Driving Women's Empowerment through Durable Homes in Dinajpur, Bangladesh: A Housing Solution for Women's Advancement
In the Dinajpur district of Bangladesh, where a decade ago, the majority of houses were poor-quality and hazardous, a transformative change is underway, thanks to the Build for Safety programme. This initiative, run by AzuKo and Nirapod Bangladesh Songstha, empowers women living below the poverty line to construct safer, more resilient homes using locally sourced materials.
The programme, recognised by the 2023 Gender Just Climate Solutions Award, embodies a holistic approach to community resilience, improved housing standards, and gender equality. It fosters community agency, reduces carbon emissions, and bolsters local economies, making it a beacon of hope for vulnerable communities like Dinajpur.
The Build for Safety programme, with the support of the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN), is a recipient of the GJCS Award. The award, shared with an unspecified recipient, underscores the programme's commitment to addressing climate challenges with inclusivity, sustainability, and adaptability.
Ponchomi, Shrove, and Popi are among the women who have benefited from the programme. These women, originally bearing disproportionate workloads and struggling with substandard housing vulnerable to natural disasters, now live in sturdy homes fortified against the elements. Shrove, for instance, constructed a sturdy toilet using treated bamboo, a testament to her newfound skills and confidence.
Popi's gratitude reflects the sentiments of many, underscoring the programme's transformative nature. Over 900 women have been trained in the Build for Safety programme since 2018, and plans aim to train an additional 1000 women by 2025.
Dinajpur district, with its traditional bamboo houses, reflects broader climate change issues in Bangladesh, a nation vulnerable to climate-induced disasters despite minimal global emissions. The Build for Safety programme stands as a scalable model, underscoring the potential for local solutions to effect significant change in vulnerable communities.
As we move forward, the impact of the Build for Safety programme on women in Dinajpur continues to unfold, offering a promising future for those who have long been affected by poor housing conditions and climate vulnerability. The programme's recognition through the Gender Just Climate Solutions Award serves as a reminder of the power of local initiatives in addressing global challenges.
- The Build for Safety programme, which has been recognized by the 2023 Gender Just Climate Solutions Award, extends beyond mere housing solutions, also promoting health-and-wellness and sustainable-living by empowering women to construct eco-friendly homes using locally sourced materials, such as treated bamboo for toilets.
- In the Dinajpur district, where women were once burdened with disproportionate workloads and hazardous living conditions, the Build for Safety programme, with its holistic approach, is not only focused on improving lifestyle via safer housing but also aims to train an additional 1000 women by 2025, contributing to the growth of womens-health and home-and-garden industries within the community.
- The transformative work of the Build for Safety programme in Dinajpur, Bangladesh, demonstrates sustainable living in action by reducing carbon emissions, fostering community agency, and promoting gender equality, making it a valuable example for vulnerable communities globally, particularly in the realm of health-and-wellness, lifestyle, and women's health, as they address climate challenges with inclusivity, sustainability, and adaptability.
