POWER IN PEOPLE
Two words - but they put together so much! We are talking thousands of children making friends with equal number of sponsors, while ActionAid and partners make the bridge. Together is a key word in this connection, this friendship. Joining hands brings magic.
Women's Rights and Gender Equity
Every woman has the right to live free from violence, discrimination, and fear. We work to ensure safety, voice, and economic freedom for women and girls across Bangladesh.
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Resilience and Climate Justice
Floods, cyclones, and climate shocks destroy lives. We help communities prepare, respond, and rebuild - with dignity and long-term resilience.
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Youth and Just Society
Young people are not just the future - they are powerful agents of change today. We empower youth to lead, advocate, and build a just society.
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Child Sponsorship and Child Rights Programme
Thousands of children making friends with sponsors, while ActionAid and partners make the bridge. Together is a key word in this connection, this friendship. Joining hands brings magic.
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Humanitarian Programme
From rapid emergency response during floods, cyclones, and humanitarian crises to long-term recovery and resilience building, ActionAid works alongside communities to ensure access to food, safe shelter, clean water, and protection services. The programme is particularly active in climate-vulnerable coastal regions and in the Rohingya refugee response in Cox’s Bazar, where it supports women-led initiatives, safe spaces, and essential services.
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Rohingya Response Programme
Our Rohingya Response Programme supports communities affected by displacement. We provide emergency relief, livelihood support, and long-term resilience-building programs.
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Csp Vi
Read the reportImpact In Numbers
10,76,958
Total Reach
17,960
Reproductive Health Related Service
12,695
Women Engaged in Diverse Livelihoods Options
476,039
Children Reached
38.0M
Digital media Outreach
101,090
Rohingya Response
Stories Of Change
Impact Stories
From Matchmaker To Change Maker: Shahjahan Sheikh’s Stand Against Child Marriage
Shahjahan Sheikh is a local matchmaker living in Chondrakhali village of Rampal Upazila under Bagerhat district. For many years, he has been working as a matchmaker in his community. He prefers this work over other jobs because people respect him for this role and he also earns some money from arranging marriages. Although his income is small, it helps him support his family. In the past, Shahjahan Sheikh arranged marriages without considering the legal age of the bride and groom. That time, he was mainly focused on earning money and did not contemplate the harmful effects of child marriage. He never considered whether the couple were mentally, physically, or socially ready for marriage. By 17th November 2025, Shahjahan Sheikh participated in a Value Clarification Session organised by the SHOMBHABANA Project at Rampal Upazila Parishad. Implemented by JJS, this initiative is funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bangladesh, with technical support from UNFPA Bangladesh. Through this session, he learned about the legal age of marriage, the laws related to child marriage, and the punishments for arranging or supporting child marriage. He also learnt about the negative impacts of early marriage, such as health risks, early pregnancy, domestic violence, school dropouts, poverty, and lack of decision-making capacity. After returning home, Shahjahan Sheikh reflected deeply on what he had learned. He recalled many of the marriages he had arranged in the past where the couples were underage. He realised that most of those couples were not living happy married lives. Many young girls were suffering from poor health due to early pregnancy. Some couples were facing domestic violence and family conflicts. Many had to stop their education and were forced to work as day labourers, leading to a life of poverty. Due to lack of education and life skills, they also faced difficulties in managing their families. When he compared these couples with those he had married at a legal and mature age, he found a clear difference. The adult couples were more educated, financially stable, healthier, and living more peaceful family lives. This realisation made him feel deeply sad and guilty about his past actions. He strongly regretted arranging child marriages and promised himself that he would never again arrange any marriage before the legal age. A few days later, Shahjahan Sheikh received an offer to arrange the marriage. At the first Shahjahan check the birth certificate of the girl and found that the age is 17 year 154 days. This time, he immediately refused because the under ages of the girl. He explained to the girl’s guardians the dangers and long-term problems of early marriage. He talked about health risks, early childbirth, loss of education, and family violence. He also informed them about the marriage law and the legal punishment for child marriage. Even though the guardians offered him a large amount of money, Shahjahan Sheikh remained strong in his decision and refused the offer. After listening to his explanation, the guardians understood the risks and finally decided to wait until their daughter reached the legal age for marriage. By preventing this child marriage, Shahjahan Sheikh felt proud and satisfied. He realized that he had done a noble and responsible act. Now, he actively shares his knowledge with friends, neighbors, and other matchmakers in his community. He advises parents not to marry off their daughters early and encourages them to ensure education, safety, and a secure future for their children.
