Sustainable development possible through empowering women in all sectors, says Hasina

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has praised women as ‘drivers of transformation’ and said sustainable development will become possible by empowering them in all sectors.

Hasina’s remarks came during her speech addressing the Roundtable of UN Secretary General’s High-Level Panel (HLP) on Women’s Economic Empowerment at the United Nations headquarters in New York on Thursday.

“Women are the most important drivers of transformation,” Hasina said.

“Through empowerment of women in all sectors, the world can most effectively succeed in the realisation of sustainable development for all.”

Hasina emphasised the need to support women with education, training, tools and equal access to opportunities, to recognise their unaccounted work and eliminate social stereotypes.

She also touted the advances Bangladesh has made on gender equality.

Bangladesh is committed to ensuring an ‘enabling environment’ to unleash the potential of women in the labour and entrepreneurial sector, she said.

“Twenty-seven percent of our budget is allocated for women’s social and economic empowerment activities.”

Photo: Saiful Islam Kallol

Hasina highlighted the government’s efforts to ensure representation in all spheres, including 10 percent reserves in judiciary, administration, civil service, armed forces and law enforcement, 60 percent quota among primary school teachers, and the central bank’s 15 percent allocation to women in refinancing schemes, 10 percent in industrial plots and 10 percent in small entrepreneurship funds.

She also spoke of training initiatives that develop skills such sewing,  beautification, mobile phone servicing, nursery, kitchen gardening, basic computer and IT training to facilitate self-employment of women.

“Over four million women are employed in the readymade garment industry,” Hasina said.

“Thirty-five percent of our women hold bank accounts. Women’s contribution to the GDP growth is 34 percent. We aim to ensure 40 percent participation of women in every sector by 2021 and 50 percent by 2030.”