Women's Affairs Reform Commission submitted report along with its recommendations to Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House "Jamuna" on Saturday. Photo: GoB Facebook

DHAKA, April 21, 2025 (BSS) - Women's Affairs Reform Commission has
recommended institutional restructuring of the Ministry of Women and Children
Affairs and its subordinate organisations and consolidation of all
programmes.

Head of the Women's Affairs Reform Commission Shirin Parvin Haque submitted
its report along with its recommendations to Chief Adviser Professor Dr.
Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House "Jamuna" on Saturday.
 
The reform commission has proposed reforms in 15 areas.

The topics are:

Constitution, Law and Women's Rights: The Foundation of Equality and
Protection, Institutional Systems and National Institutions for the
Advancement of Women, Decentralization and Local-Level Development to
Establish Women's Interests and Rights, Violence-Free Society for Women and
Girls, Role of Women in Public Sphere: National and Local Levels, Women's
Participation in Public Administration, Education, Technology and Skill
Development for Women's Advancement, Good Health for Women of All Ages,
Participation in the Economy and Rights to Property, Labor and Employment,
Safe Migration of Women Workers, Sustainable Social Security for Poverty
Reduction, Women's Participation in Media, Filmmaking and Publishing, Women's
Inclusion and Development in Sports and Culture, and Women in Disasters and
Climate Change.

The recommendations on what to do during the term of the interim government
on Institutional Systems and National Institutions for the Advancement of
Women state that, "Strengthen the role of coordination and implementation of
women's development activities, institutional restructuring of the Ministry
of Women and Children Affairs and its subordinate institutions and
consolidation of all programmes. Include responsibility for women's
development and equality in the scope of work of each ministry, take
accountability measures in the annual performance agreement and establish a
unit/cell on gender equality. Include gender-sensitive planning in the
project formulation guidelines and ensure monitoring of gender budget
expenditure."

The recommendation also says about the things to be done during the term of
the next elected government, "Establish the Ministry of Women and Children
Affairs as the lead ministry for women's rights and development and assign
the responsibility of the ministry to a full-fledged minister. Establish
area-based child day care centers and residential hostels for working women
to ensure gender-sensitive systems in all government and private workplaces."

The Women's Affairs Reform Commission was formed in November. The term of
this commission is until April 30 of this month. This reform commission meets
in a total of 43 regular meetings. The commission holds 39 consultation
meetings with women's rights, development organisations, labor organisations,
indigenous people of the hills and plains and backward communities. It meets
in nine meetings with other reform commissions.

The consultation meetings were held in Dhaka, Chattogram, Rangamati, Khulna,
Sreemangal, Rangpur and Mymensingh. Advice and cooperation from experienced
individuals and organisation in various fields were also taken.

The Women's Affairs Reform Commission has identified steps to eliminate
discrimination against women at all levels and made recommendations to
achieve equality between men and women.

The commission chief Shirin Parvin Haque said, "In memory of those who lost
their lives in July, we wanted to do something that would be beneficial for
the people and the society."

"The recommendations have been divided into three parts," she said, adding
that some can be done by this government, some can be done by the next
elected government, and the hopes and aspirations of the women's movement
have been highlighted separately.