DHAKA, April 25, 2019 (BSS) – Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury today stressed the need for creating more employment opportunities
for marginal women so that they can contribute towards the national development.
“There were social obstacles in the past. But, overcoming all the obstacles, underprivileged and marginal women must be included in the country’s development process aiming to ensure an inclusive development,” she told a dialogue here.
Dr Chaudhury said ensuring education and training for women is a must in empowering them economically and there is no alternative to achieving skills to make women self-dependent.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Bangladesh Women
Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BWCCI) jointly organised the policy
dialogue titled ‘Women’s Economic Empowerment in Bangladesh: Issues and
Challenges at Local Level’ at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre,
said a press release of the Parliament Secretariat.
This was a part of ‘Inclusive and Equitable Local Development (IELD)’
project, a global initiative by UNDP, UNCDF and UN Women, to unlock the
barriers to women’s economic empowerment.
Speaking as the chief guest, Dr Chaudhury said the country’s women are
generally involved in economic activities at household level and their
economic empowerment could be ensured utilising their competence and skills.
She said the government has already enacted women-friendly laws and
policies and it is keen to continue the effort in empowering women in the
field of politics and economy.
“Although women have played an important role in Bangladesh’s economic
development, their participation in the formal economic sector is still very
poor. Women should not be kept captive within only small-cottage industries
and sewing embroidery products,” said the Speaker.
She called for increasing women’s business literacy with a view of
promoting their stake in the economy, a UNDP press release said.
Resident Representative of UNDP Bangladesh Sudipto Mukerjee said: “Women’s
economic empowerment is not simply about labour force participation: it must
also encompass and consider the choice to work, choice of sector, location
and working hours”.
“When working for women’s economic empowerment, societies, politicians and
development workers need to make sure women’s economic empowerment doesn’t
come at the cost of time poverty: leisure and rest are just as important,” he
added.
Citing the recent incident of Nusrat, BWCCI President Selima Ahmad said
fighting violence against women should be prioritised in empowering women.
“When a woman is raped by someone who is supposed to protect her, all our
hopes about women’s political and economic empowerment are shattered,” she
said.
Lawmaker Waseqa Ayesha Khan, Managing Director of Bank Asia Md Arfan Ali,
President of Women Development Forum Brahmanbaria Taslima Sultana Khanom and
founder and Executive Director of Bangladesh Nari Progati Sangstha Rokeya
Kabir, among others, spoke at the dialogue.
Earlier, gender expert Ferdousi Sultana Begum presented a keynote paper on
‘Women’s Economic Empowerment in Bangladesh’ while UNDP’s Women’s Economic
Empowerment Specialist Sharmin Islam gave a presentation on the challenges
and issues faced at the local level.