WAVE Foundation in partnership with NSS, Jago Nari, DASCO Foundation, and BSDO, has officially launched the Gender Equality Transforms Climate Action (GETCA) Project across 15 upazilas and 90 unions in five climate-vulnerable districts of Barishal and Rajshahi divisions-Barishal, Patuakhali, Barguna, Rajshahi, and Naogaon. Funded by the Embassy of Sweden in Bangladesh and Global Affairs Canada, with technical support from GFA Consulting Group, the project runs from December 2024 to June 2027.
The initiative aims to advance gender-responsive climate justice by strengthening the participation and leadership of women and youth in climate action, particularly those from marginalized and disaster-prone communities. By promoting women’s empowerment, the project also seeks to create sustainable climate adaptation models that can be replicated elsewhere.
So far, the project has formed 105 Loak Morcha committees at union and upazila levels and 5 Climate Advocacy Forums at the district level. In its initial phase, it has already conducted 20 orientation meetings at district and upazila levels, 52 Loak Morcha orientations, 19 lobby meetings with disaster management committees and 91 awareness sessions with local communities on climate risks and response measures.
Bangladesh, as one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world, faces frequent cyclones, tidal surges, droughts, salinity, and floods threats that disproportionately impact women, children, and marginalized groups. Against this backdrop, GETCA is designed to address the dual challenges of climate vulnerability and gender inequality. By ensuring women’s fair access to decision-making, strengthening youth engagement, and integrating climate adaptation into local governance, the project aspires to build resilience and protect lives and livelihoods in the most at-risk regions.
