Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called for making the world a better place for women and girls by achieving gender parity in all aspects.
She told a United Nations conference in New York on Sunday Bangladesh seeks greater women’s participation in all walks of life as underscored by its programmes for ensuring the parity, according to BSS news agency.
The global leaders’ meeting on ‘Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment: A Commitment to Action’ was convened by the government of China and UN-Women.
Hasina, the leader of a Parliament with women in the posts of the Leader of the Opposition and Speaker, said her government was committed to continuing work for the social, economic and political emancipation of women in Bangladesh.
“We will create more opportunities and access for women to participate in politics, business, labour market and higher education,” she said.
Seeking to end all forms of gender discrimination and violence, the Bangladesh leader also emphasised the creation of a safer environment for women and girls to “thrive as agents of change”.
“We have already taken a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to trafficking in persons, particularly women and children,” the prime minister said.
She said, “Bangladesh’s pro-women development strategy was showing excellent results.”
Among these, she outlined free education for girls up to 12th grade, stipends for girls, free pre- and post-natal healthcare, self-employment programmes for women, collateral free credit facilities, and vocational and ICT training.
“The new development agenda offers us added impetus to bring positive change in the lives of our women and girls. We should seize this opportunity,” Hasina said.
She further said that her government planned to eliminate child marriage by 2041, focus on maternal health and nutrition, and work for significant increase in the rate of skilled birth attendance.
“I see a strong political resolve today to move forward with gender equality and women’s empowerment,” Hasina said.
She ended her address with an appeal.
“Let us, once again, take a vow to achieve gender parity in all aspects and make the world a better place for our women and girls.”
Chinese President Xi Jinping presided over the session. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and 17 heads of state and government including the presidents of Mexico and Kenya and the prime minister of Denmark also took part in the discussion, according to BSS.
Source: bdnews24