Addressing Sexual Harassment on Campus: Challenges and Recommendations

In January 2026, Bangladesh’s interim government initiated the process to enact the draft Prevention of Sexual Harassment at Workplaces and Educational Institutions Ordinance 2026, marking the first comprehensive legal reform to build on the 2009 High Court Directives. The draft ordinance criminalizes physical, verbal and digital forms of sexual harassment and requires all institutions to establish internal complaints committees to receive complaints, conduct inquiries and support the implementation of appropriate actions.

This brief provides an overview of progress to date and presents recommendations to strengthen prevention of, and response to, sexual harassment and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) on university campuses. The analysis is informed by consultations with members of the University Grants Commission (UGC), members of internal complaints committees at universities and students engaged under the Ending Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (ESGBV) in Public Spaces, Workplaces and in Tertiary Educational Institutions in Bangladesh project. The brief aims to support policymakers, university administrations and civil society partners to advance coordinated and strategic SGBV prevention and response across public and private universities in Bangladesh.

The ESGBV project is implemented by UN Women, with generous support from the European Union.