That any nation which chooses to suppress half of its population would inevitably stifle its overall development is a demonstrably proven fact.
A prospect which, fortunately, never came to pass in Bangladesh, given the sheer presence of women in our formal economy, which has increased rapidly over the past two decades.
However, women’s empowerment is not limited to their economic participation, as the state of any nation’s overall equality hinges more on social mobility -- and on this front Bangladesh still has a lot of work left to be done.
In the past few weeks alone we have seen instances of egregious public behaviour towards women, with two women being physically assaulted for no legitimate justification and a case of public harassment and moral policing.
For such incidents to occur in the run up to International Women’s Day is truly disappointing, but they are nothing if not emblematic of the uphill battle that Bangladesh has been fighting on this front and continues to do so.
For effect, a recent survey conducted by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) revealed startling statistics on intimate partner violence in our country, further reinforcing the retrograde beliefs a concerning portion of our population still subscribe to when it comes to consent and indeed relationships in general.
This year’s International Women’s Day is themed under the banner of “Accelerate Action” and a more apt dictum could not have been given in the context of women’s rights in Bangladesh.
The interim government has so far proven relatively progressive when it comes to social issues, and the onus is on the current administration to cement women’s rights and their empowerment as a core component of Bangladesh’s continued social development.
