Women paying the health cost of the climate crisis

www.iied.org @IIED
Women paying the health
cost of the climate crisis
Ritu Bharadwaj, Team Leader and Principal Researcher, Climate Change Group
(Ritu.Bharadwaj@iied.org)
7 March 2024

Ritu Bharadwaj / @IIED
1. Introduce Comprehensive – Climate Impact Quantification (C-
CIQ) methodology
2. Share findings of the paper quantifying loss and damage faced
by women battling drought, debt and migration
3. Panel discussion on practical ways of tackling loss and
damage (what program and support needed, how it can be
delivered and how can be financed)
2
What we will cover today

www.iied.org @IIED
Comprehensive – Climate
Impact Quantification (C-CIQ)
methodology

What is Comprehensive – Climate Impact Quantification (C-CIQ)
approach
Shared
Learning
Dialogues
Assessing
Predisposing,
Precipitating
& Protective
factors
Index
based
valuation
02 03 04
01
Solutions
pathway

www.iied.org @IIED
Women paying the cost of the
climate crisis with their wombs:
Quantifying loss and damage
faced by women battling
drought, debt and migration

Ritu Bharadwaj / @IIED 6
Study Area

Understanding underlying
vulnerabilities and factors that
push communities to undertake
distress migration

3 P Approach

Protective
factors

Reasons for migrating (% cumulative scores)

Measuring loss and damage

Intangible
Tangible
Intrinsic Functional
Loss of income
Crop loss
Livestock yield loss
Employment loss
Loss of organs
Hysterectomy
Permanent Disability
Mental
health
problems
Labour rights violation
Loss of life
Death of family members
Health effects
of
hysterectomy
Drudgery caused by water
scarcity
Increased debt
Health cost because of
water scarcity related
drudgery
Human rights violation
Gynaecological problems
Short term Long term Short term Long term
Source
Destination
Source
Destination

Crop loss because of the latest drought
(% of households)
Group II (non-migrant)
Group I (Migrant)
Lost crop yield
20,735.29
9,150.20
Average crop loss
value (INR)

Number of days of employment lost because
of the latest drought (% of households)
11.46
15.02
5.53
3.56
0.79
12.25
1.19
-
7.91
4.71
10.00
3.53
3.53
1.18
7.06
0.59
0.59
2.35
- 2.00 4.00 6.00 8.00 10.00 12.00 14.00 16.00
<30
30-60
60-90
91-120
121-150
151-180
181-210
210-240
>240
Group 2 Group 1

Average number of employment days lost
because of the latest drought
Group I (Migrant)
Variable
Sl. No.
37.95
72.69
Average number of
employment days lost
1.
9,637.65
15,613.64
Average value of
income lost because of
loss of employment
(INR)
2.

Impact of walking long distance to fetch
water in drought periods
Group I (Migrant)
Illness due to water related
drudgery
880.59
1643.88
Average amount
spent to treat the
illness (INR)

Average current loan outstanding from
different sources (INR)
14,766.80
16,235.29
29,407.11
15,341.18
671.94
-
2,648.22
4,411.76
13,426.88
5,764.71
3,308.30
3,414.12
60,474.33
-
- 20,000.00 40,000.00 60,000.00 80,000.00 100,000.00 120,000.00 140,000.00
Group I
Group II
Banks Local moneylenders Pawn brokers
Village traders Friends and relatives SHGs/MFIs
Sugarcane work middleman
Total:
45,167.06
Total:
124,703.58

Indebtedness during drought periods when
compared to the non-drought periods is
3.95
20.16
10.67
38.74
26.48
11.18
22.94
11.18
34.71
20.00
-
5.00
10.00
15.00
20.00
25.00
30.00
35.00
40.00
45.00
Very less Less Same High Very high
%
of
households
Group I Group II

Functional loss and damage
Tangible
loss
and
damage
Short term Long term
Temporal dimension of loss and damage
At
Source
At
destination
Spatial
dimension
of
loss
and
damage
Loss of income
(Crop loss, livestock yield
loss, employment loss
water scarcity related
drudgery
Drudgery caused by water
scarcity
Increased indebtedness
34.92 26.83
Group I
Group II
66.11 43.74
45.20
19.54
50.33
21.23
43.15
33.68

Labour rights violation-univariate indices
- 20 40 60 80 100 120
Forced to work when you are sick
Forced to work during menstrual period
Wage deduction for leave of absence
Paid additional wage for working on day-offs
Forced to take harmful or dangerous tasks
Provided with safety equipment for risky tasks
Group II at source Group I at destination site Group I at source

Human rights violation-univariate indices
- 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Exposure to sun heat, rain, and cold weather
Exposure to attack by insects, snakes, and other animals
Trespass by strangers in the living area
Lack of privacy for bathing
Lack of privacy and sanitation for defecating, urinating,…
Access to water facility for drinking and domestic purposes
Electricity facility
Frequency of physical abuse by the employer or the…
Frequency of verbal abuse by the employer or the…
Frequency of sexual abuse by the employer/ contractor…
Group II at source Group I at destination site Group I at source

Gynaecological problems-univariate indices
- 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
Heavy menstrual bleeding, pelvic pain, and pressure on
the bladder or rectum
Severe menstrual pain and chronic pelvic pain
Uterus drops from its normal position into the vaginal
canal, often causing discomfort, urinary incontinence, and
pelvic pressure
Severe, chronic, or recurrent infections in the pelvis
Prolonged, heavy, or irregular menstrual bleeding that
does not respond to other treatments
Group II Group I

Cost of treating illness caused by work environment
Cost (INR)
Group II non-migrant)
Cost (INR)
Group I (migrant)
Type of costs
Sl.
No.
11.76
4,596.84
Cost of the
hospitalisation
1.
2.94
468.38
Cost of lab testing and
medical consultations
2.
5.88
288.54
Cost of medication
(tablets, post-surgery
therapy etc.
3.
20.59
5,333.75
Total cost
4.

