Women in leadership: Meet an ADG from Bangladesh at Women Deliver

The largest conference on gender equality in the world, Women Deliver, has called upon the countries to recognise the benefits of women in leadership, and commit to placing even more women in positions of power.

Women Deliver says women are powerful agents of change, and women as leaders and decision-makers at all levels are critical to advancing gender justice and gender equality—and to furthering economic, social, and political progress for all.

Bangladesh with its head of government a woman, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, is known for better gender equal country in Asia.

But the health sector rarely gets women doctors in the key administrative positions.

Prof Nasima Sultana is one of such rare women who has been appointed as an Additional Director General (ADG) for health services in Jan 2018, the third women who got this position in Bangladesh’s history. None has been the Director General.

The ADG, who oversees the administration issue, is representing the health ministry in the Women Deliver 2019 conference in Vancouver.

“I don’t feel extra pressure as a woman. I don’t feel it differently because women empowerment is already very high in our country,” she told bdnews24.com while sharing her experiences as an ADG and also in the conference that ended on Thursday.

“I am very happy that I found my colleagues, directors, divisional directors who are male, were very supportive. They accepted me. I didn’t feel that anybody had problems with me because of me a woman ADG. So it’s easy for me”.

She was the professor of biochemistry at Dhaka Medical College before being appointed as the ADG. She was also the dean of the faculty of medicine of the Dhaka University.

“I came from a teaching background. It’s (ADG) a huge role. I didn’t have any experience in public health. So it was initially difficult for me in that sense. But over time, I have managed to overcome that”.

The Women Deliver 2019 Conference presented new knowledge, solutions, and serves as a fuelling station for accelerating action, including policy changes and investments geared towards the health, rights, and wellbeing of girls and women.

“I am inspired,” the ADG said. “All issues related to women and girls’ well-being have been discussed here. Issues for youths to the aged -- all have been covered. We have learnt many new things”.

For example, she said, Bangladesh has to go a long way to achieve its SDG target of maternal mortality – fewer than 70 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030. Currently it is 172 per 100,000, according to BBS.

“One of the key issues is women do not come to the facilities for delivery or check-up during pregnancy. Here in the conference, I have learnt the concept of group ANC (antenatal care or pregnancy time check-up) in which mothers of different ages will come together for check-ups.”

“One of the key advantages of that is those who have previous experience of motherhood can assure would-be mothers. And here I saw that studies found those who took ANC in groups are less likely to suffer from post-delivery psychological problems.”

“So it’s a new thing that I think we can introduce in Bangladesh. I’ll talk with the relevant department and try to implement it in Bangladesh,” she said. “We can do it in our country as our institutional delivery is scarce.”

She said she will also convey the message ‘self-care’ to women and girls.

“We see many suicides among the young generation. I’ll give them the message to take care of themselves. We women don’t give time to ourselves. I’ll convey the message of ‘self-care’ and that’ll ultimately help keep their families healthy.”

Despite progresses, Bangladesh is grappling with how to reduce the percentage of child brides with 59 percent of girls being married off before the age of 18.

The conference has given special attention to child marriage, releasing a new study that points out the economic impacts on girls from being married off before 18.

The ADG said she is also taking lessons learnt from other countries in ways to prevent child marriage with her to Bangladesh.