Government and development partners discuss how to advance the care economy
“It is important to recognize that ‘care’ is an integral part of us, and that need for care needs to be firstly recognized and means of redistribution of care need to be identified ...” says Simeen Hussain Rimi, State Minister ... Learn more
International financial institutions advancing gender equality
In the spirit of the global call to action "Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress", three chiefs of missions from international finance institutions offered their perspectives on investing in women to accelerate sustainable development ... Learn more
Ramping up women’s leadership in humanitarian action in Bangladesh
UN Women has supported the establishment of two new local chapters of an inter-agency working group that is strengthening women’s voices and leadership in responding to humanitarian disasters in Bangladesh. Learn more
UN Women docuseries sheds light on Global Efforts to End Violence Against Women
To commemorate International Women’s Day 2024, UN Women hosted a screening of a new documentary series “UNSILENCED: Stories of Survival, Hope and Activism” at the EMK Center, Dhaka on March 11 ... Learn more
Invest in women to accelerate progress
OP-ED by Gwyn Lewis, Gitanjali Singh and Kristine Blokhus. "Successful investments in women have already been made in Bangladesh. The number of women in the labour force increased to close to 43 per cent in 2022, up from 36 per cent five years before. Women are better educated ..." Learn more

UN Women Bangladesh

Established as a secular people’s republic in 1971, Bangladesh is the most densely populated country in theworld with a population of approximately 160 million. Bangladesh acceded to CEDAW in 1984 and continues to maintainreservations to Articles 2 and 16(1c). The Constitution recognizes equal rights for women and men in the publicsphere and there is a reasonably strong legal and policy framework guaranteeing women’s rights. The NationalWomen's Development Policy 2011 and its National Action Plan provide a base for government action to promote genderequality, and the 7th 5-year plan integrates gender equality issues across a number of sectors with some newsectoral policies addressing gender issues effectively. Currently, gender responsive budgeting is institutionalizedacross 43 ministries.

The country is internationally recognized for its good progress on a number of gender indicators. These includegender parity in primary and secondary education and maternal mortality that has declined by 66 per cent over lastfew decades, estimated at a rate of 5.5 per cent every year1.Bangladesh ranks highest in the Gender Gap Index in South Asia achieving 47th among 144 countries in theworld2.However, significant gaps remain. The rates of violence against women remain high. Almost two out of three (72.6 percent) ever-married women in Bangladesh have experienced some form of partner violence in their lifetime, and morethan half (54.7 per cent) have experienced it in the last 12 months3. Women are alsodiscriminated against in family life. In Bangladesh, marriage, divorce, custody of children, maintenance andinheritance are subject to religious law and these ‘personal laws’ often discriminate against women.

In July 2015, Bangladesh crossed the threshold to lower middle-income country (MIC). In March 2018, the country wasrecommended for LDC graduation, and is working towards officially graduating from LDC status by 2024. Much of thisgrowth has been driven by a rapidly expanding industrial sector, in particular ready-made garments (RMG) whichaccounts for more than 80 per centof Bangladesh’s exports. Macroeconomic priorities of the government includeincreasing domestic revenue (Bangladesh has the lowest tax/GDP ratio in the world at about eight per cent),expanding and diversifying trade (FDI/GDP is less than one per cent), strengthening infrastructure and energyprovision, and developing a more skilled workforce4.According to Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, the labour force participation rate in 2015-2016 was 81.9 per cent formales and 35.6 per cent for females. Of these, 95.4 per cent females and 82.3 per cent male are in informalemployment as wage labourers, self-employed persons, unpaid family labour, piece-rate workers, and other hiredlabour.

Bangladesh has a significant history of women organizing movements to claim their rights. Over the years,women’s groups have mobilized themselves and made sure their voices are heard in various issues, starting fromviolence against women, gender equality in securing economic opportunities and participation, equal representationin politics, reproductive rights, family law reforms and gender mainstreaming in public policies.

Against this backdrop, UN Women in Bangladesh’s is working with its government and civil society partners inthe following areas:

In stories

 

In videos

Women's Leadership: Pioneering Climate Action
What is UN Women?

What is ‘discrimination’ to you?
Fight for survival: tales of Bangladeshi returnee women migrant workers

Transforming the lives of women and girls in Cox’s Bazar | The Second Chance Education Programme
Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh join the campaign against gender-based violence

Call hotline number to seek help!
Share the workload!
More videos from Bangladesh

 

In photos

UN Women Cox's Bazar

UN Women helps secure lives of safety and dignity for women and girls in Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Learn more ▶

Featured publications
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Charter of Demand
Strengthening Intergenerational and Inclusive Women’s Movement in Bangladesh

This is a crucial document that represents a collective voice, uniting women from different backgrounds and generations who face multifaceted challenges and are deprived of certain opportunities ... Read more


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Manual for Inclusive and Sustainable Reintegration of Returning Migrant Workers in South Asia

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The manual is meant to support primarily policymakers, practitioners and service providers who can advocate for and enhance a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach in developing and implementing reintegration policies and practices in a coordinated manner ... Read more


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UN Women Bangladesh Newsletter | July -December 2023

The semi-annual UN Women Bangladesh Newsletter: July-December 2023 reflects on the key highlights and major updates of UN Women Bangladesh’s interventions to advance gender equality and women empowerment in the country ... Read more


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UN Women Bangladesh Newsletter | Jan-June 2023

The semi-annual UN Women Bangladesh Newsletter: Jan-June 2023 reflects on the key highlights and major updates of UN Women Bangladesh’s interventions to advance gender equality and women empowerment in the country ... Read more


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Advocacy Messages for Humanitarian Coordination Task Team (HCTT)

An initiative of the Gender in Humanitarian Action Working Group (GiHA) Bangladesh co-chaired by UN Women Bangladesh and the Department of Women’s Affairs of the government of Bangladesh ... Read more