PLAN FOR ENSURING PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN IN POLITICS STRESSED

DHAKA, Bangladesh, June 16 (BSS) - Speakers at a conference here today underlined the need for formulating specific plan to ensure the
participation of women in politics as their representation in the
country's legislature is only five percent.

South Asia Partnership (SAP)- Bangladesh, organized the
conference titled 'Women's Political Participation and Violence'
at the Jatiya Press Club here.

Chairperson of Community Development Library (CDL) Mohiuddin
Ahmed presented the keynote paper while executive director of SAP
Syed Nurul Alam gave the welcome speech.

President of Bangladesh Network of Women Lawyer Association
Advocate Fawzia Karim Firoz and Secretary of Odhikar Adilur
Rahman Khan also spoke on the occasion.

In his keynote paper, Mohiuddin said violence against women
is one of the major factors that restrict women to participate in
politics.

An analysis of the major national political parties shows
that share of women in the highest level of political leadership
is very low, he said, adding women comprise only 15 percent of
both Awami League and BNP's national executive committees."

Fawzia called for formulating effective policy and specific
long-term plan to ensure participation of more women in politics
and policymaking.

She urged the bankers to provide loans to the self-reliant
women entrepreneurs without the signatures of their husbands to
make themselves confident and empowered.