Ratify Cedaw to ensure women's empowerment
They said violence against women and the absence of rule of law are also impediments to establishing women's rights.
The speakers demanded ratification of UN Convention on the Elimination of all sorts of Discrimination Against Women (Cedaw) to ensure women's empowerment.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. The roundtable titled 'Women's achievements in empowerment in the 35 years of independence and our duties' was organised jointly by the Weekly 2000 and Women's Development Foundation (WDF) at the National Press Club in the city.
Presenting the keynote paper, Fouzia Khondokar Iva, a gender expert and women's rights activist, narrated women's achievements in different sectors in last three decades.
"Contribution of women in garment industries and private organisations including NGOs are of significant achievements of women," she said, adding " Two women have been occupying the highest political position for 15 years."
"Despite this we hardly find women at the policy making position in the administration," she maintained.
Explaining the term 'women's empowerment', she said it is a 'process' through which women can obtain control over their physical, mental, intellectual and spiritual possessions.
Prof Mahmuda Islam of Dhaka University raised a question on the achievement of women's empowerment as Cedaw is yet to be ratified.
Rekha Chowdhury, secretary of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, asked how long women would have to wait for the ratification of Cedaw on the ground that it is opposed to Shariah law.
She pointed out that women lawmakers in parliament are not given opportunity to play their due part as they don't have any constituency.
Tasmima Hossain, editor of the fortnightly Anonnya, said, "Women's empowerment will not be possible unless they establish their rights over property."
Describing women as essential for the development of national economy, Bodiul Alam, country director of Hunger Project, called for creating scope for women at the policy making level as they are less corrupted than men.
He stressed the need for poverty alleviation as well as the elimination of 'evil circle of malnutrition' for women.
Moderated by Director of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela) Syeda Rizwana Hasan, the programme was also addressed by educationists Rokeya Mannan and Prof Mahbuba Nasrin of DU, President of Nirapad Sarak Chai Actor Elias Kanchan and acting editor of the Weekly 2000 Golam Mortuja.