Local Climate Change

In most of the studies conducted in Bangladesh till date

GENDER ANALYSIS
considers Global Warming induced climate change
consequences, more specifically affects of natural
OF ECONOMIC AND
disasters including cyclones and floods. But there are
many anthropogenic interventions that are affecting
SOCIAL COST
local natural environment and livelihoods. These local
climate change factors may or may not be related with
OF LOCAL
the Global Warming or Global/Regional scale climate
change.
Beside construction of different type of infrastructures,
land use or land cover changes on the other hand
CLIMATE
represent another anthropogenic 'system disturbance'
which directly or indirectly influences many hydrologic
processes. This study is limited to anthropogenic
'system disturbance' and its impact on gender relations.
CHANGE
Here local climate or mesoscale climate is defined as
hydrology, geology and local meteorology within a IN BANGLADESH
specific administrative boundary, somewhat within 5-
10km range, in this case the Union boundary. The
MesoScale climate change includes changes in hydro-
geological systems inside the Union boundary. These
changes may be due to anthropogenic or natural.

Why Gender Analysis of Local

Climate Change Impact
Climate change and its geo-physical and
social consequences has become a
major concern for Bangladesh as the
country has been identified as most
vulnerable to global climate change.
Several studies were conducted by
different government and non-
government agencies on current
and possible social consequences
of climate change. Gender
analysis of social consequences
was also done before. But, all
previous studies primary focus was
natural disaster events like cyclones
and floods. This study focuses
environmental changes that are taking
place in different part of the country, and
that are becoming threats for the local
economy. The study reveals that, salinity
intrusion, construction of different
infrastructure projects has many negative and
positive impacts on local economy and also
gender relations.
Method Followed and Study Location STUDY FINDINGS their traditional livelihoods practices. Women were the field, scope for women to work at homestead after
Localized human induced climate change impact is
actively involved with pre-marketing activities of their harvesting crop also become very limited.
different for different localities. As various reports Change in geology and hydrology catch. But now a days due to declining availability of
indicate, salinity intrusion is becoming a major threat for Impact of anthropogenic interventions in-terms of Domestic water use
open water fish and commercialization of fisheries
people living in coastal areas. Salinity intrusion is infrastructure development, lack of maintenance of Increased salinity in ground water and scarcity of safe
sector, women either became unemployed or doing
affecting crop production severely in coastal areas. water control structures and land use changes made surface water sources is common in 3 out of 4 study
lower grad job. Almost same scenario was observed in
Cropping pattern is changing and yield of traditional rice significant impact on surface water, ground water and areas. Salinity intrusion due to breach in dam, salt and
the Satkhira area. On the other hand in Nawabganj of
varieties is declining. It's altering the traditional top soil quality in the study areas. Transformation of shrimp culture and lower discharge from upstream in
Dhaka district and Kotalipara of Gopalganj, very few
livelihoods. Two major reasons were found concerning, crop land to fish farms and salt fields, breaching of combined increasing salinity in surface and ground
families were found dependent of fisheries. In
one is brackish water shrimp culture and another one is polders and intrusion of saline water, and flood water. Sinking tube-wells became expensive as fresh
Kotalipara, though major portion of the area remains
prolonged low discharge of rivers from upstream. control measures are severely affecting livelihoods water level lowered significantly. Women are now
under water as the area is low laying Beel, number of
Prolonged low discharge during dry season is also and broadening inequalities. spending more hours in collecting safe drinking water
fisher families is declining according to the elderly
affecting agriculture and livelihoods in northern districts and water for other domestic use. It was found that
Impact on cropping pattern people living in the area. Declining natural fish
of Bangladesh. This study will try to identify the local most of the earning male members of the families are
It was observed that area specific changes in production due change in water quality and
climate change factors that affecting women (and men) not interested to sink deep tube-wells as cost become
cropping pattern took/taking place due to two major overfishing, and, economic pressure forcing people
and whether those have any impact on existing gender 3 to 4 fold higher. As the number of deep tube-well is
reasons; one is introduction of new high yielding leave their traditional livelihoods practices. Men are
gap. few in every village, women are required to walk long
varieties (HYV) and another one is changes in going long distances to earn and women are either
STUDY LOCATIONS doing lower grad job in the locality or migrating. distances to fetch water, several times a day.
