It all should start in the home: Saima about gender equality
Stressing the need for educating children on gender equality in the home, CRI Trustee and Co-chairman and Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) Thematic Ambassador Saima Wazed Hossain have said she wants everyone in the united states to be taught the way she teaches her four children that people are no different.
"We’re all equal. Let’s pay the deserved respect to women in the home, outside the home, on the streets, in schools, and the workplace," she said.
She also urged everyone to improve voice together against any violence against women anywhere - in schools, colleges, workplaces, streets, or elsewhere.
Launching a campaign titled 'Women's Safety in public areas (WSPP)’ through a webinar on Wednesday night, Saima developed the observations that came hot on the heels of some incidents of violence against women across the country.
The campaign was launched by Young Bangla - the youth wing of the ruling Awami League’s research wing Centre for Research and Information's (CRI) in collaboration with UNDP and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
“If a woman is harassed somewhere and no person involves protest, what can she do alone? Anyone witnessing that incident must stand beside that girl,” Saima added.
She said their boys must be educated on gender equality from your home to ensure that that education reflects on the behavior when they grow up and are likely involved in the family. "So, it all starts in the home."
With a strict stance against the stereotypes surrounding women in society, Saima said, “If my strong voice is discouraged within my home, if I’m hushed up, if I’m reminded occasionally - ‘Stay calm, cool, and don’t protest’ - that’s something not supported by the annals of Bengali nation. You see that women were at the forefront of the movements launched by Bengalis. When our history inspires us, we must protest before other people does. Why should we keep silent?”
Saima said a woman of any age must walk with dignity and safety anywhere in the country. Everyone - not only women - is required to ensure that.
Discussing a documentary played through the webinar depicting how women fall prey to sexual harassment, she said any sort of violence against women - not simply rape - must be properly addressed.
“Sometimes a woman is told that she should do something. Else her professional development will be cut short or she could even lose her job. Unless we address each one of these issues, the problem will persist,” Saima said.
UNDP Country Director Sudipto Mukherjee, State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Fazilatun Nessa Indira, State Minister for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Zunaid Ahmed Palak, Chief Coordinator for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Zuena Aziz, and Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed joined a panel discussion as part of the online launching.
Earlier in March, the Young Bangla and Human Rights Programme of UNDP signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to promote the 'Women's Safety in Public Places' campaign.
To the end, the youth organization has recently set some stepping stones towards women's safety and empowerment, and the most recent campaign is set as you of those.
Young Bangla has, since its inception, been carrying out, along using its partner organizations, a series of activities such as workshops, seminars, and other events to improve awareness about women's empowerment.
