The University of Dhaka (DU), established under the Dhaka University Order 1973, has a statutory and moral responsibility to uphold gender equality, non-discrimination, and inclusive participation across teaching, research, governance, and campus life. With almost 45% of its student body female in 2024 and a rapidly expanding ecosystem of women’s studies, childcare, maternity/paternity support, and non-discrimination policies, DU is a national leader in promoting gender justice in higher education.

This commitment is anchored institutionally by the Department of Women and Gender Studies (DWGS)—Bangladesh’s first dedicated department on women and gender, established in 2000 and now an interdisciplinary hub linking academia and activism.

Dhaka University

Dhaka University is Bangladesh’s flagship gender-equality university: the country’s first to establish a Department of Women and Gender Studies, one of the earliest to introduce campus childcare and comprehensive maternity provisions, and a national leader in tracking women’s access, degrees, and leadership in public higher education.This positions DU not just as compliant, but as a pacesetter for SDG 5 in the Global South.