BACKGROUND:

Oxfam is a global organization working to end poverty and promote social justice. In Bangladesh, Oxfam began its work in 1970 by helping cyclone survivors and later supported people during the 1971 Liberation War. In 2012, it was honored as a Friend of the Bangladesh Liberation War. For over 50 years, Oxfam has partnered with Bangladesh to promote economic development, reduce poverty, support women’s rights, and fight climate injustice.

As part of its ongoing commitment to inclusive and gender-equal development, Oxfam is running the Empowering Women Through Civil Society Actors (EWCSA) project, funded by the European Union. This project helps marginalized women working in informal and underserved sectors by building the skills and capacity of local Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and Women’s Rights Organizations (WROs). The aim is to empower these groups and the women they support to actively participate in governance, policy discussions, and development efforts.

Major women workers’ sectors covered by the EWCSA:

• Women domestic workers
• Home based or informal RMG Workers
• Tea garden workers
• Workers in the fisheries sector

WHY THIS INITIATIVE

Bangladesh is experiencing a youth surge, with one-fourth of its population—about 45.9 million people—aged between 15 and 29, according to the latest Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) census. To harness this potential, young people need access to education, skills development, leadership opportunities, and real-world experience in an environment that nurtures emerging leaders.

Empowering youth through skill-building and access to information is vital. Oxfam promotes feminist transformative change, which involves lasting shifts in power dynamics and dismantling systemic inequalities. As an intersectional feminist ally, Oxfam is committed to ending sexism and ensuring that women are free from political, social, and economic oppression.

This fellowship is rooted in 11 guiding principles and aims to foster transformative youth leadership. It supports young people in developing innovative ideas and turning them into action, helping to build a more just and equal society.

By boosting confidence, self-belief, and leadership capacity, the fellowship encourages youth to take charge of both their personal and professional journeys. Grounded in feminist and intersectional values, this initiative seeks to nurture a new generation of leaders dedicated to gender justice, equity, and meaningful social change.

KEY OBHECTIVES OF THE FELLOWSHIP:

The objectives of the Feminist Fellowship are as follows:

• Empowerment of young leadership: This fellowship aims is to empower the youth, equipping them with the necessary skills to articulate and advocate for gender justice and equality.
• Promotion of feminist values and localization: We aspire to create a conductive platform for emerging leaders who champion feminist ideals. Through this fellowship, we aim to nurture young feminist individuals committed to advancing feminist leadership and inclusivity in all facets of their future endeavors.
• Facilitation of collaboration and capacity development and learning preservation: Central to our mission is facilitation of collaboration, innovation, and knowledge exchange among fellows, Oxfam and stakeholders.

Benefits:

• Fellows will be paired with experienced mentors who will guide and support them throughout the journey. This will help them build skills, gain knowledge, and grow professionally through hands-on work at the local level.
• They will have opportunities to learn new skills and better understand how to work with Civil Society Actors (CSAs), helping them grow as confident young leaders.
• Fellows will connect with a wide network of people inside and outside Oxfam. This will allow them to share ideas and build strong relationships focused on gender justice.
• By working on Oxfam’s projects in different parts of the country, fellows will gain real-world experience and learn from impactful and innovative activities.
• Each fellow will set personal learning goals through discussions with their mentors and program teams. They will work toward these goals during the fellowship and may apply for extra training in Bangladesh if funds are available.
• Fellows will be engaged for 120 days and will receive a daily allowance for food and travel, paid monthly, as outlined in the EWCSA budget.

Eligibility of the Candidates:

• Must be a Bangladeshi national.
• Applicants should be recent graduates (Bachelor’s or Master’s) in subjects like Gender Studies, Development Studies, Public Administration, Law, Sociology, Agriculture, or other related fields. We welcome flexibility for those applying from remote project areas.
• They should be able to work on their own, handle tasks responsibly, and meet deadlines.
• Applicants must not have full-time jobs during the fellowship.
• They should be committed to gender equality, inclusiveness, and feminist values.
• People from all backgrounds—regardless of gender identity, ethnicity, class, religion, or disability—are encouraged to apply.
• They should be fluent in both English and Bangla.

CLICK HERE FOR THE TOR

APPLICATION PROCEDURE/HOW TO APPLY

Interested individuals must submit technical & financial work proposal based on the terms of reference. Please only mention the title “EWCSA Fellowship” in the subject line and send the application toOxfam at: “hrbd@oxfam.org.uk”.

The package should include:

Applicant must submit the following documents in Zip file to be considered for the evaluation process- 

• A curriculum vitae (CV)
• Copies of academic qualifications
• Details of any internship or volunteering experience
• A motivation letter detailing:
• Learning goals and expectations from the fellowship
• Commitment to feminist values
• Preferred location and sector of interest (i.e., domestic workers, informal RMG workers, tea garden workers, or fisheries sector)

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 21 June 2025 11:59 PM

Our values and commitment to safeguarding:

Oxfam is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct; and committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people, adults and beneficiaries with whom Oxfam GB engages. Oxfam expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.

The post holder will undertake the appropriate level of training and is responsible for ensuring that they understand and work within the safeguarding policies of the organisation. All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks.

We are committed to ensuring diversity and gender equality within our organisation and encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.

Note: All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and may be subject to appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks.

About Us

Oxfam is a global movement of people who won’t live with the injustice of poverty. Together we save and rebuild lives in disasters. We help people build better lives for themselves. We speak out on the big issues that keep people poor, like inequality, discrimination against women and climate change. And we won’t stop until every person on the planet can live without poverty.

Oxfam GB is a member of the international confederation Oxfam.