In coastal Bangladesh, natural disasters take twice the toll on women
Because of already existing gender inequalities, women in Bangladesh are among the most vulnerable groups during and after natural disasters
Selina Akter is a resident of Khulna's Satkhira, one of the most disaster-prone coastal regions of Bangladesh. Her husband, Ramzan Ali, lives in Dhaka for work. As a result, most of the household responsibilities fall on the shoulders of the 31-year-old.
Life in Bagerhat and Satkhira is a constant battle against natural disasters — from saline water intrusion to cyclones. Recently, their home was washed away by floods, forcing Selina to seek shelter in a local primary school with her two young children.
Her suffering intensified during her menstruation as, with no sanitary pads available, she was forced to use a cloth.
Selina's story mirrors the experiences of many women living in disaster-prone areas of Bangladesh.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
A study titled 'Menstrual hygiene management in flood-affected Bangladesh: Addressing socio-cultural barriers, infrastructure gaps, and policy responses', published in the Frontiers in Public Health journal, explores the challenges women face in managing menstrual hygiene during floods in districts like Noakhali, Feni, Barisal, Khulna, and Satkhira.
The study identifies multiple barriers, including lack of access to sanitary products, inadequate sanitation infrastructure in shelters, and deeply rooted cultural stigmas around menstruation. It highlights how women are forced to use unhygienic materials like cloth, leaves or even newspapers, risking infections and health complications. Emotional distress due to a lack of privacy and social stigma further exacerbates their suffering.
However, menstrual challenges are just the tip of the iceberg; women are among the most vulnerable groups during and after natural disasters simply because of their gender.
The impacts of climate change are not experienced equally by all. In developing countries, especially, it deepens structural inequalities.
According to the UN Environment Programme, 80% of people displaced worldwide by climate change are women. An ActionAid study found that 71% of women in Bangladesh experienced increased abuse during natural disasters, compared to what they faced beforehand. According to UN Women (2020), gender-based violence surged by 65% in the areas affected by Cyclone Amphan.
Global research indicates that women are particularly vulnerable to sexual abuse and violence during rescue and rehabilitation activities.
In addition to immediate effects, natural disasters have long-term repercussions that influence gender-based violence. For example, the loss of income can lead to frustration among men, resulting in physical assaults on their wives.
Severe weather events disrupted education for 35 million children in Bangladesh in 2024, according to an analysis released by UNICEF this year.
Sumaiya Karim Labonno, programme officer at Badabon Sangho, said, "Badabon Sangho has been working with girls in order to protect early child marriage in coastal areas. It has a number of tested tools and methods like social action projects, debate clubs, science clubs and football teams to combat early marriage.
"Child marriage rates rise due to school closures and economic insecurity during and after natural disasters. Parents often marry off their daughters at an early age to protect them from harm, amid the stress of natural disasters. But in turn, early marriage puts young girls at high risk of gender-based violence from their husbands and in-laws," she added.
A recent study by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) shows a sharp rise in child marriage in Bangladesh's disaster-prone coastal areas, especially in Bhola and Satkhira. The study found that child marriage increased by a staggering 39% after climate-related disasters.
In Bangladesh, there is no specific policy to protect women during or after disasters or to address the gendered impacts of climate change.
With growing evidence showing how climate change affects women differently, the government must take this issue seriously and act urgently. If not, disasters will continue to deepen existing inequalities, making it even harder to overcome them in the future.
This article has been produced in association with Badabon Sangho.
