Ensure its proper implementation

Participants at a virtual dialogue yesterday called for proper implementation of the national action plan on women, peace and security to ensure their empowerment and participation in peace-building process.

They said effective monitoring and institutional cooperation are imperative to implementing the action plan successfully.

Bangladesh Nari Progati Sangha (BNPS) with support from UN Women organised the dialogue on the topic "National Plan of Action on Women, Peace and Security in Bangladesh". The Daily Star was media partner of the event.

Bangladesh formulated the national action plan on women, peace and security in 2019, as the country is a party of the UN Security Council Resolution-1325 of 2000, according to the dialogue's 'concept paper'.

The national action plan was formulated emphasising the need for woman's leadership role in peace-building process, said gender specialist Toufiq Al Mannan.

The action plan can be divided into three parts based on its three pillars -- 'prevention', 'participation', and 'protection, relief and recovery', he said, while presenting a paper.

Mannan said the prevention aspect emphasised on addressing sexual and gender-based violence and their remedy. Participation refers to inclusion of women and their perspectives in decision-making processes related to prevention, management and resolution of "conflict".

Besides, protection, relief and recovery refers to ensuring safety, physical and mental wellbeing, security and respect for women and girls' rights, as well as their specific needs during and after conflict, emergency and disaster situations.

Gender specialist Sheepa Hafiza said the action plan is an "important, contemporary and inclusive" instrument.

If it is implemented effectively, there will be no need for doing many other things regarding women's safety, she said.

Kashfia Feroz, director of Girls' Right Project of Plan International Bangladesh, said the action plan's implementation is challenging as coordination gap appears when multiple organisations work together.

BNPS Executive Director Rokeya Kabir said women mainly face challenge from non-state actors such as religious fundamentalists who propagate hate crime.

It is essential to work against hate speech, she said.

Nazneen Ahmed, senior research fellow of Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies, said sufficient budgetary allocation for peace-building programme is essential. Besides, women's economic empowerment is important, she said.

Prof Sayema Haque of Dhaka University's economics department emphasised proper monitoring and evaluation while implementing the national action plan.

Considering post-Covid-19 situation is essential while renewing the action plan in future, said Meghna Guhathakurta, executive director of Research Initiatives Bangladesh.

Deputy Commissioner Farida Yasmin of Dhaka Metropolitan Police said cybercrime against women is a big concern.

Police received 691 complaints of cybercrime within 48 hours of launching a cyber-support facility for woman in November last year, she added.

Tania Sharmin, programme analyst on women, peace and security at UN Women; Shima Moslem, joint secretary of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad; and rights activist Falguni Tripura; among others, spoke at the event.