Bangladesh makes progress in women, child development

By Syed Shukur Ali Shuvo, Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

The country has made a remarkable progress in women and child development and their living standard has improved significantly because of their easy access to health services, drinking water, sanitation and education.

“We have made a remarkable progress in the last 12 years in improving the lives of women and children as the government has been implementing a number of development projects for them” state minister for women and children affairs Fazilatun Nessa Indira told BSS on Sunday.

She said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has undertaken various steps to ensure women and children development and to this end, monthly 30 kg rice is being provided to 10,40,000 women in 4569 unions of 493 upazilas of the country under VGD program during the COVID 19.

“We are also giving Taka 800 per month to 7,70,000 women for a period of 3 years as maternal allowance, which is one of the social security initiatives implemented to improve the socio-economic status of rural poor women in the country,” Indira said.

She said the government has also announced to increase allowances from the financial year 2020-21.

“Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman started the process of uplifting the status of women to establish equal rights of woman in all level of the state” Indira said.

According to the ministry officials, the 7th Five Year Plan (2016-2020), considers women’s engagement in political and economic activities as a cross-cutting issue and one of the main drivers of transformation.

The total number of beneficiaries cumulative from 2001-2002 VGD cycle to 2019-2020 VGD cycle is 71,40,000. Maternity allowance is being provided to 26,75,60 mothers from 2007-2008 to 2018-19 and about Tk 1,591 crore was allocated.

The total number Lactating Mother Support of beneficiaries is 250,000 and amount of monthly allowance was Tk 600 in 2019-20. A beneficiary will get 3 years allowance and awareness training facility at the same time.

The government has been implementing small loan program for women’s self-employment in 488 upazilas under 64 districts. From 2003-04 to 2018-19, the total allocation was Tk 45.00 core and the number of beneficiaries are 1,29,937, while loan recovery rate is 77.60 percent.

The ministry has been implementing 24 programs for improving and developing women and children across the country.

These programs include multi-sectoral program for prevention of women oppression, accelerating professional for children, Strengthening Gender Responsive Budgeting in Bangladesh, providing primary healthcare, reproduction healthcare and nutrition to underprivileged women and children in 21 districts, Income Generating Activities of Women at upazila level, clubs for teenagers-adolescents, construction of hostels and training centers for working women at Sonaimuri and Mothbariaupazilas, setting up 20 daycare centers for children, construction of hostel and daycare center for working women and children at Kaliganj in Gazipur, vertical expansion of working women hostel at Mirpur and Khilgaon, Accelerating Action to end Child Marriage, Advancement of Women’s rights, construction of a new 10-story building adjacent to Nilkhet women’s hostel and other development work, National Resilience program, establishment of community nursing degree college in Dhaka, district wise women computer training centers, exploration of women entrepreneurs for women economic empowerment, development of marginal women in urban areas, women empowerment through ‘TothoyApa’ by information and communication technology aimed at building digital Bangladesh, child education, Joyita tower construction, self-capacity building of Joyita foundation, Investment Component for Vulnerable Group Development Program and strengthening of adaptability capacity of costal people to face salinity caused by the climate change.

“There is no doubt that Bangladesh has made significant progress in women empowerment and ensuring gender equality or equity. Continuous improvement is being made in this area so that Bangladesh can be a role model in the global arena,” a woman entrepreneur Astela Hasan said.

She said Bangladesh has achieved most of its targets of MDGs and is currently making a good stride in attaining the SDGs by 2030.

Astela said the government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been working relentlessly to ensure women’s overall development by ensuring their equal and active participation in the mainstream socio-economic activities and removing various impediments to their empowerment.

Bangladesh received ‘Women in Parliaments Global Forum Award’, as the country has ranked 10th out of 142 nations in the political sphere. Moreover, the Prime Minister was awarded ‘UNESCO Peace Tree Award’ for her commitment to women’s empowerment and girls’ education, ‘Agent of Change Award’ by the Global Partnership Forum for her outstanding contributions to women empowerment, ‘Planet 50-50 Champion’ by UN-Women and ‘Champions of the Earth’ by UNEP for Policy Leadership.