By Rita Bhowmick (Dhaka Bureau)
For Bangladesh, a country at the absolute frontline of the global climate crisis, adaptation is not merely a technical fix; it is a profound social and gender-transformative shift. At a national workshop organized by UN Women Bangladesh on June 28, 2026, at Aloki, Dhaka, international development partners, policymakers, and grassroots climate champions converged to deliver a definitive message: women’s leadership must be at the very center of Bangladesh’s climate response.
The national lessons learned and scale-up workshop was held under the banner of ‘EmPower: Women for Climate-Resilient Societies Phase II,’ a flagship initiative supported by the Governments of Sweden, Switzerland, Germany, and New Zealand. The event bridged the gap between raw grassroots experiences and high-level policy, mapping out scalable pathways for gender-responsive climate action.
Beyond Numbers: Stories of Human Transformation
Co-implemented by UN Women and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) across Bangladesh, Cambodia, and Vietnam, the EmPower project is fueling a quiet revolution. In Bangladesh, the project operates across ten upazilas in five of the country’s most ecologically vulnerable districts-Khulna, Satkhira, Jamalpur, Kurigram, and Cox’s Bazar. It consciously reframes women not as passive victims of climate degradation, but as primary architects of climate solutions.
* Direct Impact: 33,284 women have been equipped with climate-resilient livelihoods and clean energy services.
* Broader Reach: The initiative has positively impacted approximately 1.6 million people.
* Inclusive Finance: USD 3 million has been mobilized to support 308 women-led renewable energy enterprises.
‘Behind all the numbers are women with stronger livelihoods, cleaner energy, greater confidence, and a stronger voice in shaping climate solutions. Climate commitments matter most when they touch the lives of women and girls- when they are financed, localized, measurable, and led by the women most affected by climate change’- Gitanjali Singh, Representative, UN Women Bangladesh.
From Grassroots to National Policy
Inaugurating the workshop as the Chief Guest, Mr. Abu Zafar Md. Zahid Hossain, MP, Honourable Minister for the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs and Social Welfare, emphasized the urgency of translating community-level innovation into a national framework and investment. ‘When education, skills, and confidence come together, women can speak clearly, make decisions, and lead change in their communities,’ he stated.
Farida Yasmin, a climate champion representing the Nari Associate for Revival and Initiative from the river-eroded district of Kurigram, shared her lived reality during a panel discussion: ‘EmPower has been a journey of collective leadership. We are now equipped with the knowledge and confidence to negotiate on issues that affect our lives and claim our rightful seat at the table.’
Reshaping the Global Narrative
The dialogue underscored how these local successes are rewriting global perceptions. Ashish Damle, Country Director of Oxfam in Bangladesh, described the initiative as a collective national vision rather than a standalone project. He noted that the platform has the potential to reshape the global narrative about Bangladesh- shifting its image from a country seeking support to an international contributor of knowledge, expertise, and climate innovation.
The event also marked the official launch of the EmPower Bangladesh webpage to democratize access to climate knowledge products. Simultaneously, a powerful photo exhibition was inaugurated, showcasing raw, striking visuals captured by members of the Women in Climate Action Network (WCAN), documenting women-led adaptation on the ground.
At the event, the Minister of Women and Children Affairs and Social Welfare inaugurated a photo exhibition featuring stories of the fight against climate change captured by female photographers from the ‘Women in Climate Action Network’ (WCAN), as well as the ‘Empower Bangladesh’ webpage. Photo- Collected.
As Bangladesh transitions from a lower- to a middle-income country, diplomatic representatives- including Ms. Nayoka Martinez-Bäckström, First Secretary at the Embassy of Sweden- reaffirmed that gender-responsive climate actions are no longer optional. They are a practical, highly scalable, and smart investment for a sustainable future.
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The Writer:
Rita Bhowmick: Senior Journalist and Staff Correspondent, Pressenza- Dhaka Bureau.
