On the occasion of International Women’s Day, ISHO has introduced the Women’s Day 2026 Design Challenge titled “Designing Safer Cities for Women.” This nationwide design competition encourages students to reimagine ways in which cities can enhance the safety, dignity, and mobility of women and girls.
The initiative calls upon students from various universities in Bangladesh to devise innovative and practical solutions aimed at enhancing safety in streets, transportation systems, educational campuses, workplaces, and public areas. Leading faculty members from BRAC University, BUET, Daffodil International University, Khulna University, Sonargaon University, Stamford University, University of Asia Pacific, Southeast University, and North South University are actively involved in guiding and motivating student participation.
The core idea behind the challenge is that cities are not neutral environments. The design of streets, functioning of transportation systems, and layout of public spaces all play a role in determining who feels secure, visible, or excluded. By encouraging students to rethink urban systems through the lenses of rights, justice, and proactive measures, the competition aims to foster solutions that go beyond mere symbols to practical urban interventions.
The ISHO Women’s Day 2026 Design Challenge is structured to have a tangible impact. Among the proposals received, one project will be chosen for prototype development in August 2026 and pilot implementation in November 2026, thereby directly translating design concepts into real urban applications.
Rayana Hossain, the Founder and Managing Director of ISHO, remarked, “Cities significantly influence daily feelings of safety and inclusion. Through this challenge, we aim to inspire young designers to think innovatively about how urban systems can better serve women and girls, and to transform those ideas into actionable solutions.”
A panel of judges including Tanya Karim, Partner Architect at NR Khan & Associates; Mehrin Chowdhury, Editor at Star Lifestyle – The Daily Star; Md Ashraful Islam, Chief Town Planner at RAJUK; and Rayana Hossain, Founder and Managing Director of ISHO will evaluate the submissions.
The competition was launched on March 8, 2026, and submissions will be accepted until April 7, 2026. Finalists will present their proposals to the jury, with the winners set to be announced during the Awards Ceremony on April 17, 2026.
By uniting emerging designers, academic institutions, and urban decision-makers, the ISHO Women’s Day 2026 Design Challenge aspires to translate student ideas into concrete strategies for creating safer and more inclusive cities.
For more information, visit: www.isho.com/womens-day.