Rights-based
civil society representatives have demanded urgent action to safeguard
the lives and livelihoods of women and adolescents, whose health is in
danger owing to the adverse effects of climate change.
They made
this comment at a virtual press conference held on Friday focusing
International Rural Women's Day which is being celebrated today
(Saturday) across the country.
The event was organised by The National Committee for International Rural Women's Day Observation.
Speakers
noted that the adverse impact of climate change which is seriously
affecting the life and livelihood of people from agro- ecological zones
of Bangladesh including coastal areas, lowlands, hills and mountains.
Of
them, it is the women and girls who are facing the worst impact of such
calamities beginning from lack of food and nutrition to various health
hazards including uterine and skin diseases, the disruption of menstrual
health and hygiene management.
In hilly areas lack of fresh water cause multiple health hazards to women and girls.
Some
recommendation with regard to the problem came up at the event
including establishing water purification plants at government expenses
in saline prone areas, special health services for women and girls in
the local community clinics and also creating alternative job
employment.
Shamima Akhter, Chairperson of the International Rural
Women's Day Celebration National Committee chaired the event while
Ferdous Ara Rumee moderated the event.
Besides, other committee
members including Masuda Farooq Rata, Manju Ara Begum, Syed Aminul
Hoque, Sheikh Asad, Salma Akter, Monowara Pervin,Tahrima Afroz, Syeda
Shamima Sultana,Protiva Banerjee, Mustafa Kamal Akand and others also
spoke at the programme.
Tamanna Rahman who presented the keynote
speech said that the worst negative impact of climate change hits
especially the people belonging to coastal, haor, char and hilly areas.
According to research, coastal women's health in coastal regions is adversely affected because they drink saline water.
Some
must have hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) to save their lives and
this type of surgery is leading to complications in their married lives.
On
the other hand, mountain women suffer from malnutrition and also the
risk of child marriage which are increasing due to such existing
calamities in the rural areas.
Masuda Farooq Rata said that the
children of climate vulnerable families are being forced to work for
their survival and also arranging their child to get married off due to
financial and social insecurity.
And such trend drives adolescent mothers towards the risk of death, said Manju Ara Begum.
Syed
Aminul Hoque demanded to create an alternative employment opportunities
especially for the women of haor and coastal areas and to avail these
jobs they should be trained up well.
Ferdous Ara Rumee said, every
community clinic at the union level should provide women's reproductive
health services with trained nurses and free materials (sanitary pads,
birth control materials), etc.
Shamima Akhter said, women are
suffering from common water-borne diseases including leucorrhea due to
the use of salt water for daily household work such as bathing,
agricultural work, cattle rearing, shrimp hatching, and other economic
activities.
On behalf of the organizers, Mustafa Kamal Akand said,
International Rural Women's Day is being celebrated in more than 60
districts of the country. Like every year, the day is celebrated across
the country through various programmes including rallies, seminars,
human bonding, organizing fairs, and giving awards to rural women for
their contribution to various fields.
