'Raise awareness about women's rights issues'
Staff Correspondent
Speakers at a discussion yesterday said both men and women should raise their voice and practise the rights of women at home. They said some people have theoretical perceptions about women's rights but they remain reluctant in practising them. The discussion on 'Women's rights to establish democracy' was organised jointly by PRIP Trust, Oxfam-GB and Bangladesh Nari Sangbadik Kendra (BNSK) at Dhaka Reporters' Unity auditorium. "It is not enough that only the women will speak for their rights, rather both men and women, especially near and dear ones should also speak and act to establish women's rights," said PRIP Trust Deputy Director Shirin Banu Mitil. The government has prepared PRSP (Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper) and Women's Development Policy, but there still remain questions as to what extent these reflect the women's rights, she added. BNSK President Nasimun Ara Haque Minu said Bangladesh has signed many international conventions on the rights of the women, but has failed to implement many of its pledges. "The Women Development Policy 1997 should be reinstated, as some of its very important provisions have been changed, which is almost equal to cancel the policy," she noted. The government pledged to formulate an equal citizenship law, but has not implemented it, she said urging the caretaker government to look into the issues seriously. PRIP Trust Gender Expert Laila Arju Mand Banu said they have initiated divisional level workshops in participation of the local journalists, lawyers, NGO activists, teachers and women activists to create awareness on women's rights issues. The trust will also prepare a thematic paper on the basis of the discussions of the workshops, which will be used for advocacy at different level in the society for creating mass awareness on women's rights. "We shall also try so that the political parties include the recommendations in their election manifestoes," she noted. The speakers stressed on more dialogues with journalists so that they highlight the women's rights issues in appropriate manner. Farhana Hafiz, project officer of Gender and Equity Programme of Oxfam-GB, also spoke at the discussion.
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