Call for adequate funding to ensure women’s leadership in climate action

Bangla Press Desk :  State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid Islam has emphasized the need for coordinated initiatives, enhanced institutional capacity, and adequate financing to ensure women’s leadership and effective participation in addressing climate change. She stated that increasing women’s involvement in climate action requires both the adoption of gender-responsive planning and effective coordination among various ministries and agencies.

She made these remarks on Thursday (November 12) at an event held at the Bangladesh Pavilion during the UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Turkey. The event, titled "Policy to Practice—Strengthening Gender-Responsive Climate Governance and Finance: Bangladesh Strategy for Advancing the Belem GAP," was organized by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and UN Women Bangladesh.

During the event, the State Minister announced that a dedicated climate wing has been established within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to more effectively coordinate international climate-related activities. This wing will operate in coordination with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change as well as civil society organizations.

She underscored the importance of collecting gender-disaggregated data, strengthening knowledge management, and ensuring that women have effective access to climate finance.

Rubina Ferdousi, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, presented the keynote paper. She highlighted various government initiatives and progress made in strengthening gender-responsive climate adaptation efforts in Bangladesh.

She noted that Bangladesh adopted a Climate Change and Gender Action Plan (CCGAP) in 2024. Currently, institutional mechanisms are being strengthened to implement this plan. As part of this process, focal points for gender and climate change have been established within several key ministries and departments. Initiatives have also been taken to define the responsibilities of relevant officials, provide training, and develop action plans within their respective institutions. Rubina Ferdousi further stated that, in alignment with the CCGAP (Climate Change and Gender Action Plan), the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has developed priority project plans for gender-responsive adaptation initiatives. Similar efforts to formulate sector-specific adaptation plans are underway in other key ministries. Additionally, initiatives have been taken to develop a monitoring framework for tracking the progress of CCGAP implementation and to enhance the capacity of the Bangladesh Climate Change Trust.

During a panel discussion at the event, speakers emphasized that the policy commitments outlined in the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and the Climate Change and Gender Action Plan must be translated into concrete sector-specific programs, institutional initiatives, and measurable outcomes. To achieve this, it is essential to ensure gender equality from the very inception of the planning process and to establish effective coordination among the relevant ministries.

The speakers noted that implementing gender-responsive adaptation initiatives requires increased investment—not only from the government budget but also from development partners, international financial institutions, and the private sector. Specifically, there is a need for gender-responsive budgeting, the strengthening of institutional capacities, and the establishment of effective financing mechanisms for climate adaptation projects.

Navid Shafiullah, Additional Secretary at the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, remarked that women are disproportionately affected by the adverse impacts of climate change. Consequently, their needs and priorities must be given due consideration within adaptation efforts.

The discussion also highlighted Bangladesh’s experience and progress in implementing the Gender Action Plan (GAP). Speakers observed that the CCGAP serves as a practical framework for fostering gender-responsive climate governance in Bangladesh. However, its effective implementation requires further enhancement of institutional capacity, improved inter-ministerial coordination, adequate funding, and the expansion of activities at the local level. Other speakers at the event included Dharitri Kumar Sarkar, Additional Secretary at the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; Venge Nyirongo, Policy Advisor on Sustainable Development and Economic Empowerment at UN Women headquarters; Alexis Bonnel, Senior Advisor for Foresight and Climate in the Strategy Department of the French Development Agency (AFD); and Nika Castillo, Senior Programme Officer at the Asia-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW).

The panel discussion was moderated by Dilruba Haider, Programme Specialist at UN Women Bangladesh and Head of the Climate Change, Disaster Risk Reduction, and Humanitarian Action unit.

The event emphasized the need to adopt a practical action plan to accelerate gender-responsive climate action in Bangladesh in the post-COP31 period. The speakers highlighted the necessity for a coordinated effort involving the government, UN agencies, development partners, international financial institutions, and civil society organizations. Furthermore, they expressed optimism that Bangladesh’s experience in implementing the Belém Gender Action Plan could serve as an effective model for other nations.

BP/SP