The politics of negotiating gender equity in Bangladesh

Avery Lord — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 16:39:30 +0000

The politics of negotiating gender equity in Bangladesh Avery Lord Thu, 06/18/2026 - 10:39

By: Sohela Nazneen, Rezwan Masud

Abstract:

In Bangladesh there is a paradox when it comes to securing gender-inclusive development outcomes. Since 1991, women have occupied the highest political office and women’s presence is increasing, due to the existence of gender quotas. Women’s movement actors have a long history of mobilisation for women’s rights and securing progressive changes. However, this overlooks the complex ways in which power and politics operate in Bangladesh, including the difficulties of mobilising women as a political force in a patriarchal, informalised, clientelist context. Women, as a political group, have little to offer the ruling elites in Bangladesh: they do not vote as a block; gender equity concerns have little currency in mainstream politics; and women’s organisations are weak actors in the formal political arena. This paper investigates two successful policy cases–the Domestic Violence Act 2010, and the expansion of access to primary education for girls–to investigate what led the state to address gender equity concerns successfully in some policy areas in a competitive clientelist context? What role, if any, did women and their allies play to make these changes happen? Why do some failures in implementation persist?

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Congratulations Courtney, Ken, and Rezwan!

Anonymous — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 20:31:57 +0000

Congratulations Courtney, Ken, and Rezwan! Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 04/20/2023 - 14:31

Our department absolutely benefits from our graduate students and their interactions with our undergraduates. They influence them, they help focus them on their education goals, and they bring enthusiasm while becoming important role 91��Ҹ�.

Though teaching while one is also a graduate student is an intense balancing act, those that succeed positively advance their professional development while supporting the achievement and wellbeing of their students.

We absolutely would not be successful as a department without them and are delighted that the following graduate students have been acknowledged for their incredible contributions to teaching:

Graduate Part-Time Instructor (GPTI) Teaching Recognition Award (sponsored by The Graduate School)

Fall 2022 Recipient - Courtney Nava
Spring 2023 Recipient - Ken Stallman

Graduate and Professional Student Government (GPSG) Teaching Excellence Award

Mohammad Rezwanul Haque Masud

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Mohammad Rezwanul Haque Masud

The politics of negotiating gender equity in Bangladesh

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Congratulations Courtney, Ken, and Rezwan!

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