Climate Impact on Women’s Health in Satkhira
Climate change is a major public health threat, with particularly severe impacts in Bangladesh. In the coastal district of Satkhira, rising sea levels, saltwater intrusion, and heat waves are compromising access to safe water, food security, and secure living conditions. Women and girls are disproportionately affected: they bear the burden of water collection, face repeated exposure to saline water leading to skin diseases, gynaecological infections, reproductive health complications, and psychological distress while households struggle with costly drinking water and declining agriculture. With a participatory assessment, the Swiss NGO Enfants du Monde and the Bangladeshi NGOs Eco-Social Development Organization (ESDO) and Bangladesh Research Institute for Development (BRID) highlighted the effects of climate change on women and girl’s health, the exacerbation of gender inequalities, and the importance of involving communities in adaptation strategies.
