GENDER ISSUES IN CLIMATE CHANGE: BANGLADESH PERSPECTIVE

This article examines the gender-differentiated impacts of climate change in Bangladesh, arguing that women are disproportionately vulnerable to its effects. It analyzes how climate change impacts, such as floods, cyclones, and salinity intrusion, exacerbate existing gender inequalities. The study explores the specific vulnerabilities of women, who often have less access to resources, information, and decision-making power, making it harder for them to cope with and adapt to climate-related shocks. The research also highlights the crucial but often-overlooked role of women as agents of adaptation and resilience at the household and community levels. The paper calls for a "gender-sensitive" approach to climate change policy and programming in Bangladesh. The analysis concludes that effective and equitable climate adaptation requires the full and active participation of women in the planning and implementation of all climate-related initiatives.

Climate change is not gender-neutral; its impacts are experienced differently by men and women. This paper provides a detailed analysis of these gender issues from the perspective of Bangladesh, a country on the front line of the climate crisis. The study begins by outlining the major climate change impacts facing Bangladesh. The core of the article is an in-depth examination of why and how women are disproportionately vulnerable. It discusses how, during natural disasters, women often face greater risks due to social norms that restrict their mobility and access to safe shelters. The paper also analyzes the long-term impacts, such as how the increased salinity of drinking water in coastal areas is leading to a range of health problems specifically affecting women. It explores how the burden of collecting fresh water and fuel, a task that traditionally falls on women, becomes much harder as these resources become scarcer due to climate change. However, the paper moves beyond a simple narrative of victimhood. The second part of the study is a powerful argument for recognizing women as key agents of adaptation. It provides examples of how women, through their central role in managing household resources and their deep local knowledge, are often at the forefront of developing innovative, community-based coping strategies. The findings lead to a clear policy recommendation: all climate change adaptation policies in Bangladesh must be explicitly "gendered." This requires not just consulting women, but ensuring their active leadership and participation in all stages of the policy cycle, from planning to implementation and monitoring.