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Impact Stories
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.
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Impact Stories
Story Of Ashesh Chakma
I hope I will utilize the knowledge received from training on journalism and will contribute in community development through my writing - Ashesh Chakma from Thanchi. Ashesh Chakma is 16 years old. He reads in class 10. He loves to draw pictures and play different games. But in leisure time he enjoys writing most. Usually he loves writing poems. In 2010 ActionAid formed the community Journalist Group (This group consists of 17 members like community children, teachers, local journalist, and staffs of partner organizations etc. This group prepares features on the problems, achievements and prospects of the children, women & the marginalized and organizes for publication twice in a year in local and national news media) in Thanchi. To me it was really great to be engaged with such group as writing is one of my favorite time passes. Besides, I have the dream to do something better for my community. Our hilly area has been moving with many problems like geographical diversity, natural disaster, lack of Government services, food scarcity etc. Besides, we have achievements and prospects as well. So, I feel we should share all these things with our community where Community Journalist Group can play the vital role. ActionAid has been supporting CJG in Thanchi enabling them through capacity building training since 2012. In its continuation Ashesh Chakma received two-day long training on Journalism with the support of Thanchi Press Club in 2016. I am news editor of our CJG. Training on Journalism enhances my knowledge in various ways. Now I know how to write news, capture photographs, collect information etc. Other 16 members also joined the training and we hope this training will be equally helpful for all of us. I thank ActionAid for running our Community Journalist Group and supporting us to participate in community development.
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Impact Stories
From Struggle To Strength: Salema Khatun’s Journey Of Hope
Salema Khatun, a resilient mother of four, lives in Camp-26 in Teknaf, home to the world’s largest Rohingya refugee settlement. After losing her husband, she became the sole provider for her family, facing immense hardship. Her days were spent running a small floating shop across the camp, but the income was never enough to meet even the basic needs of her children—food, education, and healthcare remained out of reach. “I used to worry every day about how to feed my children. I worked hard, but it was never enough,” Salema shared. Her life began to change when she was selected to join the Natural Resource Management (NRM) project, implemented by ActionAid Bangladesh. The Natural Resource Management (NRM) project, implemented by ActionAid as a cooperating partner of the World Food Programme (WFP), has become a beacon of hope for thousands of displaced individuals. Designed to strengthen natural resource management, the initiative promotes resilient communities, supports sustainable livelihoods, and champions environmental sustainability. Through the project’s Nature-based Solutions (NbS) scheme, Salema received training and support to engage in sustainable resource management activities. Though she started without any formal skills, her determination and work ethic quickly made her a valued participant. The project gave her more than just an income; it gave her confidence, dignity, and a renewed sense of purpose. With her earnings, Salema can now provide food, education, and other essentials for her children, offering them a more secure and hopeful future. “Thanks to ActionAid Bangladesh, I’ve gained skills and can now support my family. I want to keep working and help others like me,” she said proudly. Salema’s transformation is a powerful example of how targeted support and sustainable livelihood opportunities can uplift vulnerable women. Through the NRM project, she broke the cycle of poverty and became a role model in her community. Her story is a testament to the impact of empowering women through nature-based solutions—proving that with the right support, resilience can flourish even in the most challenging circumstances.
