Coordinated bids to promote children's adaptation stressed
Speakers at a roundtable yesterday called for coordination among the government bodies, NGOs and different agencies to promote children's adaptation to climate change
The roundtable titled 'Protecting children today contributes to future climate change adaptation in Bangladesh' was organised by Save the Children Sweden-Denmark (SCSD) at a city hotel.
In a keynote paper Khurshid Alam, a disaster and climate change specialist, said the government has recently established a national climate change fund worth $45 million.
Besides various channels have also committed funding for adaptation to climate change as the political commitment is gaining momentum, he added.
Khurshid also recommended promotion of CRC principles in managing and governing the climate change strategy.
He called for comprehensive national efforts to protect children from disasters, and said adequate fund is needed to protect the children rendered homeless by natural disasters.
He also stressed the need for monitoring by civil society organisations to ensure the welfare of children affected by climate change.
According to British Red Cross baseline study, only 17 percent of children living in seven coastal districts of the country know clearly the cyclone signals while according to another study, 42 percent families have taught their children cyclone preparedness in the coastal areas.
Chairperson of geography and environment department at Dhaka University Prof Shahnaz Huq Hussain suggested preparing a map of the areas of vulnerable children.
The other speakers suggested parental involvement and cartoon-based series to increase children's knowledge about disaster management and to cope with climate change.
Country Representative of SCSD Niels Bentsen chaired the discussion which was also participated by national advocacy expert on comprehensive disaster management programme Dr SM Morshed, Deputy Country Director of SCSD Obaidur Rahman and Counsellor of Royal Danish Embassy Martin Bo Brander.
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