International Womens Day
Numerical
strength of women will do little if their participation in the mainstream development activities is
not ensured
International Womens Day (IWD) is being observed in Bangladesh as elsewhere in the world today amid some disturbing realities. Women constitute half of the total population of our country but numerical strength will do little if their participation in the mainstream development activities of the country is not ensured. There is no denying the fact that women are surging forward defying various impediments confronting them. Their exposure to the different sectors of life, particularly in the RMG industry, has opened up a wide avenue for them. This has helped them achieve solvency for them and provide economic support to their families.
The observance of the day every year has become a ritualistic affair. The observance should not only aim at movement towards gender equality and womens suffrage but much more than that. The day is the right time to take stock of womens achievements and successes in various spheres of life. Unfortunately in Bangladesh there are scores of women who are quite in the dark about the significance of March 8th. For making the day successful, more and more women should participate and come up with ideas to help Bangladeshi women advance more. Many of the countrys women are deprived of the benefits of women friendly laws. After all, law is merely an instrument of justice, to deliver it remains in the hands of those vested with the responsibility of implementing them the police, the courts and the legal practitioners. The present government has done a lot for the improvement of the lot of women but much more should be done. Thousands of women are still suffering due to violence perpetrated on them by their male counterparts. Gender discrimination has bedeviled many a woman. Vast womenfolk in rural areas of the country are still leading sub-human existence due to abysmal poverty, illiteracy, curse of early marriage, pangs of premature motherhood and dowry. In many cases fair wages and remunerations elude them. It is the responsibility of the authorities concerned for ensuring proper wages for them. The unemployed educated young women should be imparted training, particularly on computer operating and ICT, throughout the country for expanding their job opportunities. Those who are not educated should be given training on poultry farming, cattle rearing and similar other jobs. In this way the unemployment problem facing them can be solved greatly. Small women entrepreneurs should be provided with loans on easy terms and conditions. The NGOs, community leaders, human rights activists and religious leaders can come forward for ensuring large-scale participation of women in the development process.
