Hasina stresses policy measures, concerted actions for gender equality

Stating that the promises made by the global leaders in the fourth world conference on women in Beijing in 1995 are yet to be fulfilled, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that bold policy measures and concerted actions could reverse the situation.

“At Beijing in 1995, the world community made bold commitments for women empowerment. Many of those promises, unfortunately, remain unfulfilled,” she said while addressing an event titled “Action Coalition on Technology and Innovation for Gender Equality” of the Generation Equality Forum: Paris 2021.

The Generation Equality Forum is taking place across two events from June 30 to July 2 that kicked off in Mexico City and will finish in Paris.

In a recorded statement aired at the event, Sheikh Hasina also said that globally, women’s participation in politics, economy and labour force is not satisfactory.

“Today, only 25% of parliamentarians are women, while women’s participation in the labour force is still 31% less than men. We must reverse this situation through bold policy measures and concerted actions.”

The prime minister, in continuation to her earlier pledge at the 25th anniversary event of the Beijing Conference, promised this time to increase women’s participation in ICT sector, including tech start-ups and e-commerce sector to 25% by 2026 and 50% by 2041.

Noting that women’s empowerment has been a priority of her government, the premier said her government’s “Digital Bangladesh Vision” has meaningfully integrated women in the IT sector. Bangladesh has launched various practical projects aimed at creating women IT professionals and efficient entrepreneurs.

Bangladesh is also using many digital apps in addressing violence against women, Sheikh Hasina said. “In the last three years, over 71,000 girls received cyber awareness training leading to their enhanced safety on cyber platforms.”

The Generation Equality Forum is a global movement for gender equality, convened by the UN Women and co-hosted by the governments of Mexico and France.

The Forum brings together governments, corporations, NGOs, youth-led groups and Foundations to secure concrete, ambitious, and transformative commitments for gender equality. These are shaped by the Action Coalitions. They are the world’s roadmap for gender equality.