Climate Change Poses Additional Challenge to Women in Informal Sector: Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton, former US secretary of state on Sunday said that a worldwide "Climate Resilience Fund" will help address the problem of increased heat caused by climate change for women working in the informal sector.

On the first day of her two-day visit to the state, Hillary Clinton spoke to the Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA) members in Ahmedabad. She said a group of concerned individuals has joined together to help create the climate resilience fund, which would be the first of its type in the world.

"You've overcome so many challenges and broken down so many boundaries. However, you also have to deal with the heat, which is a difficulty posed by climate change "At the celebration to honor SEWA's founding member and well-known social activist Ela Bhatt, Hillary Clinton said that the union had been in existence for 50 years.

She added, “Your challenge to make an income to support yourselves and work throughout the days of overwhelming heat will be the next big problem that SEWA will help you try to resolve. Whether you're in construction, waste recycling, plastic, or a street vendor, farmer, or whatever you are, your challenge is to make an income to support yourselves and work throughout the days of overwhelming heat."

Reemaben Nanavati, the director of SEWA, and Hillary Clinton reportedly spoke about the ongoing crisis since it would have an impact on every employment that SEWA members represent.

The Clinton Global Initiative, Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center, Algorand Foundation, Council for Inclusive Capitalism, and the American India Foundation will collaborate with SEWA on the Global Climate Resilience Fund, according to Clinton.

"These are some of the partners SEWA will work with to start addressing this increasing problem. Since this is a problem that affects more than just SEWA, we will be collaborating with them over the coming months and years, as well as with all of these other committed organizations” she said.

She said that everyone who needs to work outside in the heat, such as police officers, firemen, and individuals from all different walks of life, would require the type of assistance and support that this SEWA-initiated project will offer.

As its members are professionals who can best determine what is needed in order to deal with the heat from climate change, she said that SEWA's guidance will be required on a wide range of topics, such as the kind of equipment or gloves or cooling or insurance.

Construction workers, head loaders, and garbage recyclers were among the SEWA members who described their experiences with the organization and how it helped them in overcoming challenges.

"Your stories are ones of courage, perseverance, and inspiration. You have given yourselves, your family, and your communities new opportunities,” said Clinton adding, “since she arrived in this country in 1995, SEWA's membership has more than doubled to 2.5 million.

"I hope you are aware that there are women all over the globe that admire you and work for themselves to improve their lives and the lives of their children. You have gone so far, and I am so grateful and honored to have traveled with you on some of your journeys."

The path of SEWA as a women's movement is shown on a plaque that Hillary Clinton placed in honor of Ela Bhatt at the city's Victoria Garden, now known as Lokmanya Tilak Garden.

Varun Mehta of the Torrent Group, whose Foundation and the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation created a memorial for Ela Bhatt at the location, also paid floral tribute to Clinton.

Hillary Clinton will travel to the Gujarati area of Surendranagar today to meet with salt pan workers, learn about farming, and introduce the Climate Resilience Fund.