বুধবার, ০৪ ডিসেম্বর ২০২৪, ১২:৫৫ অপরাহ্ন
The right to life is universally recognized as a fundamental human right. Yet, every year, 150,000 premature deaths are linked to the climate crisis due to a lack of adequate action. The number increases with increasing temperature. Even at a 2°C increase, 100 million more people are predicted to experience water insecurity.
At a press event organized by Center for Participatory Research and Development (CPRD) at the National Press Club on Tuesday, environmental experts expressed their views on respecting, promoting and considering human rights in climate action.
Earlier, in the study conducted by CPRD in Nadia and Jajira areas of Shariatpur, the issue of how human rights are being violated due to climate change was highlighted.
Country Director of Diakonia Khodeja Sultana Lopa said there is no longer any debate about climate change being a human rights concern.
All results from the research conducted are proof of this issue, she said, adding: “More research should be done on the issue of human rights violation to minimize loss and damage at the grassroots level.”
“We seek national and international policies in light of grassroots realities,” she said.
“If the global policymakers, as well as Bangladeshi policymakers, do not play an active role for the people who are in danger and deprived of their rights, more terrible disasters will befall Bangladesh,” she added.
Regional Climate and Resilient Advocacy Manager Shahnawaz Whara said: “We hear stories of deprivation and disenfranchisement from the people in the coastal areas and newspapers, but we do not see significant initiative at the national and international levels.”
As the event chair, Shamsuddoha said: “CPRD is in search of different and multi-faceted vulnerability at individual and community levels in different regions affected by climate change. We have seen in the studies that climate change is creating obstacles in the access of the affected communities to food, water, clothing, shelter, medical care, education and, above all, depriving the affected communities of the right to live a quality life.”
“The human rights of women who are financially weak or physically challenged are the most violated. Climate change is undermining the human rights of affected communities in several ways. It begins with the destruction and damage during the disaster’s events and secondary and tertiary human right violation begins after the disaster (post-disaster period), it brings extreme sufferings to the lives and livelihood of the affected population,” he added.
Ashish Barua, climate change and sustainable development program manager at Helvetas, was also present at the event.
At the same time, Md Akíb Jabed, project coordinator of CPRD, gave a presentation on the finding of recent research work conducted by CPRD.
