The New Nation - Internet Edition

Bijan Lal Dev

Before hovering on women's empowerment let us have a glimpse over some facts on economic and political decision-making status of women world wide. Only one per cent of the world's assets are in the name of women. Although in Bangladesh since one-eleven, the proceedings of the anti-corruption cases have been spotting differently. Men in Arab States have 3.5 times the purchasing power of their female counterparts.

70 percent of people in abject poverty across the world - living on less than $1per day - are women. Women's participation in managerial and administrative posts is around 33 per cent in the developed world, 15 per cent in Africa and 13 per cent in Asia and Pacific.

In Africa and Asia-Pacific these percentages, small as they are, reflect a doubling of numbers in the last twenty years. Among the developed countries, in France only 9 per cent of the workforce and in the Netherlands 20 per cent of the workforce are female administrators and managers.

The global picture of the participation of women in politics has also been bleak since the history of democracy.

In 1945 there were only 26 Parliaments world wide where 3 per cent Member of Parliaments in the lower house were women. The table shows the gradual increase of women's participation in politics.

year No. of Parliaments

% of Women MPs

1945 26 3.0

1955 61 7.5

1965 94 8.1

1975 115 10.9

1985 136 12.0

1995 176 11.6

2005 188 17.9

The percentage of women senators in the upper house has also been increased over the years. Coming down to 2008, according to the data of 188 countries compiled by the Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU) there are 44,087 MPs in both houses. Out of which 7,793 or 17.7 per cent are women. Counting in only the lower house, the situation is slightly better. Out of 37,019 MPs 6,615 or 17.9 per cent are women. On regional basis, the Parliaments of the Nordic countries have the highest representation or 41.4 per cent of women. It is 20.9 per cent in the whole Europe, 20.7 per cent in the Americas, 17.3 per cent in Sub-Saharan Africa, 16.9 per cent in Asia, 12.9 per cent in Pacific and 9.6 per cent in Arab States. Going to country-wise figure, Rwanda (48.8%), Sweden (47%) and Finland (41.5) are at the top while there is not a single woman MP in Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Solomon Islands. In the eighth parliament of Bangladesh ended in 2006, only six MPs of 300 seats or 2 per cent were women. In India 49 or 9.1 per cent MPs of 541 seats are women. In the US Congress in 2007, women hold 87 or 16.3 per cent of the 535 seats (16 of the 100 seats in the Senate and 71 of the 435 seats in the House of Representatives).

In the 20th century, a good number of women leaders were the head of state and government across the world. A few of those who drew the global attraction during their tenure were Sri Lankan Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandarnaike (1960-65, 1970-77, 1994-2000), Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi (1966-77, 1980-84), Israeli President Golda Me?r (1969-74), British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (1979-90), Dominican Prime Minister Eugenia Charles (1980-95), President of the Philippines Corazon Aquino (1986-92), Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto (1988-90, 1993-96), Irish President Mary Robinson (1990-97) who has been Assistant Secretary General and UN High Commissioner of Human Rights since 1997, Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga (1994-2005), President of the Philippines Gloria Arroyo (2001- ) and Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri (2001-04). Two Prime Ministers of Bangladesh Khaleda Zia (1991-96, 2001-06) and Sheikh Hasina (1996-2001) also drew global attentions for many reasons.

At present there are 12 women head of the State and government across the world including Germany, India, Argentina, Chile, Philippines, Finland, and Mozambique. Women speakers of parliament were elected for the first time in Pakistan, Gambia, Swaziland, Turkmenistan and the United States, holding a record 36 out of a total 262 speakers worldwide, according to the IPU.

The lives of women of the Indian subcontinent began to change in the late 19th century when the colonial government, critical of the treatment of both Hindu and Muslim women, found allies among reformers of the soil. Keen to reform their own society, these men agreed that women should be educated and play some role in public life. By the end of the 19th century, women of the subcontinent were attending schools and colleges, becoming teachers and doctors, writing work of fiction and essays about their condition, joining organizations to promote social reforms and participating in political meetings. They were referred to as 'new women', and like the next generation who joined the freedom movement like Kalpana Datta, Pretilata Sen, Ila Mitra, Sarajoni Naidu they entered public spaces reserved for men.

The womenfolk of the subcontinent at least in one case were benefited from colonial role as they were granted the right to vote on the same terms as men in 1928 far ahead than women were lived in Europe and Americas by the Representation of the People Act 1928.

It was felt that men and women should be equal in every way and that all adults were entitled to a vote, whether rich or poor, male or female, and regardless of race. But this renaissance was not continued since the end of the colonial role. Women were pushed back in the then Pakistan and Indian women were engaged in economic reality. But the Bengali women had started to come out again in 1960s to protest repression on Bengalis and women. During liberation movement in late 1960s and in the war of independence in 1971, the role of the Bengali women was great and many of them participated actively in the freedom movement and liberation war. It created a new vista engaging women in politics.

To continue the spirit of women's empowerment, a good number of revolutionary measures including constitutional provisions have been introduced since independence. The Article 28(4) of the Constitution of Bangladesh enacted in 1972 states, 'Nothing in this article shall prevent the State from making special provision in favour of women or children t' Based on this constitutional provision, the Article 65(3) allows the Parliament to select 45 women as MPs.

