EXPLORING THE VULNERABILITY OF RURAL WOMEN TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN UNION COUNCIL GUJRI, DISTRICT SANGHAR, SINDH PROVINCE, PAKISTAN

Abstract

This study, titled “Exploring the Vulnerability of Rural Women to Climate Change in Union Council Gujri, District Sanghar, Sindh, Pakistan,” examines the gendered dimensions of climate risk. It aims to analyze the specific vulnerabilities of rural women, their perceptions of climatic change, and the challenges they face during climate-related events. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected from 30 women through structured surveys, alongside two Focus Group Discussions and three In-Depth Interviews conducted in three highly vulnerable sub-villages of U.C. Gujri. Qualitative data were analyzed using Framework Analysis, guided by the modified Pressure and Release (PAR) model. Findings reveal that women’s climate vulnerability is intensified by socio-cultural and economic factors, including patriarchal norms, limited access to resources, exclusion from decision-making, lack of adaptive skills, and domestic violence. These factors, combined with environmental exposure, heighten overall risk. The study recommends non-structural interventions such as community-based training, women’s inclusion in decision-making, and gender equality awareness programs.