Progress on gender parity, still many challenges
The country has made significant progress in achieving gender parity, but there are still many challenges to overcome to reach the Millennium Development Goal (MDG)-3 on gender equality and women's empowerment, speakers at a dialogue said yesterday.
The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs and the UNFPA jointly organised the dialogue on 'MDG 3: Promoting gender equity and empowering women' at Sheraton Hotel in the city.
Progress has been made in various fields such as higher enrolment of girls in primary and secondary education, protection of women from violence, and in elimination of feminisation of poverty, said State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury.
However, equal rights of women and equal wage for women are yet to be ensured, she added.
She also said MDG-3 is also linked to MDG-4 on reducing child mortality rate and MDG-5 on improving maternal healthcare, as these goals are related to the gender issue.
To reach the goal of reducing maternal mortality rate, concrete measures should be taken such as regular check-up of pregnant women, and ensuring pre- and post-natal care and safe delivery, she said, adding that the women and children affairs ministry and the health ministry are working together to this end.
UNFPA representative Arthur Erken said Bangladesh made commendable achievements when it comes to political participation of women in parliament. Encouraging women to take part in the public arena is a significant sign of women empowerment.
He also said gender equality and women empowerment is not a game to lose or win, it will benefit the whole nation.
Rasheda K Chowdhury, former adviser to the caretaker government, and Reaz Ahmed, joint secretary (Development & Plan) also spoke at the programme, chaired by Additional Secretary Md Hafizur Rahman.
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