The recent flooding in Sindh has made history, and its effects on the impoverished have altered their lives forever. Unquestionably, disasters cause vulnerabilities in a variety of ways, but what and how the already vulnerable, particularly women, live, feel, and suffer every day in this weather is nobody’s concern.
Since June 2022, we have been flooded with the numbers, figures, charts, diagrams and fancy colourful stylish data to reflect the miseries of the people. Unfortunately, there is hardly any in-depth account that presents how the flood has devastated human relations, destroyed the small happinesses of the poor, shattered the innocent dreams and killed the feelings of the thousands of flood-affected women. Spending time with the most vulnerable population has at least shattered the illusion between what we hear in the news and what the women suffer in the aftermath of the flood.
Many women said that they had some mental peace due to communal, collective and pleasant living but the floods have altered their lives and made it miserable.
Post-flood survival for women has been very difficult. There were women with diabetes. They had dull faces and they shivered due to insufficient health care and lack of a humanly liveable environment. Many women were troubled about their children’s health.
The location in which they lived resembled a jungle. There was no available facility like health, education, sanitation, shelter, clothing, or food, among other things. People also consumed contaminated water. The pregnant women were suffering greatly and had no place to sleep. They had little rest. There was no location for restrooms.
Doctors failed to respond to flood-affected patients if they responded the response was diffident, showing little empathy. Before the floods, women enjoyed their life and had worked in the agricultural fields. They formerly belonged to peasant groups and had their life schedule of earning money, buying things they needed and lived less dependently than the urban educated rich. Change in the women’s lifestyle has greatly impacted their mental health. “We never knocked at anyone’s door for money and food, neither do we now, but it kills us seeing our children sleep hungry, get sick and spend this winter without proper winter clothes.” Women spend the entire day contemplating post-flood tragic events and fretting about future cultivation.
Women work as housemaids in order to earn a living and provide food for their families. They could barely earn Rs 50 to 70 daily. What food can they buy for this amount? Just the flour price is skyrocketing. “We hardly eat a single meal properly.”
They require additional meals but lack the money. They could not eat adequately because typically families consisted of six to seven individuals. Women said that their men are discriminated against due to the stigmas associated with the displaced people that they are criminals, liars and lack modesty, so no one hires them. “We are treated as subhuman by these educated elite human beings.” One woman said in agony.
Women are losing their ability to survive. Numerous women were quiet. They did not speak a single word, but showed their agonising expression. Their eyes told so many tales, and they desired to ask so many questions. However, their voices were becoming degraded owing to terrible circumstances. They desired to return home.
Experiencing women’s quotidian living, it felt that the elites held the poor people’s survival strategies. Women claimed that God provides food through the hands of elites. Tents were shattered by the cold, which caused seasonal illness. Women argued that since they were poor and vulnerable, hence they endured.
I recall a woman questioning me saying that “Sindh and Sindhis are famous for their kindness and hospitality. They don’t let anyone sleep hungry. We thought we were your guests; we were treated as if we were animals when we visited the city. Do we deserve such conduct?” Her question was genuine. Where is the welcoming Sindh and Sindhis? This catastrophic event undermines the cultural ethics, civilisational principles and hospitality.
Women are losing their ability to survive. Numerous women were quiet. They did not speak a single word, but showed their agonising expression. Their eyes told so many tales, and they desired to ask so many questions. However, their voices were becoming degraded owing to terrible circumstances. They desired to return home. They still had hope for a decent human life. The only source of hope for them is the Almighty.
