Bangladesh Women’s Foundation (BWF) is a representation of the efforts of rural women’s organizations working throughout Bangladesh. In generally hostile conditions women try to promote gender equality, women’s leadership, women’s human rights and the combating of violence against women and children.
Since its inception in 2003 BWF has sought to assist in developing women’s organizations in rural areas, trying to challenge the structural, systemic and administrative problems that small women’s organizations face in an environment which undermines their ability to actively and effectively mobilize.
BWFs Objectives and Priorities
BWFs objectives and priorities are in the following areas:
- Partnering with local and community headed women’s organizations, groups and leaders to ensure that these ventures have the money, resources and skills to succeed
- Mobilizing financial and human resources to generate a pool of funding for Bangladeshi organizations concerned with supporting and advocating for women
- Establishing alliances, networks and relationships with donor agencies and grant making organizations to advocate for the promotion and protection of women’s rights both inside and outside Bangladesh
- Utilizing existing and grooming new linkages and networks with national, international and global funding agencies and networks
- Supporting grass roots organizations capacity development and women’ empowerment mandates
- Reducing gender disparities and discrimination across class, caste, religion and other social groups
- Promoting women’s active participation in public and political life – ensuring involvement in decision making bodies
- Investing in continued efforts for organizational capacity building, leadership development and promoting local women’s NGOs as development leaders
Programme Areas
- Gender and human rights training
- Capacity building
- Leadership development
- Human rights and prevention of violence against women
- Human security and protection of children
- Political participation promotion
Past Grantees
- 100,000 Bangladeshi taka for Mother’s Development Society for Enhancing Women’s Political participation.
- 91,000 Bangladeshi Taka to Goria Student Forum for Adolescent Girls Rights and promoting Gender equality.
- 100,000 Bangladeshi Taka to Mohila Unnayan Samitee for Enhancing Women’s Political participation.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for any support that BWF provides, local women’s NGOs must be registered with the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs (MWCA) or another official government body. BWF exists to support small women led NGOs whose visions are in the above mentioned program areas.
Application Process
Applicants can submit the online application form available on the website.
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