Kathmandu, December 8

The poorest and the most marginalised are bearing the brunt of climate change, and the lives of rural Nepali women in particular have been badly hit.

“With changing weather patterns, increase in natural calamities, and increase in the frequencies of extreme weather events, people dependent on agriculture for livelihood have been the worst-hit in the country,” said Dr Madhav Karki, Natural Resource Management and Climate Change Adaptation specialist.

He added that these events had affected women in the country more strongly than men.

In recent years, Nepal has witnessed an increase in extreme climatic events such as floods, flash floods/rains, droughts, glacial floods, extreme heat wave and cold waves to name a few. Dr Karki informed that Nepal’s maximum temperature is rising at an annual rate of 0.04 to 0.06 degree Celsius.

Globally, Nepal is ranked fourth in terms of vulnerability to climate change, and 13th in terms of vulnerability to flood risks. These events have resulted in decreased crop yield, loss of wild life and bio-diversity, water scarcity, which has hit the rural population’s economic situation badly.

A report prepared by Women’s Rehabilitation Centre said over 75 per cent of men from various districts have migrated for economic prosperity due to food insecurity, making women the forefront producers and managers of food. The report said 56 per cent of food crops were produced by women. Yet, during food scarcity, women often are the last one to eat.

“An increase of four degrees Celsius in temperature could cause a drop of 28 per cent in crop yield for rice, and 68 per cent for wheat,” Dr Karki said.

Similarly, shortage of water means women now have to travel longer distances to get water, making them more likely to face sexual violence. More than 33 per cent of women have to travel over one hour to fetch water.

Likewise, 37 per cent of women and girls have reportedly faced sexual violence while travelling to fetch water. In the same way, 55 per cent of women have sufficient food only for six months.