Women need more adaptation funding, activists charge

Although women and girls are disproportionately affected by climate change, they receive little attention or financial help in Bangladesh, activists told Alertnet.

The Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund, financed with Tk 25 billion ($305 million) from the national budget, has financed only one project focused on women out of 109 climate adaptation and mitigation projects. The approved projects included flood prevention construction, environment protection, river engineering, research, awareness building and water related issues.

Hasan Mehedi, the chief executive of Humanitywatch, a non-governmental organisation that works in coastal areas, said research shows women are much more vulnerable to death during disasters. “Despite their high vulnerability, women and their safety get less attention from state functionaries,” Mehedi said. He added that coastal are particularly vulnerable to climate impacts.