Title: Indian women and the environment: vulnerability, efforts, and opportunities

Authors: Vijaya Gupta, Mumbai Neelima Naik, Mumbai Meenal Shrivastava

Addresses: National Institute of Industrial Engineering, India. ' National Institute of Industrial Engineering, India. ' University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

Abstract: For centuries, women around the world have been the source of indigenous knowledge to preserve and protect natural resources. However, society has continued to neglect this productive role of women in the conservation of the environment. This paper provides a preliminary map of the extent of Indian women|s vulnerability to environmental degradation associated with resources such as water, agricultural, forests, energy, etc. It also attempts to record and discuss the contributions of women, the Indian government, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and other agencies towards environmental protection as well as other issues linking women and the environment.

Keywords: India; Indian women; nature conservation; environmental preservation; female vulnerability; environmental degradation; environmental protection; resource depletion.

DOI: 10.1504/IER.2004.053923

Interdisciplinary Environmental Review, 2004 Vol.6 No.2, pp.14 - 36

Published online: 13 May 2013 *

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