Staff Reporter :
Speakers at a seminar have observed that social obstruction is the main impediment on way to the empowerment of women in the country.
The unequal status of women in society gives them unequal access to the educational, economic, politics and other opportunities. Their adequate participation is a precondition for bringing them in the mainstream of development process and thus empowers them, they told a national seminar at CIRDAP auditorium in the city on Monday.
Taking part in the discussion, the speakers said women participation in the last local government elections like Union Parishad and Upazila Parishad has fallen considerably. They said there is no alternative to women’s empowerment in strengthening the local government and women’s participation in decision making.
A survey on “Upazila Parishad Elections 2014: Women Representatives”,
conducted by Democracy Watch, Khan Foundation, Steps Towards Development and Prip Trust, was revealed at the seminar.
The survey report showed that participation of women in local government elections has shrunk by 48 per cent in two upazila parishad (UZ) polls from 2009 to 2014. The participation fell by about 50 per cent
in union parishad polls from 1997 to 2011. In 2009, 2,900 women participated in the upazila elections, while only 1,507 took part in 458 upazilas in 2014. On an average, seven to eight women contested in each upazila in 2009 while three to four in 2014, it added.
In the 1997 union parishad elections, 180,000 women contested in 13,500 seats, while the number dropped to 124,000 in 2003 and dwindled further to 90,000 in 2011, said the survey report.
The survey found certain reasons behind the decline in women’s participation, including financial crisis, fear and intimidation, failure to move about freely, political influence, misuse of money and religious barriers.
Presenting the report, executive director of Steps Towards Development Ranjan Karmaker said although the number of posts for women has increased, their participation has not increased the same way.
Dr Kazi Kholiquzzaman, chairman of Palli Karma Shohayak Foundation (PKSF), former lawmaker Rasheda Begum Hira, Rasheda K Chowdhury, executive director of CAMPE, advocate Roksana Khandaker, executive director of Khan Foundation and Taleya Rehman, executive director of Democracy Watch, among others, spoke on the occasion.
A sitting woman vice-chairperson alleged that virtually they do not have any power or pragmatic role in decision making in local governments as these have been taken away by male chairmen and vice-chairmen.
Other women representatives who participated in the seminar demanded their due role in local government bodies, as women too have skill and qualifications. They further demanded amendment of certain provisions of existing local governments which, they felt, are impediments to exercising their full authority.
They further alleged that their signatures are not taken for drawing money from banks for Test Relief (TR) or Kajer Binimoy Khadya (Kabikha) or Kajer Binimoy Taka (Kabita). Instead, signatures of their male counterparts are taken. This, they said, is depriving them of participation.
Speakers at a seminar have observed that social obstruction is the main impediment on way to the empowerment of women in the country.
The unequal status of women in society gives them unequal access to the educational, economic, politics and other opportunities. Their adequate participation is a precondition for bringing them in the mainstream of development process and thus empowers them, they told a national seminar at CIRDAP auditorium in the city on Monday.
Taking part in the discussion, the speakers said women participation in the last local government elections like Union Parishad and Upazila Parishad has fallen considerably. They said there is no alternative to women’s empowerment in strengthening the local government and women’s participation in decision making.
A survey on “Upazila Parishad Elections 2014: Women Representatives”,
conducted by Democracy Watch, Khan Foundation, Steps Towards Development and Prip Trust, was revealed at the seminar.
The survey report showed that participation of women in local government elections has shrunk by 48 per cent in two upazila parishad (UZ) polls from 2009 to 2014. The participation fell by about 50 per cent
in union parishad polls from 1997 to 2011. In 2009, 2,900 women participated in the upazila elections, while only 1,507 took part in 458 upazilas in 2014. On an average, seven to eight women contested in each upazila in 2009 while three to four in 2014, it added.
In the 1997 union parishad elections, 180,000 women contested in 13,500 seats, while the number dropped to 124,000 in 2003 and dwindled further to 90,000 in 2011, said the survey report.
The survey found certain reasons behind the decline in women’s participation, including financial crisis, fear and intimidation, failure to move about freely, political influence, misuse of money and religious barriers.
Presenting the report, executive director of Steps Towards Development Ranjan Karmaker said although the number of posts for women has increased, their participation has not increased the same way.
Dr Kazi Kholiquzzaman, chairman of Palli Karma Shohayak Foundation (PKSF), former lawmaker Rasheda Begum Hira, Rasheda K Chowdhury, executive director of CAMPE, advocate Roksana Khandaker, executive director of Khan Foundation and Taleya Rehman, executive director of Democracy Watch, among others, spoke on the occasion.
A sitting woman vice-chairperson alleged that virtually they do not have any power or pragmatic role in decision making in local governments as these have been taken away by male chairmen and vice-chairmen.
Other women representatives who participated in the seminar demanded their due role in local government bodies, as women too have skill and qualifications. They further demanded amendment of certain provisions of existing local governments which, they felt, are impediments to exercising their full authority.
They further alleged that their signatures are not taken for drawing money from banks for Test Relief (TR) or Kajer Binimoy Khadya (Kabikha) or Kajer Binimoy Taka (Kabita). Instead, signatures of their male counterparts are taken. This, they said, is depriving them of participation.