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Event
Feminist Green Action Award 2026
On the evening of June 20, the spotlight was entirely on the brilliant young minds and grassroots entrepreneurs! To celebrate their effort for driving a just and feminist transition, we hosted the 'Feminist Green Action Award 2026' for the second consecutive year. Moderated by our Country Director, Farah Kabir, the event featured Ekushey Padak-winning veteran actor Afzal Hossain and corporate lawyer & business leader Barrister Nihad Kabir as spotlight speakers. This year, 3 organisations were awarded across two categories—Youth-Led Green Business and Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs)—for their exceptional contributions to tackling the climate crisis and driving sustainable development. Award Winners: 🏆 Swachha – Eco-friendly waste management and recycling. 🏆 World Linkup – Promoting climate awareness and green technology. 🏆 Classical Handmade Products BD Ltd. – Manufacturing eco-friendly handicrafts using local raw materials. Beyond the main awards, we took a moment to honour Sharmin Akhter (a trailblazing woman entrepreneur from Bogura) and Soleman Ali (a visionary solar-energy entrepreneur from Thakurgaon) for their exceptional impact on environmental sustainability and creating local jobs! The festive night concluded beautifully with a captivating cultural performance by musician Warda Ashraf. 🎶
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Event
Global Climate Strike 2026
Carrying the slogan “No Future Without Nature”, more than a hundred young people took to the streets on 8 May, 2026, demanding a fossil fuel-free world. The climate strike was held on Friday morning at Manik Mia Avenue in the capital, marking the Global Climate Strike. The programme brought together young representatives from 30 youth organisations across the country and eight global platform youth hubs, alongside ActionAid Bangladesh. During the demonstration, young climate activists called for an immediate end to fossil fuel dependency and demanded a systematic shift towards renewable energy through a just transition. As part of the protest, demonstrators displayed a giant “monster” made from discarded plastic, symbolising the devastating impact of plastic pollution and fossil fuels on the environment. Activists also staged a symbolic performance wearing masks to highlight the health risks associated with fossil fuel use. A rally was later held along Manik Mia Avenue following the gathering. Alongside Dhaka, thousands of young people joined the movement in 27 other districts across the country. Members of the ‘Activista’ network organised marches and rallies in different parts of the country, including Chattogram, Khulna, Barishal and Sylhet, demanding climate justice. The Global Climate Strike is observed worldwide every year under the ‘Fund Our Future’ campaign. In Bangladesh, a broad coalition of youth organisations joined the movement in solidarity with the ‘Fund Our Future’ campaign of ActionAid Bangladesh and the call of . The movement demanding an end to harmful fossil fuels and greater investment in renewable energy includes Ashar Alo Youth Welfare Association, Climate Frontier, EcoBangla, Future Flare Foundation, Green Peace Youth Deployment Society, Janakallayan Shangstha, Kashful Foundation, Mission Green Bangladesh, OAB Foundation (Over All Bangladesh Foundation), Odommo’19 Youth Foundation, Rongmohol for Youth, Rupnator, Society for Action and Development Alternative (SADA), Sharub Youth Team, SHBO (Service for Human Being Organization), Shopno Proyash Jubo Sangstha, Shurjodoy Youth Society, The Nutrification, The Shundarbans, United National Cultural Organization for Rural Area (UNCORA), Weave Bangladesh, Youth Action for Social Development. (YASD), Young Climate Action Network (YOUCAN), Youth Action for Development (YAD), Youth for Uplift Bangladesh
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Event
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
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Event
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.
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Media Coverage
Media Coverage
The Future Of Justice In Asia Lies At The Margins
Asia is no longer managing isolated crises. It is entering an age of polycrisis, where climate shocks, economic insecurity, democratic strain, displacement and deepening inequality collide. The political question is no longer simply how to manage disruption. It is whether institutions can retain legitimacy while societies are already being forced to transform. These crises do not unfold separately. A flood becomes unemployment. Unemployment becomes migration. Migration becomes exploitation. Economic insecurity deepens gender-based violence. Climate shocks intensify food stress and political anxiety. Across every rupture, it is care — largely unpaid and feminised — that absorbs the damage. Young people inherit not stability, but permanent uncertainty. Yet much of the policy and development response still treats these realities as separate domains: climate as environmental policy, labour as economics, gender as social inclusion, migration as humanitarian management and youth as engagement programming. But life is not lived in sectors. A young informal worker displaced by climate disaster does not separate survival from dignity, labour from gender justice or mental health from economic insecurity. A woman in an informal settlement does not experience "gender" apart from food prices, violence, housing and climate risk. A migrant worker does not separate exploitation from the political