'Collective Action Key to Advancing Women's Economic Empowerment in Nutrition, Technology, and Inclusive Market Systems': Experts
The event was jointly organised by MR Consultants Ltd, World Vision Bangladesh and The Business Standard, and moderated by Saleem Ahmed, associate editor of The Business Standard
Recommendations
- There is a need of indepth discussion with decision-makers from the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) to adopt the MenCare training curriculum for frontline extension workers and facilitate its dissemination to farmers.
- The private sector is willing to adopt certain topics related to gender and women's empowerment in their existing training curriculum. GESMIN should engage in discussions with the selected private sector entities to move forward with this initiative.
- The GESMIN project needs to collaborate with DAE's existing initiatives, such as SACP and PARTNER, at the local level to complement each other's efforts.
- GESMIN should share best practices and success stories with a broader audience, including district and upazila development coordination committee meetings, print media, electronic media, etc., to facilitate scaling up.
- The Islamic Foundation is strengthening the capacity of Imams through a comprehensive training curriculum. GESMIN can establish a strategic partnership with us to incorporate selected topics from their MenCare curriculum.
The roundtable discussion titled "Inclusive Market Systems for WEE: Success, Opportunities, and Collaboration" was held on 2 June at The Business Standard Seminar Hall.
The event was jointly organised by MR Consultants Ltd, World Vision Bangladesh and The Business Standard, and moderated by Saleem Ahmed, associate editor of The Business Standard.
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The discussion brought together researchers, policymakers, private sector leaders, gender experts, development practitioners, and grassroots representatives to explore strategies for advancing women's economic empowerment, particularly in rural and agricultural sectors.
The round table highlighted insights from the ongoing Women's Economic Empowerment (WEE) approach of five-year project 'GEnder incluSive Market system for Improved Nutrition (GESMIN) by World Vision Bangladesh and implemented by Unnayan Sangha at four upazilas of Jamalpur district Bangladesh, funded by the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP).
Dr Tania Haque
Professor, Dhaka University and keynote speaker
Keynote summary: This keynote presentation highlights the findings and strategic recommendations of the study on Women's Economic Empowerment (WEE) Strategy Assessment and Curriculum Adaptation, conducted as part of the GESMIN project.
GESMIN aims to establish gender-inclusive, sustainable market systems to economically empower 25,000 farming households in Jamalpur by 2028, while improving nutrition and promoting gender equity. The study's sample was drawn from four upazilas Dewanganj, Islampur, Jamalpur Sadar, and Melandah within Jamalpur district, as well as from the national level to capture both grassroots and policy-level perspectives.
The WEE framework, structured around Access, Agency, and Equitable Systems, was used to analyse barriers and opportunities in areas such as economic advancement, decision-making, and social norms. While progress has been made in increasing women's participation in agriculture and market systems, the study identifies persistent challenges: gender wage gaps, excessive unpaid care burdens, limited decision-making authority, and underrepresentation in market governance particularly for women with disabilities. Religious and cultural norms, inadequate childcare support, and exclusionary labour systems continue to limit women's economic agency.
The study also evaluated and proposed adaptations to the MenCare curriculum to address gender and disability norms, promote community-led childcare models, and tailor training modules for both public (DAE) and private sector actors.
Dr. Haque emphasized that meaningful women's economic empowerment requires transforming not just training content, but also the structures and systems that shape women's roles in the economy. She called for holistic, inclusive, and context-aware approaches to drive sustainable change.
Dr Akram Hossain Chowdhury
Director, Establishing Family Nutrition Gardens on Unused, Fallow Land and Homestead Yards, Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE)
In today's presentation on the study of the Gesmin project, three curricula were mentioned, one for religious leaders, one for the government, and another for the private sector. I believe all three should be taken seriously and that we should actively engage and work with each of them.The project I lead was launched by the government in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, amid concerns over potential food shortages. In response, the government undertook efforts to bring fallow land under cultivation.
To ensure access to nutritious food, we introduced a method known as the Kalikapur Model. This model is designed to be implemented using just five decimals (approximately 0.05 acres) of homestead land. It is now being promoted across all upazilas in the country. So far, we have established around 500,000 nutrition gardens
nationwide.
