by Syed Nadeem Fatmi 21 June 2023
Floods have become a recurring nightmare in Assam, Meghalaya, and Bihar, causing immense suffering and devastation. While floods affect the entire population, women bear a disproportionate burden of the consequences due to their existing social roles and vulnerabilities. This sociological analysis aims to examine the devastating impact of frequent floods on women in these states and highlight the urgent need for state interventions to address their specific needs and mitigate the gendered effects of this recurring natural disaster.
Socioeconomic and Cultural Context: The states of Assam, Meghalaya, and Bihar are characterized by diverse socioeconomic and cultural factors that shape the experiences of women during flood disasters. In these regions, women are often confined to traditional gender roles, including caregiving and household responsibilities. These roles, combined with existing gender inequalities, place women at a higher risk during floods.
Displacement and Loss of Livelihoods: Frequent floods in these regions lead to significant displacement of communities, resulting in loss of homes, agricultural lands, and livelihoods. Displaced women face multiple challenges, including the lack of secure shelter, sanitation facilities, and access to healthcare. Disruption of agricultural activities also exacerbates women’s vulnerability as they are primarily engaged in subsistence farming.
Health Risks and Gender-Based Violence: During floods, women face increased health risks, including waterborne diseases, malnutrition, and reproductive health complications due to the lack of clean water, hygiene, and healthcare facilities. Moreover, overcrowded relief camps and temporary settlements often lack proper lighting and privacy, exposing women to higher risks of gender-based violence, including sexual harassment and assault.
Education and Access to Resources: Floods disrupt the education of children, but the impact is particularly profound for girls. When families face economic constraints, education is often prioritized for boys, reinforcing gender disparities in literacy rates and educational opportunities. Additionally, the loss of crucial documents during floods, such as land records and identification documents, further hinders women’s access to resources and entitlements.
Psychological Impact: The psychological toll of frequent floods on women is significant. The trauma associated with loss, displacement, and uncertainty affects their mental well-being. Women often experience heightened anxiety, stress, and depression, which can have long-term consequences for their overall health and resilience.
State Interventions and Policy Recommendations: Addressing the gendered impact of frequent floods requires comprehensive state interventions and policy measures. Some of them may be as follows:
Gender-Sensitive Disaster Management: The disaster management framework should incorporate a gender perspective, ensuring that women’s specific needs, vulnerabilities, and capacities are accounted for in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery plans.
Enhancing Livelihood Opportunities: Providing skill development programs and income-generating activities targeted at women can help mitigate the economic impact of floods. Additionally, promoting climate-resilient agriculture practices and supporting women’s access to agricultural resources can strengthen their resilience.
Access to Healthcare and Sanitation: Ensuring access to clean water, sanitation facilities, and reproductive health services in relief camps and affected areas is crucial. Medical facilities should be equipped to address the specific health needs of women, including reproductive healthcare and psychosocial support.
Education and Awareness Programs: Implementing measures to ensure the continuity of education for girls during and after floods is essential. Awareness campaigns should emphasize the importance of girls’ education and challenge gender biases that perpetuate educational inequalities.
Empowerment and Participation: Women’s active participation in decision-making processes related to disaster management should be encouraged. This includes involving women in community-level committees, providing training in leadership to them.
In the face of frequent floods in Assam, Meghalaya, and Bihar, indigenous knowledge and practices can play a crucial role in helping communities overcome this ongoing catastrophe. Indigenous communities possess a deep understanding of their local ecosystems, weather patterns and natural resources which can contribute significantly to disaster resilience and adaptation strategies. We may explore the importance of indigenous knowledge and its potential contributions to mitigating the devastating impact of floods on women in these regions.
Traditional Ecological Knowledge: Indigenous communities have accumulated generations of knowledge about their local environments, including the behavior of rivers, the topography of the land, and the signs indicating the onset of floods. This traditional ecological knowledge can be instrumental in predicting and preparing for floods. Women, as active participants in community life, often hold valuable insights into these ecological indicators and can contribute to early warning systems and disaster preparedness plans.
Sustainable Agricultural Practices: Indigenous agricultural practices often incorporate sustainable and climate-resilient methods that can help communities cope with floods. Traditional techniques such as terrace farming, crop diversification, and the use of local seed varieties enhance the resilience of agricultural systems. Women, who play a significant role in agricultural activities, possess knowledge about traditional crop varieties, water management techniques, and soil conservation practices. Integrating such indigenous practices with modern agricultural approaches can help communities adapt to floods and minimize the loss of livelihoods.
Traditional Architecture and Housing: Indigenous communities have developed unique architectural practices that consider the local climate and environmental conditions. Traditional houses are often built on stilts or elevated platforms, using locally available materials that withstand floodwaters. Women’s knowledge about traditional construction techniques and materials can contribute to building flood-resistant housing that provides safer shelter during disasters.
Medicinal Plants and Healthcare: Indigenous communities have a wealth of knowledge about local medicinal plants and traditional healing practices. Women often hold valuable expertise in identifying and utilizing these plants for various health conditions. During floods, when healthcare infrastructure is disrupted, indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants can be a valuable resource in addressing health needs, particularly for women and children. Integrating indigenous healthcare practices with modern medical approaches can enhance access to healthcare services in flood-affected areas.
Community Resilience and Social Cohesion: Indigenous communities have strong social networks and community-based support systems that enhance their resilience during crises. Women, as integral members of these communities, play vital roles in maintaining social cohesion, organizing relief efforts, and ensuring the well-being of vulnerable members. Recognizing and strengthening these existing community structures can facilitate effective disaster response and recovery, with a focus on addressing the specific needs and vulnerabilities of women.
Policy Implications:
Recognition and Respect for Indigenous Knowledge: Policymakers and disaster management agencies should recognize the value of indigenous knowledge and actively involve indigenous communities, especially women, in decision-making processes. Efforts should be made to respect and integrate traditional knowledge systems into disaster management policies and practices.
Collaborative Learning and Knowledge Exchange: Encouraging collaborative learning between indigenous communities and scientific experts can foster the exchange of knowledge and best practices. Such collaborations can help validate and integrate indigenous knowledge with scientific research, leading to more effective and context-specific solutions to the challenges posed by frequent floods.
Education and Documentation: Efforts should be made to document and preserve indigenous knowledge systems, including women’s roles and contributions. This can be achieved through educational initiatives, research projects, and the establishment of community-led archives. These efforts can ensure the continuity and transmission of indigenous knowledge to future generations, safeguarding valuable insights into flood resilience.
Recognizing and incorporating indigenous knowledge is crucial in addressing the devastating impact of frequent floods on women in Assam, Meghalaya, and Bihar. By respecting and integrating traditional ecological knowledge, sustainable practices and community resilience strategies, these issues adversely impacting women may be addressed by policymakers and stakeholders.