Dhaka : Early evidence has surfaced of women’s psychosocial empowerment being able to influence food security pathways, as per collaborative research conducted by eight international NGOs, research institutes, donor organizations and public and private universities, including BRAC University.
Psychosocial refers to the interrelation of social factors and individual thought and behavior.
The research connects Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on hunger, health, gender equality, and sanitation by exploring scalable training modules that combine psychosocial empowerment with water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) components.
The research project, “Improving Food and Nutrition Security by Enhancing Women’s Empowerment”, has been funded by the Dutch Research Council.
The eight entities are the Humanitarian Hub of BRAC JPGSPH at BRAC University, BRAC Microfinance, University of Groningen (Netherlands), University Medical Centre Groningen, Haramaya University (Ethiopia), International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), University of Passau (Germany), and the Association of Ethiopian Microfinance Institutions.
Saira Parveen Jolly, assistant scientist at Humanitarian Hub, presented the findings through a ceremony at Sheraton Dhaka on 11 December 2025.
She also detailed the impact of interventions focusing on women borrowers of the BRAC Microfinance DABI program.
Policymakers, researchers, and development partners at the event engaged in discussions on the specific psychological mechanisms driving positive changes and the need to isolate the direct effects of psychosocial interventions versus WASH components.
They also highlighted the importance of contextual factors, such as women’s professions and marital age gaps, in interpreting the data for future policy and underscored the link between gender dynamics and national health systems.
“Women’s empowerment is not optional; it is a public health necessity, especially in a country where persistent challenges continue to undermine human development,” said Dr Laura Reichenbach, dean of the BRAC JPGSPH.
Regarding the problem’s cyclical nature, Dr Zinat Ara, director general at the Department of Women Affairs, said, “A malnourished girl today becomes a malnourished mother tomorrow.”
“…so addressing women’s nutrition is fundamental to breaking the cycle,” she said.
She further noted that gender equality is “not just a moral imperative” but a “practical requirement for better health and nutrition outcomes.” Dr Tahmeed Ahmed, executive director at the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (iccdr,b), drew attention to the critical early windows for intervention. “Malnutrition is intergenerational,” Dr Ahmed explained, adding that empowering women requires giving them knowledge, education, wealth, and inner strength. “Engaging husbands is critically important; when men support maternal health, the entire family benefits,” he added.
Addressing as the event’s chief guest, Dr Mohammad Emdad Ullah Mian, secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to integrating these scientific insights into long-term planning.
“We are developing a 25-year strategic plan for ensuring safe and nutritious food,” said Dr. Mian, noting that the agriculture sector could serve as the “runway for the development of our country”.
Dr Kaosar Afsana, a professor at BRAC JPGSPH, reminded the audience that contextualization was important for future interventions to ensure scalability.
