Heatwaves Disproportionately Impact Women

Why this is here: In Cameroon, women experiencing extreme heat at home were nearly three times more likely to report an increase in domestic violence.

Researchers at The University of Melbourne reviewed studies across Oceania, Africa, and Asia to understand how extreme heat affects women. They found heat impacts women’s lives beyond mortality rates, often in ways overlooked by climate policies. In many regions, women spend more time in poorly ventilated homes due to caretaking roles, causing stress.

Workplace conditions also present challenges. In India and Bangladesh, women avoid using unsanitary toilets, risking dehydration, while cultural norms in India and the Maldives require more clothing, increasing discomfort.

Heatwaves can isolate women, like pregnant people in Burkina Faso, and affect self-perception, as reported by women in rural Kenya. Worryingly, extreme heat correlates with increased domestic violence in Cameroon and child marriage in Bangladesh, Cambodia, and Nepal.

Despite these hardships, women are actively adapting, painting roofs white in Ahmedabad, India, and building cooling spaces in Bangladesh and Jakarta. The researchers emphasize that climate policies must acknowledge these gendered impacts and support these existing grassroots solutions. Further research is needed to fully understand the intersections of heat, gender, and social vulnerability.