From stigma to self-reliance: how skills training is blazing new trails for women in Cox’s Bazar

Funded by Global Affairs Canada, the ILO's "Leaving No One Behind" project in Cox’s Bazar equips young women and men with market-relevant, competency-based skills that support decent and sustainable livelihoods.

30 September 2025

Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh (ILO news) - Imagine being told you cannot work outside of home, just because you are a "woman". In Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, poverty and tradition have long stood in the way of young women’s dreams. Located along the vulnerable coastline of the Bay of Bengal and prone to frequent cyclones, tidal surges and flooding, Cox's Bazar is home to 2.8 million local Bangladeshi and around a million Rohingya refugees. It is a place where opportunities are scarce, and social stigma runs deep for women. 

In recent years, however, a change is beginning to take place. In communities once closed off by hardship and social barriers, young women are now rewriting the script by learning new skills, such as electrical installation and maintenance, housekeeping, sewing machine operation, graphic design, and using these to earn their own income. They are proving that with the right support, they can succeed in jobs that were once only open to men or not considered “suitable” for women.

This shift is happening because of skills training programmes that understand local challenges and offer real solutions. For the first time, many girls are getting an opportunity not only to dream of a better future, but to build it with their own hands. 

Youth women joined in skills course © ILO/Humayun Kabir Khan

The International Labour Organization (ILO) launched its "Leaving No One Behind: Improving Skills and Economic Opportunities for Women and Youth in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh" project in 2022. Funded by Global Affairs Canada, in partnership with UNDP, BRAC and the Department of Youth Development (DYD) under the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the ISEC project is equipping young women and men with market-relevant, competency-based skills that would lead to decent and sustainable livelihoods. 

Til date, the ISEC project has enhanced the capacity of 26 skills training providers (STPs) and 33 Qawmi Madrasas to deliver quality-assured competency-based training (CBT). These institutes are now more welcoming to women trainees by offering safe spaces, travel support and female trainers. These initiatives are already making a big impact.

Joynab builds her future one cup at a time

21-year-old Joynab Begum is the second of four sisters. Her father is a day-labourer, and her mother works at a pickle-processing factory. The family struggled to make ends meet until Joynab entered the job market.

In 2024, Joynab completed a four-month course on “Housekeeping” at the DYD under the direct supervision of the ILO-ISEC project. As part of their job placement initiative, the DYD circulated her CV to various hotels. Joynab soon got a job as a housekeeping staff at the domestic lounge of Cox’s Bazar airport, operated by the four-star Long Beach Hotel. Her work involves preparing coffee, serving clients and cleaning the lounge.

Joynab works as a housekeeping staff at the domestic lounge of Cox’s Bazar airport. © ILO/Humayun Kabir Khan

Joynab said, “Cox’s Bazar used to be much more conservative. My relatives would say girls who work get spoiled. I didn’t heed their remarks as they never stood by us during our struggling times.” 

Joynab explained that even her father had initially opposed her decision to work in the hospitality sector. “There’s a stigma that hotels are not safe workplaces for women. The trainers at DYD assured my parents that they would help me find a safe and suitable job once I attain the necessary skills.” 

Joynab’s supervisor, Ibrahim Sarker, appreciates her work ethic. “Joynab works much more efficiently than most newcomers who start in the same position without any training. She is punctual and good at customer service.”

Joynab said, “My training in housekeeping gave me the skills and confidence to work in a professional setting like the airport lounge. Preparing and serving coffee might seem like a menial job, but it's the most sought-after item on our menu, and it makes people feel welcome. And now, I can support my family."

Joynab’s recruiter, the Food and Beverage Manager at Long Beach Hotel, Thoaipru Marma Thow, said they have hired four employees who completed the CBT course on the housekeeping trade from DYD. “Our CBT-trained employees learn and adapt quickly. Initially, the women employees need a little more time to master housekeeping tasks. However, once they have mastered it, women tend to outperform their male colleagues.” 

Shafa lights the way in a non-traditional career

18-year-old Shafa Al Marwa is a secondary-school graduate from PM Khali union of Cox’s Bazar. The young woman has been fascinated by circuits and lights since her childhood. To turn her passion into purpose, Shafa enrolled in DYD’s three-month CBT course on Consumer Electronics, a non-conventional career path for women in Bangladesh. 