and economic systems that made exploitation possible. The development architecture that shaped much of Asia's institutional response was built for isolated problems. It is increasingly mismatched with a region defined by interconnected shocks and accelerated transition. The deeper crisis, however, is not only systemic. It is narrative. Too often, dominant stories still frame communities as vulnerable, women as victims, youth as future leaders, informal workers as invisible and climate-affected populations as passive recipients of aid. But across Asia, those most affected by crisis are already leading transformation. Informal workers sustain economies that formal systems depend on but rarely recognise. Women hold together households and communities through unpaid care work, mutual aid and survival networks. Young people are building political and digital movements outside traditional institutions. Climate-affected communities are redesigning livelihoods, migration pathways and adaptation strategies in real time. The future is already being made at the margins. In Bangladesh, this is visible in the coastal belt, where salinity, flooding and displacement are reshaping everyday life. It is visible in the informal settlements of Dhaka, where workers keep urban economies functioning while carrying extraordinary insecurity. It is visible in women-led community networks that quietly absorb the hidden burdens of food, care and survival. These are not exceptions. They are early signals of how transition is already being negotiated across Asia. Feminist political economy has long helped make this visible. Economies do not simply run on markets and productivity. They also depend on care, social reproduction and community resilience — work that is systematically undervalued because women disproportionately carry it. As Vandana Shiva has argued for decades, the real crisis is not scarcity itself, but systems that destroy ecological and social resilience while concentrating power. Across Asia, what communities are defending is not only livelihood, but life itself: dignity, autonomy and the right to survive without being sacrificed to extractive models of growth. From this perspective, polycrisis is not gender-neutral. It is intensified by patriarchal systems that normalise unequal care burdens, unequal safety, unequal wages and unequal access to decision-making power. That matters politically. The concentration of power still determines whose labour is visible, whose suffering is normalised, whose knowledge counts and whose futures are prioritised. Ignoring youth precarity, informal labour insecurity and unequal care burdens is no longer only a social failure. It is a governance risk. Yet institutional responses often return to the language of resilience — the ability of communities to absorb shocks and continue functioning. But resilience without justice can become a dangerous idea: a way of asking people to endure systems that continue to harm them. The question is not only how communities cope. It must also be why they must. More urgently, it must ask what has to change so that survival is not the permanent condition of the most marginalised. This is where feminist movements across Asia offer more than critique. They offer political direction. For decades, they have argued for redistribution of power and resources, recognition of care economies, labour protections for informal and precarious workers, bodily autonomy, freedom from violence, and climate justice rooted in equity rather than extraction. In other words, the challenge is not simply inclusion. It is a transition. If institutions are serious about remaining relevant, they must move beyond inclusion as language and towards redistribution as practice: from beneficiaries to co-creators, from participation to decision-making power, from service delivery to systems change, and from institutional authority to community legitimacy. The institutions that will matter in the next decade will not simply be those that manage emergencies more efficiently. They will be those willing to recognise that the people most affected by the crisis are already designing alternatives — through informal economies, feminist networks of care, youth-led mobilisation and community-led adaptation. Relevance today is not about sounding progressive. It is about deciding whether institutions are willing to transform alongside the world that is already changing around them. In an age of polycrisis, the question is no longer whether change is coming. It is whether those with power are willing to follow those who are already leading it. Author: Farah Kabir, Country Director, ActionAid Bangladesh Source:
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Media Coverage
Myth Of Just Transition
The climate crisis is accelerating, yet public support for climate action is fraying under the weight of rising living costs and deepening economic insecurity. Around the world, people are being asked to shoulder transitions they neither designed nor meaningfully benefit from. If climate policies continue to ignore everyday realities, especially those of women, workers and marginalised communities, resistance is not only inevitable but also justified. This is where the idea of a ‘just transition’ was meant to change the script: placing people, rights and livelihoods at the centre of climate action. But new research from ActionAid shows how far rhetoric has drifted from reality. The numbers are stark. Just 2.8 per cent of multilateral climate mitigation finance — roughly $630m over more than a decade — has gone towards supporting just transitions. That is one dollar in every 