A new initiative to strengthen women's leadership in disaster management and community peacebuilding has been launched in five climate-vulnerable districts of Bangladesh.
Titled “Nari Agragoti” (Women's Advancement), the project was launched in flood-prone Kurigram on Thursday. It is funded by the UN Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF), with technical support from UN Women Bangladesh, Youth for Change Bangladesh Foundation (YFC-BD) and YouthNet Global.
The initiative will be implemented in Kurigram, Satkhira, Feni, Sunamganj and Bandarban, where communities face challenges such as riverbank erosion, floods, coastal salinity, cyclones and flash floods.
An inception meeting was held at the conference room of the Deputy Commissioner's Office in Kurigram, with Additional Deputy Commissioner B. M. Kudrat-e-Khuda attending as the chief guest.
Among others, District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer A. T. M. Benazir Rahman, Kurigram Press Club General Secretary Mahfuzar Rahman Khandaker, YFC-BD Lead for Field Implementation and Local Engagement Zahid Kabir, and Project Coordinator Jannatunnahar Tonni were present.
Government officials, civil society representatives, elected local representatives and women from marginalised communities also attended the meeting.
During an open discussion, women from flood- and erosion-affected areas highlighted insecurity in emergency shelters, displacement, loss of livelihoods and difficulties accessing healthcare during disasters.
“Women in Kurigram are often the first to respond when floods threaten their families and communities, yet their voices are frequently missing from disaster management decisions,” said Marjia Medha, YouthNet Global's District Coordinator in Kurigram.
Through the initiative, she said, they want to create opportunities for women to develop leadership skills and participate meaningfully in decisions affecting their safety and livelihoods.
The project will provide training in disaster preparedness, emergency response and recovery, while seeking greater representation of women in Union Disaster Management Committees.
It also plans to undertake mangrove restoration in coastal areas, including Assasuni in Satkhira, with the participation of local communities and women.
The initiative will engage men and boys as allies through community dialogues and awareness activities. It will also establish community-based “Peace Circles” to address local tensions and strengthen social cohesion.
“Climate-related disasters do not affect everyone equally,” said Jahir Rayhan, Executive Director of YFC-BD.
He said the project aims to strengthen women's leadership, promote community-based peacebuilding and engage men and boys as partners in building a more inclusive and resilient society.
The initiative also contributes to the UN Women, Peace and Security Agenda, including UN Security Council Resolution 1325.
“Climate justice cannot be achieved without gender justice, and sustainable peace cannot be built while women remain excluded from decision-making,” said Sohanur Rahman, Executive Coordinator of YouthNet Global.
He said the project seeks to recognise women and girls not merely as victims of climate change but as leaders in resilience, peacebuilding and environmental stewardship, with men and boys supporting them as allies.