Women’s agency in adverse climatic pressure region: a qualitative comparative analysis in the climate-vulnerable coastal region of Bangladesh

Abstract

This study investigates the factors influencing women’s agency and adaptive capacity in response to climate change in the coastal union of Sarankhola, Bangladesh. Drawing on 27 community case studies from 162 individuals in group surveys, it applies a five-step fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) to identify combinations of conditions that explain the presence or absence of women’s agency. The analysis defines women’s agency through asset ownership, decision-making power, and ability to mediate conflict. Causal conditions were selected based on existing scholarship and local context, and each case was calibrated using a four-point fuzzy scale. The fsQCA results reveal that a combination of restricted mobility, lack of household support, and absence of material conditions consistently contributes to the absence of agency across most cases. Two solution pathways explain the observed outcomes, with consistency scores above 0.72. The study also shows how disaster events, such as Cyclone Sidr and Amphan, have disrupted entrenched vulnerabilities and temporarily expanded women’s roles—analysed through a modified Radical Capacity Framework and a Discharging Vulnerability Model. These findings suggest that adaptive responses and enhanced agency can emerge not only through targeted interventions but also through structural shifts triggered by crisis events. The paper concludes by arguing for climate adaptation strategies that engage with these dynamic, non-linear pathways, and that recognize the role of social restructuring, support networks, and institutional presence in shaping women’s resilience.