Women make up most climate-displaced people in bangladesh, with close to 80 per cent of internal migration due to climate stress, writes Shajeda akter moni
BANGLADESH is at the forefront of climate chaos. From scorching heatwaves to unrelenting floods, environmental stresses are remaking the nation鈥檚 social and economic fabric. Women, particularly poor and rural women, bear the brunt. But they are seldom viewed as the heart of climate leadership. In a world heating faster than expected, an equitable climate future is not an indulgence 鈥� it is an imperative. Such a future has to see women not as victims but as drivers of resilience and peace.
In April 2024, Bangladesh experienced its highest temperature in 60 years, reaching 43.8掳C, which temporarily closed down almost 27,000 schools. Later that year, monsoon floods in the north and northeast displaced more than 600,000 individuals, causing extensive damage to livelihoods, houses, and crops. Sea level rise is already displacing more than 50,000 individuals yearly in coastal areas such as Satkhira and Bhola, with estimates of millions more being at risk by 2050.
Gender and the climate catastrophe are closely related. Rural women and girls trek greater distances, compromising their safety and education, as water sources become salty or dry up. Rates of early marriage, domestic violence, and reproductive health issues all sharply increase after extreme weather events. Women frequently experience overcrowding, a lack of privacy, and an increased danger of gender-based violence in cyclone shelters, which discourages many from initially seeking safety. These unseen costs jeopardise community cohesion and exacerbate gender inequity.
Women make up most climate-displaced people in Bangladesh, with close to 80 per cent of internal migration due to climate stress. In the event of disaster, female-headed households lose their income more quickly and take longer to recover. In char lands and haor basins, women鈥檚 livelihood options are limited by social norms, mobility restrictions, and unequal access to resources. Yet they are under-represented in decision-making spaces and climate governance institutions at both local and national levels.
But women are not passive victims of climate change. In Khulna, women have initiated floating vegetable gardens, enabling families to survive unpredictable rain and flooding. In the climate-vulnerable district of Kurigram, women operate solar-powered water purification systems that have benefited thousands of flood-displaced households. Throughout coastal Bangladesh, women鈥檚 savings cooperatives are developing innovative grassroots insurance mechanisms and disaster preparedness strategies. Not only do these initiatives reinforce community resilience, but they also redefine women鈥檚 roles in peacebuilding.
A promising framework for incorporating gender equity into climate policy is provided by Bangladesh鈥檚 updated Climate Change and Gender Action Plan, which was introduced in 2024. But there are still difficulties. Despite the fact that around 35 per cent of national climate funds are designated for gender-responsive projects, bureaucratic roadblocks and inadequate accountability systems prevent a sizable amount from reaching women on the ground. Furthermore, the creation of focused adaptation plans is hampered by the absence of climate impact data that is broken down by location and sex.
The Women, Peace and Security agenda offers a useful framework for tackling these gaps. Climate shocks frequently result in livelihood displacement, social unrest, and increased women鈥檚 insecurity. In fragile regions such as the Chattogram Hill Tracts and cyclone-vulnerable coasts, incorporating WPS principles within climate responses can promote stability and inclusivity. Women鈥檚 inclusion in disaster risk reduction, land use planning, and resource management minimises environmental and social conflict.
The way forward is worrisome. If drastic measures are not taken, Bangladesh may have to deal with more than 13 million climate migrants by 2050, and women and girls will be the most at-risk group. Agricultural production is already diminishing, and sources of freshwater are dwindling. City slums, which are usually targeted by climate migrants as a last resort, do not have the infrastructure to shield women against violence, illnesses, and economic exploitation. If gender continues to take a backseat in climate policy, these risks will only intensify.
A gender-just climate future requires a number of important actions. First, establish leadership pipelines and quotas to include women in climate governance at all levels, from union councils to national policy. Secondly, make investments in gender-disaggregated climate data systems to monitor effects, detect dangers, and direct funding. Third, expand effective community-based models like adaptive farming, water entrepreneurship, and solar irrigation led by women. Fourth, make sure that budgeting takes gender into account and increase the transparency of how money is spent and tracked.
Empowering women as climate leaders also delivers concrete development gains. The IMF estimates that bridging the gender gap in Bangladesh鈥檚 workforce could increase GDP by almost 40 per cent. Women-led climate businesses not only secure family incomes but also decrease long-term reliance on assistance. Initiatives that expand girls鈥� access to STEM education and green employment prepare a new generation of leaders who are skilled to address climate issues innovatively and inclusively.
Bangladesh has already demonstrated international leadership on adaptation. Now it is time to lead on gender-just adaptation. The path forward entails dispelling the notion that climate change is gender-neutral 鈥� it is not. By creating space for women鈥檚 voices, valuing their expertise, and resourcing their solutions, we can forge a climate future that is not only resilient but also just, peaceful, and inclusive. Women are not only on the frontlines in the fight against climate collapse 鈥� they need to be at the forefront of the struggle.
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Shajeda Akter Moni is deputy director at the Research Centre, Bangladesh University of Professionals.
