UNB, Dhaka :
The International Women’s Day will be observed in the country on Saturday as elsewhere across the globe with a call to work for women’s rights, empowerment and gender equality. This year, the theme of the day is “Equality for women is progress for all”.
President Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia have issued separate messages on the occasion.
Various organisations, including the Women and Children Affairs Ministry, have chalked out elaborate
programmes to mark the day.
The programmes include rallies, exhibitions, discussions, processions and campaigns for women’s rights.
In his message, President Abdul Hamid said the womenfolk alongside their male counterparts have been playing an important role in creative and development activities as partners of all developments and progresses since the beginning of the civilisation.
He also urged all to come forward to ensure equality of women. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her message, recalled the contributions of those who had played the pioneering role at home and abroad whose dedications and sacrifices have advanced a lot the struggle for establishing the equal rights and status of women.
She called upon all to work together to make the country free from poverty, illiteracy, violence and exploitation by ensuring women empowerment, equal opportunities, establishing equal rights and involving women in the mainstream of development.
In his message, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said: “Countries with more gender equality have better economic growth. Companies with more women leaders perform better. Peace agreements that include women are more durable. Parliaments with more women enact more legislation on key social issues such as health, education, anti-discrimination and child support.”
He urged all to work for women’s rights, empowerment and gender equality in efforts to eliminate poverty and promote sustainable development.
Khaleda Zia said, “Women’s participation must be ensured in all aspects of the state and society to build Bangladesh as a happy, rich and self-reliant country.”
In 1857, thousands of working women in New York took to the streets to protest against inequitable wages, a 12-hour work day, and sexual nuisance in the workplace.
On March 8, 1908, a large number of women assembled in New York City to realise their rights to suffrage.
In 1910, as many as 100 women representing 17 countries decided to initiate an International Women’s Day at an International Conference of Socialist Women in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The first International Women’s Day was observed in 1911 in Germany, Austria, Denmark and some other European countries.
The UN for the first time formally proclaimed International Women’s Year on March 8, 1975.
