Paper details

Paper authors	K M Enamul Hoque
In panel on	Climate Change and Humanitarianism
Paper presenter(s) will be presenting	In-Person / Online

Abstract

Right to Education is often violated by the duty bearers in developing countries like Bangladesh for various reasons, but in case of natural disaster, the risk increases. However, informed community can protect such rights by playing citizenship role and making local government more accountable.
The coastal zone of Bangladesh has high exposure to natural disaster including cyclonic storms, tidal surge, high tides, salinity intrusion among others. Consequently, the life and livelihood of the community are often affected in terms of death toll, loss of cultivable land and crops, food insecurity, and lack of wage and employment. Basic services like education and healthcare also affected during these time.
To address the issue Polderization has begun in the coastal belt since 1960s and about 5,700 km long embankments were constructed in 139 polders over past few decades, but the desired results are yet to be achieved. However, the Community Education Watch, has make a difference in Sharafpur union of Dumuria, Khulan in 2017 when an embankment was flashed away due to river erosion during the high-tide. About 100 household and a primary school were totally destroyed and 3,000 families were displaced. The Community Education Watch Group along with other organized citizens have mobilized the community and local government institution and ensured emergency humanitarian response, re-construct the embankment and school using local resource and technology. It was only possible because of community engagement and responsive local government institution.

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