Bangladesh Seeks UN Women Support on Digital Harassment and Women’s Empowerment

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam has sought stronger cooperation from UN Women in advancing women’s empowerment, addressing digital harassment and tackling the disproportionate effects of climate change on women and girls in Bangladesh.

The state minister made the remarks during a meeting with Gitanjali Singh, Country Representative of UN Women in Bangladesh, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka. The discussion focused on women’s rights, gender equality, climate vulnerability, the Rohingya crisis and Bangladesh’s upcoming international engagements on women’s issues.

During the meeting, Singh briefed the state minister on UN Women’s ongoing programmes in Bangladesh aimed at promoting women’s empowerment and gender equality. She also expressed appreciation for the continued support provided by the Bangladesh government to facilitate the organisation’s activities and fulfil its mandate.

Shama Obaed highlighted several government initiatives aimed at expanding opportunities for women and girls. She pointed to efforts to improve access to education for girls and introduce people-centred programmes, including Family Cards and Farmer Cards, as part of broader measures to strengthen social and economic inclusion.

A key issue discussed during the meeting was Bangladesh’s proposal to establish a Global Platform to Address Digital Harassment against Women. The state minister sought UN Women’s support and partnership in developing and advancing the proposed initiative, which is intended to address growing concerns surrounding online abuse and harassment targeting women.

The state minister also called for continued cooperation from UN Women in responding to the gender-specific impacts of climate change. She stressed that women and girls often face disproportionate challenges as a result of climate-related displacement, economic vulnerability and disruptions to essential services.

The Rohingya crisis was another major focus of the discussions. Shama Obaed emphasised the need for continued cooperation from UN agencies to support the early, safe and sustainable return of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar.

She also highlighted the humanitarian funding shortages affecting the Rohingya response and stressed the importance of ensuring justice and accountability for serious violations committed against Rohingya women and girls in Myanmar.

The state minister and the UN Women country representative further discussed Bangladesh’s preparations for its upcoming engagements related to the 71st Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).

They also exchanged views on Bangladesh’s national reports concerning the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). The two sides discussed the way forward for developing the country’s next National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (NAP-WPS).

The meeting reflects Bangladesh’s continued engagement with UN Women on gender equality and women’s rights while the government seeks greater international cooperation on emerging challenges, including digital harassment and climate change.

The discussions also highlighted the importance of international partnerships in addressing the humanitarian needs of Rohingya women and girls and ensuring that gender-related concerns remain central to Bangladesh’s broader development and foreign policy priorities.