New project launches to cope with climate change impacts

The government and UN agencies have jointly initiated a USD 12-million project to sustain the resilience of human and economic development in Bangladesh through inclusive and gender-responsive disaster management. The three-year programme will provide strategic support, in association with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Women and United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), to develop national capacity to keep pace with the changing nature of disasters.

The project, ‘National Resilience Programme (NRP)’, was launched yesterday at a city hotel. It is being co-financed by the Department for International Development (DFID) and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). It will be implemented by the disaster management and relief ministry, the planning ministry, the women and children affairs ministry and the Local Government Division (LGD).

Speaking as the chief guest at the launch ceremony, disaster management and relief minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya said: “NRP is a knowledge-based programme that will enhance women’s leadership in a gender-responsive and disaster-resilient nation.”

He also said that NRP would work with the business community to promote risk-informed business continuity plans. He expressed optimism that the newly launched programme would further build the capacity of the ministries concerned and increase the resilience to natural disasters.

The ministers called upon all the ministries and development partners involved to implement the programme effectively. The programme has four parts. The part relevant to the Department of Disaster will focus on disability-inclusive and gender-responsive capacities, while the part for the Programming Division will work with the capacity for disaster and climate risk-informed planning. The part for the Department of Women will focus on the gender dimension of the programme and the LGED part will work on infrastructure.

Md Shah Kamal, secretary to the disaster management and relief ministry, presided over the function. “To sustain economic and human development, it’s essential to form a strong partnership for an inclusive disaster risk reduction plan,” he said.

NRP will contribute to achieving national capacities by institutionalising the national volunteer organisation and disability-inclusive and gender-responsive disaster risk management, he also said. NRP will also contribute to risk-informed development planning to achieve resilience, he added.

Md Mohsin, additional secretary to the same ministry and also national programme coordinator of NRP, welcomed the guests and presented an overview of the programme.

Omar Farook, humanitarian adviser of DFID Bangladesh, said: “The DFID mainstreamed resilience to natural disasters into the programme and plans for Bangladesh. It continues its support to make the progress in disaster management sustainable. NRP will support that.”

The Swedish ambassador to Bangladesh, Charlotta Schlyter, said: “Bangladesh needs the support of women to fight and adapt to climate change. Being a feminist government, Sweden will continue its support for vulnerable women in Bangladesh.”

Mia Seppo, UN resident coordinator in Bangladesh, appreciated Bangladesh’s current economic growth. She, however, warned that the adverse impact of climate change can pull back the country’s development.

“While the country is on its way to become a middle-income country, its exposure to natural hazards like floods and earthquakes can intensify due to climate change, rapid urbanisation,  demographic pressure and continuous erosion of land,” she added.

“NRP will increase the country's resilience and reduce disaster risks in terms of loss of lives and livelihoods,” Mia observed.

Kabir Bin Anwar, secretary to the water resources ministry, Dr Mahbub Hossain, additional secretary to the Local Government Division, and Md Ainul Kabir, additional secretary to the women affairs ministry, also spoke at the event. Over 200 representatives from different ministries, development partners, INGO, NGOs, research organisations, academic institutions and media outlets were present.

New project launches to cope with climate change impacts

The government and UN agencies have jointly initiated a USD 12-million project to sustain the resilience of human and economic development in Bangladesh through inclusive and gender-responsive disaster management. The three-year programme will provide strategic support, in association with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Women and United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), to develop national capacity to keep pace with the changing nature of disasters. The project, National Resilience Programme (NRP), was launched yesterday at a city hotel. It is being co-financed by the Department for International Development (DFID) and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). It will be implemented by the disaster management and relief ministry, the planning ministry, the women and children affairs ministry and the Local Government Division (LGD). Speaking as the chief guest at the launch ceremony, disaster management and relief minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya said: NRP is a knowledge-based programme that will enhance womens leadership in a gender-responsive and disaster-resilient nation. He also said that NRP would work with the business community to promote risk-informed business continuity plans. He expressed optimism that the newly launched programme would further build the capacity of the ministries concerned and increase the resilience to natural disasters. The ministers called upon all the ministries and development partners involved to implement the programme effectively. The programme has four parts. The part relevant to the Department of Disaster will focus on disability-inclusive and gender-responsive capacities, while the part for the Programming Division will work with the capacity for disaster and climate risk-informed planning. The part for the Department of Women will focus on the gender dimension of the programme and the LGED part will work on infrastructure. Md Shah Kamal, secretary to the disaster management and relief ministry, presided over the function. To sustain economic and human development, its essential to form a strong partnership for an inclusive disaster risk reduction plan, he said. NRP will contribute to achieving national capacities by institutionalising the national volunteer organisation and disability-inclusive and gender-responsive disaster risk management, he also said. NRP will also contribute to risk-informed development planning to achieve resilience, he added. Md Mohsin, additional secretary to the same ministry and also national programme coordinator of NRP, welcomed the guests and presented an overview of the programme. Omar Farook, humanitarian adviser of DFID Bangladesh, said: The DFID mainstreamed resilience to natural disasters into the programme and plans for Bangladesh. It continues its support to make the progress in disaster management sustainable. NRP will support that. The Swedish ambassador to Bangladesh, Charlotta Schlyter, said: Bangladesh needs the support of women to fight and adapt to climate change. Being a feminist government, Sweden will continue its support for vulnerable women in Bangladesh. Mia Seppo, UN resident coordinator in Bangladesh, appreciated Bangladeshs current economic growth. She, however, warned that the adverse impact of climate change can pull back the countrys development. While the country is on its way to become a middle-income country, its exposure to natural hazards like floods and earthquakes can intensify due to climate change, rapid urbanisation, demographic pressure and continuous erosion of land, she added. NRP will increase the countrys resilience and reduce disaster risks in terms of loss of lives and livelihoods, Mia observed. Kabir Bin Anwar, secretary to the water resources ministry, Dr Mahbub Hossain, additional secretary to the Local Government Division, and Md Ainul Kabir, additional secretary to the women affairs ministry, also spoke at the event. Over 200 representatives from different ministries, development partners, INGO, NGOs, research organisations, academic institutions and media outlets were present.