Seven major national and international organizations have formed a new platform, the Advancing Equality and Justice Coalition, calling for women’s and children’s rights to be placed at the center of political commitments ahead of Bangladesh’s February 2025 national elections. The coalition brings together Breaking the Silence, Jaago Foundation, Manusher Jonno Foundation, Oxfam in Bangladesh, Plan International Bangladesh, Save the Children in Bangladesh and WaterAid Bangladesh.
The coalition has begun consultations, data reviews, and community-level discussions across urban, rural and climate-vulnerable regions to identify urgent priorities. Members emphasized that women—who make up 50.8% of the population—and children—33%—continue to be underserved in political agendas, despite widespread issues such as gender-based violence, child marriage, unsafe migration, malnutrition, and climate-related displacement. Recent data highlight the scale: 70% of married women have experienced intimate partner violence (VAW Survey 2024), and Bangladesh has Asia’s highest child marriage rate at 51.4%.
Children in char, coastal and informal settlements face continued deprivation in health, education and safety, with children with disabilities particularly excluded. Climate risks also remain critical, with projections estimating up to 19 million people could be displaced by 2050, disproportionately affecting women and children.
Ahead of their December 14 dialogue with political parties, the coalition has identified five priority areas requiring firm commitments: education; health and nutrition; protection; climate risks; diversity, inclusion and WASH. They urged all political parties to adopt evidence-based, adequately funded and inclusive policies that reflect the lived realities of women and children and to ensure their needs are not sidelined in national decision-making.
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