Abstract:
Semi-arid regions across Africa and Asia are characterized by rapidly changing biophysical regimes, structural
vulnerabilities, and increasing livelihood precarity. Gender, class, and caste/ethnic identities and
relationships, and the specific social, economic and political power, roles and responsibilities they entail,
shape the choices and decisions open to individuals and households in managing the risks they face.
Unpacking the multiple, intersecting inequalities confronting rural populations in these climate hotspots
is therefore vital to understand how risk can be managed in a way that supports effective, inclusive, and
sustainable local adaptation. Drawing on empirical evidence from six countries, generated through a
mixed methods approach, we examine how changes in household dynamics, structure, and aspirations,
shape risk management with implications for household well-being, adaptive capacity, and ultimately
sustainable development. The ability of individuals within households, differentiated by age, marital status,
or education, to manipulate the very structure of the household and the material and social resources
it offers, differentiates risk management strategies such as livelihood diversification, migration, changing
agricultural practices and leveraging social support. Our evidence suggests that while greater risks can
drive conflictive behaviour within households, with women often reporting lower subjective wellbeing,
new forms of cooperative behaviour are also emerging, especially in peri-urban spaces. Through this study,
we identify entry points into enabling sustainable and inclusive adaptation behaviour, emphasizing that
interventions should work for both women and men by challenging inequitable social and gender norms
and renegotiating the domains of work and cooperation to maintain overall household wellbeing.achieve the WHO
roadmap target for schistosomiasis control by 2020.