This study includes geology and hydrology. As traditional cropping
analysis of both method altered in most of the places, roles and Scarcity of fodder for cattle in saline prone areas Impact on women's health
Assasuni Upazila under Satkhira The study site at Banshkhali, Chittagong and
primary and District: To understand impact of responsibilities of men and women in crop production discouraging rearing, work that women were mostly
process and in families also changed. In shrimp and involved with. Same situation persisting for poultry Assasuni, Satkhira was found worse effected area due
secondary brackish water fish farming on local
salt production areas, retaining saline water forcing rearing at homesteads. Only commercial producers to human induced local climate change. As most part
data/information. As climate
adjacent crop producers to involve with shrimp are now involved with cattle and poultry rearing. of the study Unions are saline affected, there is no
some studies are
Kotalipara Upazila under farming and salt production as major portion of the Women's income in this sector declined significantly. fresh water pond and people, especially women have
already done on
Gopalganj District: Impact of area became saline affected. Women who were to walk in the saline water standing field for long hours
gender issues in Employment
salinity intrusion due to decreased involved with different stages of crop cultivation and for various purposes. According to a local doctor, skin
disasters, findings At present, no crop can be cultivated in most part of the
discharge from the rivers harvesting have either became unemployed or forced diseases are very common among women and
from those studies study Unions in Satkhira and Banshkhali. Men and
Madhumoti and Ghagor. to lower grad job. Areas like Nawabganj in Dhaka or children. As main source of income of the majority of
were considered. women became unemployed/underemployed. Younger
Kotalipara in Gopalganj, where salinity is not a major the people are destroyed, women and children spent
While doing the Nawabganj Upazila under Dhaka men are working as day labors at cities, rickshaw pullers
issue, change in cropping pattern, crop intensification 2-3 hours a day catching fish. Indigenous varieties of
primary literature District: This study area is selected and engaged in different business. The elderly people
and commercialization is limiting women's traditional plants, vegetables are now rarely found, which was in
reviews, no studies to understand the human induced are mostly unemployed. Women are making mats and
work associated with crop production. plenty just 5-6 years ago. As consumption of
were found environmental change and its nets with nominal earning to sustain their families. vegetables is now less, people are becoming more
regarding impact of impacts where no major natural Impact on fisheries and Livestock Twenty years ago rice was main crop of the area. Men vulnerable to many diseases. Another very important
lower river discharge disasters occur. Open water fisheries severely affected by local and women were engaged in preparing the field, sowing women health related issue is scarcity of potable
induced salinity climate change in all the study areas. In the seeds, transplanting the seedling, weeding, irrigating the
Banshkhali Upazila under water. Now a days as major portion of land area is
intrusion. On the Banskhali of Chittagong district, where salt is field and harvesting. Rice cultivation is labor intensive under shrimp cultivation, women has to travel long
other hand impact of Chittagong District: Though this produced, most of the people are either engaged with and women take part in almost all stages of rice distances to get water which brings physical
lower river discharge area is selected to understand either different business activities or works as labor in cultivation. After 1990, wide spread practice of complications. Carrying heavy water container long
induced freshwater salinity intrusion related local the salt field. These people were mostly fisher folks shrimp/salt farming limited the scope of work of both distances making women suffer from back pain, pain
scarcity for climate change and its impact, the catch fish in rivers or offshore. Due to declining fish men and women in the locality. Shrimp farming requires in muscles and other complications. As said earlier,
household and area has different characteristics varieties in different water bodies, people are shifting one third of labor compared to agriculture. Not only at drinking water is scares in the study areas.
irrigation use also compared to Assasuni of Satkhira.
requires primary
data for analysis. To
people, in particular to women and girls whose health
get the actual scenario of the study areas, Key
Informant Interviews (KII) and Focus Group Discussions
Gender dynamics of Climate change Social Cost
! Changing role of women from
Economic Cost
! Increased rate of has been found to decline more than male health in
(FGD) was done in four selected localities in southern reproductive to productive and then women times of food shortages. Furthermore, women are often
Agriculture and Food security
Bangladesh. again to reproductive unemployment excluded from decision-making on access to and the
Role of women in agriculture are shifting because of
! Increased household burden ! Increased number of use of land and resources critical to their livelihoods.
climate change. Change in hydrology and geology in
With the help of CBOs and Local Government, one the research areas showed that traditional cropping ! Increased threat of domestic unskilled women
male and one female respondent were selected from violence, VAW and sexual labor because of
Water and sanitation
system has been changed a lot. Women who were All the research data showed that women and girls bear
every Wards of each study Unions, i.e. 18 respondents engaged in pre-harvesting and in seed preserving harassment change of profession
from 9 Wards of each Union. Total 126 respondents the burden of fetching water for their families and spend
activities, now only involved as post harvesting ! Increased rate of girls' drop out from ! Increased living cost
were interviewed in 7 Unions under 4 Districts. These significant amounts of time daily carrying water from
activities. Most of the KII woman interviewer expressed schools due to lack of natural
respondents are the people who are living in the area distant sources. Sometimes it takes 2 to 20 or more hours
their frustration that they can use their indigenous ! Increased early marriages of girl child resources and
for more than 50 years and their livelihoods are per week. As a result, women have less time to fulfill their
knowledge of seed preservation, land preparation etc. ! Increased reproductive health related internal migration
depending on local resources, land and water. Their domestic responsibilities, earn money, engage in politics
Their role is now more as labor than planner. diseases ! Increase cost for
professions may be different. These women and men or other public activities, learn to read or acquire other
! Increased risk and threat of maternal health related
are with clear understanding on local land use and Induced mechanical agricultural system increases in skills, or simply rest. Moreover carrying water from a
child mortality purpose distant source increased their risk of sexual harassment.
