At the Mercy of Water

People facing climate change

Tropical cyclones lash the coasts of the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. The arrival of monsoon rains cannot be foreseen, and wind directions are unpredictable. Sea levels are rising. These and many other phenomena are indicative of changes in the water cycle, which are acutely felt, especially by hunter-gatherer communities relying on nature’s resources, and people living in coastal areas.

The Bajau living in the sea areas of Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, the Raute on the slopes of Nepal, the people on India’s east coast, and especially the women responsible for the water and food security of their families, are seeing the consequences of climate change in their own lives. Livelihoods are changing, with gathering, hunting and fishing areas shrinking, and poverty is forcing children to drop out of school. However, the consequences of climate change are also reflected in people’s creative development of new sales products and in an increased awareness of people’s rights.

The exhibition is supported by official development aid from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.

Photo: Vargha Bahagir