Formulation of long-term policy for women empowerment stressed

Speakers at a discussion meeting Thursday stressed the need for formulating a long-term policy for women empowerment rather than mere annual budgetary allocation.
Only employment won't ensure women empowerment, they said, adding that women need to have more access to employment market.
The speakers also urged the government to carry out an analysis of gender budget allocation to assess whether it has really helped the country's women in improving their socioeconomic conditions.
"The government should conduct impact analysis of gender budget to see what has really happened from such allocations," said Acting President of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad Dr Fawzia Moslem who chaired the meeting.
General Secretary of Mahila Parishad Maleka Banu delivered an introductory speech at the meeting while Associate Professor of Jahangirnagar University Economics Department Sharmind Neelormi presented a keynote paper.
Md. Azizul Alam, Joint Secretary of Finance Division under the ministry of finance, and Biru Paksha Paul, Chief Economist of Bangladesh Bank, spoke as the guests. Kazi Sufia Akhtar moderated the programme.
Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) Research Fellow Dr. Abul Bashar and journalist Munima Sultana addressed the meeting as the panel speakers.
Dr Fawzia Moslem said the government should address the issues like violence against women, more women's participation in the decision-making process and allocation of money in the budget.
Azizul Alam said Bangladesh has achieved much progress in women empowerment.
"Many global indices showed massive progress of Bangladesh's progress in women empowerment like lessening gender gap index, political empowerment and reduction in maternal mortality rate," he said.
Biru Paksha Paul said liberalisation has made a lot of contributions to women empowerment. "Access to mobile phone or bank account has helped women a lot to connect with market economy."  
Showing an example of a huge participation of women labour force in ready-made garment sector, he said the way female RMG workers put their labour in the sector is inhuman as they cannot lead standard lives.
Sharmind Neelormi said simply budgetary allocation for the female may not help empowerment, but policy formulation is important.
Abul Bashar said the state should invest in women so that they can participate in the market properly.
Munima Sultana said if the government wants to achieve more 6 per cent growth, it must ensure women's participation in the economic activities.
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