Ten recommendations to protect children from climate change
Climate change is bringing changes in nature. It affects everything. Children, women, and the elderly are the most affected.
Therefore, 10-point recommendations for protecting children from natural disasters have emerged in the Coastal Children’s Climate Conference. The conference was held in Khulna, Bangladesh, recently. A non-governmental organization called Jagrat Jubo Sangh (JJS) (Awake Youth Association) organized the conference.
The conference was held in five phases. Experts from various government and private organizations working on climate presented their opinions there.
Based on that opinion, 10-point Khulna was declared in the closing phase of the conference. Those points are to keep the education system open during disasters, to develop climate-resilient agriculture in coastal areas, to ensure sanitation for children and children with special needs in cyclone shelters, to provide safe water in coastal areas,
Keeping children in mind during relief distribution, ensuring children’s views and participation in climate talks and planning, stopping unplanned urbanization, limiting plastic use and ensuring the use of environmentally friendly products, ensuring sustainable development through resource moderation and union for compensation in natural disasters, and allocated at the community level.
It was informed at the conference that the southwest coastal region of Bangladesh is one of the climate change-affected areas in the world. Children in these areas are more vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Our children are the most vulnerable to natural disasters such as cyclones and associated floods.
However, there is no participation of children in climate change and disaster planning and implementation. Climate Conference-2023 aims to create leadership among coastal children by ensuring their participation in discussions on climate change and disaster risk reduction.
The conference is linked to the Sustainable Development Goals and government development plans. Various demands of children are discussed in different phases to inform policymakers on coastal child issues.
Talukder Abdul Khalek, Mayor of Khulna City Corporation, was the chief guest in the inaugural session of the conference. He said, “As Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world due to climate change, Khulna as a coastal region in Bangladesh is very much at risk.”
“Especially the people of the coastal areas lost everything in the storm and took refuge in Khulna city. On the one hand, the number of displaced people is increasing daily, and the city is also under pressure, ” he added.
“For this, non-governmental organizations should also work as partners of the government in developing disaster-resilient living standards for the people of the coastal areas. Everyone should pay attention to reduce the damage in disaster,” the mayor opined.
ATM Zakir Hossain, Executive Director of JJS, presided over the day-long conference. Baisakhi Sarkar, the Children’s representative delivered the welcome speech at the opening ceremony.
Md. Helal Mahmud Sharif, Divisional Commissioner of Khulna, was present as a guest at the closing ceremony in the afternoon. Iqbal Hossain, Director of Khulna Divisional Environment Directorate, Mohammad Abdullah, Managing Director of Khulna WASA, Saraj Das, Head of International Program of Concern World Wide, Hasina Rahman,
Country Director of International Research Committee, Md. Golam Rabbani, Head of the Climate Bridge Fund Secretariat, and Chandan Z. Gomez, Director of the World Vision Program among others were present at the program.
