Enhancing Climate Literacy of Urban Poor Women through ICTs

Resumo

Climate change as a threat to sustainable development is expected to adversely affects various aspects of life especially in the developing countries. According to United Nations reports 1.1 billion people (one in six of the world’s population) lack access to improved drinking water, and 2.4 billion lack sanitation. As a result, the burden of death and disease related to inadequate water is high, with an estimated mortality of 3 million people a year, and millions more suffering from water-related diseases. Estimations are that over two billion people in developing countries will move to the cities by 2030 (UN 2005), further pushing the demand for water. Such changes in the climate will radically reduce the per capita water availability for a large majority in the country. In urban areas, women and girls spend hours queuing up to collect intermittent water supplies at standpipes. Several steps, including institutional, financial and behavioral changes as well as enhancing their awareness and knowledge are needed to enhance the adaptive capacity of women to climatic changes extremities. Keeping in view the above, this study has been conducted on 300 urban poor women residing in the slum areas of the five major zones of Delhi, to enhance the water mediated adaptive capacity to climate change by raising their level of awareness in dealing with climate change . A communication module comprising of ICTs (films, documentaries, camera mediated exercises, public service announcements), print and traditional media was administered to 150 women in groups comprising of 15-20 women in selected slums across Delhi. Results indicated significant gain in awareness and knowledge of women about climate change, its impacts and various community based adaptation strategies. Keywords: Information technologies, respondents, urbanization, climate projections.