Bangladesh and UN Women pledge closer cooperation to advance women’s empowerment and the WPS agenda

New York, 19 June 2026: Bangladesh has called for deeper cooperation with UN Women to advance women’s economic empowerment, climate resilience and the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda during a meeting between State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam and Under-Secretary-General & Executive Director UN Women Sima Bahous in New York.
The State Minister recalled former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia’s visionary introduction of free education for girls and highlighted the government’s continued efforts to empower women through free education up to the postgraduate level and enhanced reproductive and mental health support.

USG Bahous highly commended Bangladesh’s efforts in advancing women’s empowerment and gender equality. She congratulated Bangladesh on the election as President of the 81st Session of the UNGA and expressed UN Women’s readiness to further strengthen cooperation with the Government of Bangladesh on women’s empowerment and the WPS agenda. She also praised the significant contributions of Bangladeshi women to peacebuilding and United Nations peacekeeping operations.
On the Rohingya crisis, the State Minister expressed concern over funding shortfalls affecting Rohingya women and girls, and reiterated that the repatriation of the Rohingyas to Myanmar remains the only sustainable solution to the crisis.

-Press Release