Staff Reporter:
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, serving as a Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations De-velopment Program (UNDP), visited Khulna and Chattogram yesterday to witness firsthand the impact of climate change and UNDP’s initiatives on climate change adaptation in Bangladesh.
With a focus on climate change adaptation and sustainable development, Crown Princess engaged with community members including climate displaced population particularly women, who have undergone transformational changes to become active change-makers in their communities.
By immersing herself in locally-driven solutions, the Crown Princess gained invaluable insights into the development of comprehensive resilience models, a UNDP press release said.
Throughout the day, the Crown Princess observed UNDP interventions undertaken in partnership with other UN agencies and the governments of Bangladesh with support from the government of Sweden and other development partners.
In Moheshwaripur union of Koyra upazila, Khulna, she observed climate adaptation initiatives programme adopted by UNDP and UNCDF with support from the Swedish government.
Additionally, she visited a UNDP-supported a2i digital service delivery center, where rural popula-tions are empowered to access essential public services through ICT services and inaugurated a smart post center.
A key highlight of the visit was the interaction with empowered female leaders championing local-ly-led adaptation approaches. In Jele Para Dakshin, Chattogram, she interacted with a climate-displaced community and witnessed their resilience-building efforts led by women.
The Crown Princess also observed innovative interventions, including an embankment wall con-structed through collaboration between the UK and Bangladesh governments, facilitated by UNDP.
The visit also included a stop at the Asian University for Women in Chattogram, where her royal highness interacted with female students and observed UNDP-supported initiatives, including in-novative training courses aimed at empowering women and fostering sustainable development.
The Crown Princess was accompanied by Ulrika Modeer, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Di-rector of External Relations and Advocacy at UNDP; Johan Forssell, Swedish Minister for Interna-tional Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade; Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Environment, Forests and Climate Change Minister of Bangladesh; Zunaid Ahmed Palak, State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology; Stefan Liller, UNDP Bangladesh Resi-dent Representative; and Alexandra Berg von Linde, Ambassador of Sweden to Bangladesh; among others.
The Princess’s visit underscored the need for collaborative efforts in tackling climate change and promoting gender equality, reaffirming UNDP’s commitment to building resilient and inclusive communities in Bangladesh and beyond.
