Work

The unequal effects of resettlement in coastal regions: An intersectional vulnerability analysis of resettled fisher communities in Saint Louis, Senegal

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The coast of West Africa is particularly affected by coastal erosion and inundation as a result of sea-level rise. Managed resettlement has emerged as a crucial adaptation strategy for vulnerable coastal communities. However, the retreat of fisher communities and unequal resettlement outcomes in the Global South remain under-researched. This study seeks to examine how the vulnerability of various groups within fisher communities has evolved following their resettlement inland. Given the highly gendered nature of work practices in fishery-based livelihoods, a contextually appropriate vulnerability analysis must consider not only livelihood provision but also reproductive work. For this, an intersectional framework inspired by feminist political ecology is used to elucidate the (structural) causes of vulnerability. A comparative case study analysis of resettled fisherfolks in Saint Louis, Senegal, was conducted through a mixed method approach, including a quantitative survey (n=115), focus group discussions, and participatory mapping exercises. Results indicate an increase of vulnerability as an impact of the resettlement due to everyday struggles in providing livelihood, precarious living conditions affecting social reproductive work, and exposure to gender-based violence and criminality within the resettlement. As the adaptive capacity of certain groups, including young unmarried individuals and women, was especially diminished due to social isolation, limited agency and work opportunities, the resettlement increased marginalisation. Overall, the study shows that mismanagement of resettlement projects can lead to maladaptation. A successful resettlement necessitates a balanced, context-specific approach, combining immediate recovery efforts with strategic, long-term planning, and acknowledging communities' livelihood traditions as well as intersectional vulnerabilities.

Source: International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2025.105626

Authors: Theresa Marie Renkamp, Hane Marie Reine, Stéphanie Jaquet, Leonardo Medina, Michelle Bonatti, Stefan Sieber