Climate, Gender and Migration

In recent years, migration across and within national frontiers has witnessed an increase like never before. Many political, social, economic and inter-related factors account for this exponential rise. Climate change and environmental degradation, in themselves, and at times, in correspondence with the above factors, contribute to the displacement of 19 million people globally, about half of whom are females, according to an exhaustive 2015 study conducted by International Organisation for Migration(IOM). Besides, larger numbers of people are estimated to be on the move owing to droughts and slow-onset environmental degradation in their respective homelands, factors usually not accounted for when we talk about climate migration. Overall, one out of seven million people in the world are climate migrants, as per a 2016 study by The Wire. Researches conducted by United Nations University provide us with projections of greater rise in these numbers. Almost all major researches conducted in this regard recognise that the lives of women have been impacted significantly more adversely than that of men. Apart from women who migrate from environmentally degraded areas in search of work, there are also women left behind in such areas whose male family members like husbands, brothers and fathers leave their homes in search of work for cities and towns with more favourable conditions for the same.

Climate change and environmental degradation, in themselves, and at times, in correspondence with the above factors, contribute to the displacement of 19 million people globally, about half of whom are females, according to an exhaustive 2015 study conducted by International Organisation for Migration(IOM).

Policies on climate change, both at national and international levels, do not adequately recognise the specific impacts of climate on female migrants as well as women who are left behind in environmentally degraded areas. The gendered aspect of climate migration is barely even considered an area of study and analysis, except by a select few organisations such as IOM and Ecofeminist scholars. A major part of the discourse centred on climate migration, therefore, remains gender-neutral. Ecofeminist studies have linked global migration with gender, socio-economic, political, environmental and historical determinants, providing for a holistic approach on the issue. They’ve recognized that vulnerabilities, experiences, needs and priorities of environmental migrants vary according to women’s and men’s different roles, as do responsibilities, access to information, resources, education, physical security and employment opportunities. They’ve also dealt with the difficulties faced by women left behind, such as increasing domestic and agricultural workload, and erratic or no remittance. In disaster-struck areas in South Asia, women whose husbands lost their lives are referred to as ‘flood widows’ and ‘drought widows’, and face visible social stigma and discrimination. Violent crimes against women, such as assault, molestation and rape have shown alarmingly increasing trends. Poverty, illness, exhaustion, trauma from displacement and/or estrangement from family members are only a few of the many problems faced by women as a consequence of climate migration. Moreover, field studies by UN Office on Drugs and Crime have revealed a correspondence between migration flows and rates of trafficking, especially that of women migrants. Many women are targetted by ‘agents’ who promise them domestic household and labouring jobs in cities, and then force them into prostitution. Forced migration, therefore, has damaging consequences for women, in many ways, more so than men.

In disaster-struck areas in South Asia, women whose husbands lost their lives are referred to as ‘flood widows’ and ‘drought widows’, and face visible social stigma and discrimination.

Although these problems faced by women have been documented, no action has been taken in the same regard, owing to lack of concrete data and studies by governmental institutions, and slow functioning of administrative machinery. Political conflicts, persecution and xenophobia also factor in here, with warring national governments unwilling to put aside their tensions and cooperate with each other, and regarding migrants as national problems instead of acknowledging their problems. Despite expansive studies, climate change is not talked about at length when push factors of migration are being enumerated. The intersectionality of gender, climate and migration must be stressed upon in this discourse. Only then will it lead to national and international recognition and policy formulation.

Despite expansive studies, climate change is not talked about at length when push factors of migration are being enumerated. The intersectionality of gender, climate and migration must be stressed upon in this discourse.

We celebrate June 5 as World Environment Day all over the world. Let’s take a pledge to not ignore the struggles of climate migrants and start talking about them. Discourse makes difference!

Written by Noyonika Bhattacharya