BSS-36 Unpaid care works to be recognised through women empowerment: Mannan

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BSS-36

MANNAN-UNPAID-CARE-WORK (with Picture)

Unpaid care works to be recognised through women empowerment: Mannan

DHAKA, Nov 05, 2018 (BSS) – State Minister for Finance and Planning Abdul Mannan today said that unpaid care works of country’s womenfolk have to be recognised ensuing women empowerment.

“It is important to recognise, evaluate and redistribute the unpaid care works. If we can ensure the women empowerment in all aspects, it will be possible to recognise and evaluate the domestic and unpaid care work,” he said.

The state minister came up with the observations while speaking at a Policy Dialogue on “Unpaid Care Work: Election Manifesto Perspective” at Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) auditorium of Dhaka University (DU).

Action Aid Bangladesh and Dhaka University Debating Society (DUDS) organised the programme as part of the Grand Finale of ‘National Debate Campaign-2018 on Unpaid Care Work’.

Recognizing unpaid care work economically, politically and socially can largely contribute to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in our country, said experts and researchers at the inaugural ceremony.

Addressing the inaugural session, DU Vice-Chancellor (VC) Dr. Md. Akhtaruzzaman said, “Achieving SDGs can be possible more efficiently if we recognize the works of our women in our family and their economic contribution”.

A K Abdul Momen, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations, said, GDP of Bangladesh will be higher if unpaid care works are recognized in policy and budget as in many countries these unpaid care works contribute 20 to 39 percent of their GDP. “The recognition is important to ensure gender equity”, he added.

Meghna Guhathakurta, Executive Director, Research Initiative Bangladesh (RIB), presented a study conducted jointly by ActionAid Bangladesh and RIB in 2017.

The study conducted on 600 respondents of Lalmonirhat and Gaibandha regions said that a woman daily spends about 8 hours in unpaid care work while a man spends only 2.5 hours daily in such work.

Nuh Alam Lenin, an Awami League leader, said, “Not only unpaid care works but the work of domestic helps should be recognized as a profession as well.”

Dr. Nazneen Ahmed, Senior Research Fellow of BIDS also addressed the event.

Mofizur Rhaman, Professor of Mass Communication and Journalism of DU, presented the keynote speech while Farah Kabir, Country Director of Action Aid Bangladesh moderated the programme.

BSS/Asg/MMN/KU/1953 HRS