Christian Aid Bangladesh in partnership with BLAST, Bandhu Social Welfare Society, Nagorik Uddyog, and Wave Foundation, co-funded by the European Union organized a dialogue on innovation and technology for gender equality and minority rights in Bangladesh.
The dialogue took place following International Women's Day 2023 inspiring the theme DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality, according to a press release issued on Tuesday.
Representatives from four CSOs coming from Dalit, Hijra, ethnic minority, and an advocacy network member community shared their thoughts and life story during the event focusing on the importance of innovation and technology for gender equality and ensuring minority rights.
This event was celebrated at Chhaynaut Shanskriti-Bhavan, Dhaka.
During her speech, special guest, Gloria Jharna Sarker, MP, highlighted different initiatives by the government on gender equality and digital Bangladesh focusing on women.
She also shared her own inspiring story on how she became the first Christian woman member of parliament in Bangladesh.
BGMEA President Faruque Hassan emphasized RMG sector's contribution for the progress of women in Bangladesh at the event.
He mentioned women's role in the economic growth of Bangladesh and shared his plan to engage more women from minority communities in RMG sector.
Also present at the event, Laila Jasmine Banu, program manager, Governance and Human Rights, Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh, expressed joy in her speech hoping for a future where disadvantaged women from different communities will have better access to technology and required resources.
Shehela Pervin, PPM, Additional Deputy Inspector General of Police, Police Headquarters, Bangladesh Police Headquarters; Sara Hossain, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of Bangladesh and Honorary Executive Director, Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST); Saleh Ahmed, Executive Director, Bandhu Social Welfare Society and Zakir Hossain, Chief Executive, Nagorik Uddyog were also present as special guest at the event.
Christian Aid's Country Director Pankaj Kumar delivered the welcome speech and closing remarks was delivered by senior advocate Bangladesh Supreme Court.
Representatives of different minority communities, national and international organizations were also present at the event celebration with the co-funding of the European Union Christian Aid which is implementing a 42-month-long project titled “Empowering Left behind Minority Communities to Effectively Participate in Development Process in Bangladesh (ELMC)” in partnership with Bandhu Social Welfare Society, BLAST, Nagorik Uddyog, and WAVE Foundation to ensure the rights of the most marginalized communities of Dalit, plainland ethnic minority, transgender, and persons with disability.
The project emphasizes intersectional vulnerability faced by the minority population in terms of gender, class, sexual orientation, physical ability etc. Dalit women, Ethnic Minority women, Women with Disability (WWD), and Transgender women are especially targeted in this project to be empowered and included in the development process of the country.
