Gendered livelihood adjustments in the context of climate-induced disasters.

Abstract

Abstract This chapter focuses on the impact of climate-induced disasters on gendered livelihood adaptations in three contrasting countries: Lao PDR, Bangladesh, and Australia. At first glance there appears little commonality between these countries and their responses. The focus of this chapter is on the women in agricultural communities in these countries, where families are now adjusting to the reality of ongoing climate-induced disasters by seeking new ways of supporting themselves. Where disasters have eroded communities and critical local resources (such as agricultural land, animals, and productive capacity), families face the need to restructure income generation. Universally these agricultural livelihood adaptations involve complex gender rearrangements as people reconfigure how best to adapt. The case studies presented here illustrate the significant restructuring in both developed and developing countries and the remarkably similar although complex gendered livelihood adaptations under way.