Gendered Impacts of Climate Change on Health in Coastal Bangladesh

Bangladesh’s southwestern coastal districts suffer from frequent disasters, extremities, and salinity intrusion due to climate change. An increasing body of research indicates a critical nexus between climate change, health outcomes, and systemic socio-economic vulnerabilities in coastal communities. To generate evidence on the prevalent climate change-induced health issues, their underlying causes, and evaluate the impact on Bangladesh’s coastal populations, with a focus on women, ActionAid Bangladesh undertook a research from 2024 to 2025. The research was conducted in two coastal areas: Shyamnagar in Satkhira district and Kalapara in Patuakhali district, focusing on the impact of increasing salinity on human health, with an emphasis on female sexual and reproductive health The research employed a mixed-method approach, integrating survey data from 871 households across the two locations to determine the prevalence and types of health issues being experienced by the population. The qualitative component included 34 key informant interviews (KIIs) with doctors, healthcare workers, local government officials, and non-governmental organization staff; 18 focus group discussions (FGDs) with women, men, adolescent girls, and local health workers; and 9 detailed case studies. Long-term meteorological records (1950-2024) were analysed in conjunction with a household-level Climate Vulnerability Index (CVI) constructed using the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) vulnerability framework. A multivariate regression analysis was performed to determine the relationship between climate vulnerability, climate change induced freshwater insecurity, prevailing health issues, and women's SRH. The results established that salinity intrusion drives severe water insecurity in coastal Bangladesh. This serves as the principal pathway to adverse health outcomes in the population, which disproportionately affect women. The research underscores the critical need for climate-resilient water systems in coastal areas to ensure freshwater security that extends to water used for sanitation and hygiene to address the climate-induced health issues. Integrated public health outreach, including technology-based solutions and reproductive health services, is essential to address the gendered health outcomes. Effective adaptation at coastal grassroots will require cross-sectoral policy planning integrating climate adaptation, water security, and health system strengthening.