The Government of Bangladesh, UNFPA and the World Bank sign agreements totaling $37 million for women’s programmes

UNITED NATIONS, New York – The Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, UNFPA (the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency), and the World Bank have signed new agreements to enhance access to essential services for Rohingya refugees and host Bangladeshi communities.

Under the World Bank’s Inclusive Services and Opportunities initiative, the $37 million funding will expand access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights services as well as gender-based violence prevention and response efforts. It will support life skills training and youth engagement in the Rohingya refugee camps of Cox’s Bazar and Bhashanchar Island, along with host communities in the Chattogram Division.

The project will deliver life-saving services and support through prevention of and response to gender-based violence, including child marriage, improved community-based mental health and psychosocial support services for Rohingya refugees, expanded sexual and reproductive health and rights, and services across all tiers of healthcare and women-friendly spaces. In addition, women, adolescents and young people will have the chance to attend life skills sessions on sexual and reproductive health, gender relations, gender-based violence and mental health, among others. Frontline workers will be trained on basic midwifery skills, screening and timely referral of high-risk pregnancies, psychosocial first aid and survivor-centred care, and referral procedures for survivors of gender-based violence.

This UN-wide partnership comes at a critical time, as Bangladesh continues to respond to one of the world’s largest and most protracted refugee crises. Since 2017, more than 1 million Rohingya people have fled persecution and violence in Myanmar, seeking safety across the border. The resulting strain on host communities has created complex humanitarian challenges that require sustained international support. Recent global funding shortfalls, including significant cuts from donors such as the United States, have forced UNFPA to limit its services, prioritizing those for refugees while reducing support to six government health facilities that primarily serve Bangladeshi host communities. A further 12 safe spaces for women and girls are at risk of closure as well as three women-led community centres. 

UNFPA is on the ground delivering life-saving care, including maternal health services and gender-based violence response, and will work closely with the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to ensure quality and equitable access to services for all affected populations.

This collaboration reinforces the commitment of all partners to uphold the rights and dignity of women and girls, promote community resilience and foster inclusive development in the face of crisis.