Vulnerability of women in the face of climate change: a study of Wayanad district of Kerala, India

Abstract

PurposeThe relationship between women and extreme weather events is a significant issue given differential impact, adaptation strategies and coping mechanisms for genders. However, the women’s vulnerability and its determinants remain an understudied area. The paper aims to fill this important gap in literature by focusing on women’s vulnerability during the recent floods in the rural areas of Indian state of Kerala using primary data. With a focus on identifying the socioeconomic factors associated with women’s vulnerability, this paper also makes policy suggestions to reduce their vulnerability in the face of floods in Kerala where it is becoming a recurrent phenomenon.Design/methodology/approachThis study is based on the primary data collected using structured questionnaire answered exclusively by women respondents. Chi-square tests and ordered logistic regression model have been used to analyze the relation between the women’s vulnerability during floods and their socioeconomic determinants.FindingsThe analysis found that the better availability of credit to women, access to information tools and higher income for women can reduce their vulnerability when a sudden disaster strikes.Originality/valueThis study is unique as it focuses on rarely studied topic women’s vulnerability in the face of weather-related disaster in the rural setting, understanding their level of vulnerability and then identifying the associates of the same, this paper makes an exceptional contribution to the literature on women and environment in general.