Female MPs must work for women's issues

Female lawmakers of the ninth and 10th parliament yesterday emphasised the need to work together on women's issues irrespective of their political identities.

Kazi Sufia Akhter, secretary of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad (BMP), which organised a meeting meeting on women's political empowerment with regards to their participation in the national parliament and political parties at the capital's Cirdap, stressed the need for such a caucus that would push women's agenda in the parliament.

Begum Fazilatunnesa Bappi, member of the 10th parliament, said, "I will take the initiative to form a women's caucus after meeting with the honorable speaker of the parliament in the upcoming parliamentary session that starts on September 1."

BMP President Ayesha Khanom said even though women's political leadership exists in South Asia, its permanence needs to be discussed.

Rasheda Begum Hira, former BNP lawmaker, said, "Political parties do not play a positive role in sending female party activists to the parliament."

If a woman cannot hold an important position including that of president, general secretary or organising secretary in the district units, then it becomes difficult for her to gain popular support, she said.

Referring to the Representation of the People (RPO) Act 2009, which requires political parties to ensure that 33 percent of their central committee and other committees are comprised of women, she said only being a mere member of a committee would not help in empowerment.

In a concept paper BMP presented 20 recommendations to the government, political parties, election commission and women parliamentarians for women's political empowerment.

Increasing the reserved seat for women to one third of the total seats in the parliament and electing MPs through direct election, instead of the current system of selection by political parties, ensuring that political parties provide one-third of their nominations to women in the next election and being vocal about violence against women are among the recommendations.