The proposed budget for fiscal year (FY) 2014-15 has a gender bias as it has been in the past. All projects and programmes to be undertaken for women's empowerment in the next fiscal year offer scope for almost half of the country's population to serve as change-agents for faster development of the country.
Such a gender bias has become more prominent with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina becoming the forerunner of their cause. Being the majority party, the Awami League leadership has elected an erudite woman as the Speaker of parliament. The Leader of the Opposition in parliament is also a woman.
The Finance Minister in his budget speech took pride in saying that Bangladesh now has three women as Speaker, Prime Minister and Leader of the House, and Leader of the Opposition in our parliament. The number of reserved seats for women in parliament has been raised to 50 during the last tenure of the present government.
Moreover, one third of the seats of the local government institutions have been reserved for women representatives. According to the 'Global Gender Gap Report', Bangladesh has been placed 7th in the world in terms of political empowerment of women. Not only in the political arena, the government has also appointed a number of women in the top positions of different institutions including public administration during its last tenure. This practice will continue in future as well, the Finance Minister assured parliament.
The Finance Minister proposed a special allocation of Tk 1.0 billion in the budget for the next fiscal for women development.
The Prime Minister, too, has already said that her government will ensure that 30 per cent of parliamentary seats will go to women and the women will make half of the country's workforce by 2021.
Globally, women are making progress, but it's still not enough. Women's participation in all spheres of society is small. But happily, the Bangladeshi women are making faster progress in almost all fields - even in mountaineering!
The government has made laws and policies, including the Domestic Violence Act of 2010, to protect the interests of women. These are part of the forward-looking steps Bangladesh is making to create a world of equal participation by women and men.
The new gender policy highlights free education for girls up to grade 12, stipends to girls for higher education, free books at primary and secondary levels, free pre-and post-natal healthcare and nutrition, especially to mothers through the 12,000 community clinics. The government has emphasised political and economic empowerment of women.
Now 30 per cent of all government jobs in Bangladesh is reserved for women. Women hold high positions in the judiciary, armed forces, administrative, diplomatic, and law enforcement services.
Progress continues in empowering women with gender-responsive budget allocations, encouraging the role of women in civil society and media, business and workforce. Collateral-free micro-credit is given at 5.0 per cent service charge to rural women who now number 25 million. Women entrepreneurs receive 10 per cent of the Small Enterprise Fund and 10 per cent industrial plots. Currently 3.0 million women are working in the garments industries. Many Bangladeshi women are working abroad sending remittances that make the economy strong.
Women in Bangladesh are doing great jobs both at homes and in offices. What is needed badly is more allocation for women's welfare and development as they constitute half of the nation. They are already making their marks in all public fields but greater budgetary allocations will pave the way for their rapid march forward in nation-building. The Finance Minister was right when he said: "If we want to ensure faster pace of development, the cause of our women folk, the backward segment of the society, has to be advanced by all means."
It is against the backdrop of the Minister's awareness that women development programmes have been incorporated in 40 Ministries in the proposed national budget for 2014-15. Different Ministries/ Divisions have already been asked to incorporate women's development plans in their budgets as the Minister said women's issues can never be treated in isolation.
The major thrust of the proposed budget for 2014-15 has been on promotion of girls' education. The Finance Minister deserves thanks for treating donation to infrastructures of schools and colleges for girls and women tax-free.
The monitoring of fund utilisation for women's development is badly needed. The Ministry of Women's Affairs can be tasked to oversee whether the 40 Ministries/Divisions comply with the gender issues.
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