'Empower women to cut gender inequality'
Staff Correspondent
Speakers at a seminar in the city yesterday said gender sensitisation in the budget making process and social empowerment of women are necessary to reduce the gender inequality in the country.They said women are being denied different social facilities, including health and nutrition facilities, due to absence of proper gender governance. North South University (NSU) organised the seminar on 'Gender Budget Study' at city's Cirdap auditorium. While presenting a paper titled 'Gender desegregating public expenditure in health and nutrition', economist Dr. Abul Barkat said poor state of pre-natal and maternal health care services only intensify women's health problems. He said 14 per cent maternal death takes place due to violence on women in different forms and 45 per cent women are suffering from nutrition problem. Dr. Barkat also pointed out that combination of different approaches, including NGO-government partnership, is needed to improve public health service. Dr AKM Atiqur Rahman, in another keynote paper titled 'Gender budget in general administration', said improvement of gender governance is vital to establish gender equity in the country. He said increased participation of women in the economic activities and stricter enforcement of law relating to women repression will help a lot reduce violence against women. Dr Atique also pointed out that gender sensitisation in budget making process and congenial judicial system for women are also necessary to combat violence against women. Dr Hafiz GA Siddique, Vice Chancellor of the NSU, also spoke.
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