What defines livelihood vulnerability to climate change in rain-fed, rural regions? A qualitative study of men’s and women’s vulnerability to climate change in Pakistan’s Punjab

Figures & data

Figure 1. The research paradigm of this study.

Figure 2. Map of Punjab showing the study locations in rain-fed Punjab (adapted from (Khan, 2002).

Figure 3. Gender differentiated framework for analysis of vulnerabilities (adjusted from Birkmann, 2013).

Table 1. Detail of KII sample profile from study locations

Districts	Agr.Extension worker or district agri. Officer	Working women (teacher or NGO worker/social mobilizer or member of union council)	Household (Male & Female)
Rawalpindi (High Rainfall zone)	1	1	4 (m*) & 4 (f**)
Attock (Medium Rainfall zone)	1	1	4 (m) & 4 (f)
Chakwal (Low Rainfall zone)	1	1	4 (m) & 4 (f)
Total	3	3	24
	30

Note: *male ** female

Table 2. Reported trends of major climatic hazards in the Rain-fed Punjab by rainfall zone, 2000–2019

High Rainfall Zone (District Rawalpindi)
Name of Hazard	2000–2010	2011–2019
Temperature rise	⁺⁺	⁺⁺⁺⁺
Snow fall	⁺⁺⁺⁺	⁺⁺
Erratic rain falls	⁺⁺	⁺⁺⁺⁺
Cold waves	⁺⁺⁺	⁺⁺
Drought	⁺⁺⁺	⁺⁺⁺⁺
Fog	⁺⁺	⁺⁺⁺⁺
Hailstorm	⁺⁺	⁺⁺⁺⁺
Medium Rainfall Zone (District Attock)
Temperature rise	⁺⁺	⁺⁺⁺
Erratic rain fall	⁺⁺	⁺⁺⁺
Cold waves	⁺⁺⁺	⁺⁺
Drought	⁺⁺⁺	⁺⁺⁺⁺
Fog	⁺⁺	⁺⁺⁺
Hailstorm	⁺⁺	⁺⁺⁺
Low Rainfall Zone (District Chakwal)
Temperature rise	⁺⁺	⁺⁺⁺⁺
Erratic rain falls	⁺⁺	⁺⁺⁺⁺
Cold waves	⁺⁺⁺	⁺⁺
Drought	⁺⁺⁺	⁺⁺⁺⁺
Fog	⁺	⁺⁺
Hailstorm	⁺⁺	⁺⁺⁺

Source: KIIs’ 2020

++means trend increase (more + sign depicts increase in trend & if less the sign of + means decrease in trend)

Table 3. Ranking hazards

Hazard	Ranking (high rainfall district Rawalpindi)	Ranking (medium rainfall district Attock)	Ranking (low rainfall district Chakwal))
Temperature rise	1^st	1^st	1^st
Erratic rain fall	2^nd	2^nd	3^rd
Drought	4^th	3^rd	2^nd
Snow fall	3^rd	-	-
Fog	-	4^th	4^th

Source: KII’s, 2020

Figure 4. Gender differentiated roles and responsibilities in the Rain-fed Punjab (Source: KIIs, 2020).

Table 4. Gender entitlement and capabilities

Human capital	Men workload in earning livelihoods is higher than women. Women literacy rate was higher than men in selected study regions, but at national level the literacy rates of men are far higher. Women largely engaged in more unskilled labor than men. Since the frequencies of hazards like drought, high rainfall and temperature rise are seen to have risen by both women and men. Inside the low rainfall zone, accessibility deficiency of health services, improper road connectivity limit instant reaction for people evacuation during any sudden disaster or in emergencies. Contribution of women belonging to high middle-income families in farming and farm animals sectors is lower compared to those women (part of this study) from lower income groups.
Physical capital	Road access and conditions have been improved in high rainfall and medium rainfall zone. However, in low rainfall zone there are still areas that are distant and lack of directly access to roads for both men and women. Women in high altitude have access to public transport but in medium and low rainfall zones women are relying on their men for their movement. Women in medium and low rainfall zones highlighted their issue related to lack of access to elementary facilities such as markets and health.
Financial capital	Women in high and medium rainfall zones have some role in managing cash flows but in low rain fall zone this role is only limited to men. Women in all zones are the custodian of small cash at home and smaller expenses to meet kitchen needs are managed by women. But larger transactions are controlled by men only. Access to financial credit is dominated by males because women are deprived of property rights and cannot access the financial institutes. However, many saving schemes are introduced by many NGOS, but not all the women were aware of these initiatives.
Natural capital	Women in all three zones were deprived of property rights to natural resources. Land tenure was only under the name and control of men. Property entitlement were only for some widow women. Men and women both have access to forest resources and both were working jointly for household chores, however women have more laborious activities such as fuelwood collection and fetching water were sole women responsibilities. Spring water was the leading source of drinking water in all three zones. These spring water sources were scattered in high and low rainfall zones and this leads toward more effort consumption in collecting drinking water by women. However, men main responsibility was to arrange irrigation water only.
Social capital	In all three zones, decision-making power for usage of all resources was largely dominated by men. Mobility of women in low and medium rainfall zone is far more restricted than high rainfall zone. In public gatherings only men were allowed to participate, however women can inform their spouses to raise their issue in the meetings. Although the system is changing gradually as of now, the government development schemes, and NGOs have favored local women for formation of self-reliant help group and providing saving opportunities, loan and consumption of orbiting financial assets.

Source: KIIs, 2020

Table 5. Vulnerability matrix

Climate stress	Livelihood sector		Social group
	Agriculture	Livestock	Farmer	Wage laborer	Women
Temperature rise	2	2	2	1	3
Erratic rainfall	3	1	3	1	3
Drought	3	2	3	2	2
Fog	1	1	1	1	0

0 = No Impact, 1 = Minor Impact, 2 = Moderate Impact, 3 = High Impact

(Source: KIIs, 2020)

Khan. (2002). Pothwar’s Agricultural Potential. Pakistan Agriculture Overview. Daily Dawn.

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Birkmann, J. E. (2013). Measuring vulnerability to natural hazards (2d ed.). United National University Press.

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