Over 70% people in southwest coastal region at risk of climate-induced displacement: Study

About 80% of People in Mongla and 70% in Shyamnagar are at risk of climate-induced displacement, according to a study conducted by the Centre for Participatory Research and Development (CPRD).

The research depicting the degree of women's vulnerability to climate change reveals that the scarcity of fresh water has become acute in the southwest coastal region of Bangladesh, said speakers at a seminar titled "Climate Injustice Vs Gender Justice: Why Should this Matter?" held at Hotel Bengal Blueberry in the capital on Thursday.

To cope with the scarcity and meet daily demands for household consumption, women are likely to travel to distant places and face a wide range of social problems such as abusive behaviour of neighbours (57.8% in Mongla, 76% in Shyamnagar), eve-teasing (10% in both areas), and physical injury (nearly 70% in both area).

The research findings were presented by Md Akib Jabed, project coordinator of CPRD, and Naznin Sultana, research and advocacy officer, of CPRD.

The research conducted in Mongla upazila in Bagerhat and Shyamnagar upazila in Satkhira incorporated primary data through 260 semi-structured questionnaire surveys, 15 Focus Group Discussions, and 17 case stories.
 
According to the study report, about 90% of the women in Mongla and Shyamnagar regions have experienced the loss and damage of their household at least once in their lifetime.

Around 80% of dwellers of Mongla and 70% of dwellers of Shyamnagar are afraid of being displaced from their homes due to imminent natural disasters.

Around 92% of respondents in Mongla and 94% of respondents in Shyamnagar perceived that the occurrence of natural disasters has increased in their locality in recent times.

The school dropout rate among children has reached an appalling level in these two regions – 56.6% in Mongla and 72.8% in Shyamnagar.

According to the survey, women affected by climate change are forced to bribe the local influential people around Tk1,000-5,000 to get access to the government and non-government support schemes.

Moreover, every woman is found to suffer from different health problems due to continuous exposure to saline water while a vast majority of them have been bearing the brunt of reproductive health problems (64% of women in Mongla and 54% in Shyamnagar) and many have lost their uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries, the study revealed.

Women face insufficient water and sanitation facilities (unhygienic toilets and unavailability of sanitary napkins) in the cyclone shelters, which often creates problems in menstrual cycle management (41% in Mongla, 31% in Shyamnagar).

Chief guest at the seminar, Dr Kamal Uddin Ahmed, chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, said climate change leads to many social and economic crises in this country and urged the development activists to carry out a more detailed study on this issue, particularly on the violation of human rights of the affected and marginalised community.

"The impacts of disaster would not be horrific if we minimise the level of loss and damage as well as strengthen disaster risk management," he said.

Shaheen Anam, executive director of the Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF), said women of all age groups are highly vulnerable to the cumulative impact of climate change. Human rights violations of women may lead to massive disasters in the future and these should be incorporated into the policies and research initiatives.           

CPRD Chief Executive Md Shamsuddoha, chair of the event, said implications of climate change on the lives and livelihoods of the people are enormous and multidimensional. An individual's vulnerability to a disaster has different aspects including gender, race, caste, ethnicity, geographical location, and financial solvency to recover.

Among these, the gender perspective of climate change impacts is of major concern because, in a certain socio-economic, religious, and cultural setting, gender relations serve as the foundation for the roles and status of men and women.