A recent report from the United Nations' Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) highlights the disproportionate vulnerability of
women to environmental challenges. This disparity is particularly evident in
Maharashtra, India, where severe water scarcity exacerbates hardships faced by
women.
The scarcity of water has led communities to extreme
measures, including the dehumanization and commodification of women. The
practice of men marrying multiple women for water procurement underscores the
desperate response to environmental challenges, intensifying gender
inequalities and raising concerns about basic human rights and dignity.
The present study focuses on a case study from Maharashtra,
where water scarcity affects over 19,000 villages. In Denganmal village,
Shahpura Taluka, Thane District, villagers endure a gruelling 12-hour effort to
obtain water, highlighting the severity of the situation.
As a resilience mechanism, local communities have resorted
to multiple marriages, believing that more women in the household enhances the
ability to procure drinking water. These women, termed "Water Wives,"
symbolize a socio-environmental issue.
The emergence of "Water Wives" in Maharashtra
illustrates the complex interplay between environmental challenges, gender
disparities, and societal responses. Understanding these dynamics is crucial
for developing targeted interventions and policies addressing both the
immediate water scarcity crisis and broader gender inequality issues.
This study delves into the multifaceted issue of water
scarcity concerning women in the region, focusing on unravelling the
intricacies of the processes of 'dehumanization' and 'commodification'
experienced by women. By understanding these circumstances, the research aims
to illuminate the root causes leading to the current state of affairs.
Author(s)details:-
Pahul Kaur (Senior
Research Fellow)
Department of Sociology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India.
Please See the book
here :- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/raeges/v3/2831G
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