On the occasion of International Women's Day, ARTICLE 19 organized three live talk shows with three community radio stations, namely BU Radio, Radio Bikrampur and Radio Din Raat in Barisal and Dhaka divisions.
Besides, a live talk show with Radio Today in Dhaka was held on Thursday, reads a press release.
Moreover, an essay competition and four interviews among Barishal University students organized by BU Radio will be held on Monday.
Nasreen Jahan, additional superintendent of police, 10 APBn, Barisal, Advocate Sohana Tahmina, editor, Dainik Munshiganj Khabar, Advocate Shamsunnahar Shilpi, chairman, Jatiya Mohila Songstha, Munshiganj, local journalists, CSOs, representatives of Dalits, leader of the student wing of a political party, transgenders and ethnic minorities attended the three live talk shows as discussants.
They discussed empowering women by using technology, an increase of women's involvement in the information technology sector, participation of women in politics, bullying and harassment of women online, equal rights, a safe workplace, freedom of expression, the right to assembly and the right to protest.
The United Nations declared March 8 as International Women's Day. The theme of the day this year is “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality.”
ARTICLE 19 South Asia Regional Director Faruq Faisel said: "There is no alternative to enhancing women's communication and information technology skills to face the challenges of the 21st century. In Bangladesh, women are far behind in the use of information and communication technology than men. The government and other relevant stakeholders need to take effective steps to increase the information and communication technology literacy of women. Proper measures should be taken to ensure safe online use and to stop online bullying and harassment."
ARTICLE 19 in partnership with Plan International Bangladesh hosted these radio talk shows as part of its series of initiatives under the project “Our Voices Our Choices: Women and Youth for Democratic Civic Space (OVOC).”
The project aims to ensure that young people, especially women and girls in Bangladesh, enjoy fundamental human rights and are actively engaged in improving their lives and communities through inclusive, effective, pluralistic and civic participation as responsible citizens. The project is funded by the European Commission.
These live radio talk shows included viewers and listeners on Facebook ie BU Radio, Radio Bikrampur and Radio Din Raat as well, who shared their questions and opinions on the safe use of information and communication technology, safe work environment, women's participation in the civic space engagement, social discrimination, inequality of opportunities and insecurity.
