The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Experts and representatives of the civil society at a press conference in the city urged the government to ensure participation of poor women in development projects.

They also emphasised on the need for including them in discussions on issues related to climate change.

In facing climate change in the country the role of matriarchal families occupy the leading position. But the necessity of women and their rights are absent in the 'UN Convention on Climate Change' or 'Kyoto Protocol' in financial management, speakers said.

They recommended strict gender balance for the implementation and development of the national projects.

They urged the government to include NGOs in disbursing efficient adaptation fund to make sure that the right-based adaptation of women was made effective.

The press conference on 'Climate Change Adaptation: What Women Want' was organised by Actionaid at the National Press Club yesterday.

Dr Quazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, Member of International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Naima Imam Chowdhury, Head of Women's Rights and Gender Equality of Actionaid, AFM Shahidur Rahman, Head of Livelihood Promotion, among others, spoke, while Wahida Bashar Ahmed of Actionaid presented key-note paper.

Speakers said the government should involve poor women in all stages of financial managements and develop micro-credit and insurance systems according to their need.

The government should train poor women at the local levels, which would create alternative opportunity for empowerment of them and also guarantee application of their knowledge and skills in agriculture-based project, they said.

They urged the government to expand social security net for poor women so that they could easily cope up with the situation resulting from climate change.

They also urged the government to coordinate various activities of the government, different institutions of the civil society, community and development agencies, which would help in reducing the impact of climate change in the country.