Gender equity and women and youth empowerment are at the core of GRAUS’s mission and development approach. In the context of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), where Indigenous communities, remote geographical conditions, socio-economic disparities, and cultural barriers often limit access to essential services and opportunities, GRAUS works to ensure that women, girls, and young people can exercise their rights, participate meaningfully in decision-making, and contribute to sustainable community development.
GRAUS implements comprehensive initiatives on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) to address the unique challenges faced by women and adolescent girls in the CHT. Limited access to healthcare facilities, inadequate reproductive health information, language barriers, and prevailing social taboos often prevent women and youth from receiving essential services. Through community awareness campaigns, culturally sensitive education programs, youth-friendly outreach, and collaboration with local health providers, GRAUS promotes informed decision-making regarding reproductive health, family planning, menstrual hygiene management, maternal health, and adolescent well-being. The organization also facilitates access to quality maternal and child healthcare services, particularly for women living in hard-to-reach hill communities.
The prevention and response to Gender-Based Violence (GBV) is another critical area of intervention. Women and girls in the CHT may face multiple forms of violence and discrimination, including domestic violence, early and forced marriage, trafficking risks, and barriers to justice. GRAUS integrates GBV prevention into community dialogues, school-based awareness programs, youth engagement initiatives, and local leadership development activities. By working with traditional leaders, community institutions, men and boys, and local government representatives, GRAUS promotes positive social norms, gender-sensitive attitudes, and collective responsibility for preventing violence. The organization also supports the establishment of safe and confidential spaces where survivors can access psychosocial support, legal assistance, referral services, and protection mechanisms while ensuring dignity, confidentiality, and survivor-centered care.
Recognizing that economic dependence often reinforces gender inequality, GRAUS places strong emphasis on the economic empowerment of women and youth. The organization supports livelihood development through vocational and market-oriented skills training, entrepreneurship development, financial literacy education, savings and access-to-finance initiatives, and opportunities for income generation. Particular attention is given to Indigenous women and marginalized youth who face additional barriers to economic participation. By strengthening their skills, confidence, and access to resources, GRAUS helps women and young people improve household income, enhance resilience, and achieve greater economic independence.
Youth empowerment is approached as both a rights-based and development priority. GRAUS actively promotes the meaningful participation of young women and men in community governance, peacebuilding, environmental stewardship, and local development processes. The organization advocates for the effective implementation of the National Youth Policy of Bangladesh, ensuring that youth from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds in the CHT have equitable access to education, leadership opportunities, employment pathways, and civic engagement platforms. Through leadership training, mentorship, volunteerism, and capacity-building initiatives, GRAUS nurtures a generation of informed, skilled, and socially responsible young leaders.
Across all interventions, GRAUS adopts an inclusive and culturally responsive approach that respects the diversity of Indigenous peoples and local communities in the CHT. The organization works to strengthen women’s leadership, increase youth representation in community decision-making structures, and foster equitable participation in both household and public spheres. By addressing structural inequalities, challenging harmful gender norms, and creating opportunities for empowerment, GRAUS contributes to building safer, healthier, and more resilient communities where women and youth can fully realize their rights and potential.
