From Survival to Adaptation: Lived Experiences of Climate Migrants in Urban Slums of Dhaka City

Md. Nahid Ahmed

Abstract


Climate change is increasingly displacing rural populations, compelling them to migrate to urban slums where precarious living conditions challenge both survival and long-term adaptation. This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of climate migrants in Dhaka, Bangladesh, focusing on their vulnerabilities, coping strategies, and pathways toward resilience. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 40 migrants residing in slum settlements. The study revealed that migration disrupts livelihoods, social networks, and access to basic services, leaving migrants exposed to precarious housing, economic insecurity, and health risks. Respondents highlighted challenges such as irregular employment, inadequate sanitation, and limited awareness of institutional support programs, reflecting broader structural and policy gaps in urban governance. Despite these challenges, participants demonstrated adaptive capacities through informal labor diversification, social networks, and resource-sharing, gradually transitioning from mere survival to a state of resilience and adaptation. The study highlights institutional gaps, gendered vulnerabilities, and the importance of inclusive urban policies to support climate migrants’ integration. By linking empirical narratives with recent study, the study contributes to sociological understandings of vulnerability and resilience in urban contexts and provides actionable insights for climate adaptation planning.


Keywords


Climate migration, urban slums, resilience, adaptation strategies, social networks.

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References


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