SWAPNO is a gender-based social security project that aims to uplift poverty-stricken rural women out of extreme poverty through productive and sustainable livelihoods.

Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities (SWAPNO) is a gender-based poverty graduation project that targets vulnerable rural women who are widowed, divorced, abandoned, or left with a disabled husband unable to earn an income.

Strengthening Women's Ability for Productive New Opportunities (SWAPNO), is being implemented with support of Marico-Bangladesh Limited and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).

SWAPNO is a project of the Local Government Division, which engaged ultra-poor women in public works essential for the economic and social life for rural communities. With support from UNDP, the project promotes employment, and most importantly future employability of extreme poor rural women.

Highlighted as one of Bangladesh’s flagship social safety net projects (as certified by the Cabinet Division), SWAPNO has worked in five poverty-stricken and climate-vulnerable districts: Satkhira, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Jamalpur, and Gaibandha.

SWAPNO (Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities) is a gender-based social security project targeting ultra-poor rural women 18-50 years of age who are widowed/ divorced/abandoned or left with a disabled husband.

Ashish Kumar Bakshi joined UNDP as the National Project Manager of the SWAPNO Phase-II project on 1st July 2024.

During #16DaysOfActivism, we celebrate women overcoming gender-based violence and building resilience through initiatives like UNDP Bangladesh’s #SWAPNO, where they break cycles of abuse to achieve self-reliance.

The approach of SWAPNO includes cash transfer for work, build human capital, create saving behavior among women, and provide counselling and necessary support for investment. Moreover, assistance...

SWAPNO – AT A GLANCE Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities (SWAPNO) is a gender based social security project targeting ultra-poor rural women who are widowed, divorced, abandoned, or left with a disabled husband. The project aims to uplift these women out of extreme poverty through productive and sustainable ...