changeadmin‘Staying at home is also problematic in summer due to the heat. The heat is unbearable, and there is no air.’ – a 55-year-old female in Rural Andhra Pradesh.
‘Everyone sleeps in a single room because of a single cooler—no privacy for the husband and wife. With kids and in-laws in the same room, we rarely get alone time.’ – a 35-year-old female in rural Rajasthan.
‘We get irritated quickly during the hot summer. We often direct our irritability toward the mother-in-law, children, or even animals. The husband is also irritable after work. Thus, it may end in a physical altercation.’ – 34-year-old female in Rural Rajasthan
These statements highlight the health impacts of heat on women in India, as reported in a Heat Study Report from the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF).
The study titled ‘The Impact of heat on the health of women in India’ surveyed 3,300 women aged 20+ in urban/rural areas across high-, medium-, and low-Heat Vulnerability Index (HVI) districts, using structured interviews, focus groups, and in-depth interviews with healthcare providers.
The M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, founded in 1988 by renowned agricultural scientist Professor M.S. Swaminathan using his World Food Prize proceeds, operates as a Chennai-based nonprofit dedicated to sustainable rural development.
Released in November 2025, this climate-focused MSSRF study examines the physical, reproductive, mental, and economic effects in districts with high heat vulnerability across the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Bihar, Odisha, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu.
The report found that women in high-vulnerability districts experience higher rates of health issues, particularly among poor households and in rural areas.
Other factors, such as limited access to health services, low incomes, and social, political, and economic contexts, exacerbate the health impact on women. For instance, economically weaker households are more likely to reside in climate-prone areas that lack basic facilities such as ventilation or cooling appliances (e.g., fans, ACs, refrigerators).
In districts with high heat vulnerability, 70% of surveyed women reported physical symptoms, including fatigue, dizziness, dehydration, and gastrointestinal issues, during the peak heat period (April-June).
Furthermore, women also faced reproductive and menstrual health issues, including urinary tract infections and irregular bleeding, yet they were often overlooked in both personal care-seeking and provider responses. Reproductive issues disproportionately affected rural, poor, and informal workers.
Heat exacerbates unpaid domestic labour burdens, including water fetching and cooking in poorly ventilated homes, compounding occupational stress for poor and rural women.
The impact of heat on women in India extends beyond physical health and mental well-being; it also affects finances, as nearly all respondents (97%) reported wage losses exceeding ₹1,500 during the same period. These losses intensify gender inequalities, as women lack social protections typical in the formal sector.
The report points out how extreme heat disrupts women’s occupations, livelihoods, and economic stability, particularly in high HVI districts. Women in informal sectors such as agriculture, construction, and street vending experience reduced work capacity due to physical symptoms, including fatigue and dehydration, resulting in fewer working hours during the peak summer months.
Finally, the Heat Study Report provides policy recommendations to enhance primary health centres with heat-resilient features, such as shaded clinics, cooling centres, reliable power, and water access, to address care barriers during heatwaves.
MSSRF emphasises the need to enforce labour policies and to ensure that women in the informal sector have access to water, toilets, rest areas, and healthcare during the summer months to mitigate wage losses and productivity declines.
Policy suggestions include a multi-level policy agenda integrating heat action plans into national health and climate strategies, emphasising gender-disaggregated data collection and women-centric heat alerts via SMS and community networks.
To mitigate the impact of heat on women in India, the report recommends actionable plans for local bodies, states, and ministries with budgets, guidelines, monitoring loops, and gender equity embedded in the country’s heat action and climate adaptation strategies.
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