International Women’s Day Conclave

[.. Distinguished guests, and colleagues, Shubo dupur and Asslamwallekum.]

Thank you for joining us today. I want to thank and acknowledge the Social Action Committee, Nijera Kori, Pragroshor and SPARC for being the force behind today’s conclave on the critical issue of women’s leadership and decision making as Bangladesh prepares for national elections.

Feminist movements remain a key driver for change to advance Rights, Equality, Empowerment, for all women and girls. We believe that the women’s movement needs to be grassroots driven, intersectional and intergenerational - as we have already witnessed through the plenary today.

The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action remains the most comprehensive, visionary, and widely endorsed global agenda for gender equality and the realization of women’s and girls’ human rights. The 30^th anniversary comes at a time of unprecedented pushback against gender equality and women’s rights, which is going hand-in-hand with the erosion of democratic institutions.

In the countdown to 2030, the global community must act collectively with urgency and recommit to the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. “All hands-on deck” are needed to deliver tangible change in the lives of women and girls and accelerate the achievement of the SDGs.

The invisiblisation of young women that were at the forefront of the anti-discrimination movement in July – August has been disturbing. The CEDAW General recommendation No. 40 clearly states that “Equal and inclusive representation of women in decision-making systems is a game-changing solution. As Bangladesh prepares its roadmap for the national elections, our hope is to see more women, especially more younger women have their rightful place in decision making roles - integral to the vision of a new Bangladesh. Bangladesh must commit to gender parity in decision making roles across sectors. When the doors of equal opportunity are open for women and girls, everyone wins.

The Beijing+30 Action Agenda puts adolescent girls and youth at the heart of all its efforts as the best way to guarantee success. This includes amplifying the voice and leadership of young women and girls, closing the last mile for girls’ secondary education completion rates and ending violations of their rights, including child, early and forced marriage.

We know and we have all seen women and girls continue to face significant barriers to equality, including political underrepresentation, violence, moral policing and deeply entrenched social norms as was highlighted by our speakers earlier today.

We also know what is needed to make gender equality a lived reality. Six actions are key:

• We need an end to violence, this is non-negotiable.
• We need equal decision-making power in the public and private domain including by applying temporary special measures.
• We need freedom from poverty, decent and green jobs and the redistribution of the care burden.
• We need peace and we need climate justice to prioritize women and girls’ rights and their access to productive assets and land rights.
• We need a digital revolution, so women and girls have access to technology, financial services, markets and networks.

We must also be united on two core foundations: financing and data.

The 30th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action is an unmissable chance to remind global leaders and activists that our shared future depends on gender equality and empowering all women and girls. 

I end with a quote from our Executive Director Sima Bahous:

“We can and must fulfil the promise of the Beijing Platform for Action and the SDGs. A gender-equal world is within our reach if we choose it.”

Thank you.