Women bear the brunt of climate-forced migration
The feminization of environmental migration is already underway in South Asia but governments are slow to recognise the role of climate change and there’s no policy action.
The feminization of environmental migration is already underway in South Asia but governments are slow to recognise the role of climate change and there’s no policy action.
Climate change is having devastating impacts on communities’ lives, livelihoods and food security across South Asia. Its consequences are so severe that it is increasingly contributing to migration, and this incidence is likely to escalate much more in the years to come as climate change impacts become more serious.
South Asia, comprising 8 countries including Bangladesh, the Maldives and Nepal, is affected by a range of natural disasters including floods, glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), storm surges, droughts, cyclones and heavy precipitation. These disasters take a huge toll as they displace thousands of people every year. The impact of natural hazards is amplified by the following facts: most countries in the region lack strong economies and infrastructure, majority of the population and the industries depend on land resources, and large proportions of the population live in environmentally vulnerable areas.
What’s in it for South Asia presents key findings from the IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) for South Asia. The report extracts South Asia-specific data, trends and analysis directly from AR5, summarising it in a short volume to make it accessible to all audiences, and highlights key opportunities to achieve adaptation, mitigation and development.