Keep financial promises to LDCs, PM urges rich states

PERTH, Oct 27 (BSS) - Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today made a clarion call to developed countries to keep the promises they had made at the Monterrey Poverty Summit in 2002 and UN Conference on least developed countries (LDCs) in Istanbul this year to help poor states to achieve Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) including the objective of women empowerment. "UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon dubbed Bangladesh as a 'rising star' in women's empowerment, and a 'model member state' in attaining key women related development goals . . . however, the adverse effects of global economic recession, world food security and climate change have been undermining some of our efforts," she said. "For further positive change, it is vital that developed countries will hold on to the promises they made to LDCs," Sheikh Hasina said, hoping to overcome the development challenges with the help of development partners and international organizations. The Prime Minister was addressing a panel discussion on "Empowering Women to Lead" at Hotel Hyatt Regency here. Sheikh Hasina is now in Perth to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM)-2011 which begins tomorrow. Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamala Prasad also spoke at the discussion, among others. The Monterrey Poverty Summit agreed to give 0.7 percent of their gross national product (GNP) to the Official Development Assistance (ODA) to developing countries. And, the 4th UN Conference on LDCs adopted a Programme of Action for the LDCs for 2011-2020 identifying priority areas and mobilizing financial resources for development and capacity-building, among other decisions. Sheikh Hasina said she always upheld equal rights of women as vital for the real development and progress of any nation. "I learned this truth as a child from my father and the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who ensured that women shall have equal rights with men in all spheres of the state and public life," she said. The Prime Minister said Bangladesh constitution has guaranteed equal rights of every man and woman. Her government in its two times in office has adopted many strategic plans and policies for empowering women, she said. Highlighting those strategic plans and policies, Sheikh Hasina said her government in its first tenure in 1996-2001, framed the first-ever National Women Development Policy, and this time, the policy has been revised to fit within the UN framework, Beijing Plan of Action and other related laws. The Prime Minister said women's participation in governance got an impetus in Bangladesh with election of nearly 13,000 women in lower tier of the local government in 1997 for the first time.