Empowerment Through Communication Among Women Climate Migrants in Khulna City, Bangladesh

This study examines the role of communication as a key driver of empowerment and psychosocial wellbeing among women migrants in Khulna City, Bangladesh. Using a mixed-methods approach, quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 300 women migrants. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS through descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, correlation analysis, and multiple regression models. The findings show that communication frequency (β = 0.354, p = .027), peer information sharing (β = 0.292, p = .041), and participation in NGO awareness programs (β = 0.217, p = .063) significantly predict empowerment, while income and education remain insignificant. Empowerment scores increased steadily across communication levels, rising from 2.31 for low communicators to 3.61 for highly communicative participants (F = 4.61, p = .012), confirming a robust communication effect. Correlation results indicate a strong positive relationship between communication and empowerment (r = 0.63, p < .001) and a negative relationship with stress (r = −0.40, p < .001). These findings demonstrate that communication fosters confidence, autonomy, and emotional stability beyond material status. The study concludes that participatory communication through dialogue, peer-learning, and storytelling transforms vulnerability into resilience and should be integrated into urban policy and empowerment programs for migrant women.