British Council hosts roundtable on safeguarding in Bangladesh development sector

The British Council hosted a roundtable discussion aimed at advancing safeguarding practices within Bangladesh's development sector. Organised in collaboration with the Funder Safeguarding Collaborative (FSC), the event brought together professionals and decision-makers to explore ways of embedding safeguarding principles in development programming.

Stephen Forbes, country director for Bangladesh at the British Council, said, "As safeguarding challenges and risks in our work continue, we need to expand our understanding, expertise and networking to build contextual knowledge on what works. With this aim, the British Council is collaborating with the Funder Safeguarding Collaborative (FSC), to bring together diverse stakeholders who are on their safeguarding journey. I hope that this event marks the deepening of ongoing discussions and collaboration, and we look forward to continuing the conversation in the future."

The event welcomed 25 participants, including representatives from NGOs, INGOs, multilateral bodies, the private sector, donor agencies, and the organising institutions. Through interactive dialogue, participants shared experiences and strategies for embedding safeguarding into programme design and grant-making. They exchanged good practices, identified challenges, and explored ways to prioritise safeguarding from the funder and philanthropic perspectives.

Participants collectively pledged to influence the development ecosystem to promote more impactful, safeguarding-focused funding. They also committed to fostering a learning-oriented environment built on collaboration and co-creation.

Anuradha Mukherjee, senior regional advisor (South Asia) at FSC said, "Funder Safeguarding Collaborative is committed to a world where safety and well-being are at the heart of every organisation. It works with funders to drive action that creates safer organisational cultures and practices. FSC is very happy to collaborate with the British Council in Bangladesh to facilitate a space for peer learning on how safeguarding is understood and practised within the development sector in Bangladesh and explore opportunities for future action."

The British Council reaffirmed its commitment to creating a safe environment for all, especially children and adults at risk, regardless of age, disability, economic background, ethnicity, gender, religion, belief, or sexual orientation. The organisation's safeguarding framework is rooted in human rights principles and aims to empower individuals while ensuring their protection during all cultural relations activities.

Drawing from global standards and best practices, the British Council regularly shares its safeguarding approach with local and international partners to foster broader collaboration. The roundtable marks one of several planned initiatives to advance sector-wide safeguarding.