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24 September 2023
Women leaders and UN in Bangladesh meet to advance gender equality
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24 September 2023
How does UNCDF in Bangladesh support entrepreneurs
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Press Release
21 September 2023
UN in Bangladesh marks International Day of Peace on community radio
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The Sustainable Development Goals in Bangladesh
The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Bangladesh:
Story
24 September 2023
Women leaders and UN in Bangladesh meet to advance gender equality
Over thirty prominent women leaders from the government, private sector, academia, media, and non-government organizations participated in a high-level round table organized by the United Nations in Bangladesh to discuss advancing gender equality.
The high-level roundtable on “the Role of Women in Bangladesh: Navigating Challenges and Opportunities in Public Life” took place on 24 September and provided a rare opportunity for women leaders from different walks of life to meet and reflect together on existing barriers to further advance gender parity, to ensure non-discrimination, and to address the challenges faced by women and girls in the country.
Bangladesh's first female Speaker of Parliament, H.E. Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, was the Chief Guest at the roundtable, which was moderated by the UN Resident Coordinator, Gwyn Lewis. Among other participants of the event were the Ambassador of Sweden to Bangladesh, Alexandra Berg von Linde, the UN Women Country Representative, Gitanjali Singh and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) Representative, Kristine Blokhus.
Commenting on the importance of women’s role in society, the Speaker of Parliament, H.E. Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, noted that “a smart Bangladesh needs that we address the structural barriers and harness the full potential of women in economic life to maintain the momentum for sustainable development, especially as we graduate from the least developed countries (LDC) status.”
In her opening remarks, the UN Resident Coordinator praised Bangladesh’s significant achievements in its sustainable development and highlighted that this progress had been driven in large part by the extraordinary contributions of women. “In the past fifty years, Bangladesh has made incredible achievements in its remarkable development journey. Women’s participation, representation, and leadership in all areas of public life has significantly increased, but there remains a vast untapped potential which will only be fulfilled through the investment in women and girls and - in their health, education, decent jobs and social protection, productive capacities and protection from discrimination - is taken seriously and if they, as agents of their own change, have a bigger role in public life.”
At the roundtable, women leaders shared their diverse experiences, successes, and challenges. They discussed barriers to women’s representation and leadership and identified actions to jointly tackle these issues to advance gender equality in Bangladesh.
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Story
24 September 2023
How does UNCDF in Bangladesh support entrepreneurs
Women entrepreneurs in Bangladesh face many barriers that impact the digital transformation of their businesses. These include low financial and digital literacy rates, social norms that impact mobile phone ownership and family support, and low confidence.
Identifying the value proposition and support mechanisms for digitalization and providing capacity-building can accelerate the digital journey of women e-commerce entrepreneurs and help them overcome these restrictive social norms.
UNCDF, in partnership with Visa, ShopUp, a leading full-stack business-to-business platform, and ekShop, an e-commerce aggregator platform, has implemented UNCDF’s ‘Build Back Better—Enhancing Recovery and Resilience of Small and Micro-Businesses (SMB)’ project in Bangladesh. The project helped to build the digital and financial capabilities of 200,000 small and micro-businesses through e-learning modules across multiple channels.
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Story
16 September 2023
UN Country Team result report Bangladesh 2022
During the year, the UN country team continued to support the people and the Government of Bangladesh in achieving progress on the Sustainable Development Goals through a wide range of projects, programmes, and policies.
In the first year of implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2022- 2026, the initiatives of the UN in the country touched millions and directly benefited hundreds of thousands of people. Alongside advancing support to achieve sustainable development, the UN country team and its humanitarian partners strengthened support for the country’s preparedness and response to climate-related disasters, and for the Rohingya humanitarian crisis.
UN Country Team Results Report Bangladesh 2022
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Story
25 April 2023
The Rana Plaza disaster ten years on: What has changed
Over 1,100 people – mostly garment workers – lost their lives when the Rana Plaza factory collapsed in the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh, on 24 April 2013. Many more were injured, and the survivors faced a very uncertain future.
Ten years on from the disaster, much has changed. Today, the industry is safer and the capacity of the Bangladeshi Government to oversee compliance is much stronger. But what challenges remain?
To read more: ILO website
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Story
18 May 2023
From Where I Stand: When you know your business, no one can hold you back
My husband and I initiated our tech start-up BornoIT in 2016 to develop business software and websites for small businesses across a range of sectors. Today we have 11 employees, six of whom are women. In my experience, women often feel they need a little longer to understand the work, but once they do, they accomplish it with greater efficiency, on time, and with fewer errors. It's different with men. Men will say that they catch on quickly, but they tend to make more mistakes. So I have to apply different strategies to manage them. The training from UN Women on the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) has been immensely helpful in promoting women in leadership roles and creating an enabling environment for them.
