Women’s political participation, representation and leadership remain fundamental to strengthening democratic governance and inclusive decision-making in Bangladesh. Although progress has been made over the years, women continue to face significant barriers including violence against women in politics and elections (VAWP/E), limited representation in political party structures and gaps in implementing the Representation of the People Order (RPO).
To address these challenges and promote evidence-based dialogue, WAVE Foundation, in partnership with ActionAid Bangladesh, organized a day-long National Symposium on “Advancing Women’s Political Participation, Representation and Leadership” on 27 June 2026 at Hotel InterContinental, Dhaka. The event was organized under the Strengthening Institutional Capacity for Democratic Reforms through Gender-Responsive and Inclusive Participation in Decision-Making in Bangladesh (GRIP) Project. The symposium was supported by UN Electoral Assistance Program (BALLOT & DRIP) with funding from the Governments of Australia, Canada, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. A total of 126 participants including representatives from the Bangladesh Election Commission, Members of Parliament, Political Parties, Diplomatic Missions, UN Agencies, Civil Society Organizations, Academia, grassroots women leaders, persons with disabilities, the third gender community and religious and ethnic minorities, attended the event.
The symposium served as a national platform to disseminate research findings on the implementation of the Representation of the People Order (RPO), amplify the experiences of women political leaders and facilitate dialogue on addressing Violence against Women in Politics and Elections (VAWP/E) while promoting more inclusive electoral processes.
Opening the symposium, Mohsin Ali, Founder and Executive Director of WAVE Foundation, highlighted the achievements of the GRIP Project including the development of a gender-sensitivity module for the Electoral Training Institute of the Bangladesh Election Commission through which 40 master trainers and 160 field-level officials have already been trained. During the technical session, Sanaiyya Faheem Ansari presented findings from the national RPO study, revealing that although 87.3 percent of respondents were aware of the provision requiring political parties to reserve 33 percent of committee positions for women by 2030, 72 percent believed the target was unlikely to be achieved due to weak implementation, opaque nomination processes and persistent financial and social barriers.
Speaking during the inaugural session, Gitanjali Singh, Country Representative of UN Women Bangladesh, remarked, “When women are excluded from the highest levels of leadership, we all lose, as societies forfeit the more equitable, responsive governance that gender-balanced leadership makes possible.” Throughout the symposium, speakers and panelists emphasized the need for stronger institutional reforms, transparent nomination processes, safer digital spaces, enforceable quotas and sustained political commitment to ensure women’s meaningful participation in political decision-making.
These issues were further explored during two interactive panel discussions on women’s representation in local government and Violence Against Women in Politics (VAWP) where participants highlighted structural barriers including family and political party gatekeeping, economic dependency and the limitations of the reserved-seat system. Members of Parliament Sanjida Islam Tuli and Nusrat Tabassum reflected on the significant role women played during the July 2024 mass uprising while expressing concern over their continued marginalization in political spaces. They emphasized the need for greater political inclusion, stronger legal protection against online harassment, and a more enabling environment for women to exercise leadership.
The second panel explored findings from a national qualitative study on VAWP highlighting the under-reporting of political violence against women, emerging risks associated with non-partisan local government elections and recent amendments to the Electoral Code of Conduct aimed at addressing gender-based digital misinformation. Rasheda Begum Hira, MP, emphasized, “Democratic reform will only happen when we give women the dignity they deserve in their respective spaces and utilize their capabilities for the country, just as we do for men based on their talents.” Concluding the discussions, Md. Anwarul Islam Sarker, Election Commissioner, Bangladesh Election Commission, noted that character assassination remains one of the primary tools used to discourage women from participating in politics, underscoring the need for a safer and more enabling political environment for women.
The symposium concluded with the presentation of a consensus-driven draft charter, “Demands for Women’s Political Empowerment,” developed through nationwide consultations. The charter outlined key recommendations for strengthening women’s political participation, representation, and leadership in Bangladesh.
Key outcomes of the symposium included:
- Presentation and validation of national RPO-implementation research findings and a qualitative study on violence against women in politics (VAWP), grounding the discussion in evidence.
- A consensus-driven draft charter, ‘Demands for Women’s Political Empowerment,’ covering internal party democratic reform, electoral financing mechanisms, decentralized reserved-seat reforms, RPO amendments aligned with CEDAW and the Beijing Platform for Action and mandatory anti-VAWP grievance mechanisms.
- Public commitments and recommendations from the Bangladesh Election Commission, political parties across the spectrum, UN agencies and diplomatic missions on strengthening RPO enforcement and electoral safety for women.
- Increased cross-party and cross-sector consensus and networking among government, political parties, development partners, civil society and grassroots women leaders on advancing women’s political participation ahead of the local government elections.
- Wide national media coverage of the symposium and its findings across print, online and broadcast outlets.
The symposium reaffirmed the collective commitment to advancing women’s political participation, representation and leadership in Bangladesh. It also laid the foundation for stronger collaboration and sustained action towards building a more inclusive and gender-responsive democratic future.
