Gender-responsive policies are essential instruments for addressing gender disparities and promoting equality. Bangladesh has taken several initiatives to create a more inclusive and equitable society, aiming to empower women and girls while also recognizing the unique needs of all genders. The Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh acknowledges gender equality as a fundamental human right aimed at fostering the well-being and advancement of all Bangladeshi citizens, with a particular emphasis on the empowerment of women.
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Gender-Responsive Policies in Bangladesh
Empowering Women and Girls: Gender-responsive policies in Bangladesh have sought to empower women and girls by recognizing the diverse perspectives and experiences of individuals of all genders. The National Women Development Policy 2011, Gender Policy 2016, and Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act 2010 are significant initiatives in this regard. These policies focus on recognizing the differences among genders and promoting equitable access to resources, which is vital in addressing harmful norms that perpetuate gender inequalities.
Multifaceted Inclusivity: Inclusivity is a cornerstone of gender-responsive policies, extending to subgroups within the larger framework. This includes youth, the elderly, disabled individuals, minorities, and others. These policies account for variations in needs and priorities, ensuring that no one is left behind in the quest for gender equality.
Role of UN Sustainable Development Goals
The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have intersected significantly with gender equality and responsive policy in Bangladesh. The interconnectedness of these goals and gender-responsive policies is evident in the efforts to achieve equitable access to resources and promote social justice. Where Gender Responsive projects like Gender-responsive Coastal Adaptation (GCA) and Women’s Empowerment for Inclusive Growth (WING) are playing an inclusive role. It should be mentioned that WING will be accomplished by October of 2023 and GCA to be accomplished by December 2024.
GCA:
GCA has been established in 2018, where Bangladesh Government and UNDP has launched the Gender-responsive Coastal Adaptation (GCA) project for empowering climate vulnerable coastal communities, especially women, as ‘change agents’ to plan, implement, and manage resilient livelihoods and drinking water solutions. Green Climate Fund (GCF) resources leveraged by Bangladesh Government’s co-financing, is ensuring that-
- Communities, especially women, adopt and implement climate-resilient livelihoods;
- Value-chains/market linkages for these alternatives, resilient livelihoods are strengthened to ensure their adoption, sustainability, and scale; and
- Communities have knowledge and capacity to continue to monitor, safeguard and adapt livelihoods and livelihood strategies to evolving climate risks.
The project is also utilizing GCF and Bangladesh Government’s resources to support investments in and management of climate-resilient drinking water solutions to secure year-round, safe drinking water supplies for the targeted communities. Access to reliable, safe drinking water enables the communities, especially women and girls in targeted households, to invest the resulting time & cost savings and health co-benefits in enhanced livelihoods and income-generating and/or educational opportunities.
WING:
Women’s Empowerment for Inclusive Growth’ (WING) is a joint programme of UNDP, UN Women, and UNCDF that aims to foster skills that create dignified and formal participation of women as employees and entrepreneurs in local economies, breaking entrenched discriminatory attitudes, norms and stereotypes that created the current inequities in the social, political and economic spheres. With support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the WING programme is being implemented in 10 Upazilas of 5 districts (Manikganj, Thakurgaon, Jashore, Cox’s Bazar and Kurigram) of Bangladesh. WING targets 6,700 direct beneficiaries and 23,460 indirect beneficiaries, of which 80% are women, and 36% are youth. This project is strategically contributing to SDG 5, 8, 16 and 17. It aligns with the Government of Bangladesh’s (GOB) efforts to attain gender equality and women’s economic empowerment.
National Plan Documents and Gender Responsiveness
The National Plan documents, such as the Eighth Five-Year Plan (8FYP), have integrated gender-responsive policies into their core strategies. The 8FYP, for instance, focuses on promoting mother and child benefit programs, boosting women’s economic engagement, elevating women’s voices, creating an enabling environment, and improving women’s capacities. These plans aim to tackle societal norms and defend women’s rights, contributing to a more just and prosperous society.
Girl Child Development and Specific Policies
Recognizing the specific needs of the girl child is a priority in Bangladesh. The National Child Policy 2011 gives special attention to the well-being of the girl child, emphasizing measures to prevent child marriage, provide security to disabled girls, ensure safe recreational facilities, address abuse, and promote mental health and safety. These policies create a protective environment for girls and young women.
Addressing Violence Against Women
Violence against women is a pervasive issue in Bangladesh, and gender-responsive policies have made significant strides in combating it. The National Women’s Development Policy, adopted in 1997 and amended in 2011, includes a dedicated section on measures to stop violence against women and ensure their safety. The policy calls for the state to outlaw all forms of violence against women, including acid attacks, dowry-related violence, rape, sexual harassment, physical and mental abuse, family abuse, and public and workplace harassment.
Several Acts and policies, including the Acid Crime Control Act 2002 and the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act 2010, have been enacted to address violence against women in public spaces. The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs developed the Domestic Violence (Protection and Preservation) Rules, 2013, to ensure equal rights and prevent discrimination in all spheres of public life.
National Action Plan to Prevent Violence Against Women and Children
The National Action Plan to Prevent Violence Against Women and Children (2013-2025) is a comprehensive initiative that addresses various types of violence. It includes the establishment of One-stop Crisis Centers (OCC), a National Trauma Counseling Center, a VAW Database, and women-friendly hospitals in 10 districts and 3 Upazilas.
The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs has formulated Domestic Violence (Protection and Preservation) Rules, 2013 under Domestic Violence (Protection and Preservation) Act 2010 to ensure equal rights and to prevent all forms of discrimination in all spheres of public life and the state. In order to ensure overall development of women and children, the Government has formulated ‘National Women Development Policy, 2011; National Children Policy, 2011; Early Childhood Care and Development Policy, 2013; Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) Act, 2014 and Early Marriage Protection Act,2017.
Legal Framework and International Commitments
The Constitution of Bangladesh establishes fundamental rights, including equality and protection from degrading treatment. The country has ratified international human rights treaties like CEDAW, ensuring freedom from gender discrimination and harassment. However, the effective implementation of laws aimed at protecting women’s rights faces numerous challenges, including legal inadequacies, limited access to justice, cultural barriers, governance issues, and socioeconomic factors.
Challenges in Education and Workforce Participation
While the National Education Policy 2010 focuses on women’s education, the translation of education into workforce participation is hindered by family constraints, early marriage, infrastructure issues, and societal biases. The National Skill Development Policy 2020 aims to address these challenges but is yet to be fully implemented.
Fragmented Approaches to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR)
The absence of a comprehensive policy for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) leads to fragmented approaches. Laws like the Dowry Prohibition Act and Acid Crime Prevention Act combat violence against women, but their relevance might be limited by outdated provisions. The gender disparity in Bangladesh stems from limited access to resources, unequal distribution of domestic labor, and insufficient recognition of women’s contributions. Initiatives like satellite accounts can help acknowledge unpaid care work and advance gender equality.
Bangladesh’s Global Gender Gap ranking remains relatively low compared to other indices. While laws exist for social empowerment and issues like child marriage, implementation remains a challenge. The reduction of child marriage from 65% to 51.4% illustrates the difficulties in achieving targets. Bangladesh has made significant efforts in formulating gender-responsive policies and initiatives to promote gender equity. However, the effectiveness of these policies is hampered by the lack of implementation due to various challenges. Collaboration among relevant stakeholders, including government organizations, NGOs, policymakers, and the private sector, is vital to realize the vision of a more inclusive and equitable society where all individuals, regardless of their gender, can thrive and contribute to the nation’s development. Bangladesh’s commitment to gender equality remains a work in progress, but the journey towards a more just and equitable society continues.
