RURAL Sindh is on the frontlines of climate change, experiencing devastating floods, severe droughts, and recurring natural disasters. These extreme weather events not only destroy homes and livelihoods but disproportionately affect women and girls, intensifying poverty, exploitation, and gender inequality. The region’s vulnerability is exacerbated by existing social and economic challenges, making it a focal point for understanding how climate change intersects with gender disparity.
Already one of Pakistan’s most impoverished areas, Sindh has witnessed frequent climate-induced calamities. The 2022 floods displaced millions, destroying infrastructure, crops, and livestock. These disasters have far-reaching consequences beyond material losses, trapping women and girls in cycles of poverty and exploitation.
According to the Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement Survey (PSLM) 2018-19, rural Sindh’s literacy rate is significantly below the national average at 57.7%, with an even lower rate for women. Climate disasters further exacerbate this gap, as schools are destroyed and families deprioritize girls’ education in the struggle for survival. This deprives girls of opportunities for self-determination and perpetuates intergenerational poverty.
One of the most distressing outcomes of these crises is the increase in child marriages. Families, unable to cope with economic hardship, resort to marrying off young daughters as a survival strategy. Reports from UNICEF highlight that climate-induced disasters contribute significantly to this troubling trend. Early marriage strips girls of their education and independence, tying them to a cycle of poverty and vulnerability. Despite legal frameworks like the Child Marriage Restraint Act (2013), enforcement remains weak in rural areas, allowing cultural norms and economic pressures to prevail.
Women and girls face heightened risks in the aftermath of disasters, including gender-based violence and inadequate access to healthcare. Displacement often forces families into overcrowded shelters with no privacy or basic facilities. Limited access to reproductive health services further jeopardizes the well-being of women. Sanitation and hygiene become critical issues, particularly during menstruation, as resources remain scarce.
Despite the challenges, there are glimmers of hope. Community-based organizations in Sindh are introducing alternative education programs and sustainable farming practices that empower women to adapt to climate change. In some areas, women have begun cultivating climate-resistant crops and organizing knowledge-sharing networks. These initiatives not only enhance food security but also strengthen women’s roles within their households and communities, proving that they can be powerful agents of change when given the right tools and support.
As the global community prepares for COP29, it is imperative to recognize that climate change is a gendered issue. Governments must integrate gender-sensitive policies into climate adaptation strategies. This includes funding education programs for girls, supporting women-led farming initiatives and ensuring women’s participation in local climate action planning. Climate adaptation programs must prioritize skills training, scholarships and community-driven solutions to empower women and girls.
Climate change is not a distant threat; it is a present crisis stealing the futures of countless women and girls in rural Sindh. Addressing this requires urgent action and a commitment to building resilience through education, legal reforms and economic opportunities. By doing so, we can ensure a future where women and girls are not just survivors but leaders in the fight for a sustainable and equitable world.
—The writer is a development communication specialist and a vocal advocate for gender & climate change.