cropping pattern. food prices make food more inaccessible to poor
The water from distant sources is rarely enough to meet
the needs of the household. Most of time they use
adjacent contaminated water for their personal hygiene
and paid the heaviest price for poor sanitation. Given
the changing climate, inadequate access to water and
poor water quality does not only affect women, their
responsibilities as primary givers, and the health of their
families', it also impacts agricultural production and the
care of livestock; and increases the overall amount of
labor that is expended to collect, store, protect and
distribute water.
Heath
Climate Change impacting women's health through
water scarcity and water contamination which increases
infectious diseases at the locality. Woman due to
carrying water from distant places are suffering from
problems induced due to carry heavy load i.e. pain in
bone and muscle, lowering of uterus, fracture etc. More
over girls and woman are more susceptible to infectious
reproductive diseases i.e. urine infection, infectious
diseases during periods. The situation becomes worse
in case of pregnant woman. Sometimes they cannot go
to distant place even for collecting drinking water.
Drinking contaminated water become life threatening for
the pregnant woman and baby in her womb.
90% woman respondents opined that they do not go to
doctor/physician, except the emergency or serious
condition.
Education
Girl children are most miserable victim of climate
change. Change of hydrology, cropping pattern and
profession make life difficult in these research areas.
Woman and girls are mostly remain engaged for
colleting fresh water and natural resources, fire woods
or edible plants and vegetables from their adjacent or
distant areas. Managing daily life is more important to
them rather than going to school. More over traveling to
distant places for collecting water increased their risk of
being victim of sexual harassment. This is also
triggering point of increasing early marriage and drop
out of girl children.
Employment
Role change, shifting of profession, unemployment is
the major effect of climate change in the research
areas. In saline prone areas the women become
unemployed as their major skill were in agriculture and
as the shrimp farm need not required more labor than
the agriculture. Most of women in these areas are
trying to earn money through weaving net and mat. But
as new profession, they are not much skilled and
cannot earn as much as they could from their previous
profession. More over woman and girls also playing a
major role for collecting water and spent a long time of
day in it, they cannot engaged themselves for money
generating tasks.
Internal Migration
Internal migration is an adverse and direct impact of
climate change in Bangladesh, and women are mostly
affected group in this. Degradation of environment,
change of cropping pattern, increase salinity of soil and
water make the people for force leaving. In new places
women feel difficulty for managing their domestic life as
well as finding a new earning source. Approximate 58%
KII respondent opined that they felt difficulty when the
left their known environment. Coping with the social
environment also were a problem for them. When they
migrated to another places, in most cases girl student
dropped out from the education.
Natural disaster
Women and children are most vulnerable to disaster.
The vulnerability of women to disasters is increased for
a number of reasons. In the context of cyclones, floods,
and other disasters that require mobility, women always
wait till the last time due to her bonding with her
domestic life i.e. cattle, household belongings, reservoir
of food or seed etc. Exacerbating this effect, women
often avoid using shelters out of fear of domestic and
sexual violence.
Social Protection
Climate change has an impact on women and girls in
terms of social protection. Women when shifted to the
new places and being responsible for collecting water
from distant places, increase the threat of sexual
harassment and insecurity. Increased drop out of girls
because of unemployment of parent, increased
domestic responsibility also increase the social
insecurity of girls. They become vulnerable, being
married early demolishing their potentially to be
developed as an economical self dependent person.
Most of time they fail to protect and enjoy their rights.
Action Points
1. Incorporate gender perspectives into the national
policies, action plans and other measures on
sustainable development and climate change.
2. Regularly carrying out systematic gender analysis
through collecting and utilizing Sex-disaggregated
data; establishing gender-sensitive benchmarks
and indicators; and developing practical tools to
support increased attention to gender
perspectives
3. Mitigation and adaptation efforts should
systematically and effectively address gender-
specific impacts of climate change
4. Identify and consider gender sensitive issues
during and post disaster periods.
5. Ensure consultation and participation of women in
climate change initiatives, involve them as agent
in change responses and use their indigenous
and traditional practices in mitigation processes.
World Vision Bangladesh
Abedin Tower, 35, Kamal Ataturk Avunue, Banani, Dhaka - 1213
Phone: +88 02 9821004-11, Fax: +88 02 9821055
www.wvi.org/bangladesh
Steps Towards Development
3/4, Block- D, Lalmatia, Dhaka-1207
Phone: 9118167, 8113275, 9129791, Fax: 88 02 9125681
E-mail: steps.bd@gmail.com, Web: www.steps.org.bd