A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Gender and Development Studies, School of Environment, Resources and Development

Thesis (M. Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2020

This study explored the impact of climate change on migration choice, as well as the insecurities produced by climate-induced migration, which, in turn, have an impact on their spouse/partner relations as demonstrated by using a human security lens. This study has followed a qualitative research approach for data collection and analysis to explore these issues as they relate to climate-induced migrants. It explores how climate change is a significant driver of migration in terms of river erosion, flood, and cyclone when people lose their assets permanently or temporarily and take the decision to migrate, which is gendered process. Due to their forced and unplanned migration in Dhaka, they have to face different insecurities related to: networking, unemployment, difficulties in managing their shelter, food, job, childcare, and access to GOs and NGOs for aid. The psychological dilemma of rejection after migration with no hope of going back to their place of origin influences their voting behavior, identity and self-respect. Comparatively, the insecurities of climate-induced migrants are different or more intense than those experienced by non- climate induced migrants, except regarding health care, sexual harassment, and extortion issues. Through using gender and human security analyses, these insecurities are shown to make climate-induced migrants unprotected and overlooked because of these non- conventional forms of insecurities, which have an impact on spouse relations in terms of women's overburden, domestic violence, intimate relations, as well as the hegemonic masculinity crisis among men. As such, this study suggests that in order to ensure the protection and safeguard of climate-induced migrants the gender dimension of insecurities need to be addressed in climate change, migration, as well as other existing policies through considering a gender-responsive human security approach.