UNB, Dhaka :
Recognising Unpaid Care Work (UCW) economically, politically and socially can largely contribute to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in our country, said experts and researchers on Monday morning.
Bringing change in mentality and behavior is necessary to ensure recognition, redistribution and reduction of Unpaid Care Work in Bangladesh, they said while speaking at an inaugural ceremony of the Grand Finale of National Debate Campaign 2018 on Unpaid Care Work at TSC in Dhaka University.
ActionAid Bangladesh and Dhaka University Debating Society (DUDS) organized the two-month-long debate campaign to create awareness about UCW among people and youth through debate.
Addressing the inaugural session as the Chief Guest, Dr Md Akhtaruzzaman, Vice-chancellor of Dhaka University, said, “Achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can be possible more efficiently if the unrecognised UCW of women in our family is given recognition as economic contribution.”
“Engaging youth and university students is important to bring the change,”
said the VC adding that, not only unpaid care work but the work of domestic helpers should be recognised as profession as well.
A K Abdul Momen, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations, said, GDP of Bangladesh will be higher if unpaid care works are recognised in policy and budget as in many countries these unpaid care work contribute 20 to 39 percent of their GDP.
“The recognition is important to ensure gender equity,” he added.
Meghna Guhathakurta, Executive Director of Research Initiative Bangladesh (RIB), presented a study conducted jointly by ActionAid Bangladesh and RIB in 2017.
The study conducted on 600 respondents of Lalmonirhat and Gaibandha regions said, a woman daily spends about 8 hours in UCW while a man spends only 2.5 hours daily in such work.
The gender gap can be reduced through intervention and influencing the population about recognition of unpaid care work, said Meghna Guhathakurta, also the member of National Human Rights Commission.
Md Sariful Islam, Deputy Manager, ActionAid Bangladesh, said, “Unrecognising the UCW is the key obstacle toward women empowerment.”
As youth can bring the change in society, ActionAid Bangladesh along with DUDS organised the nationwide debate campaign with the theme “Recognition, Redistribution and Reduction of Unpaid Care Work,” said SM Rakib Sirazy, President of DUDS.
After completing five regional rounds, all the regional champion and runner up teams are to fight for the final debate around 4:00 PM.
During the inaugural session, Professor Mahbuba Nasreen, Moderator of DUDS, Mofizur Rahman, Professor of Mass Communication and Journalism department in Dhaka University, Abdullah Asad, General Secretary of DUDS also spoke among others.
Recognising Unpaid Care Work (UCW) economically, politically and socially can largely contribute to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in our country, said experts and researchers on Monday morning.
Bringing change in mentality and behavior is necessary to ensure recognition, redistribution and reduction of Unpaid Care Work in Bangladesh, they said while speaking at an inaugural ceremony of the Grand Finale of National Debate Campaign 2018 on Unpaid Care Work at TSC in Dhaka University.
ActionAid Bangladesh and Dhaka University Debating Society (DUDS) organized the two-month-long debate campaign to create awareness about UCW among people and youth through debate.
Addressing the inaugural session as the Chief Guest, Dr Md Akhtaruzzaman, Vice-chancellor of Dhaka University, said, “Achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can be possible more efficiently if the unrecognised UCW of women in our family is given recognition as economic contribution.”
“Engaging youth and university students is important to bring the change,”
said the VC adding that, not only unpaid care work but the work of domestic helpers should be recognised as profession as well.
A K Abdul Momen, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations, said, GDP of Bangladesh will be higher if unpaid care works are recognised in policy and budget as in many countries these unpaid care work contribute 20 to 39 percent of their GDP.
“The recognition is important to ensure gender equity,” he added.
Meghna Guhathakurta, Executive Director of Research Initiative Bangladesh (RIB), presented a study conducted jointly by ActionAid Bangladesh and RIB in 2017.
The study conducted on 600 respondents of Lalmonirhat and Gaibandha regions said, a woman daily spends about 8 hours in UCW while a man spends only 2.5 hours daily in such work.
The gender gap can be reduced through intervention and influencing the population about recognition of unpaid care work, said Meghna Guhathakurta, also the member of National Human Rights Commission.
Md Sariful Islam, Deputy Manager, ActionAid Bangladesh, said, “Unrecognising the UCW is the key obstacle toward women empowerment.”
As youth can bring the change in society, ActionAid Bangladesh along with DUDS organised the nationwide debate campaign with the theme “Recognition, Redistribution and Reduction of Unpaid Care Work,” said SM Rakib Sirazy, President of DUDS.
After completing five regional rounds, all the regional champion and runner up teams are to fight for the final debate around 4:00 PM.
During the inaugural session, Professor Mahbuba Nasreen, Moderator of DUDS, Mofizur Rahman, Professor of Mass Communication and Journalism department in Dhaka University, Abdullah Asad, General Secretary of DUDS also spoke among others.
