International Women's Day today

Staff Correspondent:  International Women's Day is being observed today (Wednesday) across the country as elsewhere in the world with a call to take action for accelerating gender parity in every sphere of society.

The Ministry for Women and Children Affairs of Bangladesh has chalked out elaborate programmes on the occasion to create mass awareness to ensure dignified life for womenfolk through establishing their rights.

President Md Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in separate messages on the eve of the day urged all to work together for ensuring women empowerment, their equal rights and opportunities.

Besides the ministry, different political, socio-cultural organizations, human rights bodies have taken various programmes including rally, seminar, discussion and cultural function in the capital and elsewhere in the country.

Listen a song on Women's rights penned by renowned poet and lyricist Mahbubul A Khalid.
 

The United Nations began celebrating International Women's Day on 8 March in 1975. Since then many countries around the world celebrate the International Women's Day amid holding different programmes as a campaign for establishing the rights of women.

According to UN Women website, the 2017 theme for International Women's Day is "Women in the Changing World of Work: Planet 50-50 by 2030.

The United Nations observance on 8 March will reflect on how to accelerate the 2030 Agenda, building momentum for the effective implementation of the new Sustainable Development Goals.

It will equally focus on new commitments under UN Women's Step It Up initiative, and other existing commitments on gender equality, women's empowerment and women's human rights.

This is a day when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political.

It is an occasion for looking back to past struggles and accomplishments, and more importantly, for looking ahead to the untapped potential and opportunities that await future generations of women.

Bangladesh Television, Bangladesh Betar and all other private televisions will air special programme while newspapers will publish special supplements highlighting the significance on the day.

risingbd/Dhaka/March 8, 2017/Mukul