Achieving gender equality

M.A.Jabbar :
Every year on March 8, International Women’s Day is celebrated with a theme for the day all around the world. UN theme of the day this year is Gender equality and empower Women. The day provides on opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women while calling for greater equality. Thousands of events occur to mark the economic, political, and social achievements of women. Organizations, government, charities, educational institutions, women’s group, corporations, and the media celebrate the day in a befitting manner.
Various organizations identify their own International Women’s Day theme specific and relevant to their local context and interests. Many charities, NGOs and Governments also adopt a relevant theme or campaign to mark the day. Organizations like the UN, Oxfam, Women for Women, Care International, Plan, World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) and more run exciting and powerful campaigns that raise awareness and encourage donations for good causes. This is the time to uphold women’s achievements, recognize challenges, and focus greater attention on women’s rights and gender equality to mobilize all people to do their part. The day aims at a world where each woman and girl can exercise her choices: participating in politics, getting education, having income and living in societies free from violence and discriminations. The day will be observed in Bangladesh like all other countries of the world in a befitting manner.
Government of Bangladesh is committed to attaining the objectives of the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Beijing Platform for Action and MDGs in conformity with the fundamental rights enshrined in the Bangladesh constitution. It has adopted the National Policy for Women’s Advancement (2011) and series of programs for ensuring sustainable development of women. There has been a sharp increase in the number of women parliamentarians of elected (20% of total seats). It has achieved gender parity in primary and secondary education at the national level. This positive development has occurred due to specific public interventions focusing on girl students such as stipends and exemption of tuition fees for girls in rural areas and the stipend scheme for girls at the secondary level.
MDGs-Bangladesh progress report 2012 reveals that it has made commendable progress in respect of increasing equitable access in education (Net Enrolment Rate:98.7 percent; girls 99.4 percent, boys: 97.2 percent), reduction of dropouts, improvement in completion of the cycle, and implementation of a number of quality enhancement measures in primary education. It further reveals that Bangladesh has already achieved gender parity in primary and secondary enrolment. Initiatives have been taken to introduce pre-school education to prepare the children for formal schooling. The government’s National Education Policy provides Bangladesh’s intention to ensure all citizens with a quality education. The policy aims to reduce regional and gender based disparities in education and has a section on women’s education. Bangladesh, like all other modern countries wants to educate all women to unleash their potential so that they can become confident citizens contributing to social and economic development. The constitution of Bangladesh has provision for free and compulsory primary education for all. It has also made significant progress in promoting the objectives of ensuring gender equality and empowerment of women. There has been steady improvement in the social and political empowerment scenario of women in Bangladesh.
We must agree that women’s opportunities and public participation in Bangladesh have changed significantly in recent decades. Gender gap in school enrollments at both primary and secondary levels has been reduced and now girls outnumber boys. Many women are now members of local government councils and contribute significantly towards rural and urban development. Women are occupying important positions in government, semi-governments, judiciary, defence and securities, banks, insurance and sector corporations and many other government and private organizations. The rapid growth of the garment industry has provided a large number of formal sector jobs for women who comprise more than 90 percent of its labor force. This has significantly contributed to Bangladesh’s annual growth rate of more than 5 percent over the past decade.
Nevertheless, we have to go a long way. Women in our country have been struggling to establish their rights in family and the society. They are still facing discrimination and have negligible influence in decision-making processes. Various forms of discrimination hinder equality and socio-economic condition prevent women from exercising their rights. Girls are often considered as a burden, especially for poor households, where they are at risk of marriage at an early age, and where last to eat at mealtime and 30 percent of the women are chronically malnourished. Moreover, violence makes them socially vulnerable and prevents them from fully participating in the society. Extending education and creating awareness to communities and families, engaging women in family and community level economic activities, parental awareness building on importance of health and education, facilitating women’s control over resources and advocacy for equal male-female role in family and community can bring positive changes.
Bangladesh is a developing country thriving to achieve various socio-economic targets for the welfare of the people. Keeping women neglected a strong nation equipped with socio-economic development cannot be expected. As such, government has given priority for the achievement of women’s right. Awareness is important and positive attitude can help to achieve the goal. All must work together in this respect. The theme of the International Women’s Day this year is timely and persistent to the socio-economic condition of the country. Let us work to achieve the goal for sustainable development.

(M.A. Jabbar writes on health and environment issues and is executive secretary of ADHUNIK, national anti-tobacco organization of Bangladesh. )