Climate Change and Rural Women in India: A Sc...

Climate Change and Rural Women in India: A Scoping Review on Gendered Vulnerabilities in Rural India

Author Name : Ganga. P. Sreenivasan, Dr. P. Anandharajakumar

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56025/IJARESM.2026.14072608

ABSTRACT In agrarian economies like India, climate change induces profound socio-economic disruptions, particularly within rural communities. Climate shocks experienced by rural communities put additional pressure on vulnerable sections that depend on nature-based income generation activities. Rural women are among the most vulnerable within these communities, as they often bear the triple burden of economic distress, physiological strain and societal marginalization, making the impacts of climate change a gendered phenomenon. This study employs a descriptive scoping review methodology, examining literature from 2000 to 2025 across four databases—Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar—to identify gendered vulnerabilities exacerbated by climate change. Fifteen studies were selected and analyzed, highlighting three major themes: Economic, Social, and Health impacts on rural women. Findings underline the disproportionate burden faced by rural women, shaped by intersecting vulnerabilities and societal marginalization. The study emphasizes the urgent need for gender-responsive climate adaptation strategies to safeguard livelihoods and reduce gendered vulnerabilities during climate change shocks.