Campus Report :
“GirlForce: Unscripted and Unstoppable” the theme for the International Day of the Girl Child was celebrated at the Asian University for Women (AUW) on Friday with a day-long program including a panel discussion, presentations from students and alumnae and a film screening. The program was started by the welcoming address of D. Dave Dowland, Registrar of Asian University for Women (AUW).
“We need to invest in girls’ most pressing needs and opportunities because investing in girls is investing in a better future that is equal for all,” said Madhuri Banerjee, Chief, Field Office, Chittagong Division, UNICEF Bangladesh during her keynote speech on the status of young girls and the factors that make them vulnerable to child marriage.
The United Nations declared 11 October as International Day of the Girl Child in 2012. Since then, the day has been commemorated with a central theme every year. In keeping with this year’s theme “GirlForce: Unscripted and Unstoppable”, the celebration at AUW invited voices from prominent women who have been highly successful in their fields.
Moury Rahman, AUW alumna and Senior Public Health Officer at OXFAM spoke about the factors that make Rohingya girl children especially vulnerable to early marriages. Two current students of AUW showcased their start-up projects and their ambitions for the future.
During a panel discussion on “Early Marriages for Girls”: Rehana Alam Khan, President of Inner Wheel Club of Chittagong and Founder Chairperson of Marie Stopes Clinic Societies Ltd. spoke about the detrimental impact of early marriage on physical and mental health of young girls. Parveen Mahmud, Chair of Underprivileged Children’s Educational Programs (UCEP) highlighted the role of poverty in child marriages. Ms Mahmud advocated for education and vocational skills training as a path to women empowerment.
“The root cause (of early marriages for girls) is cultural as marriage plays a key role in determining a woman’s status,” said panelist Sharin Shajahan Naomi, Associate Professor of Gender Studies at AUW.
The panel discussion was concluded by Waseqa Ayesha Khan Member of Parliament from Chittagong and member of the Parliamentary Caucus on Child Rights. MP Khan spoke about the various government initiatives to protect girls, including the 109 and 999 toll-free help lines.
“We have to make the girl child feel important, it has to start from the family, then…society and then the state,” said MP Khan while speaking about the need to create awareness amongst young girls about the resources they can use to protect themselves. The discussion ended with an interactive question and answer session from students and other members of the audience.
In the second half of the day, the AUW Film Club in collaboration with ConnectHer, screened documentaries directed by young women, including two films made by AUW alumnae on themes of women’s education. ConnectHer is an organisation that encourages women to use films to raise awareness and take action. Professor Tiffany Cone facilitated a discussion amongst students about using films to bring attention to social issues.
AUW educates women from vulnerable communities from 20+ countries, many of whom are the first in their family to attend university. In celebration of the International Day of the Girl Child, AUW has also launched a community learning center that recruits young girls who live around the permanent campus site, including slum-dwellers , daughters of Ready-Made Garments (RMG) factory workers and girls from underprivileged communities. AUW students will volunteer their time to teach at this weekend school. This service-learning initiative will provide an opportunity for students to take forward AUW’s mission of building capacity in the region by educating and empowering young women.
“GirlForce: Unscripted and Unstoppable” the theme for the International Day of the Girl Child was celebrated at the Asian University for Women (AUW) on Friday with a day-long program including a panel discussion, presentations from students and alumnae and a film screening. The program was started by the welcoming address of D. Dave Dowland, Registrar of Asian University for Women (AUW).
“We need to invest in girls’ most pressing needs and opportunities because investing in girls is investing in a better future that is equal for all,” said Madhuri Banerjee, Chief, Field Office, Chittagong Division, UNICEF Bangladesh during her keynote speech on the status of young girls and the factors that make them vulnerable to child marriage.
The United Nations declared 11 October as International Day of the Girl Child in 2012. Since then, the day has been commemorated with a central theme every year. In keeping with this year’s theme “GirlForce: Unscripted and Unstoppable”, the celebration at AUW invited voices from prominent women who have been highly successful in their fields.
Moury Rahman, AUW alumna and Senior Public Health Officer at OXFAM spoke about the factors that make Rohingya girl children especially vulnerable to early marriages. Two current students of AUW showcased their start-up projects and their ambitions for the future.
During a panel discussion on “Early Marriages for Girls”: Rehana Alam Khan, President of Inner Wheel Club of Chittagong and Founder Chairperson of Marie Stopes Clinic Societies Ltd. spoke about the detrimental impact of early marriage on physical and mental health of young girls. Parveen Mahmud, Chair of Underprivileged Children’s Educational Programs (UCEP) highlighted the role of poverty in child marriages. Ms Mahmud advocated for education and vocational skills training as a path to women empowerment.
“The root cause (of early marriages for girls) is cultural as marriage plays a key role in determining a woman’s status,” said panelist Sharin Shajahan Naomi, Associate Professor of Gender Studies at AUW.
The panel discussion was concluded by Waseqa Ayesha Khan Member of Parliament from Chittagong and member of the Parliamentary Caucus on Child Rights. MP Khan spoke about the various government initiatives to protect girls, including the 109 and 999 toll-free help lines.
“We have to make the girl child feel important, it has to start from the family, then…society and then the state,” said MP Khan while speaking about the need to create awareness amongst young girls about the resources they can use to protect themselves. The discussion ended with an interactive question and answer session from students and other members of the audience.
In the second half of the day, the AUW Film Club in collaboration with ConnectHer, screened documentaries directed by young women, including two films made by AUW alumnae on themes of women’s education. ConnectHer is an organisation that encourages women to use films to raise awareness and take action. Professor Tiffany Cone facilitated a discussion amongst students about using films to bring attention to social issues.
AUW educates women from vulnerable communities from 20+ countries, many of whom are the first in their family to attend university. In celebration of the International Day of the Girl Child, AUW has also launched a community learning center that recruits young girls who live around the permanent campus site, including slum-dwellers , daughters of Ready-Made Garments (RMG) factory workers and girls from underprivileged communities. AUW students will volunteer their time to teach at this weekend school. This service-learning initiative will provide an opportunity for students to take forward AUW’s mission of building capacity in the region by educating and empowering young women.
