Hasina proposes five initiatives to empower women as change-makers

The prime minister has urged a collective effort to empower women and girls in the Global South to actively contribute to achieving SDG 5

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged a collective effort to empower women and girls in the Global South to actively contribute to achieving gender equality – the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal No. 5.

"In the Global South, we must create an enabling environment for our women and girls to become agents of change. We should all join hands to achieve SDG 5," she said while addressing a luncheon hosted by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, the current chairman of the BRICS bloc, at Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg on Thursday.

Hasina also raised five important issues to get the attention of BRICS member countries and others, according to the state-run news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha.

"We must mitigate the adverse effects of the ongoing food, energy, and financial crises on the nutrition, health, and safety of our women and girls," BSS quoted her as saying in her first proposal.

Her second point emphasised the need for more actions to retain girls in schools, protect them from cybercrimes, and lessen the growing digital divide that affects many of them.

In her third proposal, she called for broadening opportunities for women's employment, ensuring fair working conditions, equal pay, and greater financial inclusion.

In her fourth and fifth proposals, the prime minister suggested looking into women's safety in the face of worsening climate effects and ensuring equal opportunities for women in politics.

"I feel truly inspired by your commitment to our shared vision of gender equality," she said.

Hasina said that Bangladesh's constitution guarantees equal rights for women.

"We have a unique case in our National Parliament where our Speaker, Leader of the House, Leader of the Opposition, and Deputy Leader of the House all happen to be women," she said.

She said that the Awami League government has paved the way for women to hold important positions, such as judges in the Supreme Court, top roles in civil administration, the armed forces, law enforcement agencies, and even vice-chancellors of public universities.

She mentioned that more women are becoming involved in politics, with 30 percent of seats reserved for women in the national parliament and local government bodies.

The prime minister believes that education and employment are two key elements that can empower women. “So, greater emphasis has been laid on female education," BSS quoted her as saying.

She mentioned that education for girls up to the 12th grade is now free. Nearly all children in the pre-primary and primary levels are enrolled, with a slightly higher proportion of girls to boys, standing at 53:47.

She also said that about 25 million students have been brought under various stipend and scholarship programmes, with the stipend funds being directly transferred to mothers or legitimate guardians via mobile phones.

Hasina said that free books have been distributed among students up to the secondary level since 2010, and the increasing rate of female education has lowered the rate of child marriage.

In primary education, she said that 60 percent of teacher posts have been earmarked for females and a 10 percent quota was reserved for females in government jobs till date.

Hasina said women also make up the backbone of Bangladesh’s export-oriented readymade garments industry, with 2.5 million women directly working in the sector.

She highlighted that women excel in the business arena, and the government provides loans, training, and market access for women engaged in micro, small, and medium enterprises.

"Many of our rural women now work as IT freelancers or as partners in local digital centres," Hasina said.

"I have made arrangements for joint ownership of homes by husband and wife under my free housing project, Ashrayan," she said.