BANGLADESH, NOVEMBER 2024: Experiencing its worst floods in decades, Bangladesh is ranked as the seventh most extreme disaster risk-prone country in the world,^[3] and stands as a stark reminder of what is at stake for millions of people at this year’s COP.

The Char communities – about five million people – that live on the sandbanks and river islands of the Brahmaputra-Ganges delta are among the poorest in the country and are particularly vulnerable to extreme weather events like flooding.

Their villages can be cut off and people living there often face difficult journeys to access services and medical support.  They depend on innovative solutions like Save the Children’s Mamota Project, which provides a boat offering a floating health clinic bringing midwife support to mothers and newborns along the river. 

The commitments made at COP 29 could mean life or death for such communities and highlight the urgent need for climate resilient health systems and clear climate financing initiatives.

Save the Children’s research shows that 38.3 million children in Bangladesh have already experienced extreme heatwaves so far in 2024. In April, the country faced a severe heatwave, with record-breaking temperatures reaching over 42°C (108°F),. The intense heat forced schools to close across the country for weeks, impacting more than 33 million children.  Shortly after, the country was hit by Cyclone Remal, which killed 16 people and brought flooding, landslides and tidal surges across the Bay of Bengal. At least 4.6 million people were affected by the storm^[4], and more than 270,000 children^[5] lost their homes.

Amid such extreme weather events, maternal mortality rates in Gaibandha district, where many Char communities live, was 253 per 100,000 live births^[1] last year far higher than the country’s average that year of 74 per 100,000 live births.  More than 1 in 3 mothers opted to give birth at home^[2] without medical support due to a lack of awareness of the risks and difficulties accessing medical care.  

Save the Children’s Mamota Project, which operates with support from local partner, the SKS Foundation, and the Bangladesh Government’s union level health facility, has been set up to reduce the number of preventable maternal and newborn deaths, and help improve access to maternal and newborn health included post-partum family planning, especially during flooding. The project, which translates as ‘affection’ in Bangla, operates a boat equipped with a bed, oxygen, emergency supplies and can be used to provide emergency transport to hospital if needed.

Shumi*, 21, relied on the boat during the birth of her son Irfan*.  She was struggling in labour and needed a caesarean section in hospital.  “The midwife took me to the boat and gave me oxygen and laid me down inside on the bed”, she said.  “I felt so safe, everything needed for delivery is onboard. Previously, during emergencies, we would have had to search for a boat ourselves, which often took 3-4 hours, and sometimes we couldn’t find one at all.”

21-year-old Tisha* gave birth to her daughter Tithi* five years ago during a flood.  “The water seeped into our room, and not a single corner was dry or useable” she said. “I was taken to a different house on higher ground by a boat, and my child was born there. No one could get a doctor; we were very afraid. Now we get proper treatment and facilities from the Mamota project, it is good for us.”  

Shraboni, 29, a midwife working with the Mamota project, says “I have encountered situations where houses and roads were submerged, making it nearly impossible to travel.  We now conduct satellite clinics on boats, bringing medical services directly to those in need.  Heatwaves also pose a challenge to the community.  When the river dries up, mothers sometimes travel kilometres on foot, which poses considerable challenges, especially for pregnant women navigating the sandy terrain.”   

Lower-income countries like Bangladesh, need ambitious funding annually to transition to clean energy, build resilience, address losses and damages, and restore nature. Delivering affordable, accessible, and inclusive climate finance is essential to achieving global climate goals, rebuilding trust with the Global South, and securing a sustainable future for children everywhere.

As COP29 draws to a close, world leaders must seize this opportunity to take bold, decisive action to protect children’s rights and futures.

Tara Brace-John, Head of Health: Global Policy, Advocacy & Research at Save the Children UK, said:

“774 million children worldwide are living in poverty and exposed to high climate risk.  For mothers and babies, extreme weather events like heatwaves and flooding can make giving birth even more dangerous and make it difficult to access medical support when they need it most.

“As COP29 comes to an end this week, it is crucial that world leaders take bold action to address the climate crisis with the urgency it needs. It is imperative that equitable solutions, ensuring that all women, even those in the most remote and climate-affected communities, have access to maternal and newborn healthcare and equipment, as well as the right to access reproductive services and education. It is critical that we take action to make sure every woman and child can access the support they need.

“Climate resilience must include investments in healthcare systems to support women and children.”

Shumon Sengupta, Country Director, Save the Children in Bangladesh said:

“The Mamota Project is an example of how Save the Children is reaching some of our most vulnerable communities and providing lasting change.  The boat service has been a lifeline for mothers who live in these remote char areas without access to healthcare, but more needs to be done to support parents and children across the country.

“The heatwave and cyclone that hit Bangladesh this year shows the risks the country faces from extreme weather events; they are a warning that accelerating climate crisis that can no longer be ignored.  At COP29, world leaders need to act to urgently to tackle rising temperatures and increase climate resilience so communities can prepare and respond to disasters.  It is vital steps are taken recognise the disproportionate impact climate crises have on children and to protect their futures.”

Save the Children has been working in Bangladesh for more than 50 years. Together with government, civil society organizations and businesses, we respond to major emergencies, deliver development programmes and ensure that children’s voices are heard through our campaigning to build a better future.

ENDS

^[1] Directorate General of Health Services, Bangladesh, https://dashboard.dghs.gov.bd/pages/dashboard_maternal_indicators.php

² Bangladesh DHS 2022 Key Indicators Report, March 2023

³ Global Climate Risk Index, 2021,  https://gain.nd.edu/our-work/country-index/rankings/

⁴ https://reliefweb.int/report/bangladesh/bangladesh-cyclone-remal-emergency-appeal-no-mdrbd035

⁵ 43% of population of Bangladesh are aged 0-17. The average household size is 4.26 (HIES 2022)

⁶The figures are calculations done by Save the Children UK’s research and data hub using publicly available demographic and health statistics. We use the latest available data points on births attended by a skilled health professional (%) and births in a health facility (%) from UNICEF Data.https://data.unicef.org/topic/maternal-health/delivery-care/ Projections on total new births in 2024 is taken from World Population Prospects - Population Division - United Nations. The analysis was performed using country-specific estimates from UNICEF of skilled birth attendance and births in health facilities, which were then aggregated to a global level. However, as a consequence, global numbers may vary slightly between our estimates and other published estimates. Countries affected by conflict are identified by the World Bank classification for Fragile and Conflict-Affected Situations for the current financial year. All figures are expressed in millions.  

⁷ WHO Report, A woman dies every two minutes due to pregnancy or childbirth: UN agencies, Feb 2023

⁸ WHO Report, Newborn Mortality, March 2024 

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