We look forward to create Sonar Bangla where the women will get equal rights and opportunity in every sphere of life – State Minister Meher Afroze at UN

UsaNewsOnline.Com, New York, 22 March :  “We look forward to create ‘Sonar Bangla’ where the women will get equal opportunity for rights and entitlements in the family, community and in the society” says Meher Afroze MP, State Minister, Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Bangladesh at a side event on ‘Enhance Social Protection for Poverty reduction and women’s empowerment’ under the ongoing 61^st session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). The event was co-hosted by the Government of Bangladesh and Government of Canada, supported by FAO and WFP.

In her key note statement, the State Minister enumerated the various measures and best practices taken place in Bangladesh with regard to social protection programme for women for empowering them and eradication of poverty as a whole. She stated, “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina we are working for the inclusive development of women. Our government has adopted 142 special programmes for social protection of the poor community of where a significant number are women. We have enacted National Women Development Policy 2011, ensured Gender Responsive Budget and reserved the women’s right in Seventh Five Year Plan (2016-2020). To develop women’s business skills, our government has established a foundation to develop the SME sector and launched programs for women”. Moreover, Bangladesh government has taken huge project Including better health care, various training programme, hostels for working women, daycares for the children of working women to empower the women – the State Minister said.

The State Minister said, “According to World Bank Study the level of poverty has gone down to 23.2% and extreme poverty to 12.9% particularly from 2009 to 2016”.

“Bangladesh made significant progress in achieving the MDG by reducing poverty, and women empowerment. We believe, the experiences of implementation of the MDGs will help us to achieve the targets of the SDGs before 2030” the State Minister said.

Ms. Nasima Begum NDC, Secretary, Ministry of Women and Children Affairs of Bangladesh joined the discussion and Permanent Representative of Denmark, Ambassador IB Peterson, Chargé D’ Affaires of Mission of Canada, Ambassador Michael Douglas Grant made remarks on the impact of social protection in eradicating poverty and bringing gender parity.

Representative of International Food Policy Research Institute, Dr. Shalini Roy and Representative of FAO Ms. Carla Mucavi made presentation on ‘social safety net and ‘economic empowerment’ respectively.

The event was moderated by Ms. Shannon Howard from WFP. Dr. Abul Hossain, Project Director, Multi-Sectoral Programme on Violent Against Women, Ministry of Women and Children Affairs presents a Power Point on Social Protection and women empowerment in Bangladesh.

State Minister Meher Afroze MP is leading the Bangladesh delegation to the 61^st CSW session. Ms Nasima Begum NDC, secretary, Ministry of women and children affairs, Md. Ziaul Islam, Secretary, Ministry of Planning and six others government official are attended the session as members of the delegation.

Before the CSW side event the State Minister attended an interactive meeting with the officers of Permanent Mission of Bangladesh and members of her delegation.