Aditya Sharma, TwoCircles.net
New Delhi: Rekha Yadav, a 29-year-old fruit vendor in Karol Bagh near Ghaffar Market, stands under an umbrella. Her forehead is damp with sweat. “By noon, I feel like I am burning inside. I get headaches, and my hands shake, but I cannot leave my cart. My family depends on me,” she says, visibly exhausted.
Rekha’s daily ordeal reflects the struggle women in Delhi face as the city endures one of its most extreme heatwaves. Temperatures have soared to 46°C, with humidity pushing the heat index beyond 52°C. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert, warning of severe conditions.
As Delhi battles the rising heat, women, especially from marginalised communities, are disproportionately affected. From health complications and income losses to entrenched social norms, the burden is both physical and structural.
Rekha’s symptoms mirror classic signs of heat stress, a condition that often affects women more severely due to physiological differences. A 2025 report by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) confirms that women are more susceptible to heat-related illnesses like dehydration and heatstroke due to higher body fat percentages and lower sweat rates.
In another part of the city, a 31-year-old pregnant woman from the Pakistani Hindu refugee community, residing in south Majnu ka Tila, shares her struggles. Requesting anonymity, she describes the challenges of managing pregnancy in the stifling heat. Her family cannot afford air conditioners or coolers. A ceiling fan serves the entire household.
“Doing chores while pregnant in this heat is unbearable. I get irritable and frustrated, and that has led to arguments with my husband. But what can we do?” she says.
Pregnant women face heightened risks during heatwaves. Dr. Tanudeep Kaur, gynecologist at HealthyHuman Clinic, says that high temperatures can trigger severe dehydration, migraines and exhaustion. “Heatwaves can cause gastroenteritis and fever, increasing the risk of preterm births and complications,” she explains.
A 2025 study by the Sustainable Futures Collaborative (SFC) highlights how Delhi’s urban heat island effect, where densely built areas trap heat, has pushed temperatures in crowded neighbourhoods like Jahangirpuri and Seelampur to critical levels. Women, particularly those working outdoors or managing households without access to cooling, face prolonged exposure.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that heatwaves in South Asia could become a major public health crisis by 2030, with women and children most at risk due to limited healthcare access and insufficient cooling infrastructure.
Social Roles Amplify the Burden
For Radha Kumari, a 42-year-old domestic worker in South Delhi’s Greater Kailash, the heat only intensifies the demands of daily survival. She wakes at 5 a.m. to collect water from a community pump, then works in multiple air-conditioned homes where she is not allowed to rest. “I cook and clean in three houses, but I cannot sit under their fans. By the time I get home, I feel like my body is on fire,” she says.
Her experience echoes findings in a 2025 International Labour Organization (ILO) report, which states that women in informal sectors, who make up 85% of Delhi’s female workforce, are often unable to take breaks during extreme heat due to economic pressures and social expectations.
Cultural norms also limit women’s ability to adapt. “If I wear something sleeveless, people judge me. So I stick to my salwar kameez, even if it makes the heat worse,” she says.
The SFC report refers to this as the “double burden” faced by low-income women, who juggle unpaid household work with labour-intensive jobs while lacking the means to shield themselves from environmental hazards. In slums like Govindpuri, where electricity is inconsistent, women use hand fans or damp cloths, while men are more likely to rest in parks or tea stalls.
Livelihoods Under Threat
Shanti Devi, a 35-year-old construction worker in Budh Vihar, says the heatwave is also a financial blow. “The sun is so harsh, I can only work until 1 p.m. now. My daily wage is cut in half. We are already behind on rent, but I have no choice but to work,” she says, her hands rough from brickwork.
According to the ILO, heat stress could reduce India’s GDP by 2.8% by 2030. For women in informal sectors, vending, construction and domestic labour, the income loss could be up to 30% higher than for men, due to overrepresentation in low-wage and high-exposure jobs.
Cooling remains a luxury. In low-income areas like Budh Vihar, nights are suffocating without fans or coolers.
“We cannot afford a cooler, and power cuts last for hours,” she says.
The SFC report criticises Delhi’s 2025 Heat Action Plan (HAP) for emphasising short-term measures like water kiosks, which fail to address deeper inequities in infrastructure and access. Women, often prioritising their families’ needs over their own, are least likely to benefit from such policies.
Stakeholders Demand Action
Suruchi Bhadwal, director of Climate Change and Air Quality at The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), highlights how women in marginalided and remote areas face unique challenges. Many cannot access distant health clinics and rely on irregular public transport.
“As primary caregivers, women face compounded risks – shopping in open markets, cooking in hot kitchens and enduring mental and physical exhaustion. We need more cooling shelters designed specifically for women, with safety, accessibility and clean restrooms,” she says.
Bharti Chaturvedi, founder of the Chintan Foundation, which works with waste-picking women, adds, “We need cool spaces across the city accessible to women, children and the elderly. We advise them to finish work by 11 a.m., but many cannot afford to rest,” she says.
International bodies echo the urgency. A 2025 United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report emphasises how climate change deepens gender disparities. It urges governments to integrate gender equity into heatwave policies by subsidising cooling devices, improving healthcare access and supporting women-led initiatives.
In Delhi, grassroots groups are stepping up. Anuj Bhati, founder of the Beti Foundation, works with girls from low-income families. “We hold classes outdoors under trees and ensure hydration. These children are resilient, but they should not have to endure so much just to learn,” he says.
Humanising the Crisis
Behind the data are lives shaped by relentless heat. Rekha dreams of buying a fan for her fruit stall, but her income barely covers food. She worries about her teenage daughter, who helps with chores in the blazing afternoon.
Shanti, a single mother, fears her kids will go hungry if she does not work a full shift. These are not isolated stories, they are the everyday realities of millions of women across the national capital.
The IMD forecasts temperatures will remain above 43°C for the coming week, with humidity between 30–55%, amplifying the heat’s impact. Without targeted interventions, the SFC warns, parts of Delhi could become “unlivable” by 2050 – with women and children facing the gravest risks. While the Heat Action Plan is a step forward, it lacks the gender lens necessary to protect the city’s most vulnerable.
