POWER IN PEOPLE

Preventing Child Marriage: Minara’s Fight For A Future She Chose

"I am beyond thrilled to be able to continue my education now. It hasn't been easy for a girl like me from a family like mine to dream big. People are as great as their dreams and while I'm not sure if I'll reach mine, I aspire to make a positive impact and support the underprivileged once I finish my education. I'm actively raising awareness in the community about the importance of education and the harmful effects of early marriage," said Minara, a 15-year-old girl who is the youngest of five siblings living in a village in Bishwamvarpur with her father, older brother, sister-in-law and little niece. Minara's sisters fell victim to early marriage, so she believed she would succumb to the same fate. Her sisters had to abandon their education, consent to marriage against their will, leave their homes, and embark on lives vastly different from their dreams. “I witnessed my sisters being forced to drop out of school. Had they been able to pursue their education, their lives could have taken a different path. They could have achieved financial independence and even supported our family,” Minara said sadly. Minara, like other marginalised girls, faced the risk of early marriage due to her family's deteriorating financial situation. Her father is unable to contribute, so the family relies solely on her brother's income as a day labourer. However, the inconsistent availability of work makes it challenging to sustain her education. Her family is barely able to provide nutritious food when there is no work. Despite the adversities, Minara has been with ActionAid Bangladesh's Child Development Centre (শিশু বিকাশ কেন্দ্র) since 2016. At the center, she learned about the importance of education for a better future and the detrimental effects of early marriage. Minara is also an active member of a Child Forum, where she has acquired leadership skills and confidence to protest harmful social norms. “Since 2016, I have been a member of the Child Forum, where enlightening discussions have deepened my understanding of children's and girls' rights,” she added. In 2023, ActionAid Bangladesh provided Income Generating Activities (IGA) support such as tailoring and dress making and seed capital of BDT 6,000 to 95 families, including Minara’s to be able to support education expenses and acquire new alternative livelihood skills. By providing tailoring services to women of the Reflection Action Circle (RAC) run by ActionAid Bangladesh and others in the community. Minara’s family now earns BDT 1,500 per month. With the additional income, Minara's brother also invested in goat rearing. Minara's family takes pride in her accomplishments and no longer presses her into marriage. They encourage others in the community to protect the rights of children and give them a chance for a brighter future.

