Women's Empowerment - The Missing Piece of Environmental Policies

Jun 12, 2020 | Vaishnavi Singh
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Ecofeminism, a concept that was coined in 1974 by feminist Francoise d’Eaubonne ideologically links the environmental crisis with gender and highlights the importance of women playing a role in the conservation of the environment. It also highlights how both nature and women are oppressed at the hands of a patriarchal society that clutches on to the control of resources.

In India, however, the term ecofeminism has overtures of caste and class interlinkages playing a role within the ambit of gender. The degree of marginalization not only effectively increases the dependency on nature but also reduces decision-making opportunities for the marginalized section. Focus on the environment without considering gender disparities can cause further inequality. In Indian rural households, women are typically the primary providers of water, food and energy, and are often dependent on natural resources for their livelihoods. They are thus especially vulnerable to changes in the availability and access of these resources. For example, reduction in the water table due to the ongoing climate change would mean longer distances need to be covered by these women on foot to obtain water for their households. Rural women are thereby considered to be the worst affected section by climate change.