Impact of climate hazards on women and children?
Women and children in Bihar, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Telangana are particularly vulnerable to climate change-related disasters.
This info reveals in an internal study commissioned by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
Children exposed to climate hazards are more likely to be stunted, underweight, and more vulnerable to early pregnancies.
The study exclusively accessed and identifies climate and health hotspots in order to specifically understand the impact of floods, cyclones and droughts on health of women and children.
The issue of climate-change impact on women and children is under-researched and often overlooked in policy formulation.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Women Lift Health Global Conference 2024 at Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.
In our scoping study we realised that up to 70% of Indian districts are at very high risk of floods, droughts, and cyclones.
Women and children’s under-nutrition, teenage pregnancy and domestic violence indicators in these hotspots are also very stark.
Overall, 183 districts were vulnerable to hydro-meteorological disasters such as cyclones and floods, while 349 districts witnessed drought.
The study was able to generate certain spatial hotspots where high exposure to hydro-met hazards such as floods, cyclones and droughts.
This significantly co-exists with a higher prevalence of poor health variables such as underweight women and child marriage.
In northern areas of Bihar and Gujarat, the geospatial maps show hotspots where exposure to drought, flood, and cyclone co-exist with stunting and underweight children.
In terms of women’s nutritional indicators too, these States need immediate attention, the study says.
The study also points out that the northern plains, including parts of Uttar Pradesh, have hotspots for stunting.
While parts of north Maharashtra and south Madhya Pradesh are hotspots for underweight children.
The document submitted to the Ministry states that the study’s limitations include reliance on secondary data sources, with limited empirical insights into the health aspects of women affected by climate change.
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