Survival in Searing Heat: Women Bear the Brunt of Climate Change

Majida Begum, a ragpicker from Delhi, represents the daily struggles of Indian women facing heat and humidity exacerbated by climate change. Female-headed households, often in marginal sectors, are disproportionately affected. Health risks and economic losses intensify as women struggle for survival amidst extreme heat.

Majida Begum's sweat-lined face tells a story common to millions of Indian women. As she sifts through waste in Delhi's Seemapuri, she underscores the grim realities faced by women amid intensifying heat and humidity.

A UN FAO study highlights that female-headed rural households suffer 8% more income loss due to heat stress compared to their male counterparts, as climate change tightens its grip globally.

Women, largely confined to unorganised sectors with labor-intensive tasks, face severe economic and health challenges, explained Seema Bhaskaran of NGO Transform Rural India. Majida, 65, is evidence of this reality, working long hours despite harsh conditions.