Feminist Green Action Award 2026

The Feminist Green Action Award was launched in 2025 to promote a green transition in industry and the broader economy that is feminist, inclusive, and gender transformative. This initiative recognises the importance of addressing climate change while challenging structural inequalities, particularly gender-based barriers, within environmental and economic systems. The award aims to highlight and celebrate initiatives that integrate sustainability with feminist principles, ensuring that the transition to a green economy is both environmentally sustainable and socially just. As a champion of climate justice and gender equality, ActionAid Bangladesh promotes green transition approaches that center on the leadership and participation of women, youth, and marginalised groups. The organisation believes that Feminist Green Action is a key pathway to achieving a just and inclusive transition, where environmental sustainability and gender justice go hand in hand. Following the successful launch, ActionAid Bangladesh will organise the Feminist Green Action Award for the second consecutive year in 2026. By recognising and showcasing inspiring initiatives and changemakers, the award aims to encourage wider adoption of gender-responsive and sustainable practices, contributing to a more equitable, resilient, and sustainable future for Bangladesh. About the Award Enterprises (SMEs) that demonstrate leadership in adopting feminist green actions across their operations. The award encourages businesses to include feminist and gender-focused methods in their operations, production, and supply chains, making sure they work towards both environmental sustainability and gender equality. By highlighting such initiatives, the award promotes responsible business practices that empower women, support inclusive workplaces, and contribute to climate-resilient and sustainable economic growth. With Bangladesh already recognized as a global leader in green garment production, this award seeks to further encourage industries and enterprises to adopt sustainable and gender-responsive practices. It aims to inspire businesses to go beyond environmental compliance and embrace feminist principles that ensure equity, participation, and fair opportunities for all. Through recognition and visibility, the Feminist Green Action Award contributes to advancing a more inclusive, just, and sustainable future, while strengthening Bangladesh’s leadership in green and ethical production. ActionAid Bangladesh’s Engagement to green innovation ActionAid Bangladesh engages with young people and women to support green innovation through capacity development, seed funding, boot camps, and mentoring. Over the period, ActionAid Bangladesh has organized several cohorts of youth green entrepreneurs to accelerate the development of their business ideas. The Feminist Green Action Award provides an opportunity for these youth green entrepreneurs to transform their business ideas through a feminist lens, integrating gender equity, environmental sustainability, and social impact. What is green feminist transition Green Feminist Transition refers to a transformative approach that draws inspiration from the idea of Mother Nature and emphasizes the coexistence of economic activities with ecological preservation. The concept promotes responsible use of natural resources and advocates moving away from extractive practices toward a greener, sustainable economy. It integrates environmental sustainability with human rights, gender equity, and inclusive practices, ensuring that development supports both people and the planet. Eligibility and Future Engagement The Feminist Green Action Award recognizes SMEs and private sector businesses of all sizes. In addition, a special category is reserved for participants from ActionAid Bangladesh’s youth-led green business development cohorts. For this year, the award will be delivered in the following three categories: • Corporate Category: 1 awardee • SME Category: 1 awardee • ActionAid Bangladesh Cohort on Green Business: 2 potential youth green entrepreneurs For future engagement, the selected business entities will receive ongoing business development support, including mentorship and guidance from experienced business professionals to strengthen and scale their green initiatives. Award Objectives 1. Recognise and celebrate private sector entities, including youth entrepreneurs, that are demonstrating leadership and innovation in advancing the green transition within their operations and business models. 2. Encourage and motivate businesses to adopt environmentally sustainable policies, processes, and production practices, with a strong emphasis on gender equity, inclusion, and feminist principles. 3. Showcase and promote best practices from the corporate sector through a feminist green transition lens, fostering learning, replication, and wider adoption of sustainable and gender-responsive business approaches. Selection Criteria The business entities and SMEs participating in the award programme will be evaluated and finally selected based on the following criteria: A. Sustainable and gender responsive operations, production, and supply chains, ensuring environmentally responsible practices are integrated across all stages of business activities. B. Environmentally friendly and climate-resilient infrastructure, demonstrating commitment to reducing environmental impact and promoting long-term sustainability. C. Innovation that advances sustainability and gender responsiveness, including initiatives that integrate feminist principles, promote inclusion, and address gender disparities. D. Commitment to creating green jobs and building green skills, contributing to decent work opportunities and supporting a just transition for workers and communities. Selection process The nominees will be evaluated by a jury board, composed of experts, sector specialists, and practitioners, who will carefully review all submissions and select the final winners. Award Ceremony The final award ceremony will be held on 24 June 2026.

‘50% Women Face Unwanted Touching At Markets’

Scholarship Support For Medical Students

On 12 April 2026, ActionAid Bangladesh successfully organised a scholarship distribution event for five promising programme participants from LRP 45 (Ghoraghat) and LRP 51 (Chanpara). This initiative, made possible through the generous support of a donor and their network from Italy, is designed to assist students from vulnerable backgrounds who are pursuing studies in Medical and Nursing fields, enabling them to continue their education and progress toward their aspirations. Among the recipients, four are female Nursing students, while one male student is currently pursuing his MBBS degree. The first installment of the scholarships was formally handed over by our Country Director, Farah Kabir, at the ActionAid Dhaka Office. These young individuals reflect remarkable strength, resilience, and determination. Despite coming from remote and hard-to-reach communities, their journeys demonstrate how timely and meaningful support can transform challenges into opportunities. Together, we remain dedicated to creating a future where every young person is empowered to learn, grow, and achieve their full potential

Celebrating The International Day Of Sport For Development And Peace 2026 In Cox’s Bazar

Sport creates friendship, brings peace, and offers moments of joy where people can forget their daily struggles and feel a sense of hope and belonging. On the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace 2026, youth, women, girls, persons with disabilities, and community leaders in Cox’s Bazar camps and host communities engaged in rallies, football matches, and fun games under the theme, "Sport: Building Bridges, Breaking Barriers." The activities created inclusive and safe spaces where communities strengthened teamwork, social bonds, and peaceful coexistence through sport. With support from UNHCR and UEFA Foundation for Children, these initiatives are helping communities reduce stress, encourage positive engagement among youth, and create a more connected and supportive environment in their daily lives.

