Girls must be leaders, not victims

The attitude towards girls in society must change. Girls must be seen as leaders, not just victims. If a beautiful Bangladesh is to be built up in the future, women must hold positions of leadership. In order to create such an environment, insecurity, discrimination, malnutrition, repression, child labour, dropping out from schools, child marriage and such major obstacles must be removed.

These observations were made by girls and young women at a roundtable held on Thursday at the Prothom Alo office in the capital on the occasion of International Day of the Girl to be observed on Friday, 11 October.

The roundtable, 'Empowerment and Leadership of Girls in building the Future', was organised by UNICEF Bangladesh with Prothom Alo as the media partner.

Young women of the university level and girl students of schools and colleges presented their visions and recommendations regarding the state of girls in Bangladesh and the way ahead. While pointing out the various problems they face, they also came up with possible solutions.

The girl representatives said that discrimination began from the family. They said that the education of girls was often not priortised due to the conventional belief that they will not be running the family in the future. They use the issue of security as an excuse to give their daughters away in early marriage. But awareness must be mobilised within families to eliminate discrimination and empower girls. Women's voices must be given due importance in all forums.

The university student representatives said insecurity is a major drawback for women. Women's oppression and repression question the premise of development. Women must be empowered in order to eliminate discrimination against women. Political parties need to be more democratic and inclusive regarding women in leadership positions. Rather than viewing women as victims, they must be placed at the placed in positions of leadership.

In her address to the roundtable, the UNICEF acting representative in Bangladesh Emma Brigham highlighted the achievements and problems of girls in Bangladesh. She said one in every two girls in Bangladesh was being married off before 18 years of age. Chief marriage often means early pregnancy and health risks. A 42 per cent of the girls are anaemic and hence lack energy. Girls are advancing ahead in Bangladesh, but amid many obstacles.

She said that the problems were not simple and neither were the solutions. She said that girls must make their demands loud and clear. Unicef will take their demands and place them before the policymakers.

The young women students of university included two coordinators of the Students against Discrimination Movement, Dhaka University's Umama Fatema and East West University's Nafiza Jannat. Also in the group comprising university students were Dhaka University's Hema Chakma and Rafia Rehnuma, Jahangirnagar University's Camilia Sharmin Chura, Khulna University's Fariha Hossain, East West University's Razia Sultana and City University's Megha Khetan.

The group comprising school and college girls included SC Plan Bangladesh School's Mim Akhter, Barishal Government Girls High School's Kazi Ashrafi Anni, St Francis Xavier's Girls School and College's Ishal Khan, Mirpur Bangla Scholl and College's Sanjida Akhter, BAF Shaheen College's Farabi Zaman, Government Shaheed Suhrawardy College's Faria Sultana and Motijheel Ideal School and College's Junaira Islam Nuba.

Dhaka University student Rafia Rehnuma said a patriarchal society restricted women's representation in many ways. The state must stand up against this. A girl must have the freedom to dress as she pleases, to attend whatever social event she wants.

Umama Fatema, a coordinator of the Students against Discrimination Movement, said the political parties determine the fate of the people. So the political parties must be more democratic and inclusive when it comes to women. These changes must take place within the political parties.

Another coordinator of the Students against Discrimination Movement said the Meena cartoon helped in highlighting the discrimination against women in society and how to stand up against this. She said more steps should be taken against such discrimination by means of various entertainment programmes and such initiatives.

The event was moderated by Dhaka University student Labonna Progga.