10 grassroots women get Climate Champion Awards for community resilience

Ten grassroots women from across Bangladesh have been honoured with the Climate Champion Awards 2025 for their outstanding contributions to environmental conservation, climate adaptation, and community mobilisation.

Participants at the CoP Network Convention 2025, organised by Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) today (29 October), said these women exemplify the strength and innovation driving local efforts to build sustainable and resilient communities, read a press release. 

Syeda Rizwana Hasan, adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, said true sustainable development is only possible when every vulnerable and marginalised person is protected from the impacts of climate change.

"Both government and non-government adaptation initiatives at the micro level need to be scaled up," she said, adding, "It is time to integrate the innovative efforts of local women entrepreneurs into the broader framework of national development."

Referring to the environment ministry as one of the least-funded, Rizwana added, "Just as there is a need to strengthen capacity at the micro level, there is also a need to shift our development philosophy at the macro level."

She also welcomed the collective efforts of donor agencies and development organisations.

Nicolas Weeks, Swedish Ambassador to Bangladesh, praised the leadership of women in climate action, saying, "Women are even stronger leaders of climate action. You are innovating, organising, and leading change in your communities."

He added, "As we move forward, let us continue to strengthen regional and global cooperation, because climate change knows no borders."

Diepak Elmer, head of Cooperation at the Embassy of Switzerland, highlighted the financial burden of climate financing, saying, "For every three dollars Bangladesh receives to address climate change, it has to repay seven, as all climate funds are loans, not aid. Economic progress is important, but what is more important is social progress. It should not be undone by debt."

He added, "Switzerland believes in community-led development, because resilience built from the ground up is the only kind that endures."

Gitanjali Singh, country representative at UN Women Bangladesh, said, "Bangladesh has been a global leader in disaster preparedness and community resilience. What makes this story remarkable is the leadership of grassroots women — women who are turning climate risks into opportunities for collective change."

"As we work towards Agenda 2030, your courage and creativity remind us that real change begins in communities like Kurigram and Satkhira — and with women like you," she added.

MJF Executive Director Shaheen Anam said, "Women are the true drivers of resilience in their communities. Recognising their efforts and amplifying their leadership is essential for a sustainable and climate-secure Bangladesh."

She also called for gender-responsive policies, noting that women in rural and marginalised communities are often at the frontline of climate challenges.

The event also featured ten stalls showcasing grassroots innovations tackling the impacts of climate change, which drew wide appreciation from guests.

Additionally, three parallel sessions focused respectively on Renewable Energy and Financing, Policy, Practice, and the Climate Change and Gender Action Plan, and Women's Leadership in Collective Climate Actions.