Vulnerable women, children need special attention

Guests at the national women and climate justice hearing-2011 organised by Bangladesh Unnayan Parishad at Jatiya Press Club in the city yesterday. Photo: Focus Bangla

Women and children living in regions affected by climate change deserve special attention as they are the population bearing the brunt of the change, said speakers at a programme yesterday.
Bangladesh Secretariat: Bangladesh Unnayan Parishad (BUP) organised the programme titled “National Women and Climate Justice Hearing 2011” at Jatiya Press Club in the city.
The programme hosted a session where a group of women from the country's northern and southern districts including Rajshahi, Satkhira, Rangpur, Sirajganj and Noakhali gave detailed descriptions of their plight due to climate change.
Dipali Mondol, a housewife from Shyamnagar upazila of Satkhira, said they can no longer get anything out of their lands due to the increase of salinity after the cyclone Aila of 2009.
“Sweetwater fish vanished. We can no longer cultivate fruits and vegetables,” she said.
Continuous use of this saline water in absence of freshwater is causing different diseases in women, she adds.
Munni Aktar from Hatia upazila of Noakhali said, “Our lands and homes are flooded every full moon. Villagers have to shift their homes very often. I want justice.”
Monwara Khatun, another housewife of Paba upazila of Rajshahi, said emission of toxic fumes from local industries is affecting the atmosphere of her locality.
Sudden floods and droughts catch farmers off-guard, hampering crop cultivation. “Many villagers left their homes and even sold their cows to cope up with poverty,” she added.
Justice Golam Rabbani, present as the chief guest, suggested forming a code of conduct for the sake of women and children, the most vulnerable group affected by the climate change.
This code of conduct should be monitored, coordinated and implemented through the formation of two strong networks, one at country level and another at international.
Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, chairman of Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation, said people of these regions are riddled with poverty and such disasters are only adding insult to their injury.
Ain O Salish Kendra Chairperson Dr Hamida Hossain emphasised changing the lifestyle and practices of the masses to reduce negative effects of climate change.
Mentionable, BUP organised such hearings in Rangpur, Sirajganj, Rajshahi, Satkhira and Noakhali earlier this month.