Gender dimension and forced migration in Tanzania

There has been an increasing magnitude of floods due to rainfall variability along the coastal zones of Tanzania. Repeated flooding occurrences in Dar es Salaam along the Msimbazi Valley provide evidence. The Valley has recorded floods from 2009 to 2021 consecutively. Floods have badly affected people and communities, leading to forced migration. Between 2020 and 2022, the study conducted interviews and focus group discussions with affected people to investigate gendered experiences of forced migrants and assess gender-sensitive strategies by individuals and government in reducing climate change impacts. The study revealed that firstly, reactive migration was a common strategy used by both individuals and the government (during floods in 2011); and secondly, women and children were the majority of the resettled households. The adaptive strategies to climatic change disasters were ineffective and gender insensitive. Increased women representation in decision-making would mitigate the impacts.