Strengthening Civic Engagement and Gender Equality in Climate-Vulnerable Communities (SCEGE-CVC)
A community-led Project helping women, youth and marginalised households in coastal Barguna and Patuakhali claim their voice, their rights, and their place in local decision-making — while building resilience against the climate shocks that threaten their lives and livelihoods.
SDG 5 & SDG 16
Coastal communities in Barguna and Patuakhali live at the sharp edge of climate change.
Cyclones, flooding, river erosion and erratic weather deepen displacement, livelihood loss, poverty and socio-economic insecurity — hitting landless and marginalised households hardest. Women and youth face additional barriers to services, resources, leadership and decision-making.
Limited civic awareness, weak community capacity, gender inequality and social exclusion restrict vulnerable communities' ability to claim their rights and influence local decisions. NAGORIKATA: SCEGE-CVC Project exists to change that.
The Project strengthens civic participation, promotes gender equality and women's leadership, and empowers communities to advocate for climate justice and equitable access to services — building a foundation that outlasts the Project itself.
To strengthen civic engagement and promote gender equality among climate-vulnerable communities in Barguna and Patuakhali — enabling women, youth and marginalised groups to participate meaningfully in decision-making and advocate for their rights and needs.
Each objective builds toward the same outcome: communities that can speak, lead, and withstand shocks on their own terms.
Strengthen civic engagement and community voice by creating inclusive platforms for women, youth, and marginalized communities to participate in decision-making and local governance.
Promote gender equality and women's leadership by building women's capacity, representation, negotiation, advocacy, and leadership skills.
Enhance community capacity for climate justice and resilience by increasing awareness and strengthening the ability of vulnerable communities to respond to climate-related risks and advocate for equitable climate action.
Strengthen advocacy and accountability mechanisms by connecting community groups, civil society organizations, and local government institutions through policy dialogue and public engagement.
Improve access to rights, services, and opportunities through awareness, service linkages, legal support, and sustainable livelihood and eco-entrepreneurship initiatives.
NAGORIKATA: SCEGE-CVC Project follows a participatory, gender-responsive and rights-based approach.
NAGORIKATA: SCEGE-CVC Project reaches 16 unions across 4 upazilas in two of Bangladesh's most climate-exposed coastal districts — part of Barisal Division.
—
Under the NAGORIKATA: SCEGE-CVC program, SMKK with two consortium partner has been implementing this NAGORIKATA: SCEGE-CVC Project. This Project is funded by the Embassy of Switzerland, Global Affairs Canada (GAC), and the European Union (EU), with support from FMA-GFA
NAGORIKATA: SCEGE-CVC Project directly contributes to two core SDGs — advancing gender equality and promoting peaceful, inclusive societies through strong, accountable institutions.
Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. NAGORIKATA builds women's leadership, negotiation and advocacy capacity across 16 coastal unions in Barguna and Patuakhali.
Learn about SDG 5
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies, provide access to justice and build effective, accountable institutions at all levels — connecting communities directly with local governance processes.
Learn about SDG 16
NAGORIKATA: SCEGE-CVC's Project community events in Barguna and Patuakhali have been featured across local and national Bangla media.
NAGORIKATA: SCEGE-CVC Project is one of SMKK's flagship civic engagement and climate resilience programmes. Get in touch to learn more, collaborate, or arrange a field visit to Barguna or Patuakhali.