Bangladesh, women and children affected by floods in Noakhali district are being given drinking water, food, hygiene kits

ROMA – The latest floods in Bangladesh have affected more than 4 million people. Hundreds of thousands are stranded and in desperate need of humanitarian assistance as rivers burst their banks and floods have severely affected eight districts of the country, including Cumilla, Feni, Chattogram, Khagrachhari, Noakhali and Moualvibazar. The floods, caused by rising river levels in the north-eastern regions and aggravated by heavy rains, have affected women and girls the most.

The immediate goal. Farah Kabir, director of ActionAid Bangladesh, explains: “Entire families have lost everything. We are working tirelessly to help them, but the scale of the crisis is overwhelming. Our immediate goal is to provide them with dry food, hygiene and basic necessities kits, including menstrual pads and tampons, clean and safe drinking water and oral saline to 7,500 flood victims in at least 30 centers in Noakhali district. In addition – Farah Kabir added – we are planning to distribute cash grants to the population to enable them to purchase food and essential items, hygiene kits and for their personal dignity”.

The impact of extreme events on women and children. Of particular concern is the impact of these extreme events on women and children, the most vulnerable in these emergencies. Road and communication disruptions have further exacerbated the isolation of communities, making it difficult for thousands of people to reach places that can provide them with safety and essential resources. The collapse of the health system in many areas has exacerbated the public health crisis, once again disproportionately affecting women and children.

The work of ActionAid in Bangladesh. The NGO’s humanitarian workers have been present in the Asian country since 1982. The main projects have focused mainly on women’s and children’s rights. Happy Home They are safe spaces that the Organization has created to protect girls and young women in situations of extreme fragility, offering them a safe place to grow up and secure a future for themselves.