Disproportionate Burden on Women in Risk Society

Syllabus: GS1/ Society

Context

• In a risk society shaped by modern crises, women disproportionately bear the burden due to existing gender inequalities and caregiving roles.

What is Risk Society?

• The term ‘risk society’ describes a shift from an industrial society to one increasingly shaped by uncertainty and hazards created by technological and environmental developments.
• Industrial societies brought prosperity but also created complex, global risks—like climate change and pandemics—that stem from human progress rather than natural causes.
• The term risk society was coined by German sociologist Ulrich Beck in his 1986 book Risk Society: Towards a New Modernity.

Gendered Impacts in the Risk Society

• Environmental and Health Risks:
  • Water collection duties of women expose them to contaminated sources, increasing vulnerability to water borne diseases.
  • Use of solid fuels for cooking leads to chronic respiratory diseases due to indoor air pollution.
  • Gender norms such as eating last or less nutritious food during scarcity worsen health outcomes. As per NFHS-5 (2019–21), 57% of Indian women suffer from anaemia, compared to 25% of men.
• Economic Vulnerability:
  • Women are more likely to work in the informal sector, with limited job security or savings.
  • They also have limited ownership of land and property, reducing post-disaster recovery ability.
  • Lower access to credit and institutional support, making them more dependent and less resilient during crises.
  • Unpaid care work places additional physical and emotional strain.
• Political and Institutional Exclusion: Women’s perspectives are often underrepresented in decision-making on disaster preparedness, climate policies, and health systems. This results in:
  • Gender-blind policies or insufficiently responsive to women’s needs.
  • Missed opportunities to harness women’s local knowledge and community networks for risk mitigation.

Way Ahead

• Gender Mainstreaming: Risk mitigation strategies, including climate resilience and pandemic responses, must include a gender perspective.
• Economic Empowerment: Land rights, access to finance, and social protection schemes must prioritise women to strengthen recovery capacity.
• Investing in Care Infrastructure: Recognising and supporting unpaid care work through services like crèches, health insurance, and community kitchens can reduce women’s disproportionate burden.
• Participation in Governance: From disaster management authorities to local planning bodies, women’s representation must be institutionalised.

Source: TH