Climate-Induced Migrations and Changing ‘Households’ in Bangladesh: An Analysis of New ‘Householding’ Structures from Gender Perspectives

Abstract

Migration is influencing people’s livelihood choices as well as their household arrangements in various ways. This research aims to explore the livelihood changes and shifts in household structures and management systems among the families of migrating people through a gender lens. In this qualitative research systemic literature review and content analysis, methods have been used to fetch the secondary data for analysis. The discussion section shows that losing traditional livelihoods, men are shifting to day labour, rickshaw pulling, or other alternative sources of livelihood and women are increasingly engaging in agriculture, garments, or domestic work. Therefore, people’s migration to other areas restructuring household structures. This study found some emerging structures of households, such as families of women with children, grandparents with grandchildren or group living of working girls in their working areas. These changing structures are also impacting gender roles and interactions within families as well as society. Findings show that, where male members migrate outside and/or women engage in income-generating activities, women enjoy more mobility, bargaining and decision-making powers, economic freedom, and exercise their agency. However, the benefits of migration and new householding structures have some associated costs along with some dilemmas and subverting aspects.