YWCA promotes climate justice by encouraging inclusive climate activism and highlighting the role that people of all genders can play in protecting our planet. By reflecting on the lessons of the pandemic and the urgent need for sustainable change, YWCA inspires communities to take meaningful action for a more just and resilient future.

Climate change threatens human health, habitats, and livelihood. In Bangladesh, the increasing frequency of natural calamities like cyclones, excessive rainfall, heat, and cold waves are identified as effects of climate change. Indiscriminate use of plastic material and chemical fertilization degraded our cultivable land. The trend of deforestation is also weakening communities’ capacity to become climate resilient. The population of the coastal belt (Southern part), low-lying zones (Northwestern part), and dry zones (Northern part) are facing adverse consequences of climate change. In the urban areas, domestic and other forms of waste have increased both in dimension and in quantities along with the rise in population. Pollution and environmental degradation affect women disproportionately due to their lack of economic and other ability to cope. Rural women are especially vulnerable as their livelihoods directly depend on natural resources. Lots of studies showed that among the population of the mentioned regions women, young women, and children are most vulnerable and victims of the calamities. These women do not have access to information and education that would allow them to manage climate-related risks to life and livelihood. Women living in the said location have considerably less access than men to critical information on weather alerts, preparedness, and coping mechanisms that affect their capacity to respond effectively to climatic threats. This often leads to the domestic care workload of women as resources disappear. Failure to properly integrate women’s concerns and issues into decision-making has added to women’s vulnerability.

Since the last two phases of the strategic period, YWCA promoted environmental issues and awareness for protecting life and livelihood, particularly women as of gender disparity and their marginal position and condition from climate change. With minimum support, it has engaged women, young women, girls, students, and community people in the social campaign of tree plantation, avoiding the uses of plastic materials and emphasizing informing and educating targeted women, youth women about climate change adaptation and disaster preparedness.

YCWA adopts a feminist approach to climate justice and shifts the narrative from women as vulnerable and survivors of the climate crisis to agents of change capable of contributing to solutions, mitigation, and adaptation because of their lived experiences and knowledge. Climate resilience centered on gender justice integrates a gender dimension, approaches, and solutions. YWCA will prepare communities on how to integrate climate-smart solutions in the work they do and thereby empower women to help improve the quality of life for their families and communities while advancing sustainable development. YWCA will also promote climate activism- how people from all genders can be a part of the movement, from the safety of our own homes, and what we can learn from how the pandemic is affecting our world.

Objectives

• To promote family-oriented gender and disability-sensitive disaster preparedness and climate change adaptation approaches for saving women’s lives.
• To increase women’s agency-how women and youth can be leaders, designers, and implementers of solutions for climate justice.
• To organize social action to protect the environment.

Outcomes

• Woman, young women and girls, and people with disabilities are well equipped at the family level to combat disaster and climate change effects.
• Community people are proactive in the conservation process of the environment through social education, awareness, and collective actions.
• Women and youth’s voices are heard in climate management and gender-sensitive climate policy adoption.

Actions 

• Develop the capacity of the staff, members, volunteers, and community women on a feminist approach to disaster preparedness and management.
• Organize community activist groups including youth groups to build community awareness about the environment, waste management, climate change, and adaptation.
• Networking with NGOs working on environmental issues and disaster management and advocacy for women’s representation in adopting more stringent climate change policies
• Advocacy with the local administration and creating pressure to include more women and youth in disaster management planning as well as develop infrastructure for pregnant women, children, and elderly people for safe shelter during the disaster period.

Achievements 

Bangladesh YWCA is deeply committed to building resilient and sustainable communities in the face of climate change. Recognizing that women, children, and marginalized groups are often the hardest hit by environmental challenges, the YWCA integrates climate education, disaster preparedness, and environmental protection into its programs. More than 5,700 marginalized people have received awareness and education on climate justice and adaptation through both in-person initiatives and digital platforms.

Capacity Building Trainings
Every year, the YWCA conducts over a dozen capacity-building trainings on climate change and inclusive disaster management. Around 350 participants, including women and persons with disabilities, gain skills to understand climate risks and prepare for emergencies. For example, women learn how to create emergency kits, prepare safe shelters, and lead local preparedness teams—ensuring their voices are part of decision-making in times of crisis. They also guide neighbors during cyclone warnings, organize child-friendly safe spaces, and even lead awareness campaigns about plastic waste. Their leadership shows how climate education not only saves lives but also empowers women as agents of resilience

Community Awareness Meetings
More than 70 community meetings are organized annually, reaching over 1,500 individuals with practical disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategies. In these gatherings, villagers discuss local challenges—such as flooding, river erosion, or storms—and develop simple community response plans. These meetings encourage cooperation, where men and women work side by side to build stronger resilience at the household and community levels.

Disaster Preparedness Sessions
To prepare people for emergencies, the YWCA holds around 60 preparedness sessions every year. Over 1,500 participants learn step-by-step actions to take before, during, and after disasters. For example, youth are trained in basic first aid and evacuation drills, while mothers are guided on how to safeguard children and essential supplies. These sessions build confidence and save lives when sudden disasters strike.

Environmental Campaigns and Rallies
YWCA promotes environmental responsibility through more than 30 public rallies and campaigns each year. These activities attract over 1,500 community members and focus on tree plantation, waste management, reducing single-use plastics, and pollution control. Children often take part by planting saplings, while youth lead clean-up drives in schools and neighborhoods—transforming environmental awareness into everyday action.

Climate Adaptation Dialogues
Nearly 30 interactive dialogues bring together over 800 participants, including youth, staff, and community members, to share ideas on adapting to climate change. In these sessions, participants discuss practical solutions like rainwater harvesting, flood-resistant housing, or switching to drought-tolerant crops. The dialogues encourage innovation and collective ownership, ensuring that adaptation strategies are relevant to local needs.

Through these initiatives, Bangladesh YWCA blends education, community action, and advocacy to promote climate justice and environmental sustainability. By equipping vulnerable groups with the tools to adapt, the YWCA ensures that communities are better prepared to face future challenges—while nurturing a culture of responsibility toward the planet.