly from rural areas. Having shunned nature of lifestyles and direct exposure towards natural disasters has always resulted in more risk to their vulnerabilities.
Lakshmi (34), a widow, whose husband had died from malaria in 2010, narrates her fuming story about how she had lost everything in flood, including those few valuables, which would never be substituted. A small hut and a metal box contained some money and dowry for her elder daughter, who was supposed to get married within a few months. But it could not happen, because everything had gone under mounds of water. Wounds can easily be healed if the proper medication is given on time. Unfortunately, for Lachhmi and many others like her who have faced successive floods of 2010-11 are still hoping against hope to recover from their mental and physical traumas.
Disasters occur naturally, but the miseries followed by them are always due to the negligence of human activities, such as, polluting water resources, damaging infrastructure, adopting unhygienic activities, and acquiring agricultural ill practices without guidance, which ultimately result in losses of human lives, economy and agricultural land. According to National Disaster Management Authority’s estimates, approximately 2000 people have been killed by multi-proportional diseases and other causes, while 1.9 million houses were damaged or destroyed; leaving an estimated 20 million people without homes in 2010 floods alone. Inappropriate hygiene, lack of sanitary services, access to pure water, and unavailability of medical facilities lead communities, especially women and children, to suffer from water-borne diseases.
Sufficient attempts have been made by successive governments to uplift the self-esteem of women without disturbing the main cause of their plight. Poverty, inequality and gender discrimination bring about many to take unlike steps, such as fleeing away from homes or quitting lives. Interior Sindh has witnessed many such cases in the last few decades. Essential services on which millions of rural women depend, including health, education, childcare and shelters, are chronically underfunded or simply unavailable.
Government and the UN officials have clearly stated that the causes of these floods are climate change and global warming. However interestingly, rather shockingly, none of us can say that flood-affected communities have any idea about these terms, especially those living in the countryside. In a world where everyday, scientific equipment and theories are being made, our rural community is far behind the marvels of science.
Very conveniently, they still figure out the severity of any destructive calamity while using old techniques, such as staring at the position of the sun or surveying the direction of the wind. Sometimes, more rains can be predicted, if someone witnessed a snake climbing on a tree. Therefore, the lack of proper information and scientific knowledge leads the poor community to face fatal consequences of climate atrocities.
Essential services on which millions of rural women depend are chronically underfunded or simply unavailable
Every year on March 8, the UN celebrates Women’s Day. In response to the millions of women and girls facing gender inequality and violence worldwide, the UN declared the theme for this year’s International Women’s Day to be “Think Equal, Build Smart, Innovative For Change.” Leaders of the organisation deliberated upon whether women are more prone to physical or sexual violence at their homes or workplaces. An estimate suggested one out of every three women experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime, most frequently by an intimate partner.
The situation in rural areas is even worse. In most cases, victims are suppressed to avoid registering complaints against the culprits, because they are consistently threatened until or unless the case is dismissed.
After the floods, newspapers reports mainly cover the drowning of villages; inundation of millions of acres of agricultural lands; livestock and valuable goods being washed away; mitigation strategies and the recovering activities, which are either nowhere to be seen or unlikely to help thousands stranded into water. Again, the process of working and migrating affects women, who suffer from psychological traumas. Passing through hardships while migrating always adds inconvenience for women to improve their lives as well as for those around them. Therefore, basic facilities like access to water, sanitation and hygiene are key factors for restoring the normal.
Girls face greater troubles, including the absence of WASH facilities. Even when they are available, the lack of safety and a sense of shame restricts them.
Though water is available in the rainy season, pure water is not. The use of contaminated water for consumption and household activities spreads dangerous diseases. It is an added concern for girls in such areas where unhygienic conditions, particularly in combined families, create less space and more panic as they fail to practice menstrual hygiene.
It is an undeniable truth that women account for a large portion of our economy. Therefore, the government should concentrate on the development of the rural areas in general and women in particular. The provision of equality and early education can help women contribute to national development. Women represent more than half the population and thus, education can turn them into a productive force for this economy. With the help of NGOs, government (local and provincial) can provide them with protection and land. Local or provincial governments in collaboration with non-governmental organisations should develop an educated society, which creates a sustainable environment for women. By implementing this, a prosperous and healthy society will be born.
The writer is a freelancer