Integrated efforts of all government and non-government organizations can be the main means of ensuring safe habitat for all through the substantial and sustainable reduction of carbon emission.
The gradually mounting trend of carbon emission has been posing a serious threat to the environment coupled with the habitat.
So, there is no way but to concerted efforts from all the quarters.
Public representatives and development activists came up with the observation while addressing a post-rally meeting at Kumarpara area in Rajshahi city in observance of the World Habitat Day- 2022 on Tuesday.
The Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) and Brac Urban Development Programme (UDP) jointly organized the meeting discussing and devising ways and means on how to establish a carbon-free Rajshahi.
The theme of the day this year is "Mind the Gap. Leave No One and Place Behind'.
RCC Panel Mayor Shariful Islam Babu addressed the meeting as chief guest, while Ward Councilors Belal Hossain, Towhidul Haque Sumon and Majeda Begum spoke as special guests with Brac Regional Coordinator of UDP Farzana Parvin Shampa in the chair.
The meeting was told that around 90,000 people from over 25,000 households living in different slums and under disadvantaged areas in the city have got the scope of improving their lives and livelihood conditions amid intervention of the UDP taken for reducing their multi-dimensional poverty and deprivation.Forty of the beneficiary households have got houses with the initiative.
Brac has been implementing the project in association with RCC to engage multi-sectoral partners to create employment opportunities for the urban poor people and improve their overall living and livelihood conditions and realize basic rights.
Farzana Parvin told the meeting that 17,500 youths, including around 13,000 females aged from 15 to 29 are getting necessary knowledge through need-based promotional activities under the project.
Slum dwellers are getting safe drinking water, sanitation, housing and education facilities and their living and livelihood conditions are ultimately improving, she informed.
Around 3,000 youths are being imparted with either three or six-month need-based vocational and technical training.
Shariful Islam said proper housing for people living in urban poverty has become a prerequisite to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDG-11), and ensure planned urbanization and continued economic progress of the city.
He focused on stronger collaboration between the government and non-government organizations, and involving public representatives and other relevant stakeholders to promote plans for people living in urban poor areas.
Highlighting the significance of the day, Shariful Islam said cities and local governments play a front-line role in responding to crises and emergencies, as well as in planning for an inclusive, resilient and green future.
To prepare urban areas for future catastrophes, we need to start with cities. Thus, local action and local implementation of the sustainable development Goals is more important than ever.
He also opined that the Covid-19 pandemic and recent conflicts, particularly the Russia-Ukraine war, have been adjudged as detrimental to the progress made in the fight against poverty, resulting in the emergence of newly poor people.
Before the discussion, the public representatives and UDP people held a rally and that ended at the meeting venue after parading some city streets.
