By Rita Bhowmick (Dhaka Bureau)
Bangladesh has taken a groundbreaking step toward ensuring the rights of marginalized communities and achieving gender equality in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). An ‘Advocacy Session on Gender-Segregated Data Collection’ was recently held in the capital, Dhaka, organized jointly by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) Bangladesh and the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS). Organized under the ‘Accelerate SDG Localization in Bangladesh’ project, the primary objective of this session was to ensure inclusivity in policymaking through the collection of accurate information and data at the local level.
Implemented through a joint partnership between UNOPS and UN Women, this flagship project aims to develop an effective ‘Bangladesh Model’ for localizing SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions).
The importance of gender-disaggregated data in building an inclusive society is paramount. Representatives from various district administrations, local government institutions, civil society organizations, women’s think tanks, and senior BBS officials of the Government of Bangladesh participated in this advocacy session. Speakers noted that while BBS serves as the national custodian of official statistics, active grassroots engagement remains essential to translate local realities into actionable policies.
Mr. Mohammad Obaidul Islam, Director General (ad interim) of BBS, graced the event as the chief guest, with Mr. Md. Emdadul Haque, Director of the Demography and Health Wing, presiding over the session. Additionally, Ms. Shirin Sultana, Partnership Advisor at UNOPS, and Mr. Md. Alamgir Hossen, Focal Point of the SDG Cell, were present at the event and emphasized the modernization of local data systems.
Aligning with the Government of Bangladesh’s ‘39+1’ National Priority Targets, the session featured detailed discussions on the sub-national indicators of SDG 5 and SDG 16. The key technical focus areas included:
* Economic Empowerment: Accurately tracking female labor force participation.
* Social Protection: Reducing child marriage and improving birth registration systems.
* Governance and Leadership: Enhancing women’s representation and participation in local governance.
* Safety and Justice: Strengthening institutional responsiveness to women’s safety concerns and improving access to legal aid.
Through this initiative, a strong commitment has been fostered among local authorities to maintain gender-disaggregated datasets and report them regularly into the National ‘SDG Tracker’.
As part of the project, a robust network of 190 ‘SDG Data Champions’ is being established across the Dhaka, Rajshahi, and Chittagong divisions. These data champions will play a pivotal role in maintaining the quality of local data systems and implementing gender-responsive policies, driving Bangladesh one step closer to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
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The Writer:
Rita Bhowmick: Senior journalist and Staff Correspondent, Pressenza- Dhaka Bureau.
