{"id":3114,"date":"2026-04-20T07:06:17","date_gmt":"2026-04-20T07:06:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zmqdev.org\/zmq\/?page_id=3114"},"modified":"2026-04-20T09:28:47","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T09:28:47","slug":"living-on-the-climate-edge","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/zmqdev.org\/zmq\/living-on-the-climate-edge\/","title":{"rendered":"Living on the Climate Edge"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

Living on the Climate Edge<\/strong><\/h3>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”custom” style=”shadow” css=”” accent_color=”#084595″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”3120″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” css=””][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

Rational:<\/strong><\/u><\/h5>\n

Climate change is no longer a distant environmental concern; it is a lived reality shaping health, livelihoods, gender equality, and survival especially for marginalized communities. Rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, floods, droughts and ecosystem degradation are intensifying health risks such as malnutrition, waterborne diseases, heat stress, while also contributing to loss of income and deepening gender inequalities.<\/p>\n

These risks heighten vulnerabilities, felt most acutely by women and children across geographies – from rural Mewat (Nuh) in Rajasthan to the tribal belts of Mayurbhanj in Odisha and urban slums of Mumbra in Thane, Maharashtra. Yet these challenges also reveal strong resilience among women.
\nWomen and girls are often the first to experience climate shocks, yet they are also emerging as local climate champions\u2014identifying risks, mobilizing communities and driving solutions that protect health and livelihoods. Placing women at the centre of climate action is therefore not only a matter of equity, but essential for building resilient communities.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

The Research:<\/u><\/strong><\/h5>\n

Research was conducted across three demographic settings in India – rural areas, tribal communities and urban slums to assess the impact of climate change on health, examine its effects on livelihoods and understand its gendered impacts. The three areas of research are:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Rural:<\/strong> Mewat (Nuh), Haryana \u2014 agrarian economy, water scarcity, limited services.<\/li>\n
  • Tribal:<\/strong> Mayurbhanj, Odisha \u2014 forest-dependent communities, remoteness, indigenous food systems.<\/li>\n
  • Urban Slum:<\/strong> Mumbra (Thane), Maharashtra \u2014 high density, informal livelihoods, poor water and sanitation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Research findings were translated into a storytelling framework across each geography: the problem, the climax, and the response. This structure transformed complex climate and health data into narratives reflecting lived community experiences. Each film shows the following:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • The Problem:<\/strong> Disruption of health and livelihoods due to climate change<\/li>\n
    • The Climax:<\/strong> Crisis faced by families and communities<\/li>\n
    • The Response:<\/strong> Locally rooted solutions led by women emerging as climate champions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Using this narrative framework, the research insights were developed into a series of nine short animated films, each set in a different vulnerable geography. Together, the films form the Living on the Climate Edge <\/em><\/strong>festival presenting powerful stories of resilience, adaptation and community-led solutions, where local women emerge as protagonists of hope and action.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

      Core Objectives:<\/u><\/strong><\/h5>\n
        \n
      • Highlight the interconnected impacts of climate change on health and livelihoods and gender inequality<\/li>\n
      • Showcase and promote community-ledlocalsolutions<\/li>\n
      • Build resilience of women and girls<\/li>\n
      • Develop climate champions<\/li>\n
      • Initiate dialogue among communities, practitioners, donors and policymakers<\/li>\n
      • Demonstrate the power of storytelling for awareness and action<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
        Unique Value:<\/u><\/strong><\/h5>\n
          \n
        • Grounded in vulnerable geographies and their lived experiences<\/li>\n
        • Moves beyond victimhood narratives to agency and leadership<\/li>\n
        • Scalable and adaptable for community screenings, schools, policy forumsand global platforms<\/li>\n
        • Uses animation to address sensitive issues accessibly<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
          Target Audience:<\/u><\/strong><\/h5>\n
            \n
          • Youth and students<\/li>\n
          • Community members and grassroots organizations<\/li>\n
          • Development practitioners and policymakers<\/li>\n
          • Donors, foundations and climate-health stakeholders<\/li>\n
          • National and international film & social impact festivals<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
            Expected Outcomes:<\/u><\/strong><\/h5>\n
              \n
            • Increased understanding of the links between climate change, health, and livelihoods<\/li>\n
            • Recognition of women as key drivers of climate resilience and community leadership<\/li>\n
            • Stronger advocacy for locally led climate and health adaptation solutions<\/li>\n
            • Promotion of community role models who inspire climate action and leadership<\/li>\n
            • Improved resilience of women and girls to climate-related challenges<\/li>\n
            • Enhanced community preparedness for adverse climate impacts<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              [\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

              Result:<\/u><\/strong><\/h5>\n

              Local women increasingly emerge as first responders, innovators and leaders in climate action contributing to stronger community-based adaptation and resilience. The project demonstrates that equitable climate resilience cannot be built on exclusion. Integrating women into climate decision-making processes, local governance structures and adaptation planning strengthens the effectiveness, sustainability and inclusiveness of climate responses. Placing women at the centre of climate action is therefore not only a matter of gender equity but a necessary condition for building resilient and adaptive communities.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/3″ css=”.vc_custom_1776677305228{border-color: #000000 !important;}”][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

              Parched Fields<\/strong><\/h6>\n
              When the Wells Run Dry<\/em><\/h6>\n

              Part I: Changing Weather<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

              Part II: Together with Hope<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

              Part III A New Way of Thinking<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

              [\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”3117″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” css=””][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/3″ css=”.vc_custom_1776677123733{border-color: #0c0c0c !important;}”][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

              Shrinking Forests<\/strong><\/h6>\n
              When the Trees Fall Silent<\/em><\/h6>\n

              Part I: Uncertain Future<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

              Part II: A New Path of Hope<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

              Part III Flight Towards Self-Reliance<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

              [\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”3118″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” css=””][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/3″ css=”.vc_custom_1776677319808{border-color: #000000 !important;}”][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

              Flooded Lanes<\/strong><\/h6>\n
              When the Drains Overflow<\/em><\/h6>\n

              Part I: Growing Troubles<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

              Part II: One Community One Voice<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

              Part III Unity for Cleanliness<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

              [\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”3119″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” css=””][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

              [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””] Living on the Climate Edge [\/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”custom” style=”shadow” css=”” accent_color=”#084595″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”3120″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” css=””][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””] Rational: Climate change is no longer a distant environmental concern; it is a lived reality shaping health, livelihoods, gender equality, and survival especially for marginalized communities. Rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, floods, droughts and ecosystem degradation are intensifying health<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3114","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/zmqdev.org\/zmq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3114","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/zmqdev.org\/zmq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/zmqdev.org\/zmq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zmqdev.org\/zmq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zmqdev.org\/zmq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3114"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/zmqdev.org\/zmq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3114\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3125,"href":"https:\/\/zmqdev.org\/zmq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3114\/revisions\/3125"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/zmqdev.org\/zmq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3114"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}