South Asia Archives - Women Speak

28 06, 2023

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jun/28/climate-crisis-linked-to-rising-domestic-violence-in-south-asia-study-finds

Climate crisis linked to rising domestic violence in South Asia, study finds

Aparna Packer2025-03-27T13:39:26-04:00Country: India, Nepal, Pakistan, South Asia|

Heat waves are on the rise and, according to a new study, so is domestic violence against women and girls. The research shows that for every 1°C increase in average annual temperature, there was a rise of more than 6.3% in physical and sexual domestic violence incidents in India, Pakistan, and Nepal. The study tracked almost 200,000 girls and women aged 15-49 for eight years, reporting on their experiences with emotional, physical, and sexual violence. The data overlaid temperature fluctuations over the same period. Excessive heat may lead to failing crops, collapsing infrastructure, crashing economies, and may render individuals unable to work, keeping them at home. The study also showed that while all income groups experienced an increase in heat-related violence, lower-income rural households faced the largest increase.

7 01, 2023

https://www.archdaily.com/991027/shaping-history-the-impact-of-women-architects-in-post-colonial-south-asia

Shaping History: The Impact of Women Architects in Post-Colonial South Asia

Katherine2023-10-17T15:54:56-04:00Country: South Asia|

Four South Asian women architects have been instrumental in reshaping their communities after their countries gained independence from colonial rule under Britain. Pakistan’s first woman architect, Yaseem Lari focused her architectural designs on postcolonialism, gender, climate change, and community participation as she had a role in the design for affordable housing following post-partition Pakistan. Marina Tabassum, a Bangladeshi woman also contributing to the design of low-income housing (post-partition) that considered river erosion, poverty, and preservation of local resources. In India, Pravina Mehta elevated egalitarian values, Indian culture, and social justice in her housing designs, after seeing the wealth disparities amongst her diverse community. Finally, Minette de Silva, from Sri Lanka introduced critical regionalism which sought to balance regional needs with the local ecosystem, resulting in modern buildings that used traditional building techniques and raw materials. Marina, Yaseem, Pravina, and Minette’s contributions have shaped South Asian society with architecture that brings forward the intersection of gender and the environment. Photo Credit: Copyright Randhir Singh

23 09, 2021

https://www.youth4nature.org/stories/caste-climate

Caste and Climate Change

Aparna Packer2025-03-27T16:37:46-04:00Country: South Asia, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan|

Caste-oppressed women in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Nepal suffer from the silent violence of segregation and discrimination, putting them at extreme risk from the climate crisis. Dalits, members of the most oppressed caste, are more vulnerable to climate-related impacts because of their marginalized social position, the locations of their home in the periphery of communities, being historically limited to hazardous occupations, and lack of land rights. Dalit women are even more vulnerable. They are systematically excluded and oppressed, lagging in many human development markers, and lacking equal resources putting them at a higher chance of being subjected to multiple forms of violence. More than 15 Dalit women and girls are raped and sexually assaulted every day, as of what is reported. A woman’s caste position increases her risk of mortality due to a lack of sanitation and water. Dalit women die, on average, 14.6 years before dominant caste women. Climate change is exacerbating these existing vulnerabilities as resources, such as water, become scarce. In rural areas, the dominant castes are not allowing Dalit women to use government-provided hand pumps to access water, assaulting those who do amid a water crisis. Dalit women furthermore lack legal and community protection, making them extremely vulnerable to climate stressors.