All stakeholders, alongside the government, must come forward to promote women’s leadership across sectors. To achieve gender equality, it is essential that women acquire adequate skills.
Based on accurate information, coordinated initiatives are needed to develop women’s leadership in business, politics, administration and other fields. Empowering women means building a safe, just and inclusive society where every child can grow up to realise their full potential.
These views were expressed by women entrepreneurs, women leaders, rights activists, development partners, professionals and participants of the Socchar project at a roundtable discussion titled “Integrated initiatives for the development of women’s leadership and sustainable change.”
The discussion was organised jointly by Prothom Alo and the Socchar project of Save the Children, with support from the Embassy of the Netherlands in Dhaka. The roundtable was held yesterday, Monday, at the Prothom Alo office in Karwan Bazar in the capital.
At the event, Shabnam Mostari, additional secretary of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, said, “Women have made significant progress in our society. To advance women further in leadership positions, they must be encouraged to pursue education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.”
She added that coordinated initiatives based on accurate information are needed to develop women’s leadership in all sectors, including business, politics and administration. She also called on private stakeholders to work alongside the government in promoting women’s leadership.
Mushfiqua Zaman Satiar, senior policy adviser at the Embassy of the Netherlands in Dhaka, said the embassy is supporting the Sochchar project to bring women together and strengthen women’s leadership through coordinated efforts. She said the time has come for women as well as progressive-minded men to unite in advancing women’s leadership. It is impossible to move forward by leaving behind 51 per cent of the population. If that happens, the country’s progress will stall, she said.
Shaheen Anam, executive director of the Manusher Jonno Foundation, noted that organisations working to develop women’s leadership face a shortage of financial support. She said the problem exists globally but is even more pronounced in Bangladesh. She urged all stakeholders to work together to address the crisis.
Shaheen Anam also alleged that institutions meant to prevent violence against women—from the union level to the highest levels of the state—are not functioning properly. She said most of these institutions lack accountability and fail to submit proper reports. A coordinated initiative is necessary to stop violence against women, she added.
ASM Rahmat Ullah, deputy country director of Save the Children Bangladesh, said women-led organisations are being strengthened through the Socchar project in Bangladesh. While acknowledging progress in women’s leadership, he said women’s full participation is still not ensured in many areas due to social barriers and patriarchal attitudes. He called on everyone to make a strong commitment to ensuring equal rights, justice and opportunities for women and girls.
Over the past one and a half years there had been attempts to shift the discourse on women’s rights away through narratives marked by misogyny, discrimination and hostility towards women, Fauzia Moslem, president of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad (BMP), said.
Speaking about incidents of rape, she opposed the practice of community arbitration, stating that rape is a criminal offence and therefore cannot be subject to any form of informal settlement.
Fauzia Moslem called on young people in society to build public opinion against such practices and to develop resistance to them.
Sharmin Islam, Gender Team Leader at UNDP, noted that there remain numerous obstacles and limitations to the development of women’s leadership.
She said that new forms of violence have recently emerged with the aim of silencing women. According to her, when women hold leadership positions, they are often able to initiate more inclusive measures. Those currently in leadership roles, she said, should therefore consider how they can help nurture new leadership.
Farjana Reza, National Programme Officer (Social Protection) at the ILO, said that employment opportunities must be created to enable women with disabilities to become self-reliant.
Syeda Samara Mortada, Coordination and Partnerships Analyst at UN Women Bangladesh, said that family and social support are essential for the development of women’s leadership.
She emphasised the need to ensure inclusive leadership that also involves women from ethnic minority communities, women with disabilities and transgender women.
Saba Naurin, Director of the Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that women’s leadership cannot be ensured unless women have access to financial resources.
She identified social attitudes and male mindsets as major barriers to the development of women’s leadership. According to her, courtyard meetings involving men should be organised to bring about change, as women often face resistance from brothers, fathers or other male relatives when they attempt to move forward after a certain stage in life. Counselling for men, she suggested, is therefore necessary.
Osman Dhali, Chief Operating Officer of YY Ventures, highlighted potential investment opportunities in organisations working to promote women’s leadership.
At the beginning of the event, Omar Faruk, Director (Social Transformation) at Save the Children, presented the action plan and key components of the Sochchar project.
Moderated by Prothom Alo assistant editor Firoz Chowdhury, the roundtable also featured remarks from Ivy Akter, Legal Officer at the Department of Women Affairs; Mahamuda Begum, Executive Director of Shobujer Ovijan Foundation; Ubanu Marma, Deputy Director of BNKS; Latifa Yasmin Lovely, Executive Director of Katnarpara Women Development Organisation; Rokhsana Sultana, Executive Director of Breaking the Silence; Syeda Yasmin, Chief Executive of the Association for Alternative Development; Kaniz Gofrani Quraishy, Project Manager at PSTC; and Rasheda Akhter, Technical Manager (Gender Equity and Social Inclusion) at Save the Children.