Chandan Z Gomes
Senior Director, Operationas and programme quality, World Vision Bangladesh
World Vision Bangladesh currently reached 300,000 children with a dream to build a peaceful family, society where each and every under 5 years of children will be out of malnourished through promoting climate smart, resilient farming technologies & practices, gender equity and technologies for increasing basic income of the targeted households.
Since last two years, World Vision Bangladesh initiative, powered by our integrated approach, targets 5-Zero like Zero hunger, Malnutrition, Child labour, Children out of school, and Child marriage.
The GESMIN Project also focuses on empowering farmers through technology. Adolescent girls' clubs are being used to promote the use of digital tools like agricultural apps, farming solutions, and early warning systems. These young members are not only learning themselves but also training their families.
We emphasise that an integrated approach is essential for improving nutrition, requiring coordinated efforts from the government, NGOs, communities, private sectors, and families. We have also highlighted the importance of disability inclusion (Suborno card) in all WVB's programming and requested everyone to extend their cooperation to work with the GESMIN project in adapting the MenCare curriculum for both the public and private sectors.
Syed Abu Siam Zulquararnain
Deputy Project Director, SACP, DAE
The SACP project, active for the past 7–8 years, has benefited around 670,000 people—40% of them women. By promoting homestead gardens, off-farm activities, and women-friendly marketplaces, it has strengthened women's nutrition, income, and decision-making power. Women are now selling surplus produce, contributing to household income and improving dietary diversity by up to 70%. Notably, 40% of farmer groups are now women-led, breaking cultural barriers and creating lasting impact.
The Gesmin project deserves appreciation for highlighting and advancing such inclusive and transformative approaches to women's empowerment and community resilience.
Muhammad Nizam Uddin
Deputy Director, Islamic Foundation
Around 80,000 Imams are currently serving across the country, and around 6,000 training sessions are conducted each year through eight centres of the foundation. These trainings cover a wide range of topics, including poultry farming, agriculture, and livestock rearing. The programmes are implemented in collaboration with development partners such as UNICEF and World Vision.
Incorporating a "MenCare" module into the imam training programmes could be considered. Ensuring the respectful and meaningful participation of religious leaders can make development initiatives more effective.
Dr Nasiba Aktar
Gender specialist at PARTNER programme, DAE
Women's empowerment should not be viewed solely through the lens of gender, but also from the perspectives of a mother, a wife, and a daughter. These roles help us truly understand how powerful a woman can be. Gender is not just a women's issue – it concerns men too, and a lack of this understanding often leads to failure.
Under the PARTNER programme, several significant initiatives have been launched. For instance, 300,000 farmers have received training that incorporates social and environmental perspectives.
A "code of conduct" has been adopted to enforce a zero-tolerance policy against sexual harassment and gender-based violence.
To ensure the sustainability of the GESMIN project, it needs to be brought under the umbrella of the PARTNER programme so that its operations are embedded within the national framework in a lasting manner.
Farhana Hoque
Deputy Director, Field Service Wing, DAE
World Vision's GESMIN project has received positive feedback from district-level officials in Jamalpur, particularly for its efforts in training and economically empowering women.
The programme has made commendable progress in promoting women's participation in decision-making and fostering economic inclusion. While women are now beginning to participate in decision-making processes, officials stressed the need to go beyond that by nurturing leadership skills and integrating women into marketing chains for genuine empowerment.
Md Shakhawat Hossain
DGM, Petrochem (Bangladesh) Ltd
Petrochem Bangladesh Ltd, a leading seed producer and supplier in the country, has been working in the agriculture sector since 1990. The company is actively engaged in the GESMIN project to promote inclusive and sustainable agricultural
practices.
I totally agree with how today's presentation emphasized the role of the private sector. Women farmers are often left behind due to barriers like limited access to quality seeds, climate awareness, and market linkages. Petrochem addresses these by training input sellers and community agents on climate-smart practices and supporting them to improve services at the grassroots level.
Rafiqul Islam
Head of Sales, Rainbow Bangladesh
Committed to improving the livelihoods of farmers, Rainbow Agro is working directly at the grassroots level. The company has engaged with farmers both individually and in groups, collaborated with retailers and distributors, and provided hands-on training on quality products and their proper application methods.
