A special event titled “Women’s Empowerment: Women’s Voice and Leadership Bangladesh Project” was held at the Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel on Wednesday, showcasing the transformative impact of a project funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and implemented by the Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF).
The conference featured inspiring stories from grassroots women, girls, and transgender individuals, detailing their struggles, aspirations, and achievements.
The Women’s Voice and Leadership (WVL) project is a global initiative designed to support local women’s organizations (WROs) in developing countries, promoting women and girls' empowerment, gender equality, and the protection of human rights.
Since March 2019, MJF has been implementing the WVL Bangladesh project, providing grants to local women’s rights organizations and strengthening their capacity to help marginalized women, girls, and transgender individuals exercise their rights.
MJF has partnered with 18 WROs, community-based organizations (CBOs), and women’s networks nationwide.
The project includes multi-year funding to selected local WROs, capacity-building initiatives, strengthening networks and alliances among WROs, and rapid response funding for local organizations to implement innovative ideas. The project will run from February 25, 2019, to March 31, 2024, across 20 districts.
Shaheen Anam, Executive Director of MJF, defined a feminist as anyone who believes in equal human rights, saying: "We consider men our allies; we want them in our journey to ensure gender equality." She referred to the chief guest, Farida Akhter, as fearless.
Farida Akhter, advisor to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, graced the event as the chief guest.
Akhter described the stories shared by women from various backgrounds as "inspiring and powerful."
She emphasized the importance of addressing issues from diverse perspectives, saying: "If issues are not addressed from various perspectives, simply generalizing 'women's' problems is not enough to eliminate discrimination."
She also called for balanced nutrition in schools to improve the education and health of female children and spoke out against child marriage and dowry, asserting: "Child marriage is a major cause of human trafficking of women and children, and it must be combated from every corner of society."
Saidur Rahman focused on the role of men in women’s empowerment, noting that child marriage contributes to the decreasing number of women in higher education.
He said: "The higher the class, the lower the participation rate of women," and stressed the importance of preventive measures.
Rasheda K Choudhury honored the women who suffered in anti-discrimination movements, saying: "Participation and ownership are not the same. Currently, many women are participating, but how much are they truly partnering? We need to understand equality and equity separately. If this is not clear, understanding and ensuring women's empowerment will be difficult."
Debra Boyce highlighted the crucial role of women leaders, emphasizing the need for a united voice against discrimination. She stated, "In building a strong resistance against injustice, there is no alternative to raising our voices together."
