Dhaka 10th December 2016. National and International civil society rights groups working for the rights of migrants expressed their solidarity for the climate migrants’ rights. They were speaking at a seminar organized yesterday (9th December) in a hotel in Dhaka. The seminar titled “Climate Displacement: Promoting and Protecting the Climate Migrants’ Rights” organized jointly by Action Aid, COAST Trust, Climate Action Network for South Asia (CANSA), Equity and Justice Working Group Bangladesh (equityBD) and Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).
Dr. Hasan Mahmud, MP, Chairman, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Environment and Forest was the Chief Guest of the seminar while it was chaired by Dr. Qazi Kholiquzzaman, Chairman, PKSF. Rezaul Karim Chowdhury of EquityBD moderated the seminar and Mr. Henrik Widht, Deputy Head of Mission, Norwegian Embassy in Bangladesh, Dr. Gopal Krishna Siwakoti, Ex-Chairman of Asia Pacific Refugee Right Networks, Ms. Sarnata Reynolds, Policy Advisor of Oxfam International, Mr. Sanjay Vashist, Co Chair of CANSA, Mr Harjeet Singh of Action Aid International, Mr. Atle Solberg, Head of the Platform on Disaster Displacement (PDD), Coordination Unit and Ms. Farah Kabir of Action Aid Bangladesh also spoke at the occasion as panel discussants. Participants from India, Nepal, Philippines, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Norway, USA, South Africa also participated on the open discussion. About 80 international CSO leaders participated in the seminar.
Mr Harjeet Singh said, the issue of climate migrants is not in the Paris Climate Agreement, there are efforts to include the issue in the Warsaw Implementation Mechanism. Bangladesh is playing an important role in this regard.
Sanjay Vashist said, Bangladesh is most suffered due to climate forced displacement. In Bangladesh, internal migration is severe compared to cross border migration.
Atle Solberg said, PDD is a state-led platform working with the issue of climate migrants. We have already working with a non-binding sate declaration on climate migrants. I think states have to do more in this regard.
Dr. Gopal Krishna Siwakoti said, the issue of Climate Migrants is also an important issue of the Global Forum of Migration Development (GFMD). We CSO leaders from various parts of the world, working with migration issue express our solidarity for the rights of climate migrants.
Ms. Sarnata Reynolds said, UN is going to prepare ‘Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration’, CSO has to play an active role in this regard. Developed countries are nit that mush interested; we have to push them for a positive change.
Mr. Henrik Widht said, we are very much concern over the situation of climate displacement of Bangladesh. Bangladesh as well as the international governments have to achieve a rational solution of that problem.
Dr. Hasan Mahmud said, Due to internal migration the population of the Dhaka City has been increased almost 10 times within last 15 years. To address the crises of climate migrants Geneva Convention on migration has to be revised.
Dr. Qazi Kholiquzzaman said, Global communities have to come forward to get a solution for the climate migrants; migrant community leaders have to be very much active in this regard.
Please Download [Bangla Press] [English Press] [Position Paper] [ “The Humanity Passport” Bangla ] [ “The Humanity Passport” English] [Background Note on Protecting Climate Induced Migration] [Action paper on Protecting Climate Migrants in all crises] [Seminar Report]
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