Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Friday said empowerment of women is one of the top priorities of his government.
"One of our top priorities is the empowerment of women," he told the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) while delivering his speech.
Prof Yunus said in reality, in many important fields today, the contribution of women is greater than half.
This month, for the first time, Bangladesh published the Unpaid Household Production Satellite Account, he said, adding that it shows that women perform more than 85% of unpaid care and household work, with a value equivalent to over 16% of Bangladesh's GDP.
"Despite many obstacles, our girls are succeeding everywhere--from classrooms to boardrooms, from laboratories to sports fields. Recently, our women’s football team won a regional championship, qualified for an inter-Asian competition, and inspired millions across the country," the chief adviser said.
He said his government’s efforts to ensure women’s safety, dignity, and equal opportunity continue.
"This year, we celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration. On this occasion, we have strengthened our commitment to women’s empowerment by announcing four national pledges under the Beijing+30 Action Agenda, to be implemented in the next five years," he said.
Those include--enacting a law to prevent and protect against sexual harassment; recognizing and valuing women’s unpaid care and household work; increasing women’s participation in politics and public life; and strengthening gender-responsive budgeting, said Prof Yunus.