Bangladesh Youth Cop 2025

Bangladesh Youth COP 2025 was a three-day, youth-led national platform held in Dhaka to consolidate youth perspectives on climate justice and a just transition ahead of COP30 in Belém, Brazil. Bringing together young climate leaders, community representatives, policymakers, legal experts, diplomats and civil society actors, the initiative aimed to transform diverse youth demands into a unified, evidence-based agenda capable of influencing national policy and global climate negotiations. Under the theme “Youth for Just Transition”, over 100 youth activists presented a 26-point Youth Charter calling for climate justice, gender equality, environmental protection and meaningful youth participation. Jointly organised by Brighters and ActionAid Bangladesh, the event emphasised moving from dialogue to collective political positioning, with high-level discussions engaging political leaders, researchers and development partners. The conference underscored the need to move beyond tokenistic inclusion of youth towards genuine, accountable participation in climate decision-making, positioning young people as critical actors in shaping Bangladesh’s climate future.

Thriving Youth-led Movement For Climate Justice Under The "fund Our Future" Campaign

Since 2022, Global Platform (GP) Bangladesh has cultivated a thriving youth-led movement for climate justice under ActionAid’s "Fund Our Future" Campaign. Arranged twice annually in solidarity with Fridays For Future, these global climate strikes have mobilized over 22,000 young activists over the past three years to ensure that youth-led activism for just transition under climate justice agenda can well resonate with diverse audiences, policy makers, transcending boundaries for systemic socio-economic change. In 2025, the movement expanded significantly, in April and November strike engaged around 5,000 climate activists across 26 districts, engaging 34 youth-led organisations, 9 youth hubs of partner areas. Additionally, the September Week of Actions involved around thousand participants focusing on just energy transition. Through harnessing the power of collective actions through a series of impactful activities like boat rallies in coastal regions, street dramas, folk songs, theatres and graffiti etc. young climate leaders have continued pressurized financial institutions to shift investments away from fossil fuels and toward renewable energy and agroecology. This movement has slowly but surely empowered the youths across the country to hold both corporations and governments accountable for their role in climate destruction through advocating for a just and equitable green transition.

