On the eve of Thursday’s national election and constitutional referendum (February 12, 2026), the United Nations reiterated its call to ensure women’s safe, inclusive, and meaningful participation across the electoral process, renewing the appeal via its verified Facebook page.
The UN office framed participation as a fundamental right for all voters—explicitly including women and girls who face heightened barriers, such as women with disabilities, minority-community women, and gender-diverse people. Citing concerns raised by women’s groups and civil society, it noted rising threats of violence and harassment against women candidates and voters, particularly online: cyber-bullying, deepfakes, coordinated trolling, image manipulation, and AI-altered sexualized content.
Underscoring its ongoing support for women’s representation and leadership, the UN said it is working with stakeholders—including assistance to the Bangladesh Election Commission—to expand women’s electoral participation and presence in decision-making. It urged all political leaders, parties, and supporters to prevent any form of harassment, violence, or intimidation against women, stressing that their participation and safety are indispensable to an inclusive democratic process.
The UN expressed confidence that Bangladeshi authorities will continue measures to uphold security, the rule of law, and individual rights during the polls, and affirmed its readiness to support the government so that all voters—women and men alike—can cast ballots free from fear, discrimination, online abuse, or retaliation.