More than 200 women leaders, policymakers, diplomats, entrepreneurs, academics and development professionals from over 20 countries gathered in Dhaka for the third International Women Parliament (IWP) and ICONIC Women Award 2026, bringing discussions on women’s safety, social justice, healthcare, leadership and economic independence to the forefront.
The international summit concluded on October 30 at the Grand Ballroom of Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel in Dhaka, marking the first time the International Women Parliament had been hosted in Bangladesh. Previous editions of the event were held in India in 2023 and Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in 2025.
Organised by Arena for Global Engagement Limited (AGE) in collaboration with Project 100 and the International Women Parliament, the summit was held under the theme “Grassroots to Global: Women’s Ecosystem”. The programme aimed to strengthen international cooperation, encourage policy dialogue and highlight the contributions of women across business, public service, entrepreneurship and community development.
The gathering brought together representatives from different sectors to examine the structural and economic challenges affecting women and identify opportunities to strengthen their participation in decision-making, business and sustainable development.
Four high-level leadership dialogues formed the central part of the summit, covering women’s safety and healthcare, social justice, sustainable development and economic empowerment.
The first session, titled “Home and Health: The Core Foundation”, focused on safety within the household and the importance of comprehensive healthcare services for women. Discussions highlighted the need to recognise women’s health and personal security as essential foundations for their social and economic participation.
The second dialogue, “Social Respect and Justice: The Public Sphere”, addressed women’s safety in public spaces, legal protections and the influence of cultural narratives on gender equality. The discussion examined the importance of stronger institutional frameworks and social accountability in creating an environment where women can participate equally in public life.
The third session, “Grassroots to Global: Women’s Ecosystem”, explored how environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles could contribute to expanding development opportunities for women. Participants discussed the potential of inclusive development approaches to connect grassroots initiatives with wider national and international development agendas.
Economic empowerment was the focus of the fourth dialogue, titled “Economic Freedom and Entrepreneurship: The Frontier of Autonomy”. The session examined women’s access to finance, investment opportunities, business scalability and financial self-reliance, highlighting the importance of creating enabling conditions for women entrepreneurs.
The sessions were chaired by prominent Bangladeshi professionals and policymakers, including Dr Halida Hanum Akhter, a reproductive health epidemiologist; Nuzhat Anwar, managing director of Dhaka Stock Exchange; Dr Nazneen Kawshar Chowdhury, secretary and executive chairman of the National Skills Development Authority (NSDA); and Md Sarwer Hossain, deputy governor of Bangladesh Bank.
Representatives from development organisations, civil society institutions and the corporate sector also participated in the summit. Among the organisations represented were Global Compact Network, Plan International, the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), Sajida Foundation, Bwin and Naripokkho.
The event also recognised women for their contributions to professional excellence, entrepreneurship, community development and broader social progress through two award programmes.
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ICONIC Women Award 2026 At Dhaka
The ICONIC Women Award 2026 honoured 30 women across 15 categories, recognising achievements in areas including visionary entrepreneurship, grassroots and community development, healthcare and wellness, education, technology and social impact.
In addition, 20 distinguished women received the Luminary Excellence Award, which recognised their longstanding contributions and high-impact achievements in advancing national development.
According to the organisers, all recipients were selected by the International Women Parliament’s jury board following an evaluation of their contributions and achievements. Together, the two award categories recognised 50 women for their work across different fields.
Syed Iqbal Rizvi, chairman of Arena for Global Engagement Limited, said Bangladesh had a strong pool of women leaders contributing to business, public service and community development.
“Bangladesh has a deep bench of women who lead in business, public service, and their communities,” Mr. Rizvi said.
He said bringing the International Women Parliament to Dhaka would provide an opportunity to showcase Bangladeshi women’s leadership to a global audience while building a platform for cross-border development cooperation.
Mr. Rizvi also emphasised that the summit was intended to generate outcomes beyond a one-day gathering through meaningful discussions and recommendations that could support government institutions and development partners in shaping their future plans and strategies.
Namita Ghimire, president of the International Women Parliament, said in a video message that the organisation sought to connect global challenges with local action.
“The IWP connects global challenges with local action. Dhaka adds a strong South Asian voice to this network for a safer and more equal world,” Ghimire said.
She added that policy recommendations emerging from the discussions would directly inform the organisation’s work across its member countries. Ghimire also thanked AGE Ltd. for hosting and organising the summit.
The event received support from several corporate and institutional partners. Incepta Pharmaceuticals, Craft Holdings LLC, Ratul Properties, Shwapno, EBC and Sameet Dye-Chem were among the sponsor partners.
Impact Investment Exchange (IIX) served as the knowledge partner, while Jamuna Television, The Business Standard, Canvas, Tinds, Maroon and Fashion Business Journal participated as media partners. LifeStraw, represented by OMC Healthcare (Pvt.) Ltd., was the hydration partner.
The participation of international and domestic organisations reflected the summit’s multi-sector approach to women’s empowerment, bringing together business, finance, development, civil society and public-sector perspectives.
The Dhaka edition represents an expansion of the International Women Parliament’s engagement in South Asia and provides Bangladesh with an opportunity to participate more actively in international discussions on women’s leadership and sustainable development.
Established by Project 100 in 2019, the International Women Parliament is a global network that seeks to advance gender equality, sustainable development and multi-sector policy dialogue among women leaders worldwide.
Arena for Global Engagement Limited describes itself as a strategic organisation working as an international gateway for foreign direct investment, large-scale international engagement and development-oriented initiatives.
With discussions spanning healthcare, public safety, institutional justice, ESG and entrepreneurship, the 2026 summit placed women’s empowerment within a broader development framework. Its organisers said the policy discussions and recommendations would contribute to future engagement among stakeholders across participating countries.
The event concluded with the recognition of 50 women leaders, reinforcing its focus on connecting grassroots initiatives, professional achievements and international cooperation to advance women’s participation in economic and social development.