UK
Bangladesh Jatiya Sangsad (JS) Speaker Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury emphasized the crucial role of women in political parties for the advancement of democracy during a discussion titled ‘Leveraging Parliamentary Democracy for Political Empowerment of Women: Bangladesh Perspective’. The event, organized by the Bangladesh High Commission at Churchill Hall of the House of Commons, UK, witnessed Dr. Shirin’s insightful remarks on Tuesday afternoon, as per a press release.
Dr. Shirin highlighted her journey as the first woman speaker of the national parliament, illustrating it as a beacon of women’s empowerment and proof of the potential for women to excel when given the opportunity. With women comprising over half of Bangladesh’s population and boasting a higher voter turnout than men, Dr. Shirin stressed the urgency of implementing gender-sensitive laws and policies to enhance women’s political representation. She suggested that maintaining gender balance would accelerate women’s empowerment, with gender-responsive budgeting serving as a vital tool in this endeavor.
Acknowledging the efforts of Bangladesh’s leaders, Dr. Shirin cited Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s provision of 15 reserved seats for women in the National Parliament, later increased to 50 by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. She noted ongoing efforts to include more women parliamentarians in the directly elected National Parliament.
The event saw participation from UK House of Commons parliamentarians, diplomats, representatives from Commonwealth countries, and Bangladesh’s High Commissioner in the UK, Sayeda Muna Tasnim. Dr. Shirin further engaged in a meeting with the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and held discussions with CPA Secretary General Stephen Twigg.
