RAJSHAHI, Sept 25, 2023 (BSS) - The Right to Information (RTI) Act can be the crucial means of boosting the level of confidence of the marginalized women side by side with achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Living and livelihood conditions of the grassroots marginalized women can be improved immensely after the best uses of the RTI which is also helpful towards ensuring climate change adaptation, justice and social accountability.
So, all the government, non-government and other stakeholders, particularly the local government institutions, should come forward and work together to attain the cherished goal.
Government officials, journalists and development activists came up with the observation while addressing a participatory discussion to mark the Rights to International Information Day 2023 here today.
Association for Community Development (ACD) hosted the meeting at its office conference hall under the "Advancing Women's Right of Access to Information in Bangladesh" project supported by the Carter Centre and funded by USAID.
ACD Project Coordinator Subrata Kumar Paul gave an illustration on the issue related to RTI during his concept paper presentation, while Information Friend of the Carter Centre Sabrina Naz highlighted the significance of the RTI Day.
Divisional Director of the Department of Mass Communication Farhad Hossain and journalists Kazi Shahed, Rashidul Haque and Moudud Rana spoke on the occasion as resource persons disseminating their expertise on the issue.
The discussants unanimously viewed that successful implementation of the RTI act can be the best way of supplementing the government efforts of achieving the SDGs by 2030.
Full-length implementation of the RTI act with unhindered flow of information by all government and non-government organizations concerned needs to be ensured for expediting development and ensuring good governance everywhere in the society.
The meeting was told that the project is being implemented in Ward Number 5 and 6 of Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) and Gogram and Matikata unions of Godagari upazila, Chanduria and Saranjai unions of Tanore upazila and Damkura and Haripur unions of Rajshahi district.
As a whole, the project is intended to create an enabling environment where women, especially Dalit and Marginalized are able to enjoy Right to Information from government and non-government agencies for protecting their fundamental Rights.
Farhad Hossain said the present government under the prudent and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has adopted diversified steps to attain the goals within stipulated time.
"Implementation of RTI act has become crucial for the sake of establishing good governance in the society and enhancing transparency and accountability in all tiers of public services," he added.