The Barisal district unit of Bangladesh Girl Guides Association (BGGA) observed World Thinking Day yesterday, calling all to ensure indiscriminate rights of girls and women to education and empowerment to reduce poverty and prevent early marriage and violence against women.
Held at Barisal Regional Guide House, the event saw around 400 girl guides in attendance, coming from different wings of the BGGA in Barisal, all demanding that equal participation of women be ensured in policy-making in all sectors as well as working together to achieve the UN’s millennium development goals (MDGs). Presided over by Lutfun Nahar Afroz, BGGA district commissioner in Barisal, the programme was inaugurated by chief guest Wahida Ferdous, president of Barisal Ladies’ Club.
Conducted by Sumaiya Tabassum, regional trainer at the BGGA, the event was addressed by Abul Kalam Azad, additional deputy commissioner of Barisal, Rumana Akhtar, administrative magistrate, Rabeya Khatun, district president of Bangladesh Mohila Parishad, and distinguished members of the district BGGA, among others.
Addressing the event, the speakers said female education was one of the most powerful and effective ways to reduce global poverty, early marriage and violence against women.
A child born to a literate mother is more likely to survive and less likely to be married early, they opined.
They also agreed that early marriage of girls was a major cause for poverty, ill health, lack of skills, lack of confidence and discrimination in the socio-political scenario in the country.
The participants also renewed their oaths to spread the ideals of the Girl Guides Movement in the region to nourish patriotism, morality, life skill to create good citizenship and better social and family life.
World Thinking Day is observed around the world every year on February 22, the birthday of Lord Robert Baden-Powell in the UK, the founder of Boy Scouts Association, as well as of Girl Guides Movement with his sister Lady Agnes Baden-Powell.
Since 2008, Girl Guides and Girl Scouts around the world have been working hard to help achieve the MDGs and develop a global partnership for development to end global poverty and calling everyone coming together for peace, the organisers said.
Other events of the programme included discussions, handicraft fair, celebration of the founder’s birthday and collection of donation.