Brac-UN Women launch Gender Responsive Disaster Risk Reduction in Bangladesh

Brac, in collaboration with UN Women and with financial support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), has launched the “Gender Responsive Disaster Risk Reduction in Bangladesh (GRDRRIB)” project at an inception workshop held at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel, Dhaka, on Tuesday.

Women and children remain the most vulnerable groups during any disaster, a reality that became painfully evident last year when Cyclone Remal struck Bangladesh, affecting millions.

A United Nations report on Remal’s Impact on Women of Bangladesh (June 2024) highlights that women’s delayed evacuation due to social norms and the responsibility of caring for family, combined with overcrowded shelters lacking privacy and adequate sanitation, significantly increased their risk of fear, insecurity and gender-based violence.

The report further emphasized that empowering women in disaster preparedness and response is critical to reducing these vulnerabilities.

K M Abdul Wadud, additional secretary, Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, was present as the chief guest at the event.

Navanita Sinha, deputy country representative, UN Women Bangladesh; Matilda Svensson, first secretary, Embassy of Sweden in Dhaka; Kazi Golam Towsif, director general, Department of Women Affairs and Rezwanur Rahman, director general, Department of Disaster Management were present as the special guests at the event chaired by Md Liakath Ali, PhD, director of Brac’s Disaster Risk Management, Climate Change and Urban Development Programmes.

The project aims to strengthen national and local institutions, civil society and coordination platforms to ensure that women and girls are protected during disasters and positioned to lead in disaster preparedness, response and recovery.

By integrating gender perspectives into disaster risk reduction (DRR) policies and practices, the initiative seeks to reduce vulnerabilities, promote equitable disaster management and enhance resilience across Bangladesh.

K M Abdul Wadud said that while loss of life during disasters has been reduced, economic losses remain high.

He added that greater emphasis is needed on awareness, preparedness and acceptance that disasters are likely, guided by early warnings and forecasts.

He also stressed the need for adequate funding to strengthen capacity, develop effective preparedness systems and introduce disaster risk insurance to mitigate economic losses.

Navanita Sinha said that Bangladesh is recognized as a leader in resilience and has a strong political commitment to placing gender at the centre of disaster response.

She added that, while local women are already driving action on the frontlines, their leadership must be strengthened further.

Matilda Svensson emphasized that gender equality is no longer optional but essential for disaster resilience.

She further noted that intention must be translated into impact by ensuring gender analysis and data guide all planning, with financing prioritised for women-led resilience initiatives.

Kazi Golam Towsif said that as women constitute a larger share of the population, developing their leadership skills in disaster management has become increasingly important.

He added that initiatives like this will support the development of a gender-responsive disaster risk management framework, enabling women and girls to take on greater leadership roles in disaster preparedness and response.

Rezwanur Rahman, director general, Department of Disaster Management, highlighted that disaster risk reduction efforts are mandated to prioritize women, children, the elderly and persons with disabilities, with representation being ensured so vulnerable groups are heard and women are enabled to play an active role in preparedness.

In his closing address, Md Liakath Ali, emphasized the importance of integrating climate considerations and projections into all projects to ensure communities can build back better.

He noted the need to enhance disaster preparedness and assured that feedback from stakeholders will guide the project’s implementation.

He also stressed that local context and knowledge are vital for the success of gender-responsive disaster risk reduction projects.

The welcome address was provided by Dilruba Haider, programme specialist, Disaster Risk Reduction, Climate Change and Humanitarian Actions at UN Women.

Abdul Latif Khan, Project lead of GRDRRIB, provided the keynote presentation on the project.

The inception workshop brought together representatives from government ministries and departments, development partners, civil society organizations, academia and the media to share insights and foster partnerships for effective project implementation.

Running from August 2025 to December 2026, the GRDRRIB project will be implemented in 12 disaster-prone districts, including Kurigram, Jamalpur, Sunamganj, Sylhet, Comilla, Noakhali, Feni, Bhola, Chittagong, Sirajganj, Khulna and Satkhira.

The initiative will support the development of a gender-responsive National Plan for Disaster Management, build the capacity of government officials and community-based actors and strengthen coordination platforms such as the Gender in Humanitarian Action (GiHA) Working Group.

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