Equality for women quite attainable

A world with equal rights, participation, sharing and dignity for both men and women can only be possible if family, society, state and government together create a nurturing atmosphere for everyone to achieve their attainable dreams.

Participants at different programmes including seminar, rally and human chain, organised by social and women's rights organisations in the country, spoke of these steps that should be taken to create "Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step it Up for Gender Equality", the theme for this year's International Women's Day yesterday.

Dr Gowher Rizvi, foreign affairs adviser to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, stressed the need for equal inheritance rights of men and women across all religious groups in the country.

"It is a matter of big shame and sorrow that married women have no right to matrimonial property. This law must be changed," he told a programme at the capital's Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh organised by Samajik Protirodh Committee, a platform of 70 national and international rights bodies.

In Bangladesh, inheritance rights are decided upon by religious laws.

Argentina P Matavel Piccin, country representative of UNFPA, said decision makers had two choices; they could either step up and create equal opportunities for girls or do nothing in the name of traditions and religion and let half the population suffer.

"Our conscience will condemn us one day if those of us who have the power to make a change do nothing about it," she said.

Christine Hunter, country representative of UN Women, said states adopting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) had committed, among others, to initiate reforms to give women access to economic resources including property.

"Governments need to adopt the whole (development) agenda," she said, adding SDGs cannot be localised by leaving off some of the difficult targets under each goal.

Ayesha Khanom, president of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, chaired the programme. She said a monitoring team should be formed to evaluate what changes took place after gender budgeting was adopted by government about seven years ago.

Chandan Kumar Lahiri, from Steps Towards Development, one of the members of the platform, read out 18 demands of the committee. 

WE CAN End All Violence Against Women, another platform of 550 rights organisations, observed the day by lighting candles at the Central Shaheed Minar in the capital in the first hours of yesterday.

Shaheen Anam, co-chairperson of the alliance and also executive director of Manusher Jonno Foundation, said, "Every one of us must make it our responsibility and vow that we will save at least one woman from any sort of violence."

"By 2030 we will create a world where men and women are equal," said human rights activist Sultana Kamal and also chairperson of the alliance.

Bangladesh National Garments Workers Employees League (BNGWEL) demanded introduction of pension schemes for women workers, from a rally in front of Jatiya Press Club in the capital.

Banchte Sheko Nari (Women, Learn to Live), another women's rights group, presented 14 demands, including implementation of the National Women Development Policy 2011, from a human chain at the same venue.