ActionAid Bangladesh calls for increased investment in women's empowerment

ActionAid Bangladesh urged for greater investment to accelerate the empowerment of women in the country, amplifying their rights and opportunities.

The call to action came during a program held at the Bangladesh Tourism Corporation auditorium in the capital's Agargaon today (March 10) to observe International Women's Day. State Minister for Women and Children Affairs, Simeen Hussain (Rimi), MP, graced the event as the chief guest. 

The program highlighted the achievements of three women who were awarded the "Nasreen Smriti Padak 2024" in recognition of their exceptional contributions. Emily Hembram was recognized for her efforts in ending sexual harassment, violence, and child marriage; Nasreen Akhter for her leadership in tackling climate change risks and protecting natural resources; and Fahmida Begum for her entrepreneurial spirit.

The theme for International Women's Day this year, 'Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities, and Investments for Women' resonated throughout the event. Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman, an economist, researcher, and sociologist, emphasized the importance of this theme in his address.

The program showcased videos featuring the stories of successful women who have overcome societal obstacles to achieve remarkable accomplishments. Additionally, guests, including State Minister Simin Hossain (Rimi), MP, viewed an exhibit of paintings by young artists.

The day's events included an art camp, a prize distribution ceremony, and a panel discussion titled 'Celebrating Women Leadership: Are We Investing Enough?' Experts from diverse fields participated in the discussion, highlighting the current situation, challenges, and opportunities for advancing women's equal rights and opportunities through increased investment.

The session saw participation from Chairperson of ActionAid International Bangladesh Society (AAIBS), Ibrahim Khalil Al-Zayad; Assistant Professor of Law Department of University of Dhaka, Ms. Taslima Yasmin; renowned poet and director, Shamim Azad; and senior consultant and coordinator of the Dermatology Department and Laser Center of Evercare Hospital, Dr. Jasmin Manzoor.

Farah Kabir, Country Director of ActionAid Bangladesh, shed light on the organization's contribution to women's development at various levels, from individual to community impact.  She said, 'ActionAid Bangladesh has consistently advocated for women's progress in the country. The organization plays a leading role in establishing an equal rights-based society, focusing on women's protection, recognition of unpaid work, prevention of gender-based violence, and economic empowerment. Notably, ActionAid Bangladesh has invested Tk 71 crore over the past five years (2019-2023), signifying 15% of its budget dedicated to women's development. So far, we have reached out to more than five lakh women to ensure their training, protection, leadership development and empowerment. I want this endeavor to continue. The government's contribution in this regard is immense.  

  Although the overall picture of women's empowerment in the country has progressed, women are still significantly behind in economic development. According to the World Economic Forum (WEF) report, Bangladesh may have to wait for about 200 years to achieve gender equality, where the world may take 132 years. According to a UN report, to eliminate this disparity, it will require a global investment of $360 billion USD annually in women's development. The pace of women's economic development in the country is slower than in the rest of the world. In the fiscal year 2023–24, 2.5 lakh crore taka have been allocated for the development of women, which is more than 34 percent of the overall budget. To ensure fair and effective investment and distribution of this money on a fair basis, and to increase budget allocation and investment to a greater extent to reduce the gender gap in different sectors of the country in the future. 

Bangladesh's women are also lagging behind than most South Asian countries when it comes to legal rights. According to a World Bank report, women enjoy only one-third of the legal rights of men in the workplace. If women were given wages for unpaid work, it would amount to 40 percent of global GDP. Appropriate investment in the right sector is needed to eliminate these disparities in the economic and social sectors. Basically, social empowerment, economic empowerment, access to public services and access to justice are the four areas of priority for investment.

State Minister Simeen Hussain (Rimi), MP, said there is no alternative to increasing investment to ensure sustainable development of women and eliminate gender inequality. 

She stated that, "We have made great strides in women empowerment. But there's still a long way to go and we can't stop here. Investing in girls should be considered as a necessity, not a priority. We need to increase investment to reduce the gender gap and investments must be ensured for women in the last mile. For the development of women, we need to uplift their education, mental health, physical health as well as the perspective of people. For sustainable development of women in our country, the government and private sector must come forward.'  

Poet and director Shamim Azad said, 'We need to make moral investment first, rather than economic investment. Women need to invest in expanding men's way of thinking and the Men need to invest in understanding women's special need who hold equal human rights as men in the socity.'

ActionAid Bangladesh, an associate member of the ActionAid Federation, has been working in Bangladesh since 1983 to eradicate poverty and establish social justice. For nearly four decades, the organization has focused on climate justice, gender equality, ensuring the safety of women and children, and establishing an equal rights-based society, particularly with marginalized communities.

Officials from the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, government and non-governmental organizations, representatives from ActionAid Bangladesh, young leaders from various sectors, prominent entrepreneurs, and media personnel were present at the event.