A Room of Their Own: How Women in Khulna Region Redefined Public Spaces

When 20-year-old Rani arrived at the Bajua union parishad office with her newborn son nestled in her arms, she wasn’t just there to register her newborn’s birth. She was stepping into a public space with newfound confidence.

“My husband works in town and couldn’t come with me,” Rani said. “I was nervous about how I would manage to breastfeed during the long wait. But when I came to know about the establishment of a breastfeeding corner at the union parishad office premises, I felt at ease. I came without hesitation and even stayed for the open budget meeting. It feels like the union parishad finally belongs to us, too.”

Rani’s story is one of many that reflect a quiet but powerful transformation underway in the southwestern coastal belt of Bangladesh.

In places like Khulna and Bagerhat, disadvantaged women’s voices were long unheard in public forums, but a group of determined female leaders and members of community-based Civil Society Organizations (CSO) began to reshape the narrative. What started as participation in training and dialogue sessions gradually evolved into something more profound. It created a movement to uphold public institutions for all genders.

These CSO members who are mostly women, supported by the EVOLVE project’s focus on civic engagement and capacity-building, took a closer look at the very spaces where decisions affecting their lives were made. They noticed that Union Parishad offices were unintentionally excluding women, particularly mothers

“There were no spaces where a woman could sit quietly, let alone breastfeed,” said Lili Akter, a female CSO leader. She further added, “Even if a mother had important paperwork to submit or a meeting to attend, she wouldn’t come. How could she, with a crying baby and no privacy to breastfeed?”

The realization sparked collective action. These women, trained in gender inclusivity, local governance laws, and citizen rights, identified this gap and decided to act. They launched a grassroots advocacy campaign led entirely. They raised the issue in open budget meetings, brought it up during Ward Shava discussions, and engaged with Union Parishad officials using community testimonies and strategic appeals.

The path was not easy. Convincing male-dominated councils to prioritize this issue took persistence. Political unrest in 2024 disrupted local governance in several unions. Some elected chairmen fled or were arrested, stalling progress. In other cases, lack of space in Union Parishad offices created logistical challenges.

But the women persisted. Instead of demanding new infrastructure, they proposed practical solutions like repurposing unused rooms and reallocating existing budgets. Their relentless advocacy paid off. In just over a year, 22 out of 28 Union Parishads in the EVOLVE project area established breastfeeding corners where women of all age specially mothers could nurse their children, rest, and participate in public life with dignity.

Each breastfeeding corner is more than just a physical room. It is a symbol of inclusion, a landmark of women’s leadership, and a reminder that when women influence decision-making, the priorities shift toward the collective good.

The journey is ongoing. In several unions, newly appointed administrators are now stepping in to complete what remains unfinished. The women’s movement for gender-responsive governance continues to gain ground, undeterred by political setbacks or bureaucratic delays.

What makes this achievement remarkable is not just the change in infrastructure but the shift in mindset. For generations, women’s presence in public offices was limited and often overlooked. Today, because of the determination and leadership of local women, these spaces are being reshaped to reflect the needs and dignity of everyone.

The establishment of the breastfeeding corner is just the beginning.