Saima Wazed, Advisor to the Director General of the WHO for Mental Health and Autism and Thematic Ambassador for Vulnerability of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) has recommended that the Commonwealth organize a dedicated climate and mental health resilient day at the first-ever Health Day to be held at the COP28.
Saima, also the Regional Director-elect of WHO South-East Asian Regional Office (SEARO) and Chairperson of Shuchona Foundation, was presenting the key-note speech at a high-profile roundtable on "Climate Vulnerability and
Mental Health: Voices of Women", hosted on Tuesday by Bangladesh High
Commission, London and the Commonwealth in partnership with the Shuchona
Foundation on the eve of the Commonwealth Women Leaders' Summit taking place on November 15-16, 2023 at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London, according to a press release of Bangladesh High Commission in London, UK, received on Wednesday.
She highlighted the significance of climate and mental health resilience and
suggested that Commonwealth nations collaborate more closely to address
climate-related challenges and their adverse effects on mental health since
countries do not have sufficient resources to handle these challenges on
their own, the release added.
She emphasized the importance of early detection and appropriate management
of mental health conditions through a collective approach and global
awareness.
uring her keynote speech, she also shed light on the state of mental health
and universal health coverage in Bangladesh and called for global cooperation
with Bangladesh in addressing these growing challenges.
Saima Wazed will chair the launching ceremony of the Commonwealth NCD Guiding Framework on November 16, 2023.
UK Minister for Environmental Quality and Resilience Department for
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Rebecca Pow MP, Shadow Minister for
Equalities Office Yasmin Qureshi, Conservative MP for Kensington and
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Housing and Homelessness Felicity
Buchan and Chair of UK All Party Parliamentary Group for UN Women Baroness
Verma spoke on the occasion as special guests.
Commonwealth Secretary-General RT Hon Patricia Scotland KC, co-host of the
event, made introductory remarks and High Commissioner of Bangladesh to the
UK Saida Muna Tasneem chaired the event as the host in her capacity as the
President of Women in Diplomacy Network, London.
UK Minister Affairs Rebecca Pow MP spoke highly of Bangladesh's efforts to
address climate change and mental health challenges.
She lauded the country's achievements in women's empowerment, girls'
education, and primary healthcare under the leadership of Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina.
Commonwealth Secretary-General RT Hon Patricia Scotland KC praised
Bangladesh's leadership on championing mental health at the Kigali CHOGM 2022
and declaration of the Dhaka-Kigali Mental Health Compact.
The Secretary-General also recalled the Commonwealth CVF climate prosperity
partnership launched at COP26.
In her opening speech, High Commissioner Saida Muna Tasneem praised the
global leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at COP26 as the CVF
President in voicing the climate justice, loss and damage and reparations for
displaced people due to climate change.
The High Commissioner also recalled the contribution of the Father of the
Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who honoured 300000 women who were raped during Bangladesh's War of Liberation as War Heroes.
The high-profile roundtable was also participated by a large number of
ambassadors, women diplomats, academics, environmental and mental health
experts and UK government high officials including Ms B rbara Montalvo
Alvarez, Ambassador of Cuba, Ms Simona Leskovar, Ambassador of the Republic
of Slovenia, Agnes Oswaha, Ambassador of the Republic of South Sudan, Racher
Croney, High Commissioner of Grenada, Lady Tunnicliffe, Chair, Commonwealth
Association for Science Technology, Professor Mala Rao, Director, Ethnicity
and Health Unit and Senior Clinical Fellow, Imperial College, London, Dr
Valentina Iemmi, Senior Lecturer in Global Public Health, University of Essex
and Ms. Rawan Al Faqir, President, Young Diplomats, London.
