Positive challenges and women

International Women's Day is a time to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women. It is also a time to celebrate women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of women's rights.
That "women's rights are human rights" is the assertion of a self-evident truth. For how can half the population be deprived of the rights that inherently belong to all humanity? The world today is experiencing  brave new economic reforms called stabilisation, structural adjustments, liberalisation, globalisation, etc. Countries with more gender equality have better economic growth. Companies with more women leaders perform better. Peace agreements that include women are more durable. Parliaments with more women enact more legislation on key social issues such as health, education, anti-discrimination and child support. The evidence is clear -- equality for women means progress for all. 

However, across all professions, women face barriers to progress. The daily challenges of balancing family responsibilities with work leads some employers to consider women less able, and women still have to work harder to prove themselves, or adapt to "male" working styles. What's more, women face isolation, limited access to mentoring and female role models, sexual harassment, and are often excluded from informal networks vital to career development.

Yet the news is not all bad. Some employers are beginning to shift attitudes. Businesses now understand that family–friendly policies, improved access to training, and stronger mentoring systems, encourage female staff retention and can improve productivity. This should be supported by policymakers advocating the reform of employment and welfare legislation to ensure that mothers can maintain seniority, benefits, and earning potential. This calls for strategies that debunk the myths surrounding women's capabilities, and promote family–friendly policies which afford both men and women parental leave, ensuring that women who do have children and pursue a career are not penalised financially.
It is important to understand that when society educates a girl, it gives her the tools to support herself and improves the lives of those in her family. A single year of education usually correlates with an increase income of 10 – 20% during her working years. It also leads to better health. Every year of schooling  for a woman increases the chances that her babies will survive and lead healthier lives.

This is just the beginning; the fact is that it does not end here, for us particularly – the Bangladeshi women. There is still much more to be done. A focused and planned approach with concrete guidelines is needed in the decision making process by policymakers and that too, much before the actual implementation is due.

We women represent a privileged group. We are the future of our country and of the world. I strongly encourage all of us to take advantage of all the opportunities available to us so that we can become role models for our younger sisters and brothers as well as for our society. This year's theme, "Make it Happen" emphasises effective action for advancing and recognising women.

May I conclude by quoting Mahatma Gandhi, a great champion of women's' right, who said "Ultimately, there can be salvation for us, only when – and not until – our women become real partners in life, joining us in our deliberations, understanding with their marvelous intuition the unknown anxieties of our outward life and sharing in them, bringing us the peace that soothes."

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

By Bilkis Mansoor
Director, Creative Communication Ltd,
ACI Limited