Bangladesh is one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world, facing recurrent floods, cyclones, sea-level rise, and droughts that threaten livelihoods and economic stability. These climate risks disproportionately impact women and marginalized groups due to structural inequalities, including limited land ownership, restricted mobility, and unequal access to financial services. Women own only a small share of agricultural land and face significant barriers in accessing formal financial systems, which constrains their ability to recover from climate shocks and build resilience.
This analysis, commissioned by the Centre of Excellence on Gender-smart Solutions and conducted by Oxford Policy Management, in support of the Global Shield against Climate Change examines how Bangladesh’s Climate and Disaster Risk Finance and Insurance (CDRFI) systems integrate Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI).
Key challenges include low financial and insurance inclusion among women, limited access to appropriate insurance products, weak institutional coordination, and a lack of gender-disaggregated data. The report also highlights compounded vulnerabilities among groups such as people with disabilities and the elderly.
The analysis recommends improving gender-disaggregated data, expanding affordable and inclusive insurance solutions, strengthening coordination, and enhancing financial and digital literacy to ensure climate risk financing reaches those most at risk.
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