To Read more : UN Women
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Press Release
21 September 2023
UN in Bangladesh marks International Day of Peace on community radio
On 21 and 22 September, 19 community radio stations reaching 28 districts across Bangladesh will broadcast inspiring messages on the link between peace and sustainable development. The messages were recorded by the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office and feature various voices from Bangladesh, including a teacher of the educational platform 10 Minute School, Sakib Rashid, the cricketer Jahanara Alam, the ActionAid Country Director, Farah Kabir, the general secretary of Bangladesh Adivasi Forum, Sanjeeb Drong, and the Development Coordination Officer at the UN RCO, Halima Neyamat.
The International Day of Peace (IDP) was established in 1981 by the UN General Assembly to strengthen the ideals of peace and build a more peaceful world for everyone. This year’s IDP theme - Actions for Peace: Our Ambition for the #GlobalGoals - draws attention to the interconnection between peace and sustainable development. Promoting and sustaining peace contributes to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and achieving SDGs is essential to ensure just, peaceful, and inclusive societies, free from fear and violence.
Commenting on the importance of the International Day of Peace, the UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh, Gwyn Lewis, said: “Restoring peace in our lives and our world is crucially needed, and I am grateful that together with the Bangladesh Community Radio Association we were able to produce and spread inspiring messages to mark the International Day of Peace across Bangladesh.” She continued: “The responsibility for promoting peace does not solely lie with governments. Individual and collective action and a vibrant civic space are needed to promote solidarity, equality, inclusion, and respect. Everyone has a role to play in promoting peace and achieving the sustainable development goals.”
The 2023 observance of the International Day of Peace coincides with the SDG summit that takes place in New York in September, marking the mid-point milestone in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, as well as with the 75th anniversaries of both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide.
In his statement on the day, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said: “Peace is the result of action. Action to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals and
ensure that no one is left behind. Action to end the war on our planet and its natural gifts. Action to uphold and protect the human rights and dignity of every person — especially as we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”
In conclusion, UN Secretary-General stated that “Peace is not only a noble vision for humanity. Peace is a call to action. Let us commit to build, drive, and sustain peace for all.”
The full UN Secretary-General’s statement published on 21 September is available in English and in Bangla on the UN in Bangladesh website. Please visit: https://tinyurl.com/yv5f72ks
Links to the radio messages will be available on the UN in Bangladesh’s X (previously Twitter) and Facebook pages.
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Press Release
20 September 2023
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres’s Message on the International Day of Peace - 21 September 2023
Conflicts driving record numbers of people from their homes.
Deadly fires, raging floods and soaring temperatures.
Poverty, inequalities and injustices.
Mistrust, division and prejudice.
This year’s theme reminds us that peace is not automatic.
Peace is the result of action.
Action to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals and ensure that no one is left behind.
Action to end the war on our planet and its natural gifts.
Action to uphold and protect the human rights and dignity of every person — especially as we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Action to use the timeless tools of diplomacy, dialogue and collaboration to defuse tensions and end conflict.
And action for those millions of people living through the horrors of war.
Peace is not only a noble vision for humanity.
Peace is a call to action.
Let us commit to build, drive and sustain peace for all.
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Press Release
16 September 2023
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s Message on the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone
They show the power of multilateralism. And they should inspire hope that, together, we can avert the worst of climate change and build a sustainable and resilient world.
Limiting the rise in global temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius is still possible if we immediately and drastically accelerate climate action. I have proposed a Climate Solidarity Pact and an Acceleration Agenda to help achieve this. I urge all leaders to work together to put them into effect – and to support these efforts by getting behind the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol and limiting planet-heating hydrofluorocarbons.
Fully ratifying and implementing the Kigali Amendment could avoid up to 0.5°C of warming by 2100. Combining the transition away from planet-heating gases with energy efficiency measures in cooling equipment could double this figure.
I call on all countries to ratify the Amendment. And I urge governments, along with business leaders, civil society, academia, youth groups, local communities, and others, to intensify efforts to bring about real change, and to ensure developing countries have the support they need to do so.
Let’s harness the spirit of the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol to build a world where humans, nature and the planet thrive together.
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Press Release
14 September 2023
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres’s Message on the International Day of Democracy
They underwrite freedom, advance sustainable development, and protect the dignity and rights of every person.
On the International Day of Democracy, we celebrate its promise to societies – and recognize the many threats it faces at this time of tension and turmoil.
The walls are closing in on civic spaces.
Mis- and disinformation is poisoning public discourse, polarizing communities, and eroding trust in institutions.
This year’s theme – “Empowering the Next Generation” – focuses on the essential role of children and young people in safeguarding democracy today and in the future.
It is not enough to listen to children and young people.
We must support them with massive investments in education, skills-building, and lifelong learning.
We must protect human rights and advance gender equality.
And we must expand the meaningful participation of young people in decision-making processes at every level.
On this important day, let us join hands across generations and work as one to build a more just world for all.
