Renewed Women’s Voice and Leadership- Bangladesh

18/06/2026 08:45:12 am

Kurigram district, characterized by extreme environmental instability and systemic poverty, presents a complex landscape where Gender-Based Violence (GBV) is both a primary driver and a consequence of social vulnerability. Deeply entrenched patriarchal beliefs perpetuate the perception of women and girls as economic liabilities, directly fuelling harmful practices such as the dowry system and child marriage, which are often utilized as desperate survival strategies following climate-induced asset loss. This socio-cultural framework is further aggravated by the weak local implementation of national protective policies, leaving a significant void in functional survivor referral systems and legal aid for marginalized groups, including Dalit women and persons with disabilities. Regular floods and river erosion, the disintegration of community protection mechanisms exposes women and girls to heightened risks of physical and sexual exploitation in both private and public spheres, including emergency shelters. These risks are compounded by a lack of girl’s education, early marriage, lack of women and girl’s financial solvency, traditional beliefs as men retain near-exclusive control over household resources and disaster-preparedness planning, thereby restricting women’s mobility and their ability to escape abusive environments. Consequently, the intersection of limited decision-making power and inadequate access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services leaves women and adolescent girls trapped in a cycle of displacement, institutional exclusion, and systemic abuse.