Must recognise girls as driving force for change

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said there is no alternative to integrated social movements against child marriage, dowry, and violence against women.

“We must recognise our girls not just as victims, but as the driving force behind change,” she said while inaugurating a two-day event titled “ICPD30 Global Dialogue on Demographic Diversity and Sustainable Development” that would create a platform to discuss the challenges and explore the opportunities of the world’s shifting demographics.

Bangladesh, Bulgaria and Japan along with the UNFPA are hosting the conference at the Hotel Intercontinental.

Hasina said Bangladesh has adopted the National Adolescent Health Strategy (2017-2030) and its implementation plan.

“To ensure health services for adolescents, we have established adolescent-friendly health service corners in 1,253 union-level service,” she said.

She mentioned that an initiative has been taken to distribute free sanitary napkins to nearly 5 million adolescent girls studying in grades six to 12.

Furthermore, the government has launched the “School Meal” programme nationwide to meet the nutritional needs of school-going students.

She said since 2010, the government has implemented the world’s largest free textbook distribution programme at the secondary level, distributing approximately 464 million books until 2024.

“In addition, we have introduced a stipend programme to promote girls’ education from primary to higher secondary level. Girls’ education has been made free up to 12th grade.”

She mentioned that the government has allocated 30 percent of the national budget for the social and economic empowerment of women.

“In line with the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, we are implementing a national policy and plan of action for women’s development,” she said.

Currently, 42.6 percent of the total workforce comprises of women. “And we aim to increase it to 50 percent by 2030. We have also set targets to ensure 25 percent female participation in the ICT sector by 2026 and 50 percent by 2041,” she said.

Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud, UNFPA Executive Director Natalia Kanem, Minister of Social and Family Development of the Maldives Aishath Shiham, Kiribati’s Minister for Women, Youth, Sports and Social Affairs Martin Moretti, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Yasushi And State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Rokeya Sultana also among others spoke at the programme.