The author says that no other group is affected by the destruction of the
environment more than (poor) village women. As
ecological conditions worsen, it becomes more and more difficult to meet pressing household needs such as fuel, fodder and water. The degradation of the environment thus affects women’s workload, nutrition and health. And, worse, girls are taken out of school to assists their mothers carry out these essential household chores. Since education of the girl child is vital for progress and development to take place in our society.
As a result of the destruction of
agriculture, forests and pastures, many men leave their homes for the towns (to earn more money) – and the women are left mired in poverty. Poverty affects women disproportionately; it has been estimated that women constitute some seventy percent of the world’s poor. Besides, there are social implications as well, as some wives are deserted by their husbands.
Not only are the village women over-worked (in agriculture and industry) but they have to do the domestic work as well. They have to wash clothes and utensil, and prepare food indoors on inefficient – and polluting – cooking stoves. Women are also expected to look after the children and the older members of the family. Biomass (charcoal, dung and wood) fuel accounts for some eighty percent of all household fuel consumption in the developing countries. Indoor air pollution is thus a major cause for worry…
The author says that poverty – in the Indian context – is not just shortage of money, but shortage of biomass as well. Thus, an essential aspect of the
rural development programs should be to restore the ecological balance and increase biomass production. Biomass is the most important source of fuel in India; unlike electricity, coal and petroleum (which are the fuels of the rich) its production is neglected by the administration.
For sustainable development to take place in our country, it should be understood that there are many ways in which the women's lives are interwoven with the environmental realities. Thus, the village ecology – and environment – must be protected and cared for at all costs. A start can also be made by designing (and using) more efficient and less polluting cooking stoves.