Fair inclusion of women compromised in government : Shireen Haque

These reform opportunities result from the anti-discrimination movement, which has created an obligation to act. It is essential to identify and address disparities and work towards eliminating discrimination against women in all sectors.

Speaking at an event organised by ActionAid Bangladesh in a hotel in Gulshan, Dhaka, on Thursday (27 February) to mark International Women's Day 2025, Shireen Parveen Haque, Head of the Women's Affairs Reform Commission, highlighted these issues.

She stated, "Our primary focus must be eliminating discrimination against women in all areas. We must work to reduce gender inequality and identify the barriers to women's development and progress. Women's rights must be prioritised in all reform commissions. We see this as a challenge and also an opportunity to work towards establishing and advancing women's rights during this critical period."

At the event, three inspiring activists and professionals were awarded the 'Nasreen Smriti Medal 2025' in three categories in recognition of their significant contributions to combating sexual harassment, violence, and child marriage, addressing climate change and natural disasters, and promoting women's leadership in sports. This year's awardees are rights activist Donaipru Nelly, community leader Rina Khatun, and former footballer Afroza Khandakar.
The event showcased women's success stories, included an award ceremony, and featured an interactive discussion session moderated by Farah Kabir, Country Director of ActionAid Bangladesh. The discussion featured experts from various sectors and explored women's empowerment, challenges, opportunities, and necessary actions to ensure women's participation in all sectors.

Speakers at the discussion acknowledged that while there has been some progress in women's empowerment, it remains insufficient. Women continue to lag in many areas. To build a fair and inclusive society, it is essential to raise awareness about women's structural challenges, foster a positive perspective on women's empowerment, and encourage collective action. The discussion underscored the need to accelerate actions to ensure equal opportunities for women and girls.
Recognising women's significant leadership in the anti-discrimination movement, Shireen Parveen Haque, Head of the Women's Affairs Reform Commission, stated, "There is a deliberate effort to push women back. We must identify who is responsible for this and why it is happening. During the July movement, women from Rokeya Hall were the first to come forward, but why did they disappear so quickly? No one gives up their position willingly—they were pressured to step back."
"We haven't been able to ensure the inclusion of women in key decision-making bodies such as the government's advisory council. There has been a clear tendency to sideline women. However, we have seen how women have demonstrated remarkable courage by leading movements from the front. We did not expect women to be removed from leadership roles so early," she added.

Ashif Mahmud, Director (Project-2), NGO Affairs Bureau, Chief Advisor's Office, called for collaborative efforts between the government and non-government development organisations to advance women's economic, social, and political empowerment. He stated, "Despite making up half the population, women remain significantly underrepresented in many areas. We must identify these gaps and work towards women's development. The government must take more responsibility in this regard, both in the national interest and as a matter of accountability."

Farah Kabir highlighted ActionAid Bangladesh's contributions to women's empowerment, stating, "ActionAid Bangladesh has been prioritising women's progress by focusing on their protection, recognising unpaid labour, combating gender-based violence, and promoting women's economic empowerment. We are leading the way in establishing a society based on equal rights. We want to accelerate women's empowerment initiatives." She called for increased participation and engagement from all sectors in advancing women's development.

Md Manir Hossain, Additional Director (Deputy Secretary) of the Department of Women Affairs (MOWCA), noted that efforts are underway to update laws and policies related to women's development. "We must work from the grassroots level. On behalf of the government, we are committed to working together for nation-building."

Calling for more excellent media representation of women, Sohrab Hassan, Joint Editor of Daily Prothom Alo, stated, "To ensure women's progress and inclusion in the media profession, we must bring about widespread societal change."
Sharmin Islam, Gender Team Leader at UNDP Bangladesh, remarked, "Compared to global standards, women's progress in our country is different. We are still far behind. It is crucial to remind policymakers to prioritise women's development continually."
Dalia Akter, coach of the national under-18 men's handball team, emphasised, "Women have achieved more success than men in sports. We must change our mindset and create long-term plans to promote women's development. Additionally, we need to integrate sports into mainstream education."

ActionAid Bangladesh also presented key insights from its special podcast series, Na o Nari', through video clips as part of its International Women's Day initiatives.
The event's closing remarks were delivered by Ibrahim Khalil Al-Zayed, Chairperson of ActionAid International Bangladesh Society.

Md attended the event. Abdul Hamid, Deputy Director of the Department of Social Welfare; Meghna Guhathakurta, Former Member National Human Rights Commission; Vidya Amrit Khan, Managing Director of Desh Growth Company; Zarin Zeba Khan, founder of Majhamajhi, along with officials from the Department of Women Affairs, Department of Social Welfare, representatives from government and non-government developments organisations, CSOs, ActionAid Bangladesh officials, young leaders, women's rights experts, community leaders, prominent entrepreneurs, and members of the media.