Navigating Adversity: Unravelling the Gendered Effects of Climate Shocks and Migration

This thesis investigates the impacts of covariate shocks, like natural disasters, and idiosyncratic shocks, like migration, on household well-being in Bangladesh and Uganda. Although flood is one of the most frequently occurring climate disasters and its frequency is projected to further increase, flood effects have received comparably little attention. Furthermore, existing literature mostly focuses on the migration of men or parents who leave their wife and children behind, neglecting the different household dynamics caused by the migration of young adults to their parents and siblings. Exploiting panel survey and satellite data, this thesis contributes to filling these gaps by analyzing the consequences of floods and migration on households and individuals, accounting for gender-specific effects. The first chapter reveals that floods have immediate adverse impacts on household food security and individual nutrition in Bangladesh, with female-headed households and female landowners experiencing more severe short-term impacts but also demonstrating significant recovery capacities. The second chapter finds that flood exposure in Karamoja, Uganda, is associated with increased support for violence, highlighting the complex relationship between weather shocks and conflict risk. The third chapter shows that the migration of young household members in Bangladesh affects the well-being of those left behind, with sons’ migration improving mothers’ and brothers’ nutritional status but reducing boys’ school attendance. This research underscores the resilience of households facing migration and weather shocks and emphasizes the need for gender-sensitive policies. Effective interventions should support female-headed households in flood-prone areas and address the educational disruptions caused by migration. By considering gender dynamics, policymakers can better enhance household resilience and well-being in the Global South.