Hillary Clinton speaks at the launching event of mWomen while Cherie Blair looks on, bottom-left, and Irum Iqbal, head of PR and Communication Marketing, Banglalink, talks to Tony Blair, right. Photo: SK Enamul Haq

The 21st century has seen widespread advancement of women in various dimensions -- be it professionally, intellectually or on the domestic front. That is what we hear all the time. That is what the media is always talking about.
But even today, when you get down to the basic level, how much gender equality have we actually achieved? Although developed countries started seeing empowerment of women to a certain degree, women in developing countries are still oblivious to many of their basic rights as humans.
Men in rural Bangladesh still shun the possession of anything that is progressive for women, be it education, finance, access to health services or a mode of communication. Women account for just two percent of land owned and ten percent of credit extended globally.
In February 2010, the GSM Association (GSMA) and the Cherie Blair Foundation for women published 'Women and mobile -- A Global Opportunity', a groundbreaking report on mobile usage by women subscribers in low and middle-income countries. The report identified a gender gap in mobile phone access in the developing world -- 300 million less women than men own mobile phones.
The key barriers that prevent women in these areas from purchasing a set include cost, lack of literacy around mobile technology and society's attitude towards women's ownership of productive assets.
GSMA, in conjunction with the Cherie Blair Foundation for women, founded the mWomen programme -- an unprecedented global public-private partnership between the mobile industry and the international development community.
Twenty mobile operators representing 115 countries in the developing world have committed to closing the mobile phone gender gap.
Key components of the mWomen programme involve offering technical assistance in closing the gender gap with activities focused on catalysing the mobile industry to work collectively and track progress.
GSMA is also launching the 'mWomen Base of the Pyramid Apps Challenge. The challenge is sponsored by Vodafone and aims to stimulate activity for innovative app design and to provide original and fresh customised app solutions targeted at the specific needs of women in developing countries.
In Bangladesh, if some of our rural women could be given proper technical training on the use of mobile phones, then they could reach out to other women in her village and let them know that operating a simple mobile phone for day-to-day needs is not rocket science.
Telecom advertisements in our country, excepting a few, still focus on the entrepreneurial benefits of the mobile phone for men. More advertisements should focus on women entrepreneurs and how they can benefit from mobile phones. Telecom companies in Bangladesh should also consider providing specialised packages for women that will have lower tariffs on talk-time.
Irum Iqbal, head of PR and Communication Marketing, Banglalink had the honour of being invited to the launching event of mWomen and rubbing shoulders with the likes of Cherie, Tony Blair and Hillary Clinton.
"Cherie Blair was happy to see Bangladesh being represented as part of the team and praised the efforts of the telecom industry in Bangladesh in helping bring up the rural sections," says Irum.
"Banglalink has been working with women-oriented projects in the past years. We intend to do more and are working on our roadmap for the next mWomen meeting."
On how rural men will take the idea of their women having access to such life-changing facilities, she said: "We know our culture and limitations. Instead of trying to change the behaviour, we will have to try an approach that will focus on the need for their women having access to such facilities and how it will benefit their family and their standards of living. Everyone wishes to have a better life, and if letting their women use a mobile phone will empower them and create economical opportunities, entrepreneurship and financial inclusion, then this might well become more of a boon than a bane."
"Mobility will give them independence."
"This whole experience has been overwhelming and I feel proud to have represented my country and my company," she added.