Gender-Based Violence and Women’s Vulnerability in Post-Climate Disaster Bangladesh: A Qualitative Analysis of Safety, and Protection Challenges
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61978/psychosocia.v4i2.1694Keywords:
climate change, women's violence, gender vulnerability, adaptation, BangladeshAbstract
Climate-related disasters in Bangladesh worsen existing socioeconomic and gender inequalities, particularly for women and girls in relief camps who face heightened risks of gender-based violence (GBV). This study aims to examine the vulnerability of women in Bangladesh in the context of climate-induced disasters within camp and shelter environments, employing a qualitative secondary data approach drawn from academic articles, research reports, and relevant policy documents. Through critical review and thematic analysis, findings reveal that women in disaster-affected areas experience physical, psychological, and sexual violence, as well as privacy violations and health vulnerabilities — particularly in overcrowded and poorly resourced shelters. Perpetrators include intimate partners, strangers, and community members. Existing measures such as gender-segregated shelters and community-based protection mechanisms have proven insufficient to ensure adequate protection. The study concludes that climate-related disasters tend to deepen gender inequalities and increase women's vulnerability to GBV, highlighting the urgent need for holistic, gender-sensitive, and long-term interventions to strengthen protection, privacy, health services, and safety for women in post-disaster settings in Bangladesh.
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