CASE STUDY

This case study examines the impact of women-led community cooperatives in Bangladesh, specifically focusing on the Basundhara Forum in Gopalganj district. It details how the Christian Commission for Development in Bangladesh (CCDB), supported by Christian Aid, uses these forums to enhance livelihoods, improve disaster-risk reduction, and increase women's participation in local government decision-making and climate adaptation planning.

• Women-led community cooperatives in Bangladesh improve economic outcomes and empower women to participate in local governance. The Basundhara Forum, a 148-member cooperative in Gopalganj district, was recognized by the Government of Bangladesh in 2011 as one of the country's most successful community cooperatives. By 2015, 80 percent of the forum's women were considered self-sufficient.
• Women-led forums contribute to climate change adaptation through specific technical activities. These include participating in adaptation planning, training in gender-sensitive adaptation, and conducting participatory vulnerability assessments.
• The sustainability of technical capacity in climate action depends on the combination of technical and soft skills. While training in disaster-risk reduction and alternative livelihoods is necessary, leadership and organizational skills are required to maintain the impacts of that technical capacity.

APA

Verma, S. (2020). CASE STUDY. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Christian-Aid-Basundhara-Forum-Case-Study-2.pdf

Chicago

Verma, Simant. CASE STUDY. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2020. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Christian-Aid-Basundhara-Forum-Case-Study-2.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Verma |first1=Simant |title=CASE STUDY |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |date=May 2020 |url=https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Christian-Aid-Basundhara-Forum-Case-Study-2.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{verma2020case, author = {Verma, Simant}, title = {{CASE STUDY}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2020}, month = may, url = {https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Christian-Aid-Basundhara-Forum-Case-Study-2.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }