CG asked to ensure 33pc political posts for women
Wednesday, 19 March 2008
Women-rights campaigners demanded of the caretaker government (CG) Tuesday to ensure that 33 per cent of positions in the parliament, government and political parties are reserved for women.
The demands came from a roundtable discussion jointly organised by Mahila Parishad, a women-rights organisation, and Weekly 2000 on "Women in Bangladeshi Politics" in the city, reports bdnews24.com.
Representatives from mainstream political parties took part in the discussion, while Women's Affairs Adviser Rasheda K Choudhury was present as the chief guest.
The keynote speakers said women's participation in the political parties remained unacceptably low.
The Awami League has only four female members in the 13-strong policymaking presidium and three secretaries out of 22.
Only one member in the BNP's policymaking standing committee is a woman, while six secretaries out of 79 in the executive committee are female, they said.
The 16-strong standing committee of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal has only one female member. Jatiya Party's central committee has nine females among 305 members.
Gono Forum has six women central committee members out of 94, while there are no female members in the Workers' Party politburo or the Communist Party of Bangladesh presidium, the roundtable was told.
"We need to reach a national consensus on female issues beyond the political boundary. Otherwise, how can we fight fundamentalism?" Rasheda K Choudhury said.
"The socio-political powers should be united to bring women into the mainstream," she added.
Former education minister and BNP leader Osman Farruk said there should be an understanding among political parties to ensure opportunities for women in all sections of society and that the law should be amended, if necessary.
AL presidium member Tofail Ahmed said his party supported the Election Commission's proposal for reserving a 33 per cent quota for women in the central committees of the political parties.
The demands came from a roundtable discussion jointly organised by Mahila Parishad, a women-rights organisation, and Weekly 2000 on "Women in Bangladeshi Politics" in the city, reports bdnews24.com.
Representatives from mainstream political parties took part in the discussion, while Women's Affairs Adviser Rasheda K Choudhury was present as the chief guest.
The keynote speakers said women's participation in the political parties remained unacceptably low.
The Awami League has only four female members in the 13-strong policymaking presidium and three secretaries out of 22.
Only one member in the BNP's policymaking standing committee is a woman, while six secretaries out of 79 in the executive committee are female, they said.
The 16-strong standing committee of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal has only one female member. Jatiya Party's central committee has nine females among 305 members.
Gono Forum has six women central committee members out of 94, while there are no female members in the Workers' Party politburo or the Communist Party of Bangladesh presidium, the roundtable was told.
"We need to reach a national consensus on female issues beyond the political boundary. Otherwise, how can we fight fundamentalism?" Rasheda K Choudhury said.
"The socio-political powers should be united to bring women into the mainstream," she added.
Former education minister and BNP leader Osman Farruk said there should be an understanding among political parties to ensure opportunities for women in all sections of society and that the law should be amended, if necessary.
AL presidium member Tofail Ahmed said his party supported the Election Commission's proposal for reserving a 33 per cent quota for women in the central committees of the political parties.