This report presents findings from a research project undertaken by Oxfam in collaboration
with the FCDO’s Humanitarian and Stabilisation Operations Team. The project examines the
impact of extreme heat on crisis-affected communities, particularly through the lens of
water systems, with the aim of developing heat-risk informed guidance for humanitarian
responses. Primary research was conducted in Renk, South Sudan and Satkhira and Cox’s
Bazar in Bangladesh between January and March 2025. The study investigates the following interrelated questions:
- What are the impacts of extreme heat on communities, especially in relation to nutrition, food security, livelihoods, health, mobility, and protection?
- What is the relationship between extreme heat and water access, availability, and
quality, and how do these water-related challenges influence overall well-being? - What coping and adaptation mechanisms are currently used by different community groups, and how effective are these strategies?
- To what extent does current humanitarian programming integrate extreme heat
considerations and what gaps and priorities are being overlooked in humanitarian
response efforts?