The Intersectionality of Water Crisis, Climate Change, and Gender: Impacts on Agri Community Women in Disaster-Prone Coastal Areas

Abstract

The study explores the intersectionality of water crisis, climate change, and gender, focusing on the lived experiences and vulnerabilities of agricultural women in disaster-prone coastal areas of Bangladesh. Despite national progress in improving access to water, salinity intrusion, flooding, and climate-induced hazards continue to undermine water security, with disproportionate impacts on women. As primary collectors and managers of household water, women face physical strain, health risks, and emotional distress, while also balancing agricultural labor and domestic responsibilities. Using a mixed-methods approach, including household surveys, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and in-depth interviews, data were collected from Koyra in Khulna and Moheshkhali in Cox’s Bazar. Findings reveal that women in both regions endure a “triple vulnerability”: climate-induced water scarcity directly threatens their health, intensifies their domestic workload, and reinforces gendered inequalities that restrict economic opportunities and decision-making power. While women in Koyra show greater participation in income generation and collective earning patterns, Moheshkhali households are more dependent on single male earners, leaving them highly vulnerable to livelihood shocks. The study also highlights the compounded risks of waterborne diseases, time poverty, economic strain linked to water scarcity. These dynamics underscore that water insecurity is not merely an environmental challenge but a deeply gendered social crisis. The research concludes that empowering women through inclusive adaptation strategies, livelihood diversification, and gender-sensitive water governance is critical to strengthening community resilience in climate-vulnerable coastal areas.