They also called for an action plan to ensure full participation of women in mainstream economic activities for political empowerment.

The workshop on 'Women's rights and implementation of PRSP' was organised jointly by Oxfam GB-Bangladesh and PRIP Trust at the Institution of Diploma Engineers in the capital.

The speakers said awareness about gender equality has to be raised from the grassroots level and attitudes of the policy makers will have to be changed.

They suggested launching of special training programmes for government officers and bureaucrats to make them consciousness about gender equality.

They said poverty cannot be eradicated from the society without ensuring social, political and economic security of women.

Former adviser to caretaker government Advocate Sultana Kamal said PRSP is a tool, which will help reduce poverty.

"Women enjoy only 10 percent of the total national income and control only one percent of economy though they provide around 66 percent labour," she said while addressing as chief guest at the workshop.

The government should immediately implement the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (Cedaw), Beijing Platform for Action (PFA), National Women Development Policy and PRSP to eliminate all kinds of violence against women and ensure their empowerment, she added.

Barrister Tania Amir, chairperson of PRIP Trustee Board, said only four paragraphs have been written in PRSP about gender equality which is not enough.

"Without involving women in all sectors and ensuring gender equality, we will not be able to achieve Millennium Development Goals (MDG) by 2015," she added.

Economist Dr Atiur Rahman, chair of Unnayan Shamunnay, suggested that if there is a male Speaker in parliament then a deputy speaker will have to be selected from the female members to establish gender equality.

Ayesha Khanam, general secretary of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, said the government officer should be trained on issues related to PRSP and gender equality.

Oxfam-GB Country Representative Anil P Tambay, Women for Women President Dr Mahmuda Islam, Researcher and Gender Expert Dr Kaniz Siddique, Steps Towards Development Executive Director Ranjan Karmakar, Bangladesh Nari Sangbadik Centre President Nasimun Ara Haque Minu, Anannya Editor Tasmima Hossain, Bangladesh Mahila Parishad Vice-president Makhduma Nargis Ratna and PRIP Trust Executive Director Aroma Dutta also spoke.