The interim government has established a Women’s Affairs Reform Commission, with Shireen Parveen Haque, a founding member of Nari Paksha, serving as its chairperson.
The commission aims to propose reforms to enhance women’s participation and empowerment at all levels of society.
According to the press wing of the chief adviser, the commission has been constituted to address systemic barriers and foster inclusive growth for women.
The commission includes prominent figures from diverse sectors, reflecting a wide range of expertise – Maheen Sultan, senior fellow, Brac Institute of Governance and Development; Sara Hossain, executive director, Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (Blast); Fawzia Karim Firoze, president, Bangladesh National Women Lawyers Association; Kalpona Akter, president, Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation; Dr Halida Hanum Akhter, women’s health expert; Sumaiya Islam, executive director, Bangladesh Nari Sramik Kendra; Nirupa Dewan, former member, National Human Rights Commission; Ferdousi Sultana, former senior social development advisor, Asian Development Bank; and Nishita Zaman Niha, student representative.
The commission is tasked with identifying and recommending necessary reforms to enhance women’s participation in decision-making processes, strengthen legal frameworks for gender equality, and improve women’s access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities.
The commission will submit a detailed report with recommendations to the chief adviser within the stipulated timeline.
This initiative underscores the government’s commitment to addressing gender inequality and empowering women across Bangladesh.
A month after the uprising, the interim government formed six separate commissions focused on the constitution, electoral system, police, judiciary, anti-corruption measures, and public administration reforms. The work of these commissions is progressing at full pace.
Subsequently, on October 17, four additional commissions were announced. The Health Affairs Reform Commission is to be led by National Prof Dr A K Azad Khan, the Media Reform Commission by senior journalist Kamal Ahmed, the Labor Rights Reform Commission by Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed, and the Women’s Affairs Reform Commission by Shireen Parveen Haque.
On October 31, it was decided to establish another commission to address local government reforms, though the head of this commission has not yet been disclosed.