Young women’s leadership vital for inclusive Bangladesh: Zubaida

Vice-President of the Ziaur Rahman Foundation Dr Zubaida Rahman on Sunday stressed the importance of nurturing young women leaders to build a more inclusive and prosperous Bangladesh.

She made the remarks as the chief guest at the national dissemination event titled “She Leads Tomorrow”, organised jointly by the United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office, UN Women and UNOPS Bangladesh at the Liberation War Museum in Dhaka.

The event marked the conclusion of the project “Enhancing Women’s Political Leadership through SDG 5 and SDG 16 Localisation in Bangladesh”, supported by the Joint SDG Fund.

“When young women are empowered to lead, they strengthen not only their communities but the future of our nation. Their voices, ideas and leadership are essential to building a more inclusive and prosperous Bangladesh,” Zubaida said.

The initiative has empowered more than 1,000 adolescent girls and young women to become leaders and changemakers in their communities.

The event brought together senior government officials, Members of Parliament, diplomats, United Nations representatives, development partners, civil society leaders, academics, media personalities and young women leaders to celebrate the project’s achievements and discuss the future of women’s political leadership and inclusive governance in Bangladesh.

Zonayed Abdur Rahim Saki, MP and State Minister for Planning, attended as the special guest, while Professor Dr S M Abdul-Awal, Principal Coordinator for SDG Affairs at the Prime Minister’s Office, attended as the guest of honour.

Saki emphasised the importance of women’s meaningful participation in achieving Bangladesh’s development goals.

“Women’s meaningful participation is essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Empowering young women to lead today means building stronger institutions and a more inclusive Bangladesh for tomorrow,” he said.

Professor Abdul-Awal highlighted the importance of translating the Sustainable Development Goals into action at the local level.

“SDG localisation is about turning national commitments into meaningful action in communities. Young women must be active partners in that journey, shaping the decisions and solutions that will define Bangladesh’s future,” he said.

Carol Flore-Smereczniak, United Nations Resident Coordinator ad interim in Bangladesh, underscored the importance of partnerships in accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals and ensuring that no one is left behind.

Delivering the welcome address, Sudhir Muralidharan, Country Manager of UNOPS Bangladesh and Bhutan, highlighted the importance of investing in young women’s leadership to build stronger institutions, inclusive governance and resilient communities.

Gitanjali Singh, Representative of UN Women Bangladesh, stressed the need to create enabling environments where women and girls can lead, participate in and influence decisions that shape their futures.

A major highlight of the event was the launch of the “She Leads Tomorrow” coffee table book by Zubaida Rahman. The publication documents stories of courage, resilience and leadership from participants of the project.

The guests also inaugurated a “She Leads Tomorrow” photo exhibition featuring visual stories of adolescent girls and young women whose lives have been transformed through the initiative.

The programme included experience-sharing by participants, storytelling, a video screening and an inclusion ceremony, followed by three high-level panel discussions on women in diplomacy, women in politics and the role of the media in advancing gender equality.

Partner schools were also recognised for their contributions to promoting leadership, civic engagement and meaningful participation among adolescent girls.

Implemented over 12 months from September 2025 to August 2026 across Dhaka, Chattogram and Rajshahi, the project engaged more than 1,000 adolescent girls and young women from government schools, madrasas and marginalised communities through leadership development, mentorship, civic education, policy dialogue and advocacy.

The initiative also strengthened collaboration among local government institutions, civil society, think tanks, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, the private sector and development partners to advance the localisation of SDG 5 on gender equality and SDG 16 on peace, justice and strong institutions.

One of the project’s key achievements was the development of the Bangladesh Model for SDG Localisation, a scalable framework designed to promote collaborative action, strengthen local ownership of the Sustainable Development Goals and place young women’s leadership at the centre of sustainable development.

As the project concludes, the organisers said “She Leads Tomorrow” represents the courage, determination and aspirations of young women working to shape a more inclusive, peaceful and equitable Bangladesh.