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.
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.
© 2018, Rohingya young women in Cox’s Bazaar refugee camp, during GNWP literacy workshop
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Updates on the Young Women Leaders for Peace in Bangladesh