Salt-tolerant farming, educational aid key to tackling coastal, urban poverty – Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS)

Report on Climate-Induced Poverty in Coastal and Urban Bangladesh

Introduction

A study conducted by Khulna University, funded by the European Union, investigates the interconnected crises of coastal and urban poverty in Bangladesh’s south-western region. The research highlights the severe impacts of climate change on livelihoods, health, and community stability, framing its findings and recommendations within the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The report underscores that climate-induced displacement from coastal areas is creating a new humanitarian challenge in urban slums, necessitating a coordinated response to achieve sustainable development.

Key Findings: A Dual Crisis Impeding SDG Progress

The research focused on climate-vulnerable coastal unions in Satkhira and adjacent urban slum areas inhabited by climate-displaced populations. The findings reveal a cycle of poverty and vulnerability that directly undermines progress on multiple SDGs.

Coastal Community Vulnerabilities

• Economic Collapse and Food Insecurity: Rising salinity and recurrent cyclones have decimated traditional livelihoods in agriculture and shrimp farming. This directly impacts SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), with many families facing unemployment and reducing daily food intake.
• Water, Sanitation, and Health Crisis: There is a severe shortage of safe drinking water and sanitation facilities, a failure to meet SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation). This has led to critical health issues, particularly for women, with high rates of uterine and reproductive complications, compromising SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being).
• Gender and Social Disruption: Widespread male migration for work has resulted in a sharp increase in female-headed households. These women face immense social and economic pressures, highlighting challenges related to SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).

Urban Slum Hardships

• Precarious Living Conditions: Climate-displaced people reside in overcrowded slums with inadequate drainage, frequent waterlogging, and a lack of basic services. These conditions are contrary to the principles of SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).
• Barriers to Education and Child Welfare: Children in these slums are highly vulnerable to dropping out of school to enter the labor force, perpetuating intergenerational poverty and hindering the achievement of SDG 4 (Quality Education).
• Insecure Livelihoods: Most displaced individuals work as day laborers or rickshaw pullers, facing unstable incomes and the constant threat of eviction, which further entrenches poverty and inequality, working against SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

Recommendations for Achieving Sustainable Development Goals

The report proposes a series of targeted interventions for both coastal and urban areas, designed to build resilience and advance the SDGs.

Strategies for Coastal Regions

1. Promote Climate-Resilient Agriculture (SDG 1, SDG 2, SDG 13): Expand the cultivation of salt-tolerant crops and livestock to restore local livelihoods, enhance food security, and adapt to climate change impacts.
2. Improve Water and Health Infrastructure (SDG 3, SDG 6): Urgently improve access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities. Provide emergency and specialized healthcare services for women to address the severe health crisis.
3. Strengthen Community Resilience (SDG 5, SDG 8): Implement programs that support female-headed households and create sustainable, local economic opportunities to reduce the need for male out-migration.

Interventions for Urban Slums

1. Shift from Cash Aid to Sustainable Support (SDG 1, SDG 4): Replace direct cash assistance with material and educational support. Providing tuition, school uniforms, and meals can prevent school dropouts, combat child labor, and break the cycle of poverty.
2. Upgrade Urban Infrastructure (SDG 6, SDG 11): Invest in improved drainage and sanitation systems within slums to reduce health risks from waterborne diseases and mitigate the effects of waterlogging.
3. Secure Livelihoods and Tenure (SDG 8, SDG 10): Develop vocational training programs and secure land tenure for slum dwellers to provide stable income sources and reduce the vulnerability associated with the threat of eviction.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 1: No Poverty

   • The article directly addresses poverty in both coastal and urban settings, focusing on “climate-affected communities” forced into “urban slums” and a “cycle of poverty.”

2. SDG 2: Zero Hunger

   • The article highlights food insecurity, stating that many families “survive on minimal diets of rice and lentils” and that “about one-third of respondents reported reducing their daily food intake.” It also proposes promoting “salt-tolerant agriculture” as a solution.

3. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • The text describes “acute livelihood and health crises,” specifically mentioning “uterine complications among 60-74 percent of women and reproductive health issues among 45-66 percent” due to the lack of safe water and sanitation.

