A Gender-Responsive Framework for Climate Mobility and Flood Resilience in Pakistan

Abstract

Floods in Pakistan increasingly interact with preexisting gender inequalities, shaping women’s mobility, livelihoods, safety, access to resources, and recovery opportunities. This study develops a Gender-Responsive Climate Mobility and Flood Resilience Framework for Pakistan through a structured integrative review of evidence published between 2010 and 2026, complemented by an analysis of relevant national policy documents. Peer-reviewed studies and selected institutional reports were examined to identify recurring patterns in gendered vulnerability, displacement, adaptation, livelihood recovery, and community resilience. The findings indicate that women’s experiences of flooding are strongly influenced by preexisting poverty, limited access to land and financial resources, care giving responsibilities, restricted decision-making power, protection risks, and unequal access to early-warning systems and essential services. However, the evidence also demonstrates women’s adaptive capacity through local knowledge, livelihood diversification, community participation, and collective coping strategies. The policy analysis indicates that Pakistan’s climate and disaster governance frameworks increasingly recognize gender inclusion and women’s participation; however, the integration of gender considerations across preparedness, mobility, displacement, recovery, and long-term adaptation remains uneven. Based on these findings, the proposed framework connects preexisting gendered vulnerability with preparedness, early warning, safe mobility, protection during displacement, livelihood recovery, and long-term adaptation and resilience. The framework provides an integrated basis for understanding and addressing the gendered dimensions of climate-related mobility and flood resilience in Pakistan.

Keywords: Gender-Responsive Climate Mobility; Flood Resilience; Gendered Vulnerability; Climate Adaptation; Pakistan