UN launches campaign to promote gender equality, women empowerment

The United Nations has launched a campaign to promote gender equality and women empowerment, commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action of 1995.

The campaign starts on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on November 25, and ends on the International Human Rights Day on December 10. 

Bringing light to the importance of gender equality and addressing systemic barriers that hold women back from equal participation in all areas of life, British human rights organization Article 19 will host two webinars to highlight the issues in Bangladesh and South Asia.

The first webinar, titled “Gender-based violence during Covid-19: Obligation of Individual, Family, Society, and the State” will be held on November 26, and the other titled “Creating a Safer Cyberspace for Women in Bangladesh” on December 5. Participants can register for the online events by visiting the following link: https://www.facebook.com/Article-19-South-Asia-100756264755798

At the Beijing+25 meeting in 1995, 189 governments committed to taking strategic and bold action in 12 critical areas of concern: poverty, education and training, health, violence, armed conflict, economy, power and decision-making, institutional mechanisms, human rights, media, environment, and the girl child. Bangladesh was one of the countries that endorsed the resolution.

Women and girls, who make up the majority of frontline health workers such as nurses, are having to endure the brunt of the burden resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic. Earlier in the year, many were left vulnerable due to lack of proper personal protection equipment and increased uncertainty.

In Bangladesh, garment workers, who are mostly women, are the hardest hit by the pandemic. Despite the RMG sector being the largest contributor to Bangladesh’s GDP, female garments workers face discrimination, harassment, and below-average pays, further worsened by the pandemic.

Article 19 is calling on the authorities to make sure gender equality is ensured in all aspects of our society and that better steps are taken to ensure security and protection of women, girls, and marginalized groups.