Social Welfare and Women and Children Affairs Adviser Sharmin S Murshid spoke at a workshop organized at a hotel in the capital's Gulshan today. Photo : PID

DHAKA, May 27, 2025 (BSS) - Social Welfare and Women and Children Affairs Adviser Sharmin S Murshid today said a united effort is needed to advance progress of women, increase their capabilities and prevent violence against them. 

"Coordinated initiatives and activities of the government as well as the society must be taken forward in order to advance progress of women and increase their capabilities," she said.

 The adviser made the remarks while addressing a consultation workshop titled 'Multi stakeholder consultation on outcome of the sixty-ninth session on the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW)' organized by Ministry of Women and Children Affairs at a hotel in city's Gulshan.

Women Reform Commission head Shirin Sharmin Haque, UN Women Representative Gitanjali Singh and joint secretary of the ministry Dilara Begum, among others, addressed the event with joint secretary of the ministry Prokash Kanti Chowdhury in the chair.

The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs (MoWCA), with support from UN Women Bangladesh, convened a multi-stakeholder consultation here to disseminate outcomes of the 69th United Nations session on the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) and chart a roadmap to implement the Beijing+30 agenda in Bangladesh.

In 1995, 189 countries adopted the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action- a global agenda to ensure gender equality and women's rights. Observing the thirtieth anniversary of the historic event, the 69th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) was held at the UN Headquarters in New York from March 10-21. Today's consultation mainly revolved around this very session.

Reaffirming commitments to the Beijing Declaration, high-level stakeholders convened to discuss the opportunities and challenges in implementing the prescribed policies in the country. 

The event also aimed to define concrete, time-bound activities aligned with Bangladesh's CSW69 commitments-including ending gender-based violence, closing the economic participation gap, enhancing women's climate resilience, promoting digital inclusion, and strengthening legal frameworks.

The consultation brought together around 100 participants, including senior representatives from key ministries and divisions, development partners, civil society, and women's rights organizations-particularly those who participated in the CSW69 session in New York earlier this March.

Sharmeen S. Murshid said, "Many commissions have been created, but I still haven't seen a lot of strong proposals to ensure women's participation in the electoral process and representation of the marginalized." 

MoWCA Joint Secretary Dr Prakash Kanti Chowdhury presented their experience and learning from different bilateral discussions at the CSW which included application of AI tools to tackle GBV, establishing mentorship in the agriculture sector and enhancing sustainable daycare in the rural sector. 

He also shared MoWCA's roadmap that will work towards digital inclusion, poverty eradication, and ending violence.

CSW69 aimed to review progress on the Beijing Declaration, thirty years after its adoption at the Fourth World Conference on Women. It assessed current implementation gaps and adopted a Political Declaration reaffirming global commitment to gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.