They said there should be 30 percent women members at the decision-making committee of any organisations and their staff should include at least 15 percent women in line with the government quota.

The workshop was organised by the Capacity Building for Gender Mainstreaming Project in the city.

The speakers called for establishing a gender friendly environment to reduce harassment towards women and men in the workplace.

Dr Nazmus Sahar Sadiq, assistant resident representative of the UNDP, said no country can go ahead if there is no developed concept on gender equality and no practice of gender mainstreaming.

Moniruzzaman Khan, additional secretary of the establishment ministry, said the output of the workshop should be incorporated in the national training policy now under review.

Secretary of the women and children affairs ministry Mortuza Hossain Munshi said gender is not only women but also the relationship of social and cultural power between man and women.

The workshop was also addressed by Dr Shirley Randell, project implementation specialist of the UNDP, and representatives of different government agencies.