City Desk :
Members of over 30 national and local-level youth organisations have been brought together under one network, called the Youth Adaptation Forum, by Save the Children and its local implementing partner Uttaran for greater climate action in the climate-vulnerable southwestern region of Bangladesh.
Through a terms of reference (ToR) signing and launching ceremony on Saturday (July 6) at a hotel in Satkhira, the Youth Adaptation Forum formally started its journey, reports UNB.
The Youth Adaptation Forum in Satkhira, envisions empowering youth-led initiatives in the southwestern coastal region to tackle climate change and water-related risks through collaboration and innovation, reads a press release.
It aims to amplify youth-led climate initiatives by fostering knowledge sharing, collaboration and resource mobilisation to scale up and replicate good practices on climate change adaptation and water management.
This network consists of young minds from volunteer organisations like Transparency International Bangladesh YES group, Prothom Alo Bondhushava, Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, Volunteer for Bangladesh, YouthNet for Climate Justice, Bangladesh Scouts, The Green Force – Satkhira, BD Clean, Upakuliyo Prakritik Songrakkhon Juba Forum, Rotaract Club, and more. Activities and initiatives of the Youth Adaptation Forum are being supported by Save the Children and its local implementing partner Uttaran.
President of Youth Adaptation Forum, Karna Biswas said, “We, the youth, want to stand by the local communities to ensure their wellbeing and bring greater change through this network. This is going to be the first such network where the leading representatives of over 30 volunteer organisations in Satkhira will collaborate. Unleashing the power of youth, we will work to protect the environment and reduce the impact of climate change as well as promote good practices of water management.”
The southwestern region, especially districts like Satkhira, is highly affected by climate change due to its geographical location. People in this region are often affected by natural disasters like the recent cyclone Remal. The Sundarbans in Satkhira has been devastated multiple times because of the cyclones. Due to increased salinity, iron and arsenic, the water in this region is not safe for drinking.
Here, climate change has adverse impacts on food, health, shelter, education, and the economy – almost every aspect of life. So, greater collective climate action is necessary for the adaptation and resilience of the local communities.