Feminist Green Action Award 2026

The Feminist Green Action Award was launched in 2025 to promote a green transition in industry and the broader economy that is feminist, inclusive, and gender transformative. This initiative recognises the importance of addressing climate change while challenging structural inequalities, particularly gender-based barriers, within environmental and economic systems. The award aims to highlight and celebrate initiatives that integrate sustainability with feminist principles, ensuring that the transition to a green economy is both environmentally sustainable and socially just. As a champion of climate justice and gender equality, ActionAid Bangladesh promotes green transition approaches that center on the leadership and participation of women, youth, and marginalised groups. The organisation believes that Feminist Green Action is a key pathway to achieving a just and inclusive transition, where environmental sustainability and gender justice go hand in hand. Following the successful launch, ActionAid Bangladesh will organise the Feminist Green Action Award for the second consecutive year in 2026. By recognising and showcasing inspiring initiatives and changemakers, the award aims to encourage wider adoption of gender-responsive and sustainable practices, contributing to a more equitable, resilient, and sustainable future for Bangladesh. About the Award Enterprises (SMEs) that demonstrate leadership in adopting feminist green actions across their operations. The award encourages businesses to include feminist and gender-focused methods in their operations, production, and supply chains, making sure they work towards both environmental sustainability and gender equality. By highlighting such initiatives, the award promotes responsible business practices that empower women, support inclusive workplaces, and contribute to climate-resilient and sustainable economic growth. With Bangladesh already recognized as a global leader in green garment production, this award seeks to further encourage industries and enterprises to adopt sustainable and gender-responsive practices. It aims to inspire businesses to go beyond environmental compliance and embrace feminist principles that ensure equity, participation, and fair opportunities for all. Through recognition and visibility, the Feminist Green Action Award contributes to advancing a more inclusive, just, and sustainable future, while strengthening Bangladesh’s leadership in green and ethical production. ActionAid Bangladesh’s Engagement to green innovation ActionAid Bangladesh engages with young people and women to support green innovation through capacity development, seed funding, boot camps, and mentoring. Over the period, ActionAid Bangladesh has organized several cohorts of youth green entrepreneurs to accelerate the development of their business ideas. The Feminist Green Action Award provides an opportunity for these youth green entrepreneurs to transform their business ideas through a feminist lens, integrating gender equity, environmental sustainability, and social impact. What is green feminist transition Green Feminist Transition refers to a transformative approach that draws inspiration from the idea of Mother Nature and emphasizes the coexistence of economic activities with ecological preservation. The concept promotes responsible use of natural resources and advocates moving away from extractive practices toward a greener, sustainable economy. It integrates environmental sustainability with human rights, gender equity, and inclusive practices, ensuring that development supports both people and the planet. Eligibility and Future Engagement The Feminist Green Action Award recognizes SMEs and private sector businesses of all sizes. In addition, a special category is reserved for participants from ActionAid Bangladesh’s youth-led green business development cohorts. For this year, the award will be delivered in the following three categories: • Corporate Category: 1 awardee • SME Category: 1 awardee • ActionAid Bangladesh Cohort on Green Business: 2 potential youth green entrepreneurs For future engagement, the selected business entities will receive ongoing business development support, including mentorship and guidance from experienced business professionals to strengthen and scale their green initiatives. Award Objectives 1. Recognise and celebrate private sector entities, including youth entrepreneurs, that are demonstrating leadership and innovation in advancing the green transition within their operations and business models. 2. Encourage and motivate businesses to adopt environmentally sustainable policies, processes, and production practices, with a strong emphasis on gender equity, inclusion, and feminist principles. 3. Showcase and promote best practices from the corporate sector through a feminist green transition lens, fostering learning, replication, and wider adoption of sustainable and gender-responsive business approaches. Selection Criteria The business entities and SMEs participating in the award programme will be evaluated and finally selected based on the following criteria: A. Sustainable and gender responsive operations, production, and supply chains, ensuring environmentally responsible practices are integrated across all stages of business activities. B. Environmentally friendly and climate-resilient infrastructure, demonstrating commitment to reducing environmental impact and promoting long-term sustainability. C. Innovation that advances sustainability and gender responsiveness, including initiatives that integrate feminist principles, promote inclusion, and address gender disparities. D. Commitment to creating green jobs and building green skills, contributing to decent work opportunities and supporting a just transition for workers and communities. Selection process The nominees will be evaluated by a jury board, composed of experts, sector specialists, and practitioners, who will carefully review all submissions and select the final winners. Award Ceremony The final award ceremony will be held on 24 June 2026.

