MoWCD Recently Releases Report Highlighting Women and Children as Most Vulnerable to Climate Change.

National

In April 2025, the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD), Government of India (GoI), recently released a scoping study titled "How Does Climate Change Impact Women and Children Across Agroecological Zones in India."


      - The report highlights that women, particularly those in poor and rural communities, face greater climate-related challenges due to their daily responsibilities and social roles, while children remain highly exposed to climate threats.

      - The impacts of climate change on women and children vary across India’s 20 agroecological zones, revealing region-specific vulnerabilities.

     

Main Point :-   (i) The complexity of the situation increases as states like Jharkhand, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh (AP) have five agroecosystems each. Additionally, zones like the North Eastern Hills and Western Coastal Plains span multiple states, necessitating inter-state coordination.

      (ii) Heatwaves have surged in India, increasing nearly 30 times by 2022, posing critical threats. Among the most vulnerable are pregnant women, elderly women, outdoor workers, and economically disadvantaged women.

(iii) Young children, especially those under 5 years of age, are at serious risk during extreme weather events such as heatwaves. Between 2000 and 2016, India reported over 17,000 child deaths due to natural disasters.
About the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD)

Minister : Annpurna Dev
Headquarters : New Delhi
          ____________________________