Bangladesh is facing a profound moment of change, with the anti-discrimination movement, a new caretaker government and accelerating climate change. Our nation is ready to enter a new era. A golden opportunity has arisen for law and order reform, justice, government accountability, engaged and civic-minded communities and an equitable society for both women and men.

We call on the new government to eliminate gender-based violence and promote the status of women and girls to encourage equitable economic development for people of all genders.

Although the former government signed international agreements such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, it had reservations about articles 2 and 16.1c, which articulate the commitment to eliminate institutionalized sexism and unfair rights of the spouse in conjugal relations. The female population of Bangladesh is suffering, about 51% of women are married before the age of 18 and over half of them have experienced physical and/or sexual violence. This is an appalling violation of their right to safety, mental well-being and bodily autonomy.

Despite the strong role of women and girls in the anti-discrimination movement, the majority of young people in leadership roles have been men. This is consistent with the patriarchal composition of government structures. While the caretaker government has consulted with a coalition of feminist civil society groups and leaders, it remains to be seen how men in positions of authority will act. It is time for men to become agents of change and lift up their sisters, mothers, daughters and wives.

Now is a time for people power. We must advocate for change – a future where people from all walks of life live in an inclusive, democratic and fair society.

As communities across the country struggle to address the profound challenges of recent decades—high unemployment rates, rapidly growing vulnerability to climate change, and economic inequity—it will be all too easy to fall into old patterns and traps. Creating a better and fairer future requires action by government, religious leaders and other influential social actors, as well as organizations that provide social services. Women and girls need us to come together and make our demands loud and clear.

A brighter future for Bangladesh depends on: i) a government that will allocate specific gender-focused budgets to support programs that promote the well-being of women and girls, regardless of context; ii) empowered and engaged civil society and community groups working in addition to government services; iii) climate adaptation solutions that recognize the disproportionate impacts of climate change on women and girls, build resilient health and social systems, and increase women’s autonomy in household food supply and crisis planning and management strategies; iv) collecting, analyzing and using transparent and honest data on patterns and changes in rates of gender-based discrimination, violence and participation in leadership and governance; v) an uncompromising refusal to tolerate or ignore violence against women and girls – this change is unlikely to happen without women in positions of leadership and authority. Equally, women in positions of authority must have adequate knowledge and agency and embrace the possibility of a world without gender-based violence; vi) opportunities and support for men and boys to learn new ways to manage stress, uncertainty and crisis without projecting violence onto others; and vii) a paradigm shift in how work is valued, rewarded and recognized. Not all work can be paid, but unpaid work must be valued by society. Men and women should share a mix of paid and unpaid work.

Bangladesh needs a future where all people can exercise their rights and have the respect, support and resources they need to enable a thriving and sustainable society and ecosystem. We must stop leaving women and girls behind. Instead, we must use their potential to be a force for positive evolution and innovation.

Dr Shamima Parveen is Gender and Advocacy Manager, Pathfinder International, Bangladesh. She can be reached at (email protected)

Sohanur Rahman is Executive Coordinator, YouthNet Global. He can be contacted at (email protected)

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors.

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