India, May 19 -- As India confronts yet another sweltering summer, heatwaves are emerging not merely as extreme weather events but as complex public health challenges-particularly for women. For millions of women working in informal sectors, living in under-resourced neighbourhoods, or carrying the bulk of unpaid care work, rising temperatures are not just uncomfortable-they are dangerous. Yet, heat-related risks to women's health and well-being remain insufficiently recogniszed in our policy frameworks.

Between March and June this year, at least 733 deaths due to heatstroke were reported across 17 Indian states, according to Heat Watch 2024. Experts suggest this number may be underestimated, as many heat-related illnesses go unrecorded....