11th International Water Conference Opens With Focus On Accountable Governance

The 11th International Water Conference will begin on Wednesday, 21 January, focusing on just, inclusive and accountable water governance. Organised by ActionAid Bangladesh, the two-day conference will be held virtually and is expected to bring together more than 500 participants, including river experts, researchers, policymakers, water rights activists and climate advocates from over 20 countries. The theme of this year's conference is "Reimagining Water Governance for Just and Sustainable Futures". Since 2016, ActionAid Bangladesh has worked on water rights, gender justice and climate resilience at both national and international levels. This year's conference holds added significance as Bangladesh became the first South Asian country to accede to the United Nations Water Convention in 2025. Against this backdrop, the conference aims to reposition water governance beyond resource management, highlighting justice, identity and collective responsibility. Discussions will focus on transparency, accountability and community participation in water governance, alongside the role of research, innovation and cultural institutions such as water museums in advancing public understanding of water justice. A policy brief will be developed following the conference to inform future regional and international policy processes. The opening day will feature reflections on Bangladesh's leadership under the UN Water Convention and a cultural segment titled "Water Speaks for Water Justice," moderated by Farah Kabir, Country Director of ActionAid Bangladesh. The segment will include artistic performances, community storytelling and presentations coordinated through the Global Network of Water Museums, including showcases from Morocco's first Oasis Ecomuseum and Bangladesh's Chakaria Water Museum. Technical sessions on Water Justice and Governance and Urban Water Systems and Water Futures will follow. On the second day, discussions will centre on Climate Crisis and Innovation for Water Justice and Transboundary Water Accountability and Regional Cooperation. International experts scheduled to speak include Mansee Bal Bhargava, National President of the Water Resources Council at the Women's Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Fayyaz Baqir, Director of the Akhter Hameed Khan Resource Centre; Remy Kinna; and John Dore, Lead Specialist on Water, Energy and Climate at the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Academics and practitioners from the Philippines, Vietnam, China and Australia will also participate. The conference will conclude with the presentation of the Dhaka Statement on Accountable Water Governance, calling for stronger transparency, responsibility and community engagement in the water sector. The event will be streamed live via Zoom and through the official social media platforms of ActionAid Bangladesh. Source:

অন্যায়কে প্রশ্রয় দেওয়া যাবে না

আন্তর্জাতিক নারী দিবস ২০২৬ উপলক্ষে দৈনিক সমকালকে দেওয়া এক বিশেষ সাক্ষাৎকারে একশনএইড বাংলাদেশ-এর কান্ট্রি ডিরেক্টর ফারাহ্ কবির ২৪-এর গণঅভ্যুত্থান পরবর্তী সময়ে দেশে চলমান লিঙ্গভিত্তিক বৈষম্য, নির্বাচনে দলগুলোর নারীদের মনোনয়নকে ঘিরে অনিয়ম এবং সে বিষয়ে নির্বাচন কমিশনের নিষ্ক্রিয়তা, নারীর প্রতি সহিংসতা এবং নারীর অর্থনৈতিক সক্ষমতা বৃদ্ধিতে সরকারের উদ্যোগ নিয়ে কথা বলেন। সম্পূর্ণ সাক্ষাৎকারটি পড়ুন:

