Shama urges accessible, cost-free climate funding that works for women

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State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam has said that money for climate adaptation and resilience that responds to women's needs should be predictable, easy to access and free of cost.

She said this on Thursday at the Bangladesh Pavilion in the Blue Zone of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Turkiye. The occasion was an event titled "Policy to Practice: Strengthening Gender-responsive Climate Governance and Finance in Bangladesh", where she was the chief guest.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and UN Women Bangladesh organised the event together.

Discussions at the event drew on Bangladesh's experience, the lessons emerging so far and the challenges of putting policies into practice. Particular attention went to institutional capacity, coordination between ministries, integration across sectors and gender-responsive climate finance. The event also looked at how development partners and international financial institutions could build a stronger enabling environment and raise resources for climate priorities led by the country itself.

In her speech, the state minister said safety, mobility and participation should be built into climate adaptation planning from the beginning, not added later. She pointed to the need for steps such as cyclone shelters with separate facilities for women, along with better access to reproductive and mental healthcare.

Shama also said gender-responsive climate action should go beyond isolated projects. It must be part of how resilience efforts are planned, funded, carried out and monitored.

"When women lead and participate fully, our communities become more resilient, and our future becomes more secure," she said.