Women’s Rights

“Students of St. Scholastica’s are ‘colegiala ’; they’re not used to advocacy work,” said the retired environmentalist nun, Sister Aida Velasquez OSB. She explained that schoolgirls in this exclusive, all-girls Catholic College are from affluent families. But she added that…

A Sustainable Future and Human Rights By Rita Bhowmick (Dhaka Bureau) The core foundation of a nation’s sustainable development and human dignity rests upon safeguarding the rights of its women, girls, and young people. Rooted in this vision, the Bangladesh…

Introduction: Gendered Governance under Authoritarianism Authoritarian regimes do not affect men and women in the same way. Rather than governing solely through coercion, they frequently exploit existing patriarchal structures to transform women’s social roles, motherhood, professional identities, and citizenship into…

By Sabrina Khan (Dhaka Bureau) Bangladesh has marked a new milestone in South Asia’s journey toward eliminating gender disparity and establishing equal rights for women in economic activities. On Friday, June 19, 2026, the nation’s first large-scale, entirely paperless ‘Women’s…

By Rita Bhowmick (Dhaka Bureau) As technology rapidly expands in Bangladesh, there is a corresponding rise in digital violence and hate speech directed at women. To address this crisis and build a discrimination-free society, experts have called for filmmakers and…

By Rita Bhowmick (Dhaka Bureau) The active participation and leadership of women in politics are prerequisites for establishing a truly democratic and just society. However, current realities suggest that despite having legal frameworks, a lack of implementation and structural discrimination…

by Rita Bhowmick (Dhaka Bureau) Discussions have commenced regarding the potential increase of reserved seats for women in Bangladesh’s National Parliament to 100, aiming to ensure effective participation and empowerment. Simultaneously, a proposal has been put forward for ‘direct elections’…

By Rita Bhowmick (Dhaka Bureau) The core theme of International Women’s Day 2026 was Rights, Justice, and Action.’ In alignment with this goal, a vibrant dialogue organized at the British Council in Dhaka showcased the dreams of Bangladesh’s youth- a…

Lowest Female Participation in 25 Years of Bangladesh Ahead of International Women’s Day 2026, a disturbing picture of women’s position in Bangladesh’s politics and society has emerged. In the recently held 13th National Parliamentary Election, the rate of female candidates…

by Rita Bhowmick, Dhaka Bureau, edited by Sharmin Rahman & Sheikh Arif (panel editor of Pressenza Dhaka Bureau) Women from all walks of life have historically played a crucial role in humanitarian movements, whether political, social, educational, or cultural. Their…