Climate Vulnerability in the Shadow of Gender, Age, Poverty and Location Nexus

Abstract

Climate change is universally recognized as an environmental and economic crisis, but its social manifestations bear greater inequalities. This research explores how climate change disproportionately affects adolescent girls belonging to low-income urban and rural settlements in Delhi, India, and how gender, age, poverty, and location intersect to configure their vulnerabilities. Whereas previous research tends to conflate adolescent girls in a category of "women and girls," few studies focus on their special issues. This study employs the qualitative method using secondary materials and primary data from questionnaires and semi-structured interviews to present the lived realities of adolescent girls in flood- and drought-prone areas. Evidence shows that climate change exacerbates gender violence, interferes with education, adds more household and income-generating tasks for girls, and undermines their physical, psychological, and reproductive health. All these impacts tend to create a poverty cycle, food insecurity, and early marriage. This study brings to the forefront the imperative for gender-sensitive climate adaptation policies that emphasize resilient WASH infrastructure, accessible health care, secure schooling, and social protection arrangements. These connected issues must be addressed to construct equitable, climate-resilient futures.