Bangladesh

 

Bangladesh

Teaching Literacy & Numeracy Skills

The Young Women Leaders program brings groups together to find common ground. In Bangladesh, local young women leader (YWL) participants of the program are providing age-appropriate, and gender-sensitive literacy and numeracy classes to over 180 Rohingya refugees and host community women in Cox’s Bazaar. In addition, classes support local young women in understanding the lives and culture of Rohingya refugees and contribute to building a more harmonious relationship between the Rohingya and the Bangladeshi host communities.

© 2018, Rohingya young women in Cox’s Bazaar refugee camp, during GNWP literacy workshop

Feminist Humanitarian Action

In this program, members are working to improve the gender-responsiveness of humanitarian action in Cox’s Bazar. GNWP supports the meaningful participation of local young women in decision-making on humanitarian action.  We work with YWL to use the Bangladesh’s National Action Plan (NAP) on UNSCR 1325 to hold INGOs, UN entities, the Bangladeshi government, and civil society accountable to their commitment to meet the urgent, intersecting needs of Rohingya and host community women and girls in Cox’s Bazar.

Literacy & Numeracy

As gender-sensitive education is the first step towards empowerment, YWL members have hosted gender-sensitive and age-appropriate fundamental literacy and numeracy classes in Bangladesh. Learning to read and write means participants can now sign their names on legal documents, read signage within refugee camps, access information distributed by government, civil society, and UN entities, helping to fulfil some of their rights as well as economic opportunities.

Reducing Community Instability

YWL members in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh have also worked to address tensions between the Rohingya refugee and host community populations. Community peacebuilding dialogues, theater performances, and economic empowerment initiatives address the root causes of the tensions and create platforms for positive interactions between the two communities.

News & Blogs

Updates on the Young Women Leaders for Peace in Bangladesh

Charting a Feminist Present and Future: Young Women for Peace and Leadership Program Recognized by the United Nations Secretary-General in Report to Security Council on UNSCR 2250

From DRC to Indonesia, from Bangladesh to South Sudan, young women defy gender and age stereotypes and act as leaders, peacebuilders and agents of change in their communities. They are first responders in humanitarian crises, prevent recruitment by violent groups by building a culture of peace, and set up small ...
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Solidarity & Peace Amidst the Pandemic: Young Women Leaders Meet Online for the First-Ever Global Dialogue

Solidarity & Peace Amidst the Pandemic: Young Women Leaders Meet Online for the First-Ever Global Dialogue April 23, 2020 by Heela Yoon and Katrina Leclerc Edited by Mavic Cabrera-Balleza and Agnieszka Fal Dutra-Santos “Afghan women have been fighting for their right to be meaningfully included in the peace process with ...
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Youth Leaders Demand Action: Analysis of the Third UN Security Council Resolution on Youth, Peace and Security

Youth Leaders Demand Action: Analysis of the Third UN Security Council Resolution on Youth, Peace and Security July 17, 2020 by Katrina Leclerc “Coming from a community where youth continue to experience violence, discrimination, limited political inclusion, and are at the brink of losing trust in the government systems, the ...
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Why Localized Feminist Humanitarian Action is Essential: Learnings from Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh

April 27, 2021 by Mallika Iyer In August 2017, the southeastern Bangladesh coastal town of Cox’s Bazar was irreversibly changed when over 700,000 Rohingya refugees fled the Myanmar military’s genocidal campaign in the Rakhine State. The majority of Rohingya refugees live in 34 extremely congested camps with precarious access to ...
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“I feel fortunate and proud of my education!” In conversation with a Rohingya Young Women Leader

Written by Anniesa Hussain, Peacebuilding Programs Intern for Asia Edited by Mallika Iyer, Asia Programs Coordinator and Humanitarian Action Specialist The Rohingya have been stateless Muslim minority group who reside in Myanmar’. There are around 1 million Rohingyas among Myanmar’s total population  of 52 million. They are recognized by the ...
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