Institutional change a must for mainstreaming gender

Everybody in the society should be involved in the gender mainstreaming programmes in order to change their concept and attitude to gender discrimination. At the same time, the government, non-governmental organisations and civil society should work together to root out gender discrimination, they said.

Steps Towards Development organised the panel discussion titled 'Mainstreaming gender' at the end of its 5th Development Internship course.

Enactment of new law is necessary to prevent early marriages. Besides changes should be made in family law and personal law, as uniform family code has no justification if gender discrimination exists in law, said Maleka Begum, a renowned women leader.

"We should not consider mainstreaming gender in global perspective. Rather we need to make an effective curriculum on the basis of our society and culture," she said adding that as gender is a primeval issue, we should think of mainstreaming gender in a different and positive way.

Bangladeshi culture is not gender friendly. Though the constitution says about gender parity, it is not implemented so gender mainstreaming is not possible in a short time, said Shafiqul Haque, senior research officer of Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre (BPATC).

The media environment should be gender sensitive and women-friendly as they have already proved their efficiency in this sector, said Mozammel Hossain Manju, a subeditor of the daily Samakal.

The speakers criticised the governmental activities regarding mainstreaming gender as it is going on a stereotyped way.

Ranjan Karmaker, executive director of Steps Towards Development, women leader Bela Nabi, Tasmima Hossain, editor of fortnight magazine Anannya and Lutfur Rahman, director of Centre for Development Training, were also present at the function.