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.