They also called for mainstreaming gender issues into government policies.

They said the media can play an important role in protecting women's rights at family, social and state levels and in promoting good governance.

The Gender Trainers' and Activists' Core Group (TCG) organised the two-day conference at the BIAM auditorium in the city yesterday to discuss the gender issues and the challenges and to find out ways to overcome the hindrances.

A total of 421 representatives from government, non-governmental and rights organisations took part in the plenary session yesterday, the last day of the conference.

They presented a number of recommendations, including ensuring participation of women in decision-making process, raising voice against domestic violence, increasing women's mobility and coordinating activities of the government and civil society to implement field level experiences.

Human rights activist Advocate Sultana Kamal, Director of CAMPE Rasheda K Chowdhury, Advocate Zead-al-Malum, Rights Advisor to Manusher Jonno Rina Roy, Special Correspondent of ATN Bangla Munni Saha and Chief News Editor of Channel i Shah Alamgir spoke on the occasion.

Journalist Munni Saha said there is a tendency that people think 'gender' is an issue related to only women.

"Even who works with gender issues also treat us as women in our professional arena," she said.

Expressing concern over the rise of militancy in the country, she said when women are being empowered through micro-credit programmes, the militants trying to cover them with veil.