C T Online Desk: Speaker of Bangladesh National Parliament Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury said the country’s constitution approves equal rights of all men and women, but economic deprivation leads to various other disparities in the social, political and cultural arena.
Therefore, she said, economic empowerment is the first condition that should be ensured for women empowerment in other areas.
She was addressing a discussion titled “DigitAll: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality” organised by Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) at Jatiya Press Club in the capital.
The Speaker of the National Parliament said it is possible to achieve inclusive development through ensuring gender equality.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Seheli Sabrin, Jatiya Press Club President Farida Yasmin, journalist Angur Nahar Monty also spoke at the event presided by DCAB President Rezaul Karim Lotus.
DCAB President Rezaul Karim Lotus gave the welcome speech while former president Angur Nahar Monty presented the keynote paper.
Canadian High Commissioner Lilly Nicholls, French Ambassador Marie Masdupuy and Swedish Ambassador Alexander Berg von Linde took part at the discussion.
The women ambassadors lauded significant progress in women empowerment in Bangladesh, but lamented that a large portion of the women are still out of economic participation.
Noting that no country cannot move leaving half its population out of economic activity, they recommended that the poor and vulnerable women should be provided opportunities for education, skills and economic activities.
Canadian High Commissioner Lilly Nicholls in her speech said as media plays critical role in creating awareness, participation of women in journalism needs to be increased.
She said Free Media Coalition, a global initiative to support free media, will work in promoting women in journalism in Bangladesh as it can create mass awareness on gender equity.
Jatiya Press Club President Farida Yasmin and Foreign ministry spokesperson Seheli Sabrin also spoke on the occasion.
Bangladesh’s first women officer at the foreign ministry, Ambassador Nasim Firdaus and former Ambassador Majeda Rafiqun Nessa were honored by the DCAB.
