To mark International Women’s Day, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Bangladesh on Wednesday organised an Open Mic event at Shahabuddin Park in the city’s Gulshan area to raise their voices for the rights, justice and empowerment of women and girls across the country.

With the global theme “Rights, Justice, Action: For All Women and Girls,” the event created a public platform for women, girls, men and boys to share their reflections, commitments and aspirations for a more equal Bangladesh.

Foreign Adviser lauds UNFPA’s role in maternal health, gender equity in Bangladesh

Addressing the gathering, UNFPA Representative in Bangladesh Catherine Breen Kamkong thanked participants for their courage and engagement, emphasizing that meaningful change begins by listening to communities.

“Policies and programmes are strongest when they reflect and are guided by real voices and lived experiences,” the UNFPA Representative said. “At UNFPA, we are committed to preventing violence against women and girls, ending child marriage, reducing adolescent pregnancy, ending preventable maternal deaths and ensuring access to sexual and reproductive health and rights. But sustainable progress requires collective action, and that starts with dialogue.”

Bangladesh has made significant progress in advancing gender equality. However, challenges remain as violence against women continues to affect millions, child marriage persists as a reality for almost half of all adolescent girls, mothers still die in pregnancy and birth, and many women and girls still face barriers in exercising full agency over their health and life choices.

“Many girls are still discouraged from studying technology and engineering, and too often they face cyber-bullying and online harassment. Initiatives like Alapon Helpline help adolescents to have a safe space to openly share their struggles, talk about mental health, and support each other. When young people feel heard, they find strength and hope to move forward,” said Farhana Sadika, a student at the United International University speaking at the Open Mic event about the challenges girls face in her community.

The Open Mic event was held as part of UNFPA Bangladesh’s broader International Women’s Day campaign, which aims to highlight data, personal stories and community voices to drive action on women’s and girls’ rights.