Promoting the inclusion of women farmers is also a key priority. To ensure their participation, Rainbow Agro organises courtyard meetings in easily accessible locations close to their homes. In many cases, women manage
the majority of agricultural responsibilities as male family members work abroad. The company aims to empower these women through training and capacity building.
Fahad Mahmud Ibne Huda
Deputy Executive Director, Unnyan Shongho
In traditional patriarchal societies, women have long faced restrictions in decision-making, leadership, and access to financial resources. Through the project, women have received training in leadership, agriculture, entrepreneurship, and gender sensitivity, helping to build their capacity and agency.
To improve women's access to markets and information, the project introduced trained Community Market Agents who connect women with companies and public services.
Gesmin project has also fostered shared family responsibilities and improved focus on child nutrition and education. Experience from Jamalpur shows that although women were once limited in access to finance and information, they are becoming stronger through targeted training and market linkages. Their access to agricultural inputs, technologies, and public services is improving. While climate change and economic barriers persist, increased market connectivity and collective organisation are enabling women to become more active in agriculture and entrepreneurship.
Stephen Asim R Chatterjee
Project Manager, GESMIN
The GESMIN project is a gender-inclusive, market systems-based initiative running until 2028. The project covers 25,000 small holder farming households in four Upazilas of Jamalpur district Islampur, Melandah, Dewanganj, and Jamalpur Sadar, with the ambition of impacting build gender-inclusive market systems, empower women, and improve nutrition. It is being implemented across 318 villages with the primary goals of enhancing farmers' productivity, improving nutrition and hygiene practices, and economically empowering women. A key component of GESMIN is child nutrition, particularly preventing malnutrition among children under five and promoting sustainable, family-centered development. In collaboration with the Islamic Foundation, 500 Imams have been trained to speak out against child marriage and advocate for improved nutrition and gender equality in their sermons.
Md Shariful Islam
Monitoring and Evaluation Expert, WEE strategy assessment and Curriculum Adaptation research team
This study aimed to assess how the Women's Economic Empowerment (WEE) Strategy is being adapted to engage men and boys in promoting gender equality. It explored how inclusive these efforts are and highlights the socio-economic barriers that continue to marginalize specific groups, particularly women and girls guided by the principle of 'leaving no one behind.'
By examining prevailing notions of traditional masculinity, the study identifies new pathways for fostering gender-transformative approaches in key sectors. It emphasizes the importance of engaging men in recognizing, reducing, and redistributing unpaid care and domestic work, as well as supporting women's entry into traditionally male-dominated fields.
Furthermore, the research sheds light on how entrenched gender inequalities and patriarchal perceptions of masculinity and femininity not only disadvantage women but also negatively impact men and boys.
Md Mokbul Hossain
Managing Director, MR Consultants
Women play a crucial role in advancing their families. Everyone present at today's roundtable is united in the effort to uplift our mothers and explore ways to enhance their development. We must not only expand their responsibilities but also recognise and embrace them as role models.
I am currently involved in a project focused on improving nutrition through the expansion of mushroom cultivation, where I serve as a monitoring official on behalf of the Planning Ministry. I would like to emphasise that although World Vision is a non-governmental organisation, the model they are implementing in collaboration with the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Jamalpur is truly commendable.
If the government formally recognises this initiative as a "MenCare Model" and works to scale it up, I believe we can achieve our goals more quickly and effectively.
Mahmuda Sultana
Community Market Agent, Jamalpur Sadar
Since joining the GESMIN project, women have experienced visible changes in their lives – gaining greater financial capacity, self-confidence, and involvement in family decision-making.
Women are now significantly more active in agricultural work, seed selection and sales, market linkages, participating in training, and engaging with government institutions. Their input is also influencing spending patterns and production methods, contributing to increased household income.
When women gain confidence and are meaningfully included, it paves the way for sustainable change in families, communities, and the economy.
Fellow participants
Mong Owa Ching Marma, Gender Specialist, World Vision Bangladesh
Md Humayun Kabir, Consultant, MR Consultant
Md Ashraful Islam, Consultant, MR Consultant
Round table coordination:
Sina Hasan
