These women don’t know about the Paris Agreement. They don’t know about climate justice, but they do know how climate change affects their lives every day.
POWERFUL WOMEN’S MOVEMENT FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE
BINDU is a local young women-led organisation in Bangladesh. They are part of Global Platform Bangladesh’s youth constituencies and have received mentoring and capacity development support. In May 2020, Satkhira, a district in Bangladesh, was hit by cyclone Amphan, affecting the livelihoods of nearly 1200 families.
This wasn’t the first time the district was affected by a climate change induced crisis – weather related disasters continue to scourge the community. Following Amphan, BINDU spearheaded, like it has done over the past eight years, the community’s recovery from the effects of the cyclone through various humanitarian response initiatives.
MOBILISING THE COMMUNITY AND AUTHORITIES TO REBUILD
In the months after Amphan, BINDU organised a climate strike to appeal to local leaders to assist in rebuilding local businesses, homes, and an embankment. The group, which is made up fully of young women, arranged various demonstrations and engaged young people and the community in raising awareness and funds for relief for families affected by the cyclone.
Their actions were covered by local and national media, even garnering them attention from international climate activists on social media. As a result of the planned demonstrations, Bangladesh Water Development Board took immediate action and rebuilt the embankment!
ActionAid Bangladesh’s climate-related activities, such as literacy workshops and helping activists design climate strikes along with Global Platform Bangladesh’s trainings on issues such as social accountability has equipped youth-led organisations in Bangladesh to continue to do inspirational work on climate issues.
Jannatul Mouwa expressed, “From capacity development to funding campaigns like our 16 Day of Activism in December 2020 – Global Platform Bangladesh have helped us in different ways over the years.” BINDU is a stellar example of youth-led organisations' capability of not only upholding issues of climate justice, but being champions of change.
