Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury has said that women are powerful agents of change in building resilient communities by tackling climate change. For this reason, collaborative efforts and collective action are important for charting a course towards a more resilient, equitable, and sustainable world, he added.
The minister further said, “It is imperative that we harness the potential of women as key stakeholders in crafting holistic solutions to address these pressing issues.”
Saber Hossain Chowdhury said these while speaking as the chief guest at a seminar titled ‘Climate Change and Environmental Degradation: Impact on Women and the Way Forward’, organised by the SAARC Business Council of Women's Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WICCI) at the Parliament Club Auditorium in the capital on Saturday.
The minister said that foreigners now want to learn strategies to deal with climate change from Bangladesh. However, whatever action is taken to combat climate change is not enough. He said that proper research is needed for this. Above all, it is necessary to deal with climate change with everyone including the private sector, he added.
Dr. Mantasha Ahmed, President, SAARC Business Council of WICCI, hosted the occasion whereas Dr. Farhina Ahmed, Secretary, Ministry of Environment,
Forest and Climate Change; Dilruba Haider, Program Specialist, DRR & Climate Change, UN Women; Runa Khan, Founder and Executive Director of Friendship; Dr. Samiya A Selim, Director, Center for Sustainable Development ; Daniel Novak, First Secretary, Embassy of Sweden and Azeeza Aziz Khan, Director, Summit Group were also present among others on the occasion.
The seminar served as a platform for fruitful discussions, bringing together policymakers, environmental experts, women leaders, and representatives from civil society organizations. Participants exchanged insights and best practices aimed at fostering gender equality, environmental sustainability, and socio-economic development.