Guwahati: The North East Network (NEN) organized a two-day Regional Dialogue and Exchange on “Changing Patterns of Climate Change and Gendered Vulnerabilities: Feminist Voices from North-East India” in Guwahati from 10-11 September 2024. The event brought together over 100 participants, including practitioners, grassroots women’s groups, activists, academics, scientists, and media representatives, from the seven northeastern states of India and Sikkim.
Keynote speakers included Dolly Kikon, Professor of Anthropology and Director of the Center for South Asian Studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and Agnes Kharshiing, a renowned human rights defender and social worker from Meghalaya.
Dolly Kikon emphasised the urgent need to reexamine the concept of “liveability” in the context of climate change in Northeast India, highlighting how development-induced displacement, migration, and land conflicts disproportionately affect vulnerable communities. She stressed the importance of prioritizing community engagement, healing, and justice, urging feminists to extend their focus beyond human concerns to land, animals, and plants.
Agnes Kharshiing discussed the intersection between corruption and food insecurity, noting that women, who are primarily responsible for household care, face increased burdens due to climate change. She identified corruption as a root cause of many social, political, and environmental issues in the region, calling for a united effort to empower marginalized communities and foster grassroots collaboration.
The dialogue featured prominent panellists, including Seno Tsuhah of Nagaland’s Nenterprise, Bhanu Tatak from the Dibang Resistance in Arunachal Pradesh, and Mimi T. Lalhmachhuani, General Secretary of the All Mizoram Women Federation. Discussions centered around gender-based vulnerabilities, livelihood challenges, and climate change’s exacerbating impact on existing inequalities in the region.
Participants examined the intersections of climate change, biodiversity, and governance, exploring how policies disproportionately affect women. They discussed the livelihood challenges faced by women, such as reduced incomes, loss of livelihoods, and food insecurity, highlighting the critical role women play in building climate resilience. The issue of gender-based violence (GBV) in climate-affected areas was also addressed, with emphasis on how climate change increases vulnerability to domestic violence, trafficking, and early marriage. Women in conflict and disaster-prone regions were noted as being particularly at risk, with ongoing peace-building efforts being undermined by environmental and human-made disasters.
The dialogue concluded with several critical recommendations. Participants stressed the need for gender-segregated data on the impacts of climate change in Northeast India and called for increased documentation and resource mapping. The importance of reviewing women’s inheritance rights over land and resources, ensuring equal wages for women in government programs, and recognizing women as key actors in climate resilience efforts was highlighted. Women’s initiatives in traditional seed conservation, agroecological practices, and livelihood diversification were acknowledged as vital to climate action.
Additionally, it was emphasized that women must be included in disaster management committees and policy planning, and that gender-responsive services must be made available during climate-related crises. Concerns were raised about the vulnerability of women and girls to trafficking and early marriage in disaster-affected areas, with participants calling for urgent action to prevent gender-based violence during such crises.
The dialogue stressed the need for a feminist approach in all climate action plans, ensuring that women’s voices are heard at every level of decision-making, from community governance to global climate policies.
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