4. SDG 4: Quality Education

   • The vulnerability of children is a key issue, with the article noting that many are “dropping out of school.” A proposed solution is “providing tuition, clothing, and meal support” to prevent this.

5. SDG 5: Gender Equality

   • The article emphasizes the disproportionate impact on women and girls, who face “serious health risks” from water shortages. It also notes a “sharp rise in female-headed households” due to male migration.

6. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

   • A central theme is the “lack of jobs, safe drinking water, and sanitation.” The article details “severe shortages of safe drinking water and sanitation facilities” in coastal areas and a “severe lack of toilets and clean water” in urban slums.

7. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • The article discusses the economic impact of climate change, which has destroyed farms, “leaving thousands unemployed.” It also points to the problem of children “joining the labor force,” which constitutes child labor.

8. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   • The article describes the plight of climate-displaced people living in “urban slums” characterized by “overcrowded settlements with poor drainage, frequent waterlogging,” and the “constant threat of eviction.”

9. SDG 13: Climate Action

   • The root cause of the problems is identified as the “impacts of climate change,” including “rising salinity and repeated cyclones like Sidr and Aila,” which drive displacement and poverty.

10. SDG 14: Life Below Water

    • The article mentions that rising salinity and cyclones have “destroyed shrimp farms,” impacting coastal aquaculture which is a marine-related economic activity.

11. SDG 15: Life on Land

    • The degradation of terrestrial ecosystems is highlighted by the fact that climate impacts have “destroyed…paddy fields,” affecting land-based agriculture.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 1.5 (under SDG 1)

   • Build the resilience of the poor and those in vulnerable situations and reduce their exposure and vulnerability to climate-related extreme events. The article’s entire focus on “climate-affected communities” and the need for sustainable solutions directly relates to this target.

2. Target 2.4 (under SDG 2)

   • Ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices. The recommendation to promote “salt-tolerant agriculture” is a direct strategy to create resilient agricultural practices in the face of rising salinity.

3. Target 3.7 (under SDG 3)

   • Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services. The finding of high rates of “uterine complications” and “reproductive health issues” among women highlights a critical gap in these services.

4. Target 4.1 (under SDG 4)

   • Ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education. The problem of children “dropping out of school” and the proposal for “tuition…support” to prevent it directly addresses this target.

5. Target 5.6 (under SDG 5)

   • Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights. This is directly relevant due to the documented “reproductive health issues among 45-66 percent” of women in the study area.

6. Targets 6.1 and 6.2 (under SDG 6)

   • Achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water (6.1) and access to adequate and equitable sanitation (6.2). The article’s repeated emphasis on the “severe shortages of safe drinking water and sanitation facilities” connects directly to these targets.

7. Target 8.7 (under SDG 8)

   • Take immediate and effective measures to…secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour. The mention of children “dropping out of school and joining the labor force” points to the need to address child labor.

8. Target 11.1 (under SDG 11)

   • Ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums. The description of climate migrants living in “urban slums” with “poor drainage, frequent waterlogging, and a severe lack of toilets” directly aligns with the goal of upgrading slums and providing basic services.

9. Target 13.1 (under SDG 13)

   • Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters. The research focuses on communities whose livelihoods have been destroyed by “rising salinity and repeated cyclones,” making resilience and adaptation central themes.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Health Indicators

   • The article provides specific statistics that can be used as baseline indicators: “uterine complications among 60-74 percent of women” and “reproductive health issues among 45-66 percent.” Progress could be measured by a reduction in these percentages.

2. Food Security Indicator

   • The finding that “about one-third of respondents reported reducing their daily food intake” serves as a direct indicator of the prevalence of food insecurity.

3. Education Indicator

   • The mention of children “dropping out of school” implies that the “school dropout rate” in these communities is a key indicator for measuring educational outcomes.

4. Economic and Social Indicators

   • The article implies several indicators: the number of “unemployed” people, the “rise in female-headed households,” and the number of children “joining the labor force” (prevalence of child labor).

5. Infrastructure and Basic Services Indicators

   • The “lack of toilets and clean water” and “poor drainage” in slums imply that progress can be measured by the proportion of the population with access to safely managed water, sanitation, and improved drainage systems.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: bssnews.net