Shafa enrolled in DYD’s three-month CBT course on Consumer Electronics, a non-conventional career path for women in Bangladesh. © ILO/Humayun Kabir Khan

After completing the course, Shafa hopes to open an electronic repair shop in her village. “If we know how to repair electronic devices, we can recycle the household appliances instead of throwing them away,“ she said. “These days, my villagers travel to town to fix their faulty rice cookers, electric stoves, blenders and electric kettles. A repair shop in the village will save them that hassle and allow me to earn an income.” 

Shafa is one of the only three women in a class of 20. Her trainer, Sumaiya Akter, believes Shafa and her peers have great potential. “My female trainees perform just as well as their male counterparts. They have the potential to work as technicians in the manufacturing sector or run their own businesses. At the entry level, a consumer electronics technician can earn around BDT 25,000 (circa USD 200) per month.” 

Sumaiya praised the ISEC-supported training for being women-friendly and said that this helps to attract female trainees. 

Sumaiya, trainer, consumer electronics, is teaching students © ILO/Humayun Kabir Khan

Shafa echoed her view. “The training we receive is free, and we get snacks and a travel allowance for attending classes. Our training centre has a separate washroom, a breastfeeding corner, and a prayer space just for women.”

To further ensure safety and inclusion, ISEC has embedded additional safeguards into its training centres. National Project Manager of ISEC, Serajul Islam explained, “We conduct trainings in sub-districts so that women don’t have to travel far. To create a safe learning environment, we run sessions on protection from sexual harassment, and have complaint boxes, a hotline number and committees to handle any complaints. Female corners and sanitary kits are available at our training centres.” 

Importantly, the skills offered to trainees like Shafa and Joynab are not random—they are based on what the job market demands. “Traditional skills training often doesn’t match the needs of the local job market,” said Mohammad Moazzem Hossain, Deputy Director of DYD in Cox’s Bazar. “To address this gap, the ILO conducted a market assessment and held consultations with stakeholders. As a result, 49 skill sets were identified as in-demand in Cox’s Bazar.”

Mohammad Moazzem Hossain, Deputy Director of DYD in Cox’s Bazar, is getting feedback on the course © ILO/Humayun Kabir Khan

Working together with Qawmi madrasas 

Qawmi madrasas are Islamic seminaries popular in socially conservative areas like Cox’s Bazar. The degrees provided by these institutes are not nationally certified and hence their students often don’t have a pathway to enter the regular job market.

In a pioneering effort, the ISEC project has introduced prevocational skills training in high-demand occupations across 33 Qawmi Madrasas offering higher Islamic education.

Guided by its motto, “leaving no one behind,” the project is opening new pathways for young women from remote, conservative communities who have rarely had access to livelihood opportunities.

21-year-old Tanjina Akter Priya hails from Moheshkhali, a remote island surrounded by the sea in Cox’s Bazar. Her father is an auto-rickshaw driver.

21-year-old Tanjina Akter Priya hails from Moheshkhali, is now teaching on sewing machine operation at at the Ayesha Siddika Islamia Balika Madrasa © ILO/Humayun Kabir Khan

In 2024, while studying at the Ayesha Siddika Islamia Balika Madrasa, Priya attended a Tailoring and Dressmaking course offered by the ISEC project. After completing 360 hours’ training, she received a BNQF Level-1 skills certificate recognised by the Bangladesh Technical Education Board (BTEB).

Priya currently works as an Assistant Trainer of Tailoring course at another Qawmi madrasa in Cox’s Bazar, where she earns BDT 20,000 per month. “Growing up, I never imagined that I could work outside," she said. “The training gave me the confidence and opportunity to dream big. Now I can bear my own expenses and support my aging father.”

The Vice-Principal of Ayesha Siddika Islamia Balika Madrasa, Mohammad Yunus said, “When we started the tailoring training, many parents were hesitant to send their daughters. So far, 40 girls from our Madrasa have completed the course and many of them are working from home. We plan to offer computer training soon.”

Investing in dreams, shaping futures

To ensure the sustainability of its skills training, the ISEC project is building the capacity of 20 Skills Training Providers (STPs) to become accredited Registered Training Organizations (RTOs) that follow the Bangladesh National Qualifications Framework (BNQF).

“Continued investment is crucial to expand training and create more job opportunities for young people in Cox’s Bazar,” said Ruchika Bahl, Head of ILO’s Project Office in Cox’s Bazar. “Our skills training is helping young women overcome social barriers and pursue their ambitions. Whether they’re serving coffee, repairing electronics, tailoring clothes, or training others, these women are contributing to the local economy and shaping their own and their families’ futures.”