Role of Women in Environmental and Development Resistance
- Women in South Asia are central to grassroots environmental movements against mining, dams, and nuclear projects.
- Examples include:
- Sijimali (Odisha): Protests against forest-displacing mining.
- Dewas (Jharkhand): Adivasi women resisting coal operations.
- Tamil Nadu: Fisherwomen protesting Kudankulam Nuclear Plant.
- These struggles reflect community-led development and deep ecological knowledge rooted in lived experiences.
Relevance : GS 1(Society) ,GS 2(Social Justice)
Systematic Exclusion in Decision-Making
- Women are excluded from formal consultations, despite being most affected by displacement and environmental degradation.
- FPIC (Free, Prior and Informed Consent) processes often ignore women’s participation.
- Women’s inputs are dismissed as emotional rather than recognised for socio-environmental insight.
Legal Protections vs. Reality
- Legal frameworks exist but are poorly implemented:
- India: Forest Rights Act (2006), PESA (1996) — recognise women in Gram Sabhas.
- Nepal: Joint Land Ownership Policy.
- Bangladesh: Khas land distribution prioritises women.
- Barriers:
- Land titles usually in men’s names.
- Gram Sabhas are male-dominated.
- Displaced women often not recorded as household heads = exclusion from compensation.
- No national-level gender-sensitive land policy in India.
- Customary laws override statutory provisions, especially in tribal areas.
Climate Change Deepens Gender Inequality
- Environmental stress (heat, water scarcity, pollution) worsens:
- Women walk farther for water, care for ill, work longer for less.
- Climate frameworks fail to incorporate women’s ecological knowledge or participation.
- Consultations often occur in unsafe, inaccessible, male-dominated spaces.
FPIC and the Myth of Inclusion
- FPIC is promoted internationally but lacks gender integration.
- Questions raised:
- Can consent be valid without women’s voices?
- Is it “informed” if women don’t understand long-term consequences?
Need for Structural Reforms
- Inclusive consultation practices: timing, women-only spaces, translation/legal aid.
- Recognise women as independent landowners.
- Empower women beyond symbolic participation:
- In negotiation rooms, policy forums, compensation boards.
- Amplify women’s leadership in movements — not just as supporters but decision-makers.
Conclusion: From Invisibility to Leadership
- Women’s stories are of resilience and vision, not just victimhood.
- Policies and institutions must shift from token inclusion to transformative leadership.
- For true climate justice and inclusive development, women must lead — not merely be consulted.
