According to the Global Climate Risk Index 2021, Pakistan is among the top 10 countries most vulnerable to climate change, despite contributing less than 1% to global greenhouse gas emissions.

Climate change is not just an environmental crisis — it is a silent disaster breaking the backs and spirits of women in South Punjab. These women already shoulder immense daily hardships, and now, worsening weather and dwindling resources have made their lives even more painful and uncertain.

Water, the basic source of life, has turned into a cruel enemy. Pakistan’s National Water Policy reveals that the amount of water available per person has dropped drastically from 5,300 cubic meters in 1951 to less than 1,000 today — a catastrophic decline that has rendered Pakistan a water-stressed nation.

For women like Zainab, who live in remote villages, fetching water has become a grueling ordeal. “We walk miles under the scorching sun, carrying heavy pots, sometimes three times a day,” she says with tired eyes. This exhausting chore takes away valuable time from children’s education — especially for girls, many of whom are forced to quit school to help their families collect water.

According to UNICEF, about 70% of households in rural Pakistan lack access to safely managed drinking water, forcing women and girls to walk long distances. This increases school dropout rates. UNESCO reports that in water-scarce regions, girls are 40 percent more likely to drop out of school, sacrificing their future just to........

© The Spine Times