It states, 't there shall be forty five seats exclusively for women members and they will be elected by the aforesaid members in accordance with law on the basis of procedure of proportional representation in the Parliament through single transferable vote t' The revised clause was inserted by the fourteenth amendment of the Constitution in 2004 and this provision will be valid for ten years. So in the expected 2009 9th Parliament, there will be 45 reserved women MPs. But this provision will not prevent a woman from being elected to any of the 300 parliamentary seats open for general election. It will help start to help women get into politics faster and in larger numbers. The reconstituted Election Commission floated a draft proposal for amending Representation of People Order (RPO), 1972 to give more spaces to women in the political parties' rank and file.

It proposed Article 90A(9) of RPO as 'Every registered political party shall make specific provisions in its constitutions regarding inclusion of at least 33 per cent women as office bearers of its central committee and other committees at different levels.' They also discussed this issue with the political parties. Discussions are going on at different forum about the ways of ensuring of women's empowerment in public life. It has created awareness in the society and hopefully one day it will come out as a movement as the concerned agencies including the Government, Election Commission and Civil Society are pursuing the case. Women then will earn decision making power in real terms and could build bridges of development and economic empowerment effectively.

-PID

Rifat Zafreen

Shilla is 12. These days she's a bit changed, showing off beat attitude. Her parents, relatives and mates feel her change but unaware about the root of that. She also can't share, just is puzzled and confused about herself. That day while she goes to her class, teacher comes to the class and starts lecturing on the adolescence reproductive health care. She gradually starts becoming bright and throwing away all her uneasiness and confusion as she feels, she knows the secrets of all her problems. She comes to know about the reproductive health care, its necessity and all statistics from her teachers lecture.

Good health in life depends mostly on proper health care during adolescence period. So learning on health care and reproductive health of this time is very important. In 1994 in Kayro (ICPD) Adolescent Reproductive Health Care was firstly formed prioritizing reproductive health care during adolescence period and thus was first approved internationally. Like many other developed and developing countries, Bangladesh has also emphasized upon the adolescents' reproductive health and sex health care and their learning.

According to WHO, people aged from 10 to 19 are considered as adolescents. This transition period in human life is very important and vulnerable, because, during this phase, boys and girls lack the actual knowledge, sense and wisdom of right and wrong. They remain very emotional, confused, shaky and tensed of their bodily and mental change. Only guardians can help being sympathetic towards them. Otherwise it might lead them to danger. So, their in time care, handling and soft sympathetic attitude can lessen this danger. Their proper direction is really needed during this time.

Bangladesh Scenario: Bangladesh has already taken this issue into an account. Here the number of adolescent population is 25% (3 crore). Among them 48% are female and 52% are male. This high rate of adolescents in population is another reason of the alarming population growth is this country. Because of the increase of this group of people, the rate of dependent people is also increasing and so increasing the pressure to mitigate the fundamental needs of health, nutrition and education.

Low status of the female population, desire and biasness for male children, illiteracy, early marriage and early pregnancy, malnutrition, ignorance in health care have made the female adolescents' health condition much more vulnerable than that of male adolescents.

Result of Ignorance of Reproductive Health Care: Only because of the ignorance of reproductive health care six lakh women are dying premature during birth giving. Most of them are premature mothers. This incidents are taking place mostly in the developing countries. Only proper family planning service can save the lives of two lakh mother. It is surprising that world wide 35 crore couples are excluded from having proper family planning information and service.

The number of unexpected pregnancy every year is 7 crore 50 lakh. Among them 4 crore 50 lakh face miscarriage. In the developing countries 2 lakh adolescents are having abortions. Almost 33 crore 30 lakh people get affected with different sexually transmitted diseases. The rate is highly alarming in youths. One in 20

youths is getting affected by it which is leading towards the possibility of getting affected by sexually transmitted diseases like HIV and AIDS. Research says among the number of the affected people 50 to 60% are the people aged 20 and among them girls are living in much more vulnerable condition.

Reasons of Unawareness about Reproductive Health Care among Adolescents: This scenario above is because of the unawareness of the importance of reproductive health care. Superstitious values of the guardians of discussing sex health and reproductive health and their care with the adolescents lead them lack of proper knowledge and advice on sex and reproductive health.

Lack of information on this subject in text books is also responsible for the unawareness of the adolescents on sex and reproductive health care. In health care program giving no importance to reproductive health care is another reason of ignorance on this subject. Besides, low status of the female population in the society, low rate of literacy of the adolescents, wrong conception on reproductive health care and misconception of the family and society about the adolescents are also responsible for ignoring reproductive health care by the adolescents in our country.

How the Condition Can Be Changed: This bad and unfortunate situation can be changed. For this, people of our country need to have idea of the bad impact of early marriage, right knowledge and information on sex and reproductive health, girls need to have idea of cleanliness during their period, adolescents need to have idea on sex behavior during pre and post marriage along with the secret of birth and idea of family planning. They should have also the idea that unexpected sexual behavior can lead to different sexual diseases. They need to know about premature and unexpected pregnancy, abortion and about safe pregnancy and sex. Drug addiction and smoking can bring health hazards, they should know.

They should be aware of dowry and its bad impact, malnutrition, physical and mental torture on women, rape. The adolescents with the guidance and help of their guardians should know about pregnancy, delivery and its different stages along with prevention of not getting and making pregnant.

It should not be forgotten that adolescents are our future, our leaders, our representatives. So, they need to be healthy physically and mentally.

They are the people on whom depends the picture of the coming world. So, their reproductive health issue is a very important issue. It is our responsibility to make them aware of their reproductive health to have a healthy world in future for us and for our generations.

Shila feels relaxed and happy at the end of the class. She realizes the she should convey to all she knows what she learns today in the class. Her parents and friends also should know about this. She promises herself to take care of her reproductive health and of her future generation for having a healthy family and future. -PID