World Water Day 2026: Water, Energy And The Politics Of Access

Water is not neutral. It shapes power, prosperity and peace – and in its absence, it exposes the sharpest edges of inequality. On World Water Day 2026, under the theme "Water and Gender", the world must confront a hard truth: the water crisis is no longer only about scarcity. It is about control, energy and justice. More than 2.2 billion people still lack safely managed drinking water. At least 115 million rely on contaminated surface sources. Across the global south, women and girls spend an estimated 200 million hours every day collecting water – time lost to education, livelihoods and opportunity. In Bangladesh, nearly 40 per cent of the population still lacks reliable access to safe water. These are not just development gaps; they are structural inequalities. A new layer of crisis is now intensifying this reality. Conflicts and instability in West Asia have disrupted global energy markets, driving up fuel costs and straining supply chains. For countries such as Bangladesh, where water systems – from irrigation to groundwater pumping – depend heavily on energy, this is a direct threat. When energy prices rise, water becomes more expensive, less accessible and more unequal. This convergence of water and energy insecurity demands urgency – but also imagination. Bangladesh has already taken an important step through its canal re-excavation drive, restoring rivers and waterways across the country. The effort is often framed in terms of flood control and irrigation, but its potential is far greater. Revived canals can recharge groundwater, reduce urban flooding and strengthen climate resilience. More importantly, they can become the foundation of a decentralised model of water governance. That transformation will only succeed if it centres women. Women are already the primary managers of water at the household level. They understand scarcity, quality and access better than most policymakers ever will. Yet they remain largely excluded from formal decision-making. Embedding women's leadership in canal management committees, water user groups and local governance structures would not only improve outcomes but also advance fairness. It would shift water from being a burden carried by women to a resource governed with them. Bangladesh must also confront its dependence on fossil-fuel-powered water systems. Diesel-driven irrigation and pumping are increasingly unsustainable in a volatile global energy market. Transitioning to solar-powered irrigation, micro-hydropower and other decentralised renewables is no longer optional – it is essential. Evidence from across South Asia shows that women-led renewable energy initiatives can reduce costs, cut emissions and strengthen community resilience at the same time. The timing for action could not be more critical. In the coming months, seasonal northwesterly storms – often accompanied by intense bursts of rainfall – will again trigger flooding and waterlogging, while much of that water is lost as runoff. With the right systems in place, rainfall could become a usable resource. Rainwater harvesting is not a marginal solution; it is an immediate necessity. In the short term, the government should launch a nationwide rainwater harvesting campaign targeting households, schools and urban buildings. Rooftop collection systems, community storage tanks and small-scale reservoirs can be deployed quickly and at relatively low cost. Integrating these systems with canal restoration would create a network capable of capturing and redistributing water more effectively. Urban planning regulations should make rainwater harvesting mandatory in new developments, while incentives can support retrofitting in existing structures. Local governments must be equipped with funding and technical support to deliver these measures – with women playing a central role in design and management. Immediate preparedness for seasonal storms is equally essential. Clearing drainage systems, strengthening early warning mechanisms and supporting community-based response strategies can reduce the human and economic toll of extreme weather. The long-term agenda must go further. Bangladesh needs an integrated water–energy strategy that aligns climate adaptation with sustainable development. This includes scaling up renewables for water systems, reducing reliance on imported fuels and insulating the country from global price shocks. It also requires stronger cooperation over shared river basins to ensure equitable and sustainable management of transboundary waters. Financing matters, too. Too much climate funding still flows into large-scale infrastructure while bypassing local communities. Direct investment in women-led water and renewable energy initiatives can unlock practical, scalable solutions where they are most needed. This is not only about infrastructure; it is about governance. Women must have real decision-making power, supported by access to finance, land rights and technical training. Without this, commitments to gender equality will remain rhetorical. The stakes are high. Water insecurity, left unchecked, will deepen poverty, drive displacement and increase the risk of conflict. Managed equitably, water can instead become a foundation for stability and cooperation. Bangladesh stands at a moment of convergence: canal restoration, seasonal rains and global energy volatility together create an opportunity to rethink how water is governed, shared and sustained. The question is not whether the country can afford to act. It is whether it can afford not to. On this World Water Day, the message is clear: water must be governed not just as a resource, but as a right. And those who have carried its weight for long must now help shape its future – because resilience does not flow from infrastructure alone, but from power shared, leadership redefined and systems rebuilt with justice at their core. Author: Farah Kabir, Country Director, ActionAid Bangladesh Source:

