Arabic version: موجات الحرارة في الهند تعطل التعليم وتؤثر على توظيف النساء
Extreme heatwaves in India have led to widespread school closures, significantly affecting families and particularly impacting working mothers. According to The Guardian, schools across Delhi and in about half of India’s 28 states have been ordered to close from mid-May until the end of June, with many not expected to reopen until autumn.
This situation has forced many mothers to leave their jobs or switch to less demanding roles to manage childcare during these extended periods of online learning. Sakshi Katyal, a resident of Noida, shared her struggles balancing work and her daughter’s education after her school closed, stating that the abrupt changes have drastically altered her family’s financial situation.
Working mothers like Katyal are not alone in this predicament. In densely populated neighborhoods, like Nai Basti in Okhla, women such as Zeenat Khatoon are grappling with the challenges of managing household expenses while their children are unable to attend school. Khatoon estimates that her daughter has been at home for roughly seven months in the past 12, with closures caused by heatwaves and pollution, impacting her ability to monitor her education.
Experts warn that these disruptions are creating severe economic consequences, with many women forced into lower-paying jobs or out of the workforce entirely. The cascading effects include reduced household income and increased poverty risk for families. Economists emphasize the need for better planning and support systems to address these climate-induced challenges, particularly for women who disproportionately shoulder childcare responsibilities.
While some officials defend school closures as necessary for safety, there are calls for a more structured response to the recurring heatwaves, suggesting that current policies do not adequately account for the unique challenges faced by women and their families. Without proactive measures, the ongoing climate crisis threatens to exacerbate existing inequalities and hinder economic growth.
