Prolonged Droughts and Sexual Violence Against Women

Prelims: Current events of National and International Importance | Social development

Why in News?

A new study published in PLOS Global Public Health highlights that prolonged droughts in low- and middle-income countries are linked to increased risks of sexual violence against women.

Key Findings

• Prolonged droughts (lasting 8–43 months in a 4-year period) linked to increased risk of sexual violence against women and teenage girls.
• Even very dry periods, without being extreme, increase vulnerability to sexual violence.
• The first population-level study showing direct correlation between environmental stress and sexual violence risk outside intimate relationships.

Impact on Rural Communities

• Rural women and girls in low- and middle-income countries most affected.
• Droughts reduce resources and livelihood options, forcing women to:
  • Walking long distances for water.
  • Migrate to unfamiliar regions.
  • Face pressure for early marriage to reduce household burdens.

Water Insecurity as a Form of Violence

• Women in Indonesia and Peru described the extreme burden of fetching water during droughts as a form of violence.
• Water insecurity linked to adverse sexual and reproductive health outcomes.
• Previous studies showed extreme weather events like storms, landslides, and floods increase domestic and intimate partner violence.

Reference

The Hindu| Prolonged Droughts and Sexual Violence Against Women