Women have to be brought into the mainstream of national development process through economic and political empowerment in order to accelerate poverty alleviation in the country.

At a roundtable in the city yesterday, women leaders and politicians said only strong political will can succeed in making women’s empowerment a reality by eliminating all kinds of violence and discrimination against women.

PRIP Trust, Oxfam GB and The Daily Star jointly organised the roundtable on “Women as Citizen: Ensuring women rights in the light of Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP)” at The Daily Star office in the city.

Participants at the dialogue suggested that all political parties keep 33 percent of nominations from their parties for women leaders in the upcoming elections.

Former adviser to the caretaker government Sultana Kamal said the state has to take responsibility in empowering women economically and politically.

“Most women like to keep themselves invisible. Visibility of women will have to be ensured to reduce poverty because development is not possible ignoring women who constitute almost half of the entire population,” the executive director of Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK) said addressing the roundtable.

Awami League Presidium Member Motia Chowdhury said her party will try to ensure 33 percent nomination for women candidates in the upcoming election.

“Reduction of poverty is impossible without addressing the issues of discrimination, deprivation, devaluation and injustice against women,” she said.

Motia criticised the PRSP saying poverty cannot be eradicated with the help of PRSP prescribed by foreign donor agencies.

“An additional four crore people are now living under the line of poverty due to price hike of essentials. What is the benefit of the PRSP when poverty has been increasing during its implementation?” she said.

She said politicians do not have any confidence in PRSP.

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) President Hasanul Haque Inu said his party would try to ensure women’s nomination for 100 seats in the parliament from the Awami League led 14-party alliance.

“Around 85 percent of women are now living under the poverty line. We have to bring these women into the mainstream and that is only possible when their economic and political empowerment can be ensured,” he said.

Kaniz N Siddique, international consultant at the finance ministry, presented the keynote paper at the roundtable. She said women should be given space in political parties so that they can play a vital role in policy-making.

She also suggested one-third women representation in all parliamentary standing committees.

Workers Party of Bangladesh President Rashed Khan Menon said women have an immense contribution in the country’s economy and yet they continue to face discrimination in every aspect of life, especially at work.

Women should not be considered only as potential voters but also as an important part of the society, he said adding that access to property and land remains a big problem in empowering them socially and economically.

Muzahidul Islam Selim, general secretary of Communist Party of Bangladesh, said it is not possible to empower women until the issue of poverty reduction has been addressed.

He said people are not ignorant about the issue of violence against women and as they are not empowered, they are not able to protest against such activities.

Bangladesh Krishi Bank Chairman Khandaker Ibrahim Khaled said legal measures are needed to deal with women’s development and existing legal measures are not enough.

He said education for women should be given top priority among the steps taken towards their empowerment.

Women’s organisations have to run a united movement in the country to establish women’s rights in the country, he said adding that a social movement also has to be created for women.

Shirin Akhter, joint general secretary of JSD, said a platform comprising leaders of political parties and activists of social and cultural organisations is needed to raise the issue of women and their rights.

Women empowerment is not possible unless they are empowered to make political decisions, she said, adding, “We have to wage a movement comprising women and men, who believe in women’s empowerment, to eradicate poverty as well as establish women’s rights in the country.”

Dr Mustafizur Rahman, executive director of Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), said empowering women economically is a must for empowering them politically.

He said the country has failed to incorporate women into global opportunities.

He called for mounting pressure on political parties so that they mention in their election manifestos how they would address the gender issues.

Barrister Tania Ameer, chairperson of the board of trustees of PRIP Trust, said men constitute only half of the population but they take away 95 percent of resources. In left-wing politics, women work in the forefronts while in right-wing politics, the attitude towards women is totally negative, she pointed out.

The election is not far away now and the political parties have to make their stand on women’s rights clear in their election manifestos, she said.

Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu, presidium member of Jatiya Party, said proper education can ensure women’s empowerment in all spheres of life and so it is necessary to ensure women’s education.

He said proper development of the country depends on the development of women.

Former lawmaker and Jatiya Party Presidium Member GM Quader said political and legal empowerment is imperative to establishing women’s rights.

Noted litterateur Selina Hossain said only politicians can bring qualitative changes to the lives of people and a strong political will is a must to empower women at all strata of life.

The Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam said women’s empowerment is yet to be ensured even though they have been playing a vital role in national development especially in the garments, agriculture and industrial sectors of the country.

“It is high time to create awareness among the political parties so that they increase women representatives in political parties’ candidate nomination ahead of the parliament election,” he said while delivering the welcome address at the roundtable.

PRIP Trust Executive Director Aroma Dutta moderated the roundtable where Oxfam GB Country Director Heather Blackwell, Bangladesh Mahila Parishad Chairperson Ayesha Khanam, Dhaka University Prof Sadeka Halim, Awami League Leader Meher Afroz Chumki and Abdul Awal of SUPRO also spoke.

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