Ensure women's participation in decision-making process

"Though women's political empowerment has been identified as a priority issue at both national and international levels, women's participation at grassroots level is yet to be ensured," said Advocate Shamima Begum of Khan Foundation Legal Cell in the keynote paper.

She said, "We think the provision of reserved seats in the local government bodies is a major setback for women's active participation in the democratic and developmental process."

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The Khan Foundation organised the workshop on 'Active participation of women representatives: A pre-condition for strengthening local government' at its auditorium in the city.

Public representatives at grassroots level, legal practitioners, government official, NGO and media representatives took part in the workshop.

The workshop aimed at focusing on the issues of effective women representation in different tiers of the country's administration.

The local government representatives have a direct communication with the grassroots level people and they bridge the gap between the people and the central government, said Deputy Director of National Institute of Local Government Serajul Hossain.

"Women's participation in the activities of local government has to be ensured to consolidate the growth of democracy," Hossain said.

To strengthen the local government bodies, he suggested formation of a forum of the local representatives to put pressure on the policy-making bodies.

Hossain also said dependence on the central government for resources constitutes an inherent weakness of local bodies.

Women have to come forward to establish their rights, said Advocate Zakia Anarkali.

Nargis Parvin, a member of Jinardy Union Parishad under Palash Thana, said male members often tend to sideline the women members elected from reserved seats and that allocation of resource and authority is not equally proportionate.

"Women representatives have to exercise their authority at every local government sphere," said Araihazar UP member Rahima Akhtar.

Following a group discussion, the participants recommended that illiteracy, ignorance, religious dogmatism, and women repression have to be eliminated to empower women in true sense.