Experts reveal overlooked factor threatening women's health: 'A major challenge'

Nomadic women in India are suffering from recurrent health and reproductive issues because of dry climate conditions and extreme weather along their migration routes. 

When they can't access water and are constantly sweating in the heat, maintaining proper hygiene becomes impossible. 

What's happening?

As Odisha News reported, the changing climate in Ladakh, a mountainous region in northern India, is affecting the health of nomadic women. 

Women from nomadic tribes travel along traditional routes that once had ample water from glaciers. However, those glaciers are now melting rapidly as global weather patterns shift and temperatures rise. 

Almost 40% of the glaciers in Ladakh have shrunk, leaving springs and rivers dry and nomads without water for drinking and hygiene. 

Health workers in the region have observed these nomadic women repeatedly suffering from urinary tract infections, vaginal infections, and other women's health problems. During their migrations, they don't have access to doctors or clean water, so the conditions keep returning even after treatment. 

"Earlier, water was available and temperatures were manageable," said Dr. Padma Dolma, a local gynecologist. "But now, with rising heat and drying sources, hygiene is a major challenge for women who keep moving across eastern Ladakh. The dry air here favors fungal infections. I see more such cases in Ladakh than I did in Delhi. Sweat, synthetic clothes, and lack of cleaning worsen it." 

Why are climate-driven health issues significant?

When critical glaciers melt rapidly and abnormally, vast populations suffer from food and water insecurity, along with worsening health problems. 

Nomadic tribes depend upon reliable water sources during their travels, but without those glaciers, they may struggle to survive and stay healthy. Nomadic women aren't able to clean themselves, even when menstruating, often going months without washing. Their clothes and undergarments remain dirty, and lack of access to water for washing makes them prone to infections. 

Research shows that these conditions can lead to infertility and complications during childbirth, issues that are prevalent among the Ladakh women. 

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What's being done about women's health in our warming climate?

There are direct links between environmental challenges and women's health. From water scarcity to toxic pollutants and unsafe air to breathe, these health impacts are most profound among vulnerable populations, such as nomadic women in Ladakh. 

In Ladakh, the government installed solar pumps and borewells as alternative water sources to dried-up streams. However, these solutions don't always work, or the pipes freeze and burst, leaving nomads once again without water. 

As an individual, you can do your part to reduce your contribution to global glacier melt by making sustainable lifestyle choices daily and setting an example for those around you.

For example, installing solar panels can help you be more resilient during intense storms and emit less planet-overheating pollution while you save money on monthly energy bills. Homeowners are also saving up to $10,000 on their solar installations by using EnergySage's free quote comparison tool. 

You can also help others understand the broader impacts of glacier melt, regardless of where they live, by sharing stories like this one about the Ladakh nomadic women. A better understanding of these critical climate issues can spark advocacy and action to help us move toward sustaining a cleaner, greener planet. 

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