Sabina Faiz Rashid (second from left) speaks at the workshop “Adaptation to Climate Change in South Asia and West Africa” at Harvard in November 2023.
In this first installment of a new series of interviews with Mittal Institute’s Climate Change Platform collaborators in South Asia, we spoke with Sabina Faiz Rashid, a medical anthropologist by training from The Australian National University, Australia, and currently Professor and Chair of Health and Poverty at BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health in Dhaka, Bangladesh. She was the former Dean of the School (2013-2023). The Mittal Institute’s “Climate Adaptation in South Asia” project is an interdisciplinary research project that seeks to advance climate adaptation research and implementation at the household, community, state and federal levels in South Asia, particularly in the context of climate-driven migration.
Rashid spoke to the Mittal Institute about the complex intersection of climate change and health, the need to understand the perspectives of individual communities, and the learnings from Bangladesh’s approach to dealing with climate change.
Mittal Institute: Sabina, you’re based in Bangladesh, which is often called “ground zero for climate change.” How do climate change and public health intersect, particularly in Bangladesh and South Asia?
Sabina Faiz Rashid: Working in health, it’s obvious to me that we need to redefine what we mean by health, particularly when we look at the lived experiences of communities. The dominant understanding of public health is disease, facilities, access, and affordability. But for climate-affected migrants – for people who are moving from one place to another – it’s basically the upending of their lives. So, we have to talk about livelihoods. You have to talk about food security, lack of opportunities, and disruption in social networks and relationships. Because if you don’t have a job, you can’t buy food. And if you can’t buy food, you can’t keep up your bodily nutrition. Or where temperatures go very high, you have people who complain about headaches, dizziness, and physical ailments. And then there’s the whole emotional mental health aspect of struggling with stress and anxiety, when you’re forced to relocate with little to no possessions, having to start a new life all over again in a new unfamiliar place. This is extremely daunting for those faced with these predicaments over and over again.
Health is much more than just disease inside the body. I know this isn’t new, but it’s not emphasized enough, because our development and health interventions still operate in silos, tend to be biomedical and technocratic solutions. We have compartmentalized human beings into disease centric bodies, decontextualized from their conditions of life, many who are living in endemic poverty and or are fleeing from climate-affected areas. In this world of poly-crisis and increasing vulnerabilities and risks, health has to be understood from how it is lived and experienced by those who are directly affected. It is also crucial to focus on the diversity within these communities and adopt an intersectional perspective that considers factors such as gender, class, income, religion, age, and ethnicity. Factors like geographical location, education, support networks, power dynamics, agency, and trust also play a role, influencing the various forms of vulnerability and precarious situations experienced. For instance, young pregnant women and individuals with disabilities face additional disadvantages, making it significantly more challenging to obtain water and sanitation services or advocate for relief materials. When one is forced to leave their home, where they experience a sense of belonging, due to a climatic event, their lives are profoundly disrupted. This displacement results in the loss of social connections and leaves individuals emotionally and mentally in despair. Migrants lacking social networks and connections in their new locations face double challenges, hindering their ability to find affordable housing, secure job referrals, access healthcare, and obtain loans.
There is an urgent need for interdisciplinary research to comprehend the circumstances of migrants/refugees impacted by climate change. Additionally, we have to embrace multisectoral approaches and have integrated interventions when providing support to those directly affected.
Mittal Institute: You were a panelist at a conference the Mittal Institute co-hosted at Harvard, which brought climate experts from West Africa and South Asia together, before COP28. What were some of the insights that came out of that for you?
Sabina Faiz Rashid: One similarity was that we need to talk about global accountability and justice. We find ourselves grappling with a predicament not of our making, one imposed upon us by developed nations. We are compelled to address these issues without adequate investments from those more affluent economies. Another concern is the lack of national accountability for how resources, whatever their nature, are utilized. Additionally, there is a tendency to overlook the importance of local contextual knowledge, including indigenous wisdom, local innovations, and solutions. This oversight often results in communities remaining disconnected from policies and practical implementation.
Moving forward, it is essential for communities to be central to discussions, not merely included as tokens, and actions must extend beyond symbolic gestures. What is crucial is a nuanced and contextualized comprehension of communities’ experiences and health outcomes. It is imperative to understand, from the perspectives of these communities, how climate change affects lives, health, and overall well-being. Furthermore, there is a need for a broader exploration of the concept of health. It is noteworthy that endemic poverty manifests similarly across various regions. To truly address the challenges posed by climate change, we must confront the structural and social determinants of health, recognizing that climate change is another layer to the multiple crises that the most disadvantaged individuals endure, and have been enduring for a long time.
To truly address the challenges posed by climate change, we must confront the structural and social determinants of health, recognizing that climate change is another layer to the multiple crises that the most disadvantaged individuals endure, and have been enduring for a long time.
Mittal Institute: Are there lessons we could potentially learn from the ways Bangladesh has been tackling climate change?
Sabina Faiz Rashid: I want to emphasize that our government has been at the forefront among Low- or Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), taking proactive measures by investing its own funds. The government initiated the development of a national action plan addressing climate change and adaptation policies, recognizing the urgency of this escalating crisis. Additionally, we mourn the recent passing of Dr. Saleemul Huq, a prominent leader from Bangladesh who advocated for developing countries on global platforms, seeking resources, commitment, and recognition for the Non-Economic Loss and Damage faced by climate-affected migrants. Dr. Huq also played a crucial role in shaping the national agenda and promoting regional efforts to secure more funding, especially for non-economic losses. Bangladesh boasts a strong history of community engagement through organizations like BRAC and Grameen Bank, with innovative solutions si solutions designed to uplift the deprived. It’s worth noting that our collaborative projects, even predating climate change concerns at BRAC, have consistently prioritized community involvement while working alongside various stakeholders, including the government.
☆ The views represented herein are those of the interview subjects and do not necessarily reflect the views of LMSAI, its staff, or its steering committee.