35. Fewer than 2 per cent of projects funded by major climate funds meaningfully engage workers, women or communities. In practice, the ‘just transition’ risks becoming little more than a slogan: invoked in speeches, absent in delivery. This failure is not gender neutral. Women, particularly in the global south, are disproportionately affected by both climate breakdown and poorly designed transitions. They are more likely to bear the burden of unpaid care work, face systemic barriers to land, finance and technology, and remain excluded from decision-making spaces. When climate policies overlook these inequalities, they reinforce them. A transition that sidelines women is not just unjust; it is structurally unsound and ultimately less effective. At the same time, the industries most responsible for the crisis — fossil fuels and industrial agriculture — continue to expand. The world edges ever closer to breaching the 1.5°C threshold envisioned under the Paris Agreement, exposing the deep inadequacy of current efforts. Climate finance systems, instead of correcting course, are compounding the problem: underfunding people-centred solutions while enabling business-as-usual. The imbalance is almost absurd. More has been spent on a single billionaire’s super yacht than on just transition efforts across the global south. It is a stark illustration of political priorities and of whose futures are being valued and whose are being deferred.Politics If climate action is to succeed, this must change. Wealthy, high-emitting countries must deliver grant-based public finance at the scale required — not loans, not offsets, not market-based substitutes that deepen debt and inequality. Multilateral funds must move beyond partial commitments on paper and embed just transition principles into how projects are designed, financed and evaluated, with real accountability to communities on the frontlines. Institutions that consistently fail to meet these standards must be reformed or, where necessary, phased out. At the national level, governments must move beyond narrow energy targets. Phasing out fossil fuels and harmful industrial agriculture must go hand in hand with investments in renewable energy, agro-ecology, social protection, public services and decent work. Crucially, transitions must be participatory — shaped by workers, women and communities, not imposed upon them. This means reskilling programmes that are accessible to women, social protection systems that recognise unpaid care work and policy frameworks that guarantee labour rights and community consent. These debates are no longer theoretical. Following the momentum of COP28, where governments agreed to ‘transition away from fossil fuels’, attention is shifting to how this commitment will be implemented. The Santa Marta Conference in Colombia that begins today marks an important shift: from negotiating ambition to advancing concrete, evidence-based pathways for delivery. For Bangladesh, the stakes could hardly be higher. As a climate-vulnerable country facing mounting energy pressures and foreign exchange constraints linked to fuel imports, continued dependence on fossil fuels risks locking in both economic fragility and environmental harm. Yet Bangladesh also brings valuable experience — from community-led adaptation to decentralised renewable energy — that can help shape more grounded and equitable transition pathways.Bangladesh business insights While Bangladesh is not participating in Santa Marta as a state party, its presence through civil society reflects a different, but no less important, form of engagement. Across the global south, it is often grassroots movements, feminist organisations and labour groups that have driven the demand for justice in climate action and exposed the gaps between promise and practice. That Bangladesh’s voice will be heard primarily through these channels is both a strength and a signal. It underscores the vitality of its civil society but also highlights the risk that critical perspectives from frontline countries remain underrepresented in formal decision-making spaces where alliances, financing priorities and policy directions are shaped. Engagement in Santa Marta, even outside formal state structures, is therefore not symbolic. It is a strategic opportunity for Bangladeshi civil society to shape narratives, build alliances and push for financing and policy frameworks that reflect lived realities. It also creates space to bring feminist perspectives — too often marginalised — into the centre of global transition debates. At the same time, this moment should prompt reflection at home. If Bangladesh is to align with an emerging global consensus on moving away from fossil fuels, it must ensure that its own transition pathways are equitable, participatory and gender-responsive. That means embedding just transition principles into national planning — not as an afterthought, but as a foundation. A just transition cannot remain an empty promise. It must be financed, implemented and owned by those it is meant to serve. The findings from ActionAid are a warning; but they are also a call to act with urgency and integrity. Bangladesh may not be at the formal table in Santa Marta. But it cannot afford to be absent from shaping what comes next. "If Bangladesh is to align with an emerging global consensus on moving away from fossil fuels, it must ensure that its own transition pathways are equitable, participatory and gender-responsive" Farah Kabir Country Director ActionAid Bangladesh Source:
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Media Coverage
Fifty Seats For Women, But Who Will They Really Represent?
