Marking International Women’s Day 2026, Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) organized a town hall meeting titled “Her Voice. Her Rights” under the theme “Rights. Justice. Action. For All Women and Girls.”

Shaheen Anam, Executive Director of MJF, said women have long demonstrated courage and leadership, yet still remain excluded from power, justice, and equal citizenship.

She stressed that equal rights with dignity for all were central to the country’s struggle for independence, and that this promise remains unfinished.

Wasiur Rahman Tonmoy, Lead, Youth Engagement & Social Cohesion at MJF, presented the context of the discussion, while Banasree Mitra Neogi, Director, Rights & Governance Programmes at MJF, emphasized that independence was also about rights, voice, and dignity, and that real equity must be ensured in everyday life.

The discussion also featured Jinat Ara Haque, Chief Executive of WE Can Bangladesh; Advocate Susmita Chakma, Human Rights Activist from Rangamati; Dr. Ainoon Naher, Professor, Department of Anthropology, Jahangirnagar University; and Khandaker Jahurul Alam, Executive Director of CSID.

Participants raised urgent concerns about child marriage, online gender-based violence, weak access to justice, exclusion from decision-making, low political participation of women, discrimination against transgender people, and the neglect and abuse faced by women with disabilities.

Through this town hall, MJF reaffirmed that International Women’s Day must go beyond symbolism and lead to real action for the rights, safety, dignity, and inclusion of all women and girls.

This initiative is supported by the Nagorikata: Civic Engagement Fund (CEF) Programme, funded by Switzerland, Canada and the European Union and managed by the GFA Consulting Group.