US Ambassador-at-large for Global Women’s issues Melanne Verveer said Bangladesh, in so many ways, represents to the rest of the world as a model. Verveer said this when she received Bangladesh Ambassador to the USA and State Minister Akramul Qader at her office in the department of State on Wednesday.

INTERNATIONAL CEDAW Day was observed on September 3. The Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is the most important international instrument for protecting women’s human rights, and more than 185 countries of the world are signatories. Bangladesh signed this convention on November 6, 1984.

“I won against Pakistan but lost to poverty” said Kakat Heninchita. Few Bangladeshis have heard of this valiant freedom fighter, known to the villagers as Kakon Bibi. Carrying ammunition to the Mukti Bahini in a ‘kolar bhela’ this poor Khashya woman from Shunamganj helped blow up a bridge in 1971. She fought with the Mukti [...]

by Rahnuma Ahmed But we must ask ourselves whether we have learnt to respect the spirit of the language movement, or whether the language movement, Bangla bhasha, and Bengali nationhood, which were once rallying cries against oppression, have become tools of oppression themselves. When the Santals of Bangladesh sing ora amar mukher bhasha kaira nite [...]

Breaking the barriers Young, talented, dynamic and die-hard proponents of women power, Jesin, Alif, and Mishu represent a new breed of women who are stamping on an old stereotyped template to come out with conviction and flair. Faizul Khan Tanim and Tahmina Shafique get a feel of that ineffable dazzle photos Momena Jalil Kazi Jesin Needless [...]

THE Chittagong based non-governmental organisation PHREB (Promoting Human Rights and Education in Bangladesh) has been running long-term school-based awareness campaigns since their establishment in 2004. The purpose of these campaigns is to educate young people on human rights issues and encourage them to speak out and defend their own human rights. These young people will [...]

By Azmal Hosen Mamun Shahnaz is a 14 year old girl with a speech and hearing impairment who lives in the Gomonondi UP of Chittagong District. When she was very young, her mother took her to see a village doctor and then to a herbal doctor, but neither of them were able to remedy her [...]

Industries minister Dilip Barua said the government will take necessary steps for capacity building of women entrepreneurs. “Steps will be taken to offer women entrepreneurs plots in Special Economic Zones and in BSCIC areas,” he assured. The minister said that the long-standing demand for modernising the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) will also [...]

India’s newly-elected parliament began its inaugural session Monday with lawmakers set to elect the country’s first ever woman speaker, who is also an “untouchable” Dalit. Veteran and first-time MPs, including 78 ministers of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s cabinet, were sworn in by an interim speaker at the start of the brief session that ends on [...]

IT is a success story that makes us believe once again in the inner potential of the people of this country who can do wonders against all odds if given a little help. And our morale gets a bigger boost when our womenfolk living in the fringes dare to come out of the shadows to [...]

As a performer she enjoys a charismatic fame; the epitome of her career was in the ’90s. Through her convincing performances in many popular TV plays as well as in theatre, Bipasha became a face known and liked by everyone, young and old. However, she gradually reduced working in the media as she became more [...]

Women lawmakers yesterday vowed to work towards ensuring women’s empowerment and to be vocal on women’s rights issues in parliament. At a reception ceremony organised by Manusher Jonno Foundation, the women MPs who are elected for the first time shared their experiences, struggle, electioneering and their priorities. “I will work for the development of the [...]

About 15000 poor women of Faridpur district have achieved economic self-reliance by gardening of furits and vegetables around their homesteads during the last few years. Before taking up the gardening, at least half of them were living in abject poverty in their respective villages. Officials of the Agriculture Extension Department said that the department has [...]

“THOUGH I was married at a very young age, I always knew that I was made for some thing more.” This is how Shahnaz Hossain, one of the world’s greatest woman entrepreneurs expresses herself when she tells her story of success. Credited with single- handedly placing Indian herbals on the world cosmetic map, Shahnaz’s success [...]

Challenging the frontiers of poverty reduction THERE is always a group of people who slip through the cracks of every form of poverty alleviation strategy tried and tested until now. Be it the manual labourers living daily from hand to mouth or the women and children who work in our houses in exchange of meagre [...]