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The document details the environmental and social safeguard (ESS) compliance and disclosure process for the Resilient Homestead and Livelihood Support to the Vulnerable Coastal People of Bangladesh (RHL) programme. Managed by the Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF), the programme is classified as ESS Category B. It outlines the disclosure of the Environmental and Social Action Plan (ESAP) and the Indigenous Peoples Planning Framework (IPPF) in English and Bangla to ensure accessibility for affected populations in several coastal districts of Bangladesh.

The Resilient Homestead and Livelihood support to the vulnerable coastal people of Bangladesh (RHL) project aims to reduce the vulnerability of approximately 362,475 direct beneficiaries in seven coastal districts. With a total budget of USD 49.99 million, the project focuses on constructing 3,000 climate-resilient houses with raised plinths, establishing 50 micro-crab hatcheries to create a sustainable supply chain, and promoting goat and sheep rearing in slatted houses. The initiative specifically targets women and ultra-poor households to enhance food security and reduce urban migration caused by sea-level rise and salinity intrusion.

The RHL project targets 362,475 direct beneficiaries in the coastal districts of Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat, Barguna, Patuakhali, Bhola, and Cox’s Bazar. It focuses on three primary outcomes: reducing asset and life loss through the construction of 3,000 climate-resilient houses with raised plinths; enhancing livelihood resilience by promoting salinity-tolerant vegetable cultivation, goat/sheep rearing in slatted houses, and the establishment of a sustainable, hatchery-based crab supply chain; and improving local climate planning through the formation of 3,200 Climate Change Adaptation Groups (CCAGs). The project is implemented by the Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) as both the Accredited Entity and Executing Entity, utilizing a blend of GCF grants and PKSF loans.

In Banishanta village, Khulna district, farmers have formed the Banishanta Weather Club to combat the impacts of cyclones, floods, and high salinity. Supported by the NGO Bangladesh Environment and Development Society (BEDS) and the Delta Research Initiative (DRI), the community uses digital tools, smartphone apps, and a Facebook messenger group called 'Banishanta Climate School' to access weather forecasts and agro-advisories. This locally led adaptation approach allows farmers to make informed decisions on sowing and irrigation, reducing the economic costs of climatic disasters and improving livelihoods for smallholder farmers and the Banojibi community.

The document details how the local NGO BEDS transitioned women in the Sundarbans from using mangrove seeds as cooking fuel to establishing community-led nurseries. This shift has provided economic empowerment for women, such as Nomita Mondol, and increased mangrove coverage in the region to combat climate risks like cyclones and salinity.

The report analyzes the systemic gender inequalities in Bangladesh and how they exacerbate women's vulnerability to climate change, specifically salinity intrusion in coastal regions. It proposes a gender-transformative project to provide safe drinking water via Rain Water Harvesting and support climate-resilient livelihoods, such as crab farming and homestead gardening, while addressing structural barriers like land tenure and social norms.