ZCZC
BSS-54
CLIMATE-MIGRATION
Call for prioritizing women in khas land distribution among climate refugees
DHAKA, Aug 18, 2020 (BSS) – Mentioning the necessity of coordinating the 8th Five-Year Plan and the Delta Plan in policy-making on climate change-related migration, ActionAid Country Director Farah Kabir today said women should be given priority when khas land is distributed among the climate refugees as various disasters force many people to migrate within the country.
“In formulating the policy, there should be opportunities for participation of various sections including women and youth and above all the views of the general public should be heard,” she said.
She said this in an online research finding sharing session titled “Addressing Climate Change Induced Migration in Bangladesh: Taking a Human Rights Based Approach” organized by ActionAid Bangladesh, said a press release.
The online session presented various findings from a study on migration due to climate change conducted by ActionAid Bangladesh. ActionAid Bangladesh officers working in the research, Anhara Rabbani and Maria Akhter presented the findings.
Director of the International Center for Climate Change and Development Professor Saleemul Haq said there is a clear difference between migration due to climate change and migration due to man-made causes.
“Migration is an ongoing process. But climate change is a big challenge for the future of migration in dealing with,” he added.
He said that people who are being forced to migrate due to climate change need to be provided with information. Besides, they are working to make the cities suitable for immigration aspirants, said Professor Saleemul Haq.
The Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief of the government of Bangladesh is going to conduct a two-year pilot program to assess the damage caused by climate change, he said in his statement.
Citing climate change migration as a push factor, Chief Executive of the Center for Participatory Research and Development Samsuddoha said urban migrants are being deprived of their human rights due to climate change.
He also said that there is a lack of suitable employment for those who are migrating to the cities.
Samsuddoha also called for the establishment of a specialized institute on climate change-related migration.
BSS/PR/KUC/GA/1837 hrs