The contribution of women in tackling the risks of climate change is immense
Women are the most vulnerable to climate change. Meanwhile, women play a vital role in seed conservation, adaptation and opting for climate tolerance strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change. So the issue of recognizing the contribution of women in tackling the risks of climate change has come up in a webinar.
The speakers spoke about this at a webinar titled ‘Rural Women in Climate Change: Chars, Coasts and Mountain Areas’ organized by the Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF ).
Saber Hossain Chowdhury, chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (Bangladesh), said, “Women are 14 percent more affected than men in any natural disaster in the country. Women contribute a lot to mitigating the effects of climate change and the environment and economy.”
“The government would adopt a national adaptation plan to uphold the contribution of women by reducing the damage caused by climate change. The contribution of women in tackling the effects of climate change as a silent but powerful revolution,” he added.
Shaheen Anam, Executive Director and President of MJF, said, “Women’s knowledge, skills and creative ideas are potent tools in tackling climate change. This contribution of rural women should get recognition. Then the dignity of women will increase, and inequality in society will decrease.”
Alex Berg von Linde, Sweden’s ambassador to Bangladesh, said, “Women had contributed a lot to the formation of the rural economy, but they lack recognition for that contribution.”
“Rural women are victims of climate change due to their geographical location and household chores. They become more marginalized. Women contribute a lot to survive in this change.” he added.
Tapan Kumar Biswas, Director (Project-II) of the Bureau of NGO Affairs, said, “Women face discrimination in society, and much of their work got no recognition. Various initiatives are going on by the government and private initiatives for the empowerment of women.”
During the webinar, grassroots women discuss their experiences in both regular times and disasters. Another issue brought up during the discussion is that women play the most crucial role in increasing agricultural production, creating climate tolerance, and preventing malnutrition, food crises, poverty, etc., in the rural economy. Still, their rights are often overlooked during decisions making and wealth distribution.
Judith Herbertson, Director of Development at the British High Commission, Corinne Heinz Pignani, Deputy Head of Co-operation at the Swiss Embassy, Dilruba Haider, UNRWA’s DRR Climate Change and Humanitarian Actions Program Specialist, and Fazle Rabb, Deputy Managing Director of the Rural Action Foundation, also spoke at the webinar.
