[{"bbox": [87, 153, 506, 183], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 1.3 Zone benefitting from the Action"}, {"bbox": [85, 212, 1077, 240], "category": "Text", "text": "The Action shall be carried out in Bangladesh, the country is included in the list of ODA recipients."}, {"bbox": [85, 270, 322, 301], "category": "Section-header", "text": "# 2 RATIONALE"}, {"bbox": [85, 336, 234, 363], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 2.1 Context"}, {"bbox": [96, 394, 1133, 742], "category": "Text", "text": "The context for the EU's participation in the Civic Engagement Fund (CEF) within Bangladesh is linked to the EU's objectives and priorities, emphasising the promotion of inclusive governance, gender equality and women's empowerment (GEWE), human rights, and sustainable development in Bangladesh. Bangladesh's political landscape is marked by its aspirations for middle-income status, requiring strengthened governance, enhanced social justice, and greater civic engagement. The country faces challenges such as governance deficiencies, restricted civic spaces, and inequality. As Bangladesh prepares to graduate from its current Least Developed Country (LDC) status in 2026, human rights and democracy will emerge as crucial pillars for transitioning from the Everything but Arms arrangement to the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP+) trade system. GSP+ integrates sustainable development with enhancements in human rights, labour standards, environmental conditions, and good governance. This presents a distinctive opportunity to harness the European Union's influence as Bangladesh's primary trading partner."}, {"bbox": [96, 753, 1133, 1069], "category": "Text", "text": "Currently, CSOs in Bangladesh are navigating a complex environment characterised by a dominant one-party system, partisanship, deliberate exclusion from the political sphere and formal spaces, diminishing freedom of speech and right to assembly. The government's response to demands for fair wages and democratic elections in 2023, has led to widespread detentions, excessive use of force, and internet blackouts aimed at silencing protests. Challenges extend to the legal and regulatory domain, impacting CSOs operations and making it especially hard for grassroots CSOs to flourish, particularly those representing most marginalised groups, such as indigenous peoples or persons with disabilities. In the past, systematic efforts to suppress any opposition and critical voice have intensified and legislations such as the Cyber Security Act foster a climate of fear and self-censorship. The overall landscape is further complicated by corruption, infrastructure deficits, and an inefficient bureaucracy, affecting the business sector."}, {"bbox": [96, 1084, 1133, 1374], "category": "Text", "text": "The Constitution recognizes equal rights for women and men in the public sphere, and there is a reasonably compelling legal and policy framework guaranteeing women's rights. However, people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, or are part of the LGBTI community face violence, discriminatory laws and police harassment. The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) suggested removing Section 377⁵ from the penal code, creating safe spaces for LGBTI and hijra⁶ individuals, and including transgender identities and same-sex relationships in national policies. The UPR also highlighted the issue of excessive government restrictions undermining the right to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association. It also underscored the dangers faced by human rights defenders and civil society organizations in voicing their concerns without fear of reprisals and intimidation by state agencies⁷."}, {"bbox": [96, 1386, 1133, 1472], "category": "Text", "text": "Bangladesh has a significant history of strong and vibrant movements spearheaded by women-led organizations asserting that women's rights be respected, protected and fulfilled. Over the years, women's groups have mobilized to ensure their voices are heard on various issues, including: violence"}, {"bbox": [85, 1523, 1141, 1572], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁵Section 377: British colonial penal code that criminalized all sexual acts \"against the order of nature\". The law was used to prosecute people engaging in oral and anal sex along with homosexual activity."}, {"bbox": [85, 1572, 1142, 1620], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁶In South Asia, the term 'Hijra' refers to people who develop a gender identity other than the sex they were assigned at birth. It is often used interchangeably with the term transgender and can also include people who are intersex."}, {"bbox": [85, 1620, 567, 1646], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁷ OHCHR | Universal Periodic Review - Bangladesh"}, {"bbox": [85, 1682, 193, 1707], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 6 of 33"}]