Project Design for 'Gender-responsive Coastal Adaptation' Programme for UNDP Bangladesh

UNDP Bangladesh, in close collaboration with the Government of Bangladesh, is implementing the “Enhancing adaptive capacities of coastal communities, especially women, to cope with climate change induced salinity”, known as Gender-responsive Coastal Adaptation (GCA) Project since 2019. The project is coming to its closure on 30 June 2026. Funded by the Green Climate Fund and the Government of Bangladesh, the GCA project has pioneered gender-responsive climate change adaptation interventions in five targeted upazilas of the two most vulnerable coastal districts, Khulna and Satkhira. The GCA project primarily addressed climate change-induced soil and water salinity in targeted coastal areas, particularly for freshwater-dependent agricultural livelihoods, as well as the availability and quality of safe drinking water for the vulnerable coastal communities in Bangladesh. Furthermore, given the crucial role that women play in water security and household-level resilience, and their socio-economic marginalisation, the project emphasises women and girls' role as change agents in building climate resilience.

 Adapt40 are working with the UNDP in consultation with the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs and relevant key partner departments, on the project design for GCA Phase 2. The team are developing a full project design proposal which includes extensive stakeholder engagement to explore and build upon the lessons and successes of the existing GCA project and to ensure local perspectives are integrated into the design. The primary objective of the assignment is to develop a comprehensive, technically sound, and gender-responsive project proposal that capitalises on the experiences and lessons learned from the GCA Project, ensuring alignment with UNDP’s Country Programme Document (CPD) and national development and climate change adaptation priorities of the Government of Bangladesh.