Syllabus: Women and Society

• Ulrich Beck’s concept of the “risk society” underscores how modern crises—driven by technological advancement and environmental change—generate global risks that disproportionately affect women, particularly in developing countries.
• A risk society represents a stage of modernity in which manufactured risks, created through human activity, surpass natural threats in shaping daily life.
• Unlike earlier societies that managed localized, natural dangers such as famines or plagues, today’s world faces unpredictable and far-reaching hazards, many of which are unintended consequences of industrial and technological progress.
• Key features of a risk society include reflexive modernization, where societies must constantly adapt to the challenges generated by earlier innovations.
• These modern risks are global in nature—such as pandemics, nuclear accidents, and climate change—that transcend national boundaries. Furthermore, these risks are marked by unpredictability, making them difficult to foresee and even harder to control.

• The evolution of risk can be understood through three distinct historical phases. In the pre-industrial society, risks were local and natural, typically managed through traditional practices and community-based responses.
• The industrial society introduced urbanization and technological growth, which led to new risks such as pollution and the overexploitation of natural resources.
• In today’s risk society, human activities are the main source of hazards, ranging from nuclear disasters to large-scale climate events, demanding collective global action and systemic change.
• Risks can be categorized into two types: natural and manufactured. Natural risks arise from environmental phenomena, such as the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which affected millions.
• Manufactured risks are a product of human decisions and technology, exemplified by the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster, which had long-term health and environmental consequences.
• Within this risk society, women bear a disproportionate burden. Their traditional roles, particularly in domestic and caregiving settings, expose them to health risks such as indoor air pollution from biomass cooking fuels and contaminated water sources.
• The UNDP reports that women are 14 times more likely to die in climate-related disasters due to factors such as restricted mobility, caregiving responsibilities, and lack of access to early warning systems.
• In terms of livelihoods, women—who make up 43% of India’s rural agricultural workforce according to FAO 2023—are often the first to suffer when environmental challenges like droughts or floods damage crops and reduce income.
• Post-disaster recovery relies heavily on women for caregiving, food preparation, and health care—tasks that are unpaid and unrecognized.
• Moreover, as climate change worsens water and food scarcity, women are often forced to travel longer distances for basic resources and may receive less food during shortages.
• To address these challenges, several policy measures are recommended. Gender-disaggregated disaster data systems should be mandated to enable targeted, gender-sensitive risk management.
• Community-led resource management must be encouraged, empowering women to lead initiatives in water conservation, seed preservation, and sustainable agriculture.
• Climate-resilient social protection programs—like MGNREGA—should be expanded to provide immediate support to women-headed households after disasters.
• Financial reforms are also essential, with increased access to microfinance and insurance enabling rural women to rebuild their livelihoods.
• Finally, inclusive governance is crucial, with mandatory quotas for women’s representation in local climate adaptation bodies and Panchayati Raj institutions that oversee natural resource management.
• In conclusion, the concept of a risk society reveals not only the growing complexity of modern hazards but also the systemic gender inequalities that deepen their impact. Ensuring gender equity in risk response and governance is critical to building a resilient and just future for all.