Functional loss and damage
Intangible
loss
and
damage
At
Source
At
destination
Spatial
dimension
of
loss
and
damage
Forced labour index
Human rights index
Gynaecological problems
index
82.41
84.37
44.42
22.30
74.01
36.38
34.92
46.82
Group I Group II
@source
@source
@destination
@destination
@source
@source
80.24 15.61

Age at which hysterectomy was performed
Group II (non-
migrant)
Group I (Migrant)
Age in years
Sl.
No.
3.45
4.26
<=25
1.
6.90
31.21
26-30
2.
13.79
29.79
31-35
3.
20.69
24.82
36-40
4.
20.69
6.38
41-45
5.
13.79
3.55
46-50
6.
13.79
-
51-55
7.
6.90
-
>55
8.
42.93
34.64
Average age

Cost of hysterectomy
Cost (INR)
Cost (INR)
Group I (migrant)
Type of costs
Sl.
No.
13,058.82
45,391.30
Cost of the
hysterectomy surgery
1.
3,264.71
9,964.43
2.
1,982.35
8,018.97
Cost of medication
therapy etc.
3.
18,305.88
63,374.70
Total cost
4.

Impact of Hysterectomy-univariate Indices
47.04 47.33
41.70
38.83 40.02
37.75
45.06
40.12
35.87
37.65
15.44
13.68
15.44
12.35 12.35 13.24
15.44
14.12
15.59
12.50
-
5.00
10.00
15.00
20.00
25.00
30.00
35.00
40.00
45.00
50.00
Menopausal
symptoms like hot
flashes, night
sweats, mood
swings
Weakening of
bones
Prone to bone
fractures
Pain during
intercourse
Loss of libido
(sexual desire or
drive)
Decline in sexual
satisfaction
Pelvic discomfort Involuntary loss of
urine
Obesity Hear diseases
Group I Group II

Cost of treating accident injury (INR)
Cost (INR)
Cost (INR)
Group I (migrant)
Type of costs
Sl.
No.
1,176.47
962.85
Cost of the
hospitalisation
1.
235.29
629.25
2.
176.47
476.28
Cost of medication
therapy etc.
3.
1,588.24
2,068.38
Total cost
4.

Productive income lost because of
permanent disability for lifetime
Amount (INR)
Sample Category
Sl. No.
32,015.81
Group I (migrant)
1.
28,23.53
2.
The loss of productive income has been calculated by taking the following assumptions
-productive age of a person – 58 years
-income by a physically active/normal person per year – INR 60,000

Intrinsic loss and damage
Tangible
loss
and
damage
At
Source
At
destination
Spatial
dimension
of
loss
and
damage
Loss of organs
(Womb, other body
parts)
55.73 17.06
Group I
Group II
loss of organs
57.14 20.37
56.44
18.71

Amount spent to treat health effects of
hysterectomy
Cost (INR)
Cost (INR)
Group I (migrant)
Type of costs
Sl.
No.
1,948.24
6,901.19
Per year cost
1.
25,037.65
90,028.46
Total cost from the year
of hysterectomy till date
2.

Loss of income because of health effects
of hysterectomy
Cost (INR)
Cost (INR)
Group I (migrant)
Loss
Sl.
No.
1.64
7.07
Average number of days
of employment lost per
month
1.
3,924.71
16,970.75
Loss of income per year
(INR)
2.
70,785.88
214,842.69
Total loss of productive
income from the year of
hysterectomy till date
3.

Mental health problems-univariate indices
88.54
78.66
84.39
68.08
73.42
62.55
56.13
67.39 66.30
59.88
65.00
56.47
70.15
51.91
57.50
46.18
39.71
53.09 53.68
43.53
-
10.00
20.00
30.00
40.00
50.00
60.00
70.00
80.00
90.00
100.00
Persistent
sadness
Loss of interest
in life
Fatigue and
decreased
energy
Sense of
isolation
Feeding
hopeless
Increased
crying spells
Suicidal
thoughts
Loss of libido Difficulty in
concentration
Feeling guilt
and worthless
Group I Group II

Loss of income because of mental health problems
Cost (INR)
Cost (INR)
Group I (migrant)
Loss
6,470.59
10,424.90
Productive income lost
because of mental health
problems per year
1,912.94
5,554.15
Cost of treating the mental
health problem per year
Assumption: 250 days of work in a year

Intrinsic loss and damage
Intangible
loss
and
damage
At
Source
At
destination
Spatial
dimension
of
loss
and
damage
Health effects
of hysterectomy
Mental health
problems
41.14 14.01
70.53 53.72
55.84
33.84
Group I
Group II

Women paying the health cost of the climate crisis

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