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Press Release
14 September 2023
UNOPS Signs Host Country Agreement with the Government of Bangladesh
UNOPS Bangladesh Country Manager Mr. Sudhir Muralidharan, Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh Mr. Masud Bin Momen, and representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Director Mr. Mohammad Jobayed Hosen, Chief of Protocol Mr. Nayem Uddin Ahmed, Deputy Chief of Protocol Mr. Bidosh Chandra Barman, and Director General (UN) Mr. Md. Emdadul Islam Chowdhury attended the signing ceremony at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka on September 11, 2023. The signatories to the HCA were the Executive Director of UNOPS, Mr. Jorge Moreira da Silva, and the Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh, Mr. Masud Bin Momen.
The Host Country Agreement marks a pivotal moment in UNOPS' ongoing commitment to supporting Bangladesh in achieving its national development agenda, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNOPS has been a key partner to the Government of Bangladesh, national NGOs, donors, partners and civil society in addressing critical challenges, particularly in the areas of climate resilience, environmental sustainability, sustainable procurement, infrastructure development, and technical capacity building. UNOPS has a long-standing presence in Bangladesh, with a track record dating back to 2003. Over the years, the organization has played a vital role in capacity development, infrastructure building, and strengthening national systems. This includes support in procurement, human resources management, finance, and project management. The aim has been to empower communities and enhance their resilience against the impacts of climate change, among other pressing issues. UNOPS’s unique blend of private sector agility with public sector accountability brings forth a strong value proposition. One notable achievement in UNOPS' partnership with Bangladesh was its role as a fiduciary management agent for the 'Strengthening Humanitarian Preparedness and Response Programme in Bangladesh.' Funded by the United Kingdom's Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office, this program has significantly impacted disaster-affected communities in Bangladesh. It improved access to essential services such as education, clean water, sanitation, healthcare, and gender-based violence prevention, and addressed basic food needs. UNOPS has also collaborated closely with the Government of Bangladesh and the International Labour Organization (ILO) to enhance workplace safety in the Ready-Made Garment (RMG) sector. The organization has procured and installed specialized laboratory equipment and supported the strengthening of the vaccine testing laboratory of the Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA). Additionally, UNOPS has contributed to expanding oxygen therapy capacity in Bangladesh by procuring and installing pressure-swing adsorption (PSA) plants at 29 government hospitals nationwide. The Host Country Agreement further solidifies UNOPS' commitment to supporting Bangladesh's development journey. It is expected to facilitate and enhance cooperation between UNOPS and the Government of Bangladesh, fostering continued collaboration on critical development projects that promote sustainable development, resilience, and inclusive growth. It is noteworthy that Bangladesh is the Vice President of UNOPS’s Executive Board. ENDS
For media inquiries and further information, please contact:
Ms. Shirin Sultana, Partnerships Advisor, UNOPS Bangladesh Email: shirins@unops.org; Mobile: 01711190212
The Host Country Agreement marks a pivotal moment in UNOPS' ongoing commitment to supporting Bangladesh in achieving its national development agenda, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNOPS has been a key partner to the Government of Bangladesh, national NGOs, donors, partners and civil society in addressing critical challenges, particularly in the areas of climate resilience, environmental sustainability, sustainable procurement, infrastructure development, and technical capacity building. UNOPS has a long-standing presence in Bangladesh, with a track record dating back to 2003. Over the years, the organization has played a vital role in capacity development, infrastructure building, and strengthening national systems. This includes support in procurement, human resources management, finance, and project management. The aim has been to empower communities and enhance their resilience against the impacts of climate change, among other pressing issues. UNOPS’s unique blend of private sector agility with public sector accountability brings forth a strong value proposition. One notable achievement in UNOPS' partnership with Bangladesh was its role as a fiduciary management agent for the 'Strengthening Humanitarian Preparedness and Response Programme in Bangladesh.' Funded by the United Kingdom's Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office, this program has significantly impacted disaster-affected communities in Bangladesh. It improved access to essential services such as education, clean water, sanitation, healthcare, and gender-based violence prevention, and addressed basic food needs. UNOPS has also collaborated closely with the Government of Bangladesh and the International Labour Organization (ILO) to enhance workplace safety in the Ready-Made Garment (RMG) sector. The organization has procured and installed specialized laboratory equipment and supported the strengthening of the vaccine testing laboratory of the Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA). Additionally, UNOPS has contributed to expanding oxygen therapy capacity in Bangladesh by procuring and installing pressure-swing adsorption (PSA) plants at 29 government hospitals nationwide. The Host Country Agreement further solidifies UNOPS' commitment to supporting Bangladesh's development journey. It is expected to facilitate and enhance cooperation between UNOPS and the Government of Bangladesh, fostering continued collaboration on critical development projects that promote sustainable development, resilience, and inclusive growth. It is noteworthy that Bangladesh is the Vice President of UNOPS’s Executive Board. ENDS
For media inquiries and further information, please contact:
Ms. Shirin Sultana, Partnerships Advisor, UNOPS Bangladesh Email: shirins@unops.org; Mobile: 01711190212
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