Terms of Reference (ToR)
for
Conducting Research on the Impact of Climate Change on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Bangladesh

Climate change is increasingly recognized not only as an environmental and economic challenge, but also as a major driver of social inequality. Bangladesh, one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world, the impacts of extreme weather events—such as floods, cyclones, river erosion, drought and salinity intrusion—are already disrupting livelihoods, displacing communities and placing increased pressure on scarce resources. These climatic stresses disproportionately affect women and girls, who face pre-existing gender inequalities and socio-economic marginalization. In disaster-prone contexts like Bangladesh, the combination of environmental shocks and existing gender inequalities increases their exposure to various forms of violence.

ActionAid is a global movement working to advance human rights and end poverty, believing that everyone has the power to create change for themselves, their families, and their communities. Operating in over 45 countries, ActionAid reaches more than 15 million people through a bottom-up approach to decision-making. In Bangladesh, ActionAid is committed to protecting women’s rights and eliminating gender-based violence in vulnerable communities. Women, girls, persons with disabilities, and children are among the most affected during natural disasters, facing heightened risks and challenges. Many lack the awareness and knowledge needed to respond effectively or build resilience. To address these challenges, it is essential to empower women and girls with the knowledge and skills to anticipate, cope with, and recover from climate shocks while strengthening their resilience against GBV risks.

ActionAid Bangladesh is implementing the project “Enhancing Climate Resilience for Women and Girls by Strengthening Coping, Adaptive, and Transformative Capacities to Address Climate-Induced GBV Risks and Ensure Access to Multi-Sectoral GBV Response Services in High-Risk Disaster-Prone Districts of Bangladesh.” This initiative aims to mitigate climate-induced GBV by strengthening life-skills and ensuring access to essential services for the most vulnerable women and girls through Women-Led Community Centers (WLCCs) in disaster-prone areas.

By 2026, more women, girls and sexual minorities benefit from an environment in which they are empowered to exercise their rights, agency and decision-making power over all aspects of their lives towards a life are free from all forms of discrimination, violence and harmful norms and practices.

Conduct Research on Research on Climate Change’s Impact on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Bangladesh

Climate Change impact Women, Men, Girls, Boys, Children of all ages differently. Due to pre-existing gender inequalities, women, children, persons with disabilities, and members of the LGBTIQ community are often the most adversely affected people in disasters. For women living in disaster prone area, Violence is more even pervasive. 74 percent of women experience IPV in their lifetime, compared than 68 percent non-disaster region. Any effort to address gender-based violence must also consider the impact of climate crisis.

Rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and salinity intrusion threaten agriculture, food security, and livelihoods, while frequent floods, droughts, and storms increase women’s household burdens. Displacement, loss of shelter and income, and weakened protection systems expose women and girls to domestic violence, child marriage, and sexual assault. Climate-induced stress also reinforces harmful gender norms, driving negative coping strategies that heighten women’s risks.

The research will generate targeted evidence on the causal linkages between climate change-induced stressors (both rapid-onset disasters and slow-onset processes) and the increased risk, incidence, and patterns of gender-based violence against women and transgender individuals in Bangladesh, in order to inform the design of integrated climate resilience and GBV prevention and response programs.

To achieve the research objectives, the study should aim to answer the following questions: 

1. Map the specific pathways and mechanisms (economic, social, environmental) through which climate change stressors contribute to various forms of GBV (intimate partner violence, sexual violence, trafficking, and psychological abuse) in selected climate vulnerable locations.
2. Investigate how climate-induced displacement, migration, and changing demographic pressures (e.g., in urban slums or char areas) alter community structures and power dynamics, creating new or heightened risks of GBV.
3. Document the coping mechanisms, resilience strategies, and leadership of women, girls, and transgender individuals in the face of climate adversity, and highlight community-led best practices and innovative solutions for integrated GBV-climate action.

Geographic Scope 

There is critical lack of sufficient data connecting climate change impacts and GBV in Bangladesh. While there is some evidence on the effect of GBV in the immediate aftermath of disasters, the evidence gap is apparent in the case of the long-term repercussions of climate change and its effect on GBV. Climate change experiences faced by both urban and rural populations vary by climate hotspots resulting in different sets of challenges and push factors for each context.  

Therefore, the research should aim to address the critical scarcity of data rooted in specific climate-context and analyze the disaster profile and its short and long-term influence on GBV within that context. The study will explore the interlinkages between climate change and GBV, identify specific forms of violence exacerbated by climate-induced disasters, and assess the responses of families, communities, and state institutions. It will also highlight best practices and lessons learned, including experiences from Women-Led Community Centers (WLCCs). 

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Deadline for Proposal Submission: 23 May 2026