Urban Poverty, Climate Change and Health Risks for Slum Dwellers in Bangladesh

Abstract

The health and rights of populations living in urban slum settlements against the backdrop of increasing risks and disasters brought on by climate change is a key development issue of the twenty-first century. The impacts of natural hazards as a result of climate change are unevenly distributed globally and nationally, with populations in mega cities most vulnerable. Bangladesh remains riskiest on the global climate index and was recently ranked as one of the top countries most affected by extreme weather events according to recent news report. Dhaka has a high vulnerability of climate change as well as urban poverty. Slums settlements tend to be located in low lying land areas that are flood prone. A spatial mapping of approximately 7,600 households in 44 slum settlements was found to be within 50 m of a river and risked being flooded. In urban slums, it was found that when water started pouring in, some families built bamboo platforms and shifted their belongings on it. In some cases, families raised their beds by putting bricks under it to raise the level of the beds. In some cases, families shifted to the roofs of their homes, if the roofs were sturdier. The situation from urban poor is dismal due to the overcrowding and lack of access to basic services, such as water and sanitation. Consequences of these living conditions include stress due to crowding, insecurity due to lack of housing and land tenure. These conditions worsen during floods and disasters. The absence of clear and forward-looking policies on urbanization and urban slum settlements discourages long-term thinking and interventions to improve the long-term prospects of people who live in slum settlements.