Women's contribution to GDP growth 34%: PM
Mentioning that women are the most important drivers of transformation in development, Prime Minis-ter Sheikh Hasina has stressed the need for recognizing their unaccounted works, building more support facilities for female workers and eliminating social stereotypes against them.
"To overcome the existing challenges, we need to recognize the unaccounted works of women, build more support facilities for women workers and eliminate social stereotypes," she said. The Prime Minister was speaking at the roundtable of UN Secretary General's 'High-Level Panel (HLP) on Women's Economic Empowerment for Leaving No One Behind' at the UN Headquarters on Tuesday, reports UNB.
Hasina said women are the most important drivers of transformation. "Through empowerment of women in all sectors, the world can most effectively succeed in the realization of sustainable development for all.""We believe, women should be supported with education, proper training, right tools and access to equal opportunities," the Prime Minister said.
In the political spectrum, she said, Bangladesh has ensured the representation of women at all levels, from the top to the lowest tier of the government.
Hasina mentioned that Bangladesh has given priority to women's economic engagement to attain SDG on women empowerment in the 7th Five Year Plan. "We're committed to ensuring an 'enabling environment' to unleash the potentials of women in the labor and entrepreneurial sector. Twenty-seven percent of our budget is allocated for women's social and economic empowerment activities."
She said the government is bringing women in the forefront of all economic activities as 10 percent of posts for women are reserved in judicial, administrative, civil service, armed forces and law enforcing agencies while 60 posts of primary school teachers are set aside for them. Hasina also said the government has introduced six months' paid maternity leave for working women as well, while the central bank is providing collateral-free loan up to Tk. 2.5 million to female entrepreneurs.
About 15 percent funds of the refinancing scheme, 10 percent industrial plots and 10 percent small entrepreneur funds are allocated for women. "Every bank and non-bank financial institution has dedicated a desk to women entrepreneurs. Government's micro-finance schemes and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have been contributing to poverty reduction and women empowerment. At least 10 percent of all credit is allocated to women-led SMEs," she said.
The Prime Minister said 'Joyeeta Foundation' provides support to 18,000 grassroots women entrepreneurs.She said the government is providing skill development training, like sewing, beautification, mobile phone servicing, nursery, kitchen gardening, basic computer and IT training to facilitate the self-employment of women.
"As a result, women's participation in our economy is increasing. Over four million women are employed in the readymade garment industry, while 35 percent of our women hold bank accounts," she said adding that women's contribution to the GDP growth is 34 percent in Bangladesh."We aim to ensure 40 percent participation of women in every sector by 2021 and 50 percent by 2030," she said.
Source: https://dailyasianage.com
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