Women in environmental protection

Quality of life has become an important concern of all people. Environmental quality is considered as an important parameter in assessing the quality of life. Women share the environment as much as the men share. There are many areas where women are directly connected with the environmental quality. Women in India, spend a major part of their time in indoor conditions. Cooking in the kitchen, washing clothes, cleaning the house and its surroundings are the important duties which the women perform. Women are exposed to environmental pollution while performing these duties. This is the environment to which women are exposed in particular, however, the general environmental quality affects them equally. Women are victims of environmental pollution. Women, forming 50 per cent of the population can be a very important human resource to combat environmental pollution. Role of women in increasing the awareness of the requirement of environmental protection is important. Individual and mass movements of women organisations in India have paid rich dividends. Legal battles fought by women in India to protect the environment are worth noting. The present paper covers the role of women in environmental protection. Legal battles fought by women and achievements made by women organisations in India are also incorporated in the paper.