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Published on October 4, 2015
PM Sheikh Hasina's statement at "Global Leader’s Meeting on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment"
Mr. President,
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good Morning to you all.
I thank President Xi Jinping for inviting me to this meeting.
We attach the highest importance to women’s participation in all walks of life and livelihoods. Some of our successful programmes include free education for girls up to 12th grade, stipends for girls, free pre and post-natal healthcare, easy credit facilities, vocational and Information and Communication Technology training. Of all the students that receive stipends, 75% are girls. Our community health clinics give 30 medicines free of cost. We have 10% quota for women in government service. There are reserve posts for women in local government bodies.
The Sustainable Development agenda offers us added impetus to bring positive change in the lives of our women and girls. We should seize this opportunity.
In this context, it is our commitment to continue to work for the social, economic and political empowerment of our women and give our girls higher education. We shall create more opportunities and access for our women to participate in politics, business and government.
We shall continue to work for ending all forms of discrimination and violence against women. We shall create a safer environment for our women and girls to thrive as agents of change.
My government has plans to eliminate child marriage by 2041. We shall continue to give attention to maternal health and nutrition. We shall work for increasing the rate of skilled birth attendance.
Mr. President,
We have a strong political will to move forward with gender equality and women’s empowerment. Let us, once again, take a vow to achieve gender parity in all aspects and make the world a better place for our women and girls.
I thank you.
HE Sheikh Hasina (Honorable Prime Minister, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh)
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