Bangladesh is vulnerable to both disasters and climate change, as well as ranked the seventh extreme disaster risk-prone country in the world. This has an adverse and disproportionate impact on children, who frequently face extreme weather conditions. One in three children, approximately 20 million face significant climate threats, with 12 million at risk from fatal flooding near rivers and 4.5 million affected by strong cyclones in coastal areas.
We conducted a survey in January 2023 in eight districts – Satkhira, Gaibandha, Dinajpur, Sunamganj, Patuakhali, Kurigram, Bandarban, and Chittagong to understand how climate change affects children in these districts. Access to education, salinity and water crisis, disruption in livelihood in areas highly dependent on agricultural and health issues have been cited as major impacts. Unfortunately, rural communities, often fail to grasp the importance of climate change awareness, and educational institutions neglect to raise awareness among students.
We believe that engagement of children and youth in climate justice initiatives is vital in realising their rights by empowering them as agents of change to foster a sustainable and resilient future. By instilling a sense of responsibility for the planet in children, we are grooming a future generation better equipped to combat climate issues.
In 2023, ActionAid Bangladesh launched a Global Climate Justice Campaign titled "Fund Our Future". 3,267 children from 11 districts participated in this campaign and activities included "Walk for Water", drawing competitions, and awareness sessions. Additionally, 6,663 children celebrated World Environment Day in June, contributing to campaigns addressing plastic pollution and solutions, engaging in creative learning activities and competitions and participating in cultural events such as stage dramas on the climate crisis theme. As a part of the Global Climate Justice Campaign, awareness about the impact of climate change among approximately 18,000 children across 11 districts in Bangladesh has been increased.
ActionAid Bangladesh also hosted an event titled "Impact of Climate Crisis on Children," emphasising children as the cornerstone of a sustainable future. Distinguished subject matter experts, thought leaders, children, and activists in the field of climate change participated, offering valuable insights and recommendations for understanding the crisis and implementing sustainable solutions. A memorandum was presented which highlighted various demands regarding the impacts of climate change on children and proposed steps for mitigation.
30,000 children were involved in awareness discussions, distributing saplings and seeds, organising workshops with child forums to address plastic usage and reduce environmental pollution, providing leadership training for climate action, conducting Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and climate action training through demonstrations and simulations, holding sessions on climate change and disaster preparedness, raising awareness about climate change's impact on agriculture and adaptation techniques, and offering climate change education training to 150 teachers.
One of the participants, seventeen year old Lamia said, “In September 2023, I got the opportunity to act in a play on climate change awareness organised by ActionAid as part of "Fund Our Future" program. Performing on stage in front of so many people was truly exhilarating for me as it was my first time. But most importantly, what brought me joy and pride was that I got to participate in such a significant campaign on climate change. Such awareness raising initiatives or events are indeed much needed for our society so that people can understand how perilous climate change is and what the ways of adaptation and mitigation are. For about one and a half months, together, fourteen of us rehearsed for this play under the guidance of a skilled trainer, which was truly special for all of us”.
