We vow a decent life to our female population

THE International Women’s Day observed in Bangladesh and elsewhere on March 8 reminds us once again the need for bringing socio-economic change to women for a better living. Women bodies and socio-political organizations joined forces on this occasion to voice demands for more space to our female population in shaping their lives style including more health and educational support and more access to jobs and freedom of choice to take up professions. We must say Bangladesh has travelled a lot towards women empowerment, but a lot more yet needed to be done to claim we have achieved enough progress in removing gender inequality in Bangladesh.
Women are still victims of deprivation, injustice, torture and violence at home and workplace. The UN this year declared the Women’s Day theme as ‘Empowering Women, Empowering Humanity: Picture it!’ to envisions a world in which women can exercise their choices, whether that be participating in politics or living in a society free from violence and discrimination.
However, the scene is not so rosy in Bangladesh. There is no doubt that Bangladesh has achieved some progress, more qualitative and also quantity of jobs are needed for female population here to contribute towards creating a happy and healthy society. More women workers are now working in garment sector and in NGOs as well. More women are joining government jobs reaching to secretary level posts and women entry to private sector jobs is also spectacular which was not thought of even ten years ago. They are also in police, army, and global peacekeeping. More female engineers and physicians are now turning out. But looking at the rural women, the message of change is yet far from their doors. Their health service is neglected, education is yet optional, not compulsory, but at many places girl students now outnumber boys at schools.
 Moreover women’s participation to politics is still limited to handful level and their more participation is essential to make the womenfolk the wheels of change. Besides, women’s wage in the garment sector is still at very low level and it must be enhanced. It also needs to be achieved in the NGOs.
We see that Bangladesh laws and Constitution have protected women’s rights without much discrimination, but application of the law to protect women from torture and humiliation like sexual abuse remains at the minimum.
In many cases, they are not receiving equal legal protection and fair treatment. Gender inequalities remain highly visible here. We must take a clear national stance against assault on women’s dignity and human rights so as to protect them at all places. The government and other stake-holders in the public and private entities must be more active. Here the role of the law enforcers is all the more important along with employers in public and private sector jobs. We vow to achieve a decent life for our female population in near future.