A group of Panelists on Wednesday drew attention to the societal narrative of girls’ weakness, calling on girls to dismantle this belief to pave the way for future progress.
“Our society perpetuates the narrative that girls are weak, and we often internalize it. To move forward, we must break that narrative ourselves,” said Dilruba Haider, Programme Specialist for Climate Change, DRR, and Humanitarian Action at UN Women.
She was speaking as a panelist at an event organized by Save the Children in Dhaka to commemorate International Day of the Girl Child.
Dilruba said: “Society believes girls need to stay inside for protection, a notion driven by patriarchy. But in truth, it’s our belief in this narrative that weakens us. We are strong—both physically and mentally—proving the narrative wrong.”
Mushfiqua Zaman Satiar, senior policy advisor for gender and civil society at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bangladesh, and another panelist at the event, expressed her vision: “We dream of a Bangladesh where child labor no longer exists. To make this a reality, the government must establish a robust safety net and ensure the implementation of policies against child labor.”
She also emphasized the importance of girls pursuing studies in science, engineering, mathematics, and technology to drive societal progress.
Reefat Bin Sattar, deputy country director of Save the Children in Bangladesh, stressed the need to combat violence and oppression against girls.
Reefat said: “We’re currently working with 260,000 girls across 32 districts. While the challenges are significant, we are committed to amplifying the voices of girls.”
A segment of the event, titled “Girl Talk”, featured five young girls discussing pressing issues affecting their futures, including climate change, sexual harassment, child labor, waste management, and menstrual hygiene.
This year’s theme, “Girls’ Vision for the Future,” underscores the urgent need for actions shaped by the voices and aspirations of girls worldwide.
The event brought together approximately 40 boys and girls, alongside distinguished panelists from development organizations, the corporate sector, academia, and donor agencies.