State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam has called for predictable, accessible and cost-free international financing to help women cope with the impacts of climate change.

She made the call on Thursday at COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, urging governments and development partners to prioritise women's safety, healthcare needs and participation in climate adaptation programmes.

"Safety, mobility and participation [of the women] must be built into adaptation by design, not added as afterthoughts," she said, according to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs press release.

The state minister said climate-resilient infrastructure should include cyclone shelters with separate facilities for women, alongside access to reproductive and mental healthcare.

She stressed that gender-responsive climate action should not be confined to individual projects but incorporated into the planning, financing, implementation and monitoring of broader resilience programmes.

Her remarks came at an event titled "Policy to Practice: Strengthening Gender-responsive Climate Governance and Finance in Bangladesh", jointly organised by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and UN Women Bangladesh at the Bangladesh Pavilion.

Participants at the event also discussed the gaps in institutional capacity, coordination among ministries and access to international climate finance, as well as ways development partners and financial institutions could support Bangladesh's adaptation priorities.

Bangladesh has made climate financing a central priority at COP31, seeking greater grant-based support for adaptation and addressing climate-related loss and damage.

The country contributes only a small share of global greenhouse gas emissions but remains highly vulnerable to cyclones, flooding and rising sea levels.

For women in climate-vulnerable communities, the challenges extend beyond exposure to extreme weather. Inadequate privacy and sanitation in cyclone shelters, restricted mobility and limited access to healthcare can increase their difficulties during disasters.

The call also comes as countries begin implementing the Belém Gender Action Plan for 2026–2034, adopted at COP30 in Brazil last year, which aims to strengthen gender equality in climate policies, financing and implementation.

The state minister said women's meaningful participation in decision-making was essential to building effective climate resilience.

"When women lead and participate fully, our communities become more resilient and our future becomes more secure," she said.

COP31 is taking place in Antalya from November 9 to 20, with climate financing, adaptation and emissions reduction among the major issues under discussion.