United News of Bangladesh

A group of women leaders on Sunday demanded that the Election Commission revoke the candidacy of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman for his ‘defamatory, hateful and misogynistic remarks against working women’ made from his verified X (formerly Twitter) account. The demand was raised during a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin at Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital. The delegation also submitted a memorandum from 11 women organisations to the CEC outlining four key demands including the cancellation of the Jamaat chief’s candidacy. Talking to reporters after the meeting, Ganatantrik Biplabi Party President Moshrefa Mishu said the recent comments made by Dr Shafiqur Rahman amounted to a gross insult to women and undermined their dignity, labour and contribution to society. “The recent derogatory, ugly and misogynistic comments made by Shafiqur Rahman about working women from his verified X account are not only an extreme insult to women but also a direct denial of the labour, honour and social role of the country's crores of working, self-respecting and contributing women,” she said. She said though the party concerned explained that the comment is as the result of ‘hacking’, this claim can’t be accepted for such remark published on a verified X account. No official statement, documentary evidence, or results of a transparent investigation have been made public on this matter, she added. EWA warns of rising election violence, code violations ahead of polls Referring to media reports, Moshrefa Mishu said a Bangabhaban staff was initially shown arrested in connection with the alleged hacking, but contradictory statements later emerged from law enforcement agencies. Subsequently, officials informed that no concrete evidence was found linking the detained person to the hacking incident, which intensified doubt on the hacking claim, she said. She said the working women in different sectors including garment industry have been making significant contributions to their families, society and the national economy through their hard works over the past several decades. “Making such statements in public that undermine working women goes directly against constitutionally guaranteed equality, human rights, women’s dignity and social justice,” she said. Mishu said that such remarks fuel hatred, discrimination and violence against women and pose serious threats to the safety, dignity and working environment of women workers. “Such irresponsible comments from someone holding a political leadership position are completely unacceptable,” she said. They in the memorandum placed a total of four demands that include immediate withdrawal of the derogatory remarks; an unconditional apology to working women; a clear commitment to refrain from making any future statements that demean women’s dignity and labour; and appropriate action by the Election Commission in line with its code of conduct and ethical standards including cancellation of the candidacy of the person. Nearly one million security personnel to guard Bangladesh elections Alongside Mishu, 10 other women and woman organisations are Dhaka University professor Samina Luthfa, Garments Sramik Mukti Andolan President Shabnam Hafiz, NPA spokesperson Ferdous Ara Rumi, organiser of the Women’s Political Rights Forum Nafisa Raihana, and women affairs secretary of Rastra Sangskar Andolan Zakiya Shishir, lawyer and rights activist Tabassum Mehenaj Mimi, president of Green Bangla Garments Workers Federation Sultana Begum, Central Member of Janobhashya Shamim Ara Nipa, Ganatantrik Odhikar Committee member Marjia Prova as well as Naripokkha.  

The global women leaders at a high-level event here on Tuesday adopted a declaration with a call to improve women's participation and leadership in all climate actions as well as to connect the fight against gender inequality closely with the fight against climate change. The declaration was adopted at the High-level Panel on Women and Climate Change, held on the sideline of the COP26 World Leaders' Summit at Scottish Pavilion in Glasgow. The Scottish authority and the UN Women hosted the event to discuss the importance of women's leadership in addressing climate change and its gendered impacts. In the declaration titled “Glasgow Women’s Leadership on Gender Equality and Climate Change,” they said Climate change is an urgent human rights issue posing a serious risk to the fundamental rights to life, health, food, water and sanitation, decent work and an adequate standard of living of individuals and communities across the world. Climate change exacerbates existing inequalities, including gender inequality, they added. The women leaders said, “We believe that the fight against climate change must be closely connected to the fight against gender inequality, and agree that ensuring women's and girls' leadership is vital if global efforts to tackle climate change are to succeed.” They said women and girls are commonly disproportionately affected by climate change and face greater risks and burdens from its impacts, particularly in situations of poverty. “Despite increased vulnerability to climate impacts, we recognize that women and girls have been creating and leading innovative climate solutions at all levels. One of the great injustices of the climate crisis is that the people and countries who are worst affected are those who have contributed at least to its causes,” they added. Read: BGMEA showcases RMG industry’s strides in sustainability in COP26 “We therefore call for all climate actions to recognize the differentiated impact of climate change by factors such as age, gender, disability and location, and ensure women's and girls' voice and agency and their full and effective participation and leadership in policy and decision. - making at community, national and international levels, and increase ambition in all sectors,” the leaders said. Expressing their gratefulness to those who have led efforts to date at government, intergovernmental, private sector and civil society levels to advance the interests of women and girls in climate action, they said, “We particularly acknowledge women leaders, especially young women and girls at all levels who have championed this agenda, and commit to pushing forward their work including through increased financing, broadening partnerships, and advocacy.” The women leaders welcomed the dedicated agenda item under the UNFCCC addressing issues of gender and climate change and the 5-year enhanced Lima work program on gender and its gender action plan agreed at COP 25. “We hope to see strong efforts by all stakeholders to implement the activities included in the GAP,” they said. They acknowledged parallel efforts to promote gender equality in climate change policies, programs and initiatives, including the UN Secretary General's initiative on Gender and Climate Change, launched at the Global Climate Action Summit 2019, and the Feminist Action for Climate Justice action coalition under the Generation Equality Forum. “We encourage all countries yet to pledge action under these important initiatives to do so before the sixty-sixth session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW66) in March 2022. At CSW 66, we will work towards achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programs,” they added. Read: At COP26, over 100 countries pledge to end deforestation The leaders agreed on the importance of achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, notably Sustainable Development Goal 5 on achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls. “We agree that concrete actions are needed to improve women's and girls' participation and leadership in all climate actions,” they said. The women leaders called all leaders - women and men - both in government and civil society - to commit to increased and sustained support for women and girls' climate change initiatives at the national and global levels in order to achieve sustainable progress towards meeting the challenges of the climate crisis. The statement will remain open to further signatures from women leaders from across government, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, business and civil society till the 66th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women in March 2022. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, UN Under-Secretary-General and UN Women Executive Director Sima Sami Bahous, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu and Iceland Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir, among others, were present at the event.