POVERTY AND WOMEN’S RESILIENCE IN THE ERA OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN RURAL PAKISTAN

Abstract

Rural Pakistan, home to some of the most climate-vulnerable communities in South Asia, is experiencing the compounded effects of poverty and environmental stress. Climate change—manifesting in prolonged droughts, erratic rainfall, flooding, and water scarcity—has disproportionately affected women, who remain at the forefront of household survival and livelihood maintenance. This study explores the intersection of poverty and women’s resilience in the face of climate-induced challenges in rural Pakistan. It argues that while poverty exacerbates women’s vulnerabilities by restricting access to resources, education, and healthcare, it also underscores their adaptive capacity, as women develop innovative survival strategies to sustain households under conditions of scarcity. Drawing on qualitative research and secondary literature, the paper highlights how women engage in climate-sensitive practices such as crop diversification, livestock management, informal savings systems, and resource-sharing networks. These strategies not only mitigate livelihood losses but also strengthen community-level resilience. However, women’s adaptive capacity is constrained by structural inequalities, including patriarchal social norms, landlessness, and exclusion from climate policy-making and development programs. The research underscores the paradox of resilience: women are celebrated as agents of adaptation, yet their contributions are often invisible in formal climate and development agendas. The paper concludes that building resilience in rural Pakistan requires a gender-sensitive climate policy that addresses poverty as a root cause of vulnerability. Empowering women through education, access to credit, land rights, and participation in decision-making processes is vital for strengthening resilience and ensuring sustainable adaptation in the era of climate change