Training Bangladesh’s next generation of advocates, through the pandemic

Omor Ahmed Dhali was already involved with community capacity building when he joined the fellowship in 2019. “In my capacity as co-manager in the Google Developer Group Sonargaon, I have worked with 1.5k+ students and young professionals to empower them with ICT skill development.”

But he wanted more specific skills to push for effective, evidence-based policies in the private and public sectors, he said. “I believe this fellowship will be a great benefit for me in my ambition to pursue a career in policy advocacy in an emerging sector like ICT.”

This year’s training examined the challenges around automation, work and women, all topical issues for the economy and workplace of tomorrow. The six successful applicants each selected a focus area to research, and present their policy recommendations for concrete, life-changing improvements.

Bringing their voice to tomorrow’s challenges

In Dhali’s case, the sector of business-process outsourcing seemed like a golden opportunity to create more and better jobs for women in Bangladesh, where many carry a disproportionate burden of unpaid work, and where women are overrepresented on the factory floors of the dominant garment industry.

Other participants also leaned into the topics, drawing on their own experience to conceive and propose solutions. Syeda Tanzia Sultana and Shah Muhammad Salahuddin recommended realistic policies to include women in the modern tech-driven agricultural sector. Salma Akter pushed for louder female voices to improve equity in the garment sector. Md Rafiqul Islam explored how to overcome obstacles to women's participation in ICT jobs, while Shuvro Sen suggested strategies to use digitalization to improve women’s work in the garment factories.

A platform for youth to find their voice

In collaboration with the University of Dhaka, FES created the platform in 2015 to build youth capacity, teach them how to write policy papers, and help generate fresh ideas on current development issues. The fellows are mentored by a senior group of experts that help them give voice to their stories. 

By learning how to organize their research and campaigns, fellows improve their capacity to bargain for their rights at a policy-making level. A new theme is set every year. The theme of the fourth round in 2019-2020 was innovation, employment and gender.