Sweden, UN Women Seal $7.1M Deal to Advance Gender Equality in Bangladesh

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28 Oct 2024, 18:18

Photo: Collected

Sweden and UN Women have solidified their partnership by signing a $7.1 million agreement today at the UN Women office in Dhaka. The funding will support the implementation of UN Women’s Strategic Note for Bangladesh, aligning with the country’s development priorities and the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) from 2022 to 2026.

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The investment aims to promote gender equality across three key areas:

Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction
Gender-Responsive Governance
Humanitarian Action, including the Rohingya Response

The initiative aligns with global frameworks like the Beijing Platform for Action, CEDAW, and UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace, and security. It also emphasizes Bangladesh’s national objectives outlined in the 8th Five-Year Plan.

Multi-Sector Collaboration for Sustainable Change
The partnership will engage various stakeholders—government agencies, civil society organizations, women’s rights organizations, academia, and the media—to ensure an inclusive approach to gender-responsive development, guided by the UN’s Leave No One Behind principle.

Swedish Ambassador to Bangladesh, H.E. Nicolas Weeks, expressed his enthusiasm, stating:
"Sweden firmly believes that gender equality is essential for building a sustainable, democratic, and inclusive society. We are excited to partner with UN Women to empower women and girls in Bangladesh. By working together, we can ensure they have the opportunity to lead, thrive, and contribute to a more inclusive and just society."

A History of Swedish Support in Bangladesh
Sweden has been a long-standing partner of UN Women in Bangladesh, providing crucial support for disaster risk reduction through the National Resilience Programme and aiding the Rohingya refugee response by enhancing women’s leadership and livelihood opportunities. The ongoing Regional EmPower programme—also funded by Sweden—focuses on gender-responsive climate action, helping women-led organizations spearhead local climate solutions and resilient livelihoods.

UN Women Representative Gitanjali Singh highlighted the importance of the partnership:
"As we mark the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, this collaboration with Sweden is timely. It strengthens our ability to carry out life-saving work in disaster reduction and humanitarian settings and provides women and girls with the tools to drive meaningful change in their communities."

The renewed partnership aims to sustain UN Women’s efforts and remain responsive to emerging challenges in Bangladesh's evolving landscape, ensuring gender equality becomes a lived reality for all.

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