Do you think you think, National women development policy -2011 upholds women rights? Critically Analyses, if it reflects CEDAW, Beijing platform for Action, and Millennium development goals.
Abstract:
Over the years, women have been playing a vital role in their own societies in various ways. At the same time women are the main victims of suppression and oppression of their own societies. From the very beginning of human history, there were no discrimination in the respect of men and women. They lived in an egalitarian society where there were absent of private property and both men and women were the right to access anything. Women and men worked within the home.
Because of emerging private property and industrial revolution, men had to go outside their home at the same time women confined in their respective home. That was the beginning of women suppression and oppression.
In this paper, I divide two parts. In the first of this paper I will discuss Why Bangladesh need national women development policy, I also try to Explore contradiction between the NWDO and Bangladesh constitution .I also try to find out that, paradoxically NWDP upholds human rights, but if we want to see the policy with carefully then we see it cannot upholds the women rights Because of ambiguous term and at the same time loopholes of the policy.
In the second part of this paper I will discuss how it is not reflect CEDAW, Beijing platform for action and millennium development goals.
Introduction:
“All human beings are born free with equal and inalienable rights and fundamental freedom”[1]If this so, Why not women. It is beyond doubt that, half of the total population of women; we cannot make progress without their participation of different sectors and without getting their equal rights.
If we see the history, women have deprived their basic rights even until now women suppression and oppression is a common phenomenon in our society.
Because of suppression and oppression as well as deception against women, World community in the international level has taken number of initiative to uphold women rights. And in the national level, different states are making policy to uphold women rights in order to maintaining international standard. It should be noted here that policy is not a law but depend on the policy, law will be made.
Why Bangladesh need national women development policy:
According to the UN Development Programmer’s Human Development Report for 2006, Bangladesh ranks 137 among 177 countries on its Gender Development Index; and 67 out of 75 countries on the Gender Empowerment Measure, a measure of gender inequality in economic and political terms.[2] The Global Gender Gap Index 2007 ranks Bangladesh 100 out of 128 countries in terms of gender equality.
If we see the history of our country. Language movement 1952, Mass uprising 1969, General election 1970, and specially, liberation war of Bangladesh 1971 women played vital role in every sector. We all know that, 2 lacks women raped by the Pakistani brutal force. After the independence women have entered the every sector gradually which is very appreciable?
But the things which are very regret that, until now because of patriarchic attitude they confined within the home. Even now, women deprive their fundamental right. Women are not getting equal right over inherited property. Suppression and oppression has been continuing feature in our community .Eva-teasing, dowry system is common phenomena in our society where women are the ultimate sufferer.
Because of proportionate participation of women in all sphere of life, the present incumbent government has proposed a policy which is known National Women development policy 2011.It is relevant to mention here that, from the poem of Gitanjali which is written by Tagore:
“Those whom you push down will chain you down
Those whom you leave behind will pull you behind
The more you envelop them under darkness of ignorance
The more distant will your own welfare be.”[3]
Because of tackling the above situation, a legal framework is essential. National women development is such a steps to make a framework.
Some progress of women in Bangladesh:
It is very relevant to pertinent here that if we want to see in Bangladesh in recent years we have to see following change
But women in this Muslim nation of more than 150 million had also made progress. Girls’ enrolment in secondary school in this male-dominated society jumped to 3.9 million in 2005, from 1.1 million in 1991, including an increasing number of girls from disadvantaged or remote areas. This had enabled Bangladesh to achieve one of its Millennium Development Goals ahead of time - gender parity in education.[4]
Female enrolment as a percentage of total enrolment increased from 33 percent in 1991 to 48 percent in 1997 and about 56 percent in 2005.[5]
Secondary school certificate pass rates for girls in a government approved project covering nearly a quarter of the country (organised by the Bangladesh Female Secondary School Assistance Programme) increased from 39 percent in 2001 to 58 percent in 2006. Indirect benefits of this include delays in the age of marriage and reduced fertility rates, better nutrition, and more females employed with higher incomes.
The ratio of girls to boys in primary schools rose from 45:55 in 1992 to 53:47 in 2005 and in secondary schools from 34:66 in 1992 to 50:50 in 2005, the report said. Women’s participation in wage employment in the non-agricultural sector rose from 40.7 in 1992 to 58.6 in 2003, according to a government labour force survey of 2003, the last time such a survey was undertaken.[6]
Female enrolment as a percentage of total enrolment increased from 33 percent in 1991 to 48 percent in 1997 and about 56 percent in 2005.[5]
Secondary school certificate pass rates for girls in a government approved project covering nearly a quarter of the country (organised by the Bangladesh Female Secondary School Assistance Programme) increased from 39 percent in 2001 to 58 percent in 2006. Indirect benefits of this include delays in the age of marriage and reduced fertility rates, better nutrition, and more females employed with higher incomes.
The ratio of girls to boys in primary schools rose from 45:55 in 1992 to 53:47 in 2005 and in secondary schools from 34:66 in 1992 to 50:50 in 2005, the report said. Women’s participation in wage employment in the non-agricultural sector rose from 40.7 in 1992 to 58.6 in 2003, according to a government labour force survey of 2003, the last time such a survey was undertaken.[6]
National Women Development Policy 2011 at a Glance
Eliminate all forms of oppression against women and girls. Define women as human resource. Women’s position in politics and in administration. To ensure women education to eliminate discrimination among male and female in access of education, provide scholarship for female children to carry their education, article- 21. Political and Administrative both are vital issues of women policy-2011.All the political parties ensure women participation in their parties as well as in all sphere of politics .Women participation should be encouraged according to article-32.
