Ending Hunger In Bangladesh

How women and girls are affected by hunger in Bangladesh 

The disproportionate poverty faced by women and girls comes as a result of discrimination and exclusion within Bangladeshi society. In Bangladesh women often struggle to establish their rights and influence in decision-making processes. Traditional practices such as dowries, child marriages and the relegation of being last to eat have created a demeaning and dangerous sociopolitical context for girls and women (World Vision, 2014). 

Independence and political instability in Bangladesh 

Following many years of political turmoil after independence in 1971, Bangladesh emerged as a democracy in 1990. However today, Bangladesh suffers from political instability and agitation, weak and dysfunctional governance and ‘institutionalized political violence’ (UNDP 2005). This climate has led to one of the highest concentrations of NGO activity in the world, ranging from service delivery to community mobilization working with the poorest of the poor, often marginalized within Bangladeshi culture.  

The climate crisis and poverty 

Bangladesh’s stability is further threatened by increasingly common environmental disasters and is extremely vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Furthermore, many Bangladeshis above the poverty line do not have economic safety nets and therefore could fall back into poverty if they are struck by natural disasters or lose their jobs.  

How The Hunger Project addresses corruption and gender discrimination in Bangladesh

At the national level, The Hunger Project addresses two pernicious cultural conditions that form major barriers to ending hunger in Bangladesh: corruption and gender discrimination. This is done through the National Girl Child Advocacy Forum (NGCAF) and Shujan (Citizens for Good Governance), a country-wide advocacy movement for preventing corruption.  

The centerpiece of The Hunger Project’s strategy is the grassroots training and ongoing support of more than 145,000 volunteer animators, 40% of whom are women, who organize mass action campaigns in their areas. The animators focus their actions in their Unions and work closely with the Union Parishad (UP) members to encourage decentralization and increased access to resources. UP-based initiatives include ensuring 100% sanitary latrine coverage, 100% birth and death registration, and open budget meetings to provide transparency and accountability. 

The National Girl Child Advocacy Forum 

The Hunger Project catalysed the creation of a national alliance committed to ending all forms of discrimination against girls. Each year on September 30, this alliance organises National Girl Child Day events across the country. A formal alliance of 500 organisations, the National Girl Child Advocacy Forum, also works to address domestic violence and the spread of HIV/AIDS. 

In each union, we train and empower a team of women leaders, who are able to reach women secluded in their households with education on basic rights, halting child marriage and improving nutrition in the key “1,000 Day Window” from the beginning of a woman’s pregnancy to her child’s second birthday. More than 6,000 women’s leaders have organised themselves as the “Unleashed Women’s Network” (Bikoshitonari). 

Strengthen local democracy in Bangladesh by donating

Shujan (Citizens for Good Governance) is a platform of committed, active, and socially conscious citizens, mobilised by The Hunger Project, to strengthen grassroots democracy, ensure transparency and accountability of local government, and carry out advocacy initiatives at the national level. Shujan is also working for political and election reform. In 2014, The Hunger Project and Shujan produced two reports on candidate demographics for the 10th National Parliament Election for 300 constituencies. The reports, whose objective was to allow access to information on high-powered candidates and candidate wealth growth rates since 2008, served as valuable resources for voters throughout Bangladesh, and resulted in a surge of first-time elected officials. 

The Hunger Project Promotes youth leadership in Bangladesh

Youth Leaders bring the creativity and leadership of the youth population to the forefront. They also stimulate a sense of social responsibility in more than 15,000 students nationwide each year. Together, they meet monthly in chapters across the country, planning activities to improve their communities with an emphasis on literacy and education. These leaders organise campaigns in their communities throughout Bangladesh on issues such as nutrition, education, family planning, tree planting, and environmental education. They also arrange debates, maths Olympiads, writing competitions, roundtables, and blood donation camps. 

The Hunger Project volunteer mobilisation 

As the mindset of dependency and gender discrimination begins to be transformed, and women and men commit themselves to a new future, The Hunger Project empowers them to build the social capital they need to fulfil their vision. We do this by establishing social units of highly trained volunteers. Each unit is trained in how to organise themselves, facilitate group action and reporting, communicate and handle decision-making. The Hunger Project has discovered that volunteers are often most motivated and inspired by working alongside others who share similar interests and characteristics. You can partner with volunteer leaders in Bangladesh when you donate to end hunger in Bangladesh with The Hunger Project.