Implement CEDAW
Women's rights activists urges govt
Staff Correspondent
Women's rights activists at a discussion yesterday called on the government to implement the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) without any delay to protect the rights of women.They also demanded restoration of the original version of the Women Development Policy and its implementation. The Bangladesh Mahila Parishad organised the discussion at the Cirdap auditorium in the city to mark the CEDAW Day. The women's organisations, including the Mahila Parishad, have long been demanding withdrawal of all reservations to the CEDAW, but the government has been dilly-dallying over the issue, said Nasimun Ara Huq, international affairs secretary of the Parishad. The Women Development Policy-1997 had been framed after consultation with the women leaders and members of civil society, she said, but the alliance government has deviated from the constitutional guarantee for equal rights of women by revising the policy. The changes brought to the National Women's Development Policy are inconsistent with the CEDAW, said Ayesha Khanam, general secretary of the Parishad. She also demanded direct election to the parliamentary seats reserved for women and an increase in the number of seats. Advocate Salma Khan and Barrister Sara Hossain also spoke at the discussion chaired by woman leader Hena Das.
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