By mid-May, the parliament will have completed the process of filling the 50 reserved seats for women. On Monday, the ruling BNP announced the names of its candidates for the 36 seats allocated to it in proportion to its representation in parliament, while Jamaat-e-Islami and others are expected to announce theirs soon. But in the wake of a mass uprising that intensified calls for parliamentary reforms—including increasing women’s reserved seats and holding direct elections for them—this otherwise routine procedure has become a test of whether the country is willing to move from symbolic inclusion to meaningful power-sharing. And unless the current system is fundamentally reimagined, it risks reinforcing the very inequalities it claims to dismantle. Ensuring equal participation and representation of women in parliament is not just a matter of democratic justice; it is foundational to democracy itself. But representation must go beyond tokenistic gestures. It must reflect the full diversity of women’s lived realities across class, ethnicity, religion, disability, and identity. Without this, inclusion becomes illusion, and democracy becomes exclusionary by design. Globally, women remain underrepresented in political life, particularly in decision-making roles. For women from historically marginalised communities, the barriers are even steeper. While many countries have adopted gender quotas to close the representation gap, few have meaningfully addressed the layered disadvantages faced by minority women. Intersectionality remains the missing piece in most political systems, including Bangladesh’s, where structural inequalities continue to shape who gets to speak, who gets to lead, and who gets left behind. The promise of gender parity in political leadership was set out decades ago, but progress has been uneven and, in many cases, superficial so far. Women continue to face structural barriers to participation: entrenched social norms, limited access to resources, and systemic discrimination within political parties themselves. These constraints shape their confidence, mobility, and access to political networks, ultimately limiting women’s capacity to lead and to act in the best interests of their communities and the nation at large. The system of reserved seats for women in parliament has undeniably increased numerical representation. But numbers alone do not equal power. Too often, women elected to these seats are treated as second-tier legislators—without direct constituencies, without independent mandates, and without meaningful control over resources. Their political survival depends not on voters, but on party leadership, reinforcing a hierarchy that sidelines their agency. In such a setting, accountability flows upwards, not outwards. When MPs owe their positions to party patronage rather than public trust, their ability and willingness to challenge party lines or advocate for transformative change is curtailed. Reserved seats, in this context, risk becoming a ceiling rather than a foundation—a mechanism that contains women’s political empowerment rather than expanding it or strengthening democratic accountability. Across the country, violence against women in politics, whether physical, psychological, or digital, remains pervasive. In the past, we have seen how women MPs have sometimes faced harassment, intimidation, and gendered attacks aimed at silencing them or diminishing their credibility. Without proper institutional safeguards and enforcement mechanisms, as well as cross-party commitments to address such abuses, the political arena will remain hostile terrain for many, deterring future generations of women leaders. Media representation often compounds this problem. Women politicians are still judged less by their ideas than by their appearance, marital status, or personal lives. This trivialisation not only undermines individual leaders but also reinforces broader societal biases that discourage women from entering public life. Given these realities, we must rethink how women are represented in politics, especially in parliament. Political parties must open up their nomination processes. At a minimum, they should be required to publish transparent, merit-based criteria for selecting women to reserved seats, prioritising prior demonstration of leadership, community engagement, and public service over loyalty to or relationships with party elites. At the same time, reserved-seat MPs must be meaningfully connected to citizens through mandatory constituency linkages or structured public consultation mechanisms so that their accountability extends beyond party hierarchies to the people. And most importantly, we must move to direct elections for these seats. Having cross-party women’s caucuses is also important. These platforms can enable women MPs to collaborate across political divides, advancing a shared agenda on issues such as gender-based violence, equitable budgeting, and social inclusion. But caucuses cannot function on symbolism alone; they require institutional backing and recognition to influence legislation, oversight, and national priorities. There are models to draw from. In some advanced democracies, women’s parliamentary forums have shown that when women organise collectively, they can shift national priorities and hold systems accountable. Bangladesh does not lack capable, committed women leaders. What it lacks is a political structure that fully enables them to exercise power independently and effectively. As the time for finalising reserved seats approaches, the public has a right to demand answers to the concerns surrounding these seats. The question is no longer whether enough women will be in parliament. The question is whether they will be allowed to matter, and sufficiently empowered to make a difference. Author: Farah Kabir, Country Director, ActionAid Bangladesh Source:
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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:
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