The American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB) organized an Inception Meeting on “Preventing Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB)” on 20 August 2026 at the Media Studio, Annex 2, Level 2, AIUB Campus. The initiative is part of the project titled “Ending Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in Public Spaces, Workplaces and in Tertiary Educational Institutions in Bangladesh,” implemented by UN Women with the support of the European Union (EU), in collaboration with the University Grants Commission (UGC) and Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK). The initiative aims to prevent sexual and gender-based violence by promoting safer, more respectful and inclusive environments and by addressing harmful attitudes, behaviors and social norms.

Under the tertiary education component, AIUB is one of the five selected universities participating in this important initiative, alongside Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST), Daffodil International University (DIU), Khulna University, and Begum Rokeya University. UN Women in partnership with the European Union (EU), with the university component focusing on creating safer, more respectful and inclusive educational environments.

The session began with a welcome note delivered by Prof. Dr. Farheen Hassan, SFHEA, Director, AIUB-IQAC, who read out a message from Prof. Dr. Carmen Z. Lamagna, Member, Board of Trustees and Former Vice Chancellor, AIUB. The message reflected AIUB's commitment to fostering a safe, inclusive and supportive campus environment for all members of the university community.

The meeting included a welcome speech, sharing of the meeting objectives and project background by Tahmina Rahman, Executive Director, Ain o Shalish Kendra (ASK), followed by a presentation on the implementation plan by Mr. Mubrook Mohammed, Advisor, ASK. The project seeks to address harmful gender norms, transform attitudes and behaviors, raise awareness and encourage collective action to prevent sexual and gender-based violence. Through a Whole-of-School Approach, students, faculty, staff and university administration are encouraged to work together to prevent SGBV and contribute to a safer campus environment.

Shrabana Datta, Unit Manager, Ending Violence Against Women, Bangladesh Country Office, UN Women, and Ms. Tosiba Kashem, Program Analyst-EVAW, UN Women Bangladesh, attended the session. Ms. Datta delivered her remarks, highlighting the significance of collaborative efforts and the role of educational institutions and young people in promoting respectful, inclusive and violence-free environments.

Prof. Dr. Saiful Islam, Vice Chancellor, AIUB, also addressed the gathering and emphasized the importance of collective responsibility in building a respectful and inclusive institutional culture. The event brought together university representatives, faculty members, project partners and other relevant stakeholders to discuss the objectives and implementation of the initiative.

The session also featured observations and discussions with Prof. Dr. Farheen Hassan and Prof. Dr. Manzur H. Khan, Proctor, AIUB, along with other participants. The interactive discussions provided an opportunity to exchange perspectives on the role of the university community and the importance of coordinated institutional efforts in preventing SGBV.

Later in the day, from 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM, a Student Changemaker Session was held at the Media Studio for students who had registered to participate in the initiative. The session was facilitated by Ms. Samantha Ahmed and Mr. Mubrook Mohammed from Ain o Shalish Kendra (ASK), who guided the participating students on the objectives of the Student Changemaker initiative and their potential role in bringing positive change to the AIUB community.

As part of the two-year initiative, AIUB is inviting 25 motivated students to become Student Changemakers. The selected students will work as a team and participate in training, workshops and capacity-building activities; support awareness campaigns and peer-led initiatives; promote respectful, inclusive and gender-equitable attitudes; challenge harmful stereotypes and social norms; and develop creative activities aimed at contributing to a safer campus culture.

The Student Changemaker initiative is designed to empower students to become active contributors to positive change. By working collaboratively with fellow Changemakers, university stakeholders and project partners, the students will have the opportunity to influence attitudes and behaviors and contribute meaningfully to making AIUB a safer, more respectful and inclusive environment for everyone.

The project represents an important step toward strengthening AIUB's commitment to student wellbeing, inclusion and the prevention of sexual and gender-based violence through sustained institutional and student-led engagement.