Bhubaneswar: Humara Bachpan Trust today held an one hour launching session of program ‘Empowering Women & Girls as Eco Change Makers’- a pilot project which aims empowering women and girls in the global call for action to reduce climate change and adapt effectively on the eve of World Environment Day 2022.

The initiative aims to bring 20,000 women and girls to the front lines of climate activism by giving them empowerment and personal responsibility which ensures greater and lasting impact. The program was graced by Director, Environment cum Special Secretary Susanta Nanda (IFS) as Chief Guest and Ms Diptirani Sahoo, General Manager (Social), Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited (BSCL) and Er. Jeetamitra Satpathy, Principal, Bhubaneswar Industrial Training Institute (I.T.I) as guests of honour.

The program was to introduce HBT’s initiative of empowering women and adolescent girls on climate change and promoting climate appropriate behaviour among them through strategic behaviour change communication. The speakers discussed about climate change issues in the state context and the emerging role of women and girls as primary key stakeholders of the climate change mitigation process.

The 2022 World Environment Day campaign #OnlyOneEarth calls for collective, transformative action at individual level with the focus on “Living Sustainably in Harmony with Nature”. On the very occasion, HBT launched its program ‘Empowering Women & Girls as Eco Change Makers’ to bring women and girls in the global discourse by tapping their inherent potential. The objective of the event was to launch the project and further initiate the discussion about role of women and girls in the state agenda for fight against climate change with key stakeholders.

On the occasion Dharitri Patnaik, Founder Chairperson Humara Bachpan Trust while sharing the objective of the initiative said that “the intervention will build up an ecosystem where women’s role in leading the sustainable solutions to climate change will be acknowledged. This will lead towards achieving transformational change in climate change resiliency, adaptation, and mitigation strategies.”

Ms. Diptirani Sahoo, General Manager, Bhubaneswar Socially Smart City (BSCL) acknowledged HBT peer leader’s work under different interventions. She put emphasis on importance of plantation and urged every individual to become sensitive by action towards building a better livable planet.

Er Jeetamitra Satpathy, Principal, Bhubaneswar I.T.I in her address appreciated the imitative taken up by Humara Bachpan and anticipated that the pilot intervention will set up instances of promoting women-led and women-focused sustainable solutions to climate change.

The Chief Guest of the occasion Susanta Kumar Nanda (IFS), Director, Environment cum Special Secretary inspired the women and girls by sharing the role of women in different ecological movements which has brought revolution in the fight against climate change. “Women and young girls are not just victims of climate change; they are also powerful agents of change. Women have demonstrated unique knowledge and expertise in leading strategies to combat the effects of climate change.” Sri Susanta Nanda added.

The event had participation of more than 200 women and girls from different communities of Puri, Sundargarh and Khordha districts.

Among others Environment Scientist Dr. Krushna Chandra Pal (Forest, Environment & Climate Change Department), Shri Pravat Mohan Dash, Program Officer, Centre for Environmental Studies (CES), Prof Tamoghna Acharyya, School of Sustainability, Xavier Institute of Management, Ms. Namrita Chahal, Chairperson, FICCI Ladies Organization, Bhubaneswar, Ms. Khushboorani, Representative from WRI and Shri Shisir Grahacharya, Youth Specialist (BSCL) were present in the launching event.

Climate Action is one of the focus areas of work of Humara Bachpan Trust (HBT). Aligned to the sustainable development goals of ‘Climate Change’ (SDG 13), HBT has been advocating for ‘Clean & Green Environment’ and is committed to safeguarding the environment. In this context, HBT has taken up an initiative ‘Empowering Women & Girls as Eco Change Makers’ as the licensee of Gap Inc.’s  globally acclaimed certified ‘Personal Advancement & Career Enhancement’ (P.A.C.E.) program which aims at empowering women and girls in the global call for action to reduce climate change and adapt effectively. The program being implemented in urban and rural communities of Khordha, Puri and Sundargarh will reach out to 20000 women and adolescent girls in two years period.