POLITICAL thinkers are of the view that the role of women in the 9th parliament will be greater than before. This could be a reality because around 40 women candidates are contesting in the election. Justifying their role in national politics and the decision making process is really a great challenge for the women in Bangladesh.
The Election Commission (EC) has, however, made it mandatory through the People’s Representation Order, as amended in 2008, to increase the number of women representatives in the committees of all political parties to 33% by 2012.
The Jatiyo Sangsad passed the 14th Constitutional Amendment to reintroduce quotas for women, where the number of seats for women was raised to 45 from 30. These seats will be allocated to parties in proportion to their over-all shares of vote. This quota system replaced the previous system, which expired in 2001.
In 1978, a presidential proclamation increased the number of reserved seats for women to 30 and extended the period of reservation for 15 years from the date of promulgation of the Constitution of the Republic in December 1972. This Constitutional provision lapsed in 1987 and was reintroduced by an amendment in 1990, to be effective for 10 more years from the first meeting of the next legislature. This provision lapsed in 2001.
While reintroducing the quota system in 2004, the Bill placed before the Parliament stated in its preamble: “Whereas the War of Liberation was fought with great ideal for establishing a democracy through effective participation of men and women in order to ensure equal justice — social, political and economic — for which the people of Bangladesh made supreme sacrifice.”
The Article 65(3) described as amended in 2004 stated: “Until the dissolution of Parliament occurring next after the expiration of the period of ten years beginning from the date of the first meeting of the Parliament next after the Parliament in existence at the time of the commencement of the Constitution (14th Amendment) Act, 2004 there shall be reserved forty- five seats exclusively for women members, and they will be elected by the aforesaid members in accordance with the law on the basis of procedure of proportional representation in the parliament through single transferable vote.”
This reservation of seats in favour of women did not disqualify them from being candidates in the general election. The Parliament of 2001 comprised of only 2% of women whereas the 1996 Parliament was represented by 13.03% of women. This time, we are expecting that there will be at least 15% women.
Fortunately, the local level representation of women at the upazilla level has increased remarkably. This is a significant move to empower the women from the grass roots level. This is consistent with the Constitution of Bangladesh that provides in Article 9 of the Constitution: “The state shall encourage local government institutions composed of representatives of the areas concerned and in such institutions special representation shall be given as far as possible to peasants, workers and women.”
Consistent with this provision, this time at the upazilla level, one post of vice-chairman has been kept reserved for women. In the election to be held in 481 upazillas on January 22, 2009, as of today, 2211 women submitted their candidatures for the post of vice-chairman.
In the Union Parishad elections of 2003, it was observed that out of 232 women candidates contesting for chairmanship in 4443 Union Parishads only 22 were successful. It is expected that this number will be around 100 during the next Union Parishad election.
In fact, we believe, Bangladeshi women should be given places in the decision-making process at the top levels. Thus, there is need to increase the number of women holding political offices at both local and national levels.
Although the government has taken gender equality as an important issue, real empowerment will be attained with political enlightenment. The Beijing Declaration and platform of action shall be implemented provided women can play an active role in politics.
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