‘Women, girls help boost rural development’

Young girls and women play an important role in the development of rural Bangladesh, said State Minister for Rural Development and Cooperative Division Swapan Bhattacharjee on Monday.
"Under an initiative, my ministry collects cow milk for milk vita factory. We produce 28 types of food items from cow milk. Poor people in rural areas are involved in cattle farming to meet the demand for milk," he said while speaking at an event as the chief guest.
Oxfam in Bangladesh organized the event to share the learning outcomes of Resilience through Economic Empowerment, Climate Adaptation, Leadership and Learning (REECALL) in the city's CIRDAP auditorium.
Oxfam demonstrated the project's outcomes, including economic justice and women's empowerment, climate action, active citizenship and knowledge management.
The state minister also said, "60 per cent of the total people who get involved in cattle farming and supply milk to Milk Vita are women."
He added: "Women are deeply involved in rural development and employment through rural cooperative service."
He also urged the rural young women to move for self-employment instead of running for job, saying that the government is providing necessary support to the women in rural and remote areas.
Julian Francies, development and humanitarian activist, Kazi Rabeya Ame, Rural Manager at Oxfam in Bangladesh, and Ashish Damle, country director, Oxfam in Bangladesh, also spoke at the event.
Oxfam in Bangladesh has been implementing the project in 13 districts of the country.
The project is a continuation of Oxfam's innovative response to the needs of climate-vulnerable communities in char, haor and coastal areas, with emphasis on economic justice, women's empowerment, climate action, disaster risk reduction, and active citizenship and knowledge management.
Mr Swapan said the purpose of Oxfam's REECALL program is aligned with the mission of the prime minister who is working to empower women and create resilience among the vulnerable community in different parts of Bangladesh.

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