A high-level dialogue held in Dhaka on Sunday urged political parties to prioritise women’s and children’s rights in their election manifestos.

Seven leading national and international organisations attended the event.

Organised under the banner of the Coalition for Equality and Justice, the event convened political leaders, civil society representatives, development practitioners and members of the media for a collective push toward a more inclusive national agenda ahead of the upcoming National Parliament Election.

During the event, the coalition formally handed over its proposed position paper on women’s and children’s rights to representatives of political parties, urging its integration into their electoral commitments.

The dialogue forms part of the coalition’s wider effort to strengthen collaboration between civil society and political actors, emphasising that political commitments must translate into concrete policy action and sustained investment to ensure a fairer, more resilient and inclusive future for women and children in Bangladesh.

The coalition comprising Manusher Jonno Foundation, Breaking the Silence, JAAGO Foundation, Save the Children in Bangladesh, WaterAid Bangladesh, Plan International Bangladesh and Oxfam in Bangladesh was established to ensure that the lived experiences, needs and aspirations of women and children are meaningfully reflected in political agendas.

Shaheen Anam, Executive Director of Manusher Jonno Foundation, said that Bangladesh has made notable progress in areas such as gender parity in primary education, maternal and child health, and poverty reduction. However, without sustained political commitment and

Senior management representatives from Oxfam in Bangladesh, Save the Children in Bangladesh, WaterAid Bangladesh, Breaking the Silence, Plan International Bangladesh and the JAAGO Foundation shared their reflections, highlighting the growing challenges faced by women and children as a result of climate shocks, economic pressures, shrinking civic space and entrenched social norms.

They called for stronger enforcement of laws, increased investment in public services, expanded social protection for marginalised families and enhanced accountability mechanisms to ensure that commitments translate into tangible change.

The speakers emphasised that political parties must adopt rights-based, evidence-driven approaches and place women and children at the centre of national development priorities.