DHAKA, Dec 8, 2020 (BSS) – Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen today underlined the importance of increasing women’s participation in the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping missions to strengthen their role in building and sustaining global peace.
“In the post conflict and humanitarian settings, efforts must be made for ensuring a gender-responsive approach recognizing women’s increased role in recovery and rebuilding efforts,” he said.
He was addressing a high-level International Conference on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) organized by Vietnam with support of UN.
Dr Momen urged the UN agencies and international partners to support governments in their women’s development and empowerment efforts.
The foreign minister also urged the international community to renew its commitments to working together for ensuring full, equal and meaningful participation of women in building and sustaining peace.
Highlighting Bangladesh’s tremendous development in women empowerment, the foreign minister said immediately after independence, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman placed women at the heart of the country’s development agenda.
“Our women have not only been victims of war, they also actively participated in our war of liberation,” he said.
Currently, Momen said, women in Bangladesh are active agents of socio-economic changes and development initiatives.
He said Bangladesh government has prioritized women empowerment through education and integrating them into economic activities and thereby enabling them to perform non-traditional roles beyond their households.
Bangladesh recognizes women’s role in influencing community and family values and identifying early signs of radicalization and encourage their leadership at the community, national and international levels, he said.
The conference was attended by high-level delegations from UN member states and major peacekeeping nations.