Put women at centre of climate adaptation

Speakers at the 3rd Annual Community of Practice Network Convention 2026 yesterday called for greater recognition of women’s leadership, local knowledge, unpaid care work, and contributions to climate adaptation, agriculture and sustainable development.

The convention, titled “Women Leading Climate Adaptation: Learning and Challenges”, was held at the LGED Bhaban in Agargaon, Dhaka.

Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) organised the event under the EmPower: Women for Climate-Resilient Societies (Phase II) project, with support from UN Women.

Dr Md Lutfor Rahman, director general of the Department of Environment, stressed the need to reduce carbon emissions while recognising women’s central role in agriculture, climate adaptation and sustainable development.

He said women had historically played a leading role in agriculture and remained at the heart of food production, innovation and community resilience.

Environmental protection must be pursued through practical and economically viable solutions, he said.

Dr Rahman said women’s contributions should be properly recognised in climate adaptation initiatives.

He also said the department was ready to provide necessary support and facilities to work collectively towards a climate-resilient future.

Susanne Wadstein, first secretary for Public Health and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights at the Embassy of Sweden, said climate change, women’s empowerment, and sexual and reproductive health are closely interconnected and must be addressed together.

Addressing civil society representatives, she said, “You are the ones doing the work. You understand your own work best, and it is important that you make your own positions strong.”

Navanita Sinha, deputy representative of UN Women, said the current global political and economic context was creating major challenges for funding development initiatives.

She stressed maintaining quality in development interventions, strengthening partnerships with implementing organisations, and working closely with relevant ministries.

Banasree Mitra Neogi, acting executive director of MJF, said women’s leadership, unpaid care work and contributions to the economy must be properly recognised in national planning and budgeting.

Referring to MJF’s long-standing campaign on women’s unpaid and unrecognised work, she said the organisation began raising the issue in 2012, followed by a Time-Use Survey with support from UN Women and efforts to calculate the value of such work through the Satellite System of Accounts.

“Our journey has only just begun. The coming days will be more challenging, both in terms of resources and social standing,” she said.

Shirin Sultana Lira, senior programme manager for Governance, Environment and Climate Change at the Embassy of Switzerland, and Juliate Keya Malakar, executive director of the Christian Commission for Development in Bangladesh, also spoke.

At the event, women climate leaders from Kurigram, Jamalpur, Khulna and Satkhira were recognised for their contributions to community resilience and local climate action.

Ten partner organisations were also awarded for their contribution to the project’s implementation.