Contradiction between Bangladesh constitution and NWDP:
It is important to note here that, Constitution is the supreme law of the nations. Our constitution itself declared article 7(2) This Constitution is, as the solemn expression of the will of the people, the supreme law of the Republic, and if any other law is inconsistent with this Constitution and other law shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be void.”[7]
On the other hand all laws and policies should be formulated on the basis of constitution. If we see the article 28((1) The State shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion, race caste, sex or place of birth. (2) Women shall have equal rights with men in all spheres of the State and of public life.[8]
At the same time if we want to see that NWDP, there is no word or sentence which declare that, inherited property have to be divided equally both men and women .So how we can say it upholds women rights.
Why it cannot upholds the women rights:
It seems to NWDP which is organized a piece of beautiful word which cannot upholds the women rights. There is no clear strategy, how it will be implemented.
It should be mentioned here that, there are several times in the NWDP states CEDAW has established all sphere of life. But we are still reserving CEDAW article 2,16(C) .So how we can say it upholds the women rights.
The NWDP failed to mention anything about the UN Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women, the uniform family code, or the equal right of women to inherit property.
We need a uniform family code "Women in different religions get different shares of properties - equal in some religions and less in others. Our demand was to formulate a uniform family code giving women equal rights. The issue was not made clear in the policy,"
If we see NWDP article 23(1)(2),25(2)[9]It cannot possible to achieve Because all of us know de-facto equality cannot be achieved without equal right of inheritance in the property and the principles of non-discrimination accepted by all and declared by UN CEDAW. This principle cannot be achieved without this right.
NWDP and CEDAW:
CEDAW is based on three fundamental principles:
Non-discrimination Equality State obligation
It is very important to note that,CEDAW is considered the International women bills of rights which emphasize the acquiring equal rights both men and women in the all sphere of life. It goes without saying that,Bangladesh government still reserving the CEDAW article 2,16,(C).it should be noted here that article 2,16,(c)[10] considered the “roots” of the convention. But if we want to see the NWDP,although here several times have said that,CEDAW has been established in all sphere of life but because of reservation the above mention article, how we can say.NWDP reflects the CEDAW.
MDGs and NWDP:
In this connection BMP like to relate the issue with the highly discussed program of Millennium Development Goal (MDG). Some of us might know about the program of MDG and declaration, which has taken a challenge of changing world. MDG has declared 8 goals:
· Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger for developing global partnership for development. [11]
· Combat HIV/ AIDS etc.
Among 8 goals, number 3 is to promote gender equality and empower women.
Among 8 goals, number 3 is to promote gender equality and empower women.
Some of us know that in September 2005 there will be a mid-term meeting for implementation of MDG and we are pretty sure that there will be a delegation from the government of Bangladesh and they have to produce a statement and might have to produce a report also as a member and as a signatory and ratified country of UN CEDAW.
my question: How gender equality and the principle of non-discrimination will be implemented excluding the idea and concept of equal right, equal sharing of power, economic resource, property, equal effective representation in the highest policy making level. Keeping discriminatory fundamental policy in the national level, MDG will be a furs and paper declaration. Without being the actual and honest supporter of principles of equality, one cannot be a genuine implementer of goal like MDG. It will be only a furs paper matter.
NWDP and Beijing platform for actions:
Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action adopted by the Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace, Beijing, 15 September 1995.It is very important to note here that ,if we see the Beijing platform for actions chapter IV[12],here reaffirm that without women equal right over the property in all sphere of live, it is not possible to the improvement of women.
Conclusion:
From the above discussion, it is easy to understand on the basis of common sense that, from the very beginning of the human history women have been suppressed and oppressed in their own families as well as in the state level. Because of removing such oppression and suppression .States has to take some essential steps which are very relevant to ensure their rights. In this aspects, NWDP is one such steps which can ensure the right f women .But if we see the carefully NWDP, we can see the many confused word and there is no clear strategy to implement.
On the other hand, we can say if NWDP can not reflect the MDGs, Beijing Platform for Action, CEDAD, because we discussed above.
Bibliography
1. National women development policy 2011.
2. Constitution of People`s Republic of Bangladesh
3. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs. Accessed on 16.06.2011, Available at http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/
4.Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action* Accessed on 16.06.2011. Available at http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/beijing/platform/
5. Human Development Report For 2006. Accessed on14.06.2011. Available at http://hdr.undp.org/en/reports/global/hdr2006/
7. Universal Declaration of human Right 1948
8. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women 1989.
[1] .Universal Declaration of human Right 1948,United Nations Information Center,Dhaka,Bangladesh,October 2003.
[2] Human Development Report For 2006. Accessed on14.06.2011. Available at http://hdr.undp.org/en/reports/global/hdr2006/
[3] Tagore`s Gitangoly.
[4] Human Development Report For 2008. Accessed on14.06.2011. Available at http://hdr.undp.org/en/reports/global/hdr2006/
[5] Bangladesh Bureau of Statististic Report 2009
[6] Government labor force survey of 2003
[8] Constitution of People`s Republic of Bangladesh, Article 28(1),(2)
10 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women 1989.Article 2,16(c)
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[11] The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs. Accessed on 16.06.2011, Available at http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/
[12] Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action* Accessed on 16.06.2011. Available at http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/beijing/platform/.