Resilience Is Feminist: Climate Action Starts With Her

As floods, cyclones, and heatwaves intensify across South Asia, one truth becomes increasingly clear: climate change is not gender neutral. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reminds us that women, especially in developing countries, face "disproportionate exposure to climate risks due to existing social and economic inequalities." Yet, while women often bear the heaviest burdens, they also hold the keys to climate resilience—if only systems are designed to empower them. Bangladesh's Climate Change and Gender Action Plan (ccGAP) provides a powerful blueprint for bridging climate action and gender equality. Operationalising it across ministries, budgets, and local governments could transform the country's climate strategy into one of the world's most inclusive and effective adaptation models. From Policy to Practice To move from paper to practice, ministries must integrate gender mandates into their climate policies. This means embedding gender objectives within agriculture, water, disaster management, and health programmes. As UN Women observes, "institutional accountability mechanisms are vital to transforming gender commitments into results." A central inter-ministerial committee—anchored in the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs or the Planning Commission—could oversee implementation, supported by climate and gender focal points in each ministry. Their performance indicators should be tied directly to ccGAP results, ensuring real accountability rather than symbolic inclusion. Budgeting is equally critical. The World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2025 finds that "countries integrating gender-responsive financial frameworks in climate policy experience stronger economic resilience and innovation gains." Bangladesh could adopt a gender-climate budget code to track investments in women's climate resilience, linking budget releases to measurable, gender-disaggregated results. Local Leadership, Lasting Change Change on paper means little without action at the grassroots. Local governments should be empowered—financially and technically—to design gender-sensitive resilience plans. The IPCC (2022) stresses that "locally led adaptation strengthens social equity and effectiveness when women's participation and leadership are prioritised." Training female representatives in gender analysis and climate risk management ensures they can lead, not just observe, the adaptation process. Moreover, community-based organisations and women's groups must be integral to local decision-making. They bring deep knowledge of land, water, and livelihoods—and they understand how climate change reshapes each. Stories of Success Bangladesh is already home to inspiring examples. In the coastal belt, women farmers are cultivating salinity-tolerant rice, proving that resilience can take root in the toughest soils. The FAO reports that "empowering women in agricultural innovation can increase household resilience by up to 30%." Scaling such efforts through national agricultural extension services could revolutionise climate-smart farming. Meanwhile, women-led emergency response teams in disaster-prone regions are redefining leadership. Trained in early warning systems and community response, these women are saving lives while challenging old stereotypes. Programmes like these, if institutionalised and replicated nationwide, could make disaster management more inclusive and effective. The Financing for Development (FFD) Seville Forum (2024) aptly concluded that "gender-responsive adaptation models succeed when community ownership and fiscal decentralisation go hand in hand, ensuring that women not only benefit but lead." Financing Fairness Access to finance remains one of the greatest barriers for women in the climate space. Too often, global and national funds are locked behind complex application systems. Simplified, decentralised funding channels—especially those managed locally—could change this. Decentralised climate funds, vouchers for clean technologies, and micro-grants for women-led enterprises are practical steps. On a larger scale, establishing a Women's Climate Fund could ensure that women's voices shape the financial flows of adaptation and mitigation. The FFD Seville Forum further urged the "localisation of climate finance through transparent community mechanisms prioritising women and informal workers." Capacity and Confidence Knowledge is another form of power. Building local capacity is essential—training women and officials in gender-responsive climate planning, data collection, and proposal writing can bridge the gap between policy and implementation. UN Women reminds us that "capacity building transforms women from beneficiaries into decision-makers." Technical training in renewable energy, water management, and agroforestry can also unlock green livelihoods for women. When climate action creates jobs and skills, it fosters long-term empowerment. The Data Divide One reason gender often gets sidelined in climate planning is the lack of gender-disaggregated data. Without it, policymakers can't measure progress—or inequality. As the IPCC emphasises, "gender-disaggregated data enhances the transparency and fairness of adaptation monitoring frameworks." Tracking metrics like women's land ownership, participation in disaster committees, or reduction in unpaid care work helps governments see whether their policies truly deliver for women. The Private Sector's Part Private companies, too, have a stake in equitable climate solutions. From clean energy to sustainable agriculture, firms can build inclusive supply chains by sourcing from women-led businesses, ensuring wage equality, and supporting safe, flexible workplaces. The UN Global Compact calls this "the business imperative for a just and inclusive transition." When the private sector invests in gender equality—through training, fair recruitment, and childcare infrastructure—it not only uplifts women but strengthens entire industries. The Bigger Picture Ultimately, climate resilience and gender equality are two sides of the same coin. The World Economic Forum (2025) notes that "inclusive climate governance is not only an ethical imperative but an economic necessity for a resilient global transition." A specific public budget for financing ccGAP needs to be declared and adopted by the government now. Bangladesh's ccGAP offers a practical path towards that vision—if its implementation is fully resourced and locally owned. The challenge is not merely to protect women from climate impacts, but to position them as architects of the solutions. The women planting mangroves, repairing embankments, or wiring solar panels are already adapting to the future. It's time that institutions, budgets, and businesses catch up with their courage. Farah Kabir is the Country Director of ActionAid Bangladesh.