By: Hafiza Tahzeeb Ul Nisa
(The writer is an MPhil Scholar in Development Communication at the University of the Punjab and the Founder of the ‘Daughter of Cholistan’ project.)
While global summits in glass-walled buildings debate the future of carbon footprints, the reality of climate change has already arrived in the scorched heart of the Cholistan Desert. Here, the crisis isn’t just about melting glaciers or rising sea levels, it is about a young girl standing at the edge of a sand dune, watching her dreams evaporate in the 50°C heat because the path to her school has become a furnace.
During my research in the arid zones of Southern Punjab, I encountered a heartbreaking truth that no development textbook had prepared me for. The leading cause of school dropouts among girls in these remote areas isn’t just cultural resistance or poverty—it is the physical impossibility of access. In the peak of summer, the desert sand reaches temperatures that can cause second-degree burns. For a child from a family living below the poverty line, owning a pair of sturdy shoes is a luxury. For many “Daughters of Cholistan,” walking nungay-paoon (barefoot) to school is the only option, and it is an option that leads to pain, injury, and eventually, the abandonment of education.
As a researcher in Development Communication, I realized that our discourse on SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 4 (Quality Education) often exists in silos. We fail to see how a warming planet directly burns the bridges to literacy for the most vulnerable. My project, ‘Daughter of Cholistan,’ was born out of this intersection. We realized that before handing a girl a book, we had to protect her feet. By distributing over 300 pairs of footwear, we didn’t just provide a commodity; we provided a climate-resilient intervention that allowed these girls to reclaim their right to learn.
However, footwear is only the first step. The challenges of education in climate-hit zones are multifaceted. After securing their path to school, these students face a lack of basic tools—stationery, bags, and books—which further hinders their progress. As we transition into Phase 2 of our project, aiming to provide educational kits to 100+ students from 5th to 8th grade, we are witnessing a community desperate for empowerment but paralyzed by resources.
The state and international stakeholders must recognize that climate change is a gendered issue. When the environment becomes hostile, girls are the first to be pulled out of schools. We need a ‘Climate-Resilient Education Policy’ that goes beyond infrastructure. We need interventions that account for the local geography and the lived experiences of these children.
The sand of Cholistan is beautiful to a tourist’s eye, but to a school-going girl, it is a barrier of fire. If we do not act today to bridge the resource gap, we aren’t just losing a generation of students; we are losing the very leaders who could one day help Pakistan navigate its climate crisis.
It is time to ensure that no daughter’s dream fades away simply because the ground beneath her feet was too hot to walk on.
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