Tk 4,290cr proposed for Women and Children Affairs Ministry

The government has proposed allocating Taka 4,290 crore for the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs in the proposed budget for fiscal year (FY) 2022-23 which was Taka 4,103 crore in the revised budget for FY 2021-22.

"For the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, I am proposing to allocate Taka 4,290 crore in the budget for fiscal year 2022-2023, which was Taka 4,190 crore in the (proposed budget of) fiscal year 2021-2022," said Finance Minister A H M Mustafa Kamal while placing the national budget for fiscal year (FY) 2022-23 today in the Jatiya Sangsad.

In his budget speech, he said in continuation of the Seventh Five Year Plan, the government is implementing various activities for establishing a gender inclusive society and empowering women following the strategies worked out in the 8th Five Year Plan.

As a result, Bangladesh is in a better position internationally in terms of political, economic and social empowerment of women and elimination of gender inequality index, he said.

According to the Global Gender Gap Report 2021, Bangladesh ranks 65th out of 153 countries in the world in the Gender Inequality Index, which is the highest in South Asia; this speaks of the government's overall success in women's development and in eliminating gender inequality, Kamal said.

"We are working to make the position of women at a satisfactory level in terms of participation in economic activities and entitlement to benefits. In the next budget, we will give importance to the skill development of young women, especially in professional and technical fields," he said.

"In addition, we will consider on a priority basis activities such as adopting effective and robust institutional strategies for gender equality and women empowerment, allocating adequate funds and manpower to bring the gender issue into the mainstream and increasing skilled manpower in technology," Kamal said.

The finance minister said following the commitments articulated in the Eighth Five Year Plan, the government is implementing various development activities to enhance the human capacity of women, their participation in economic activities and their entitlements to the benefits, increase the infrastructure and communication services for women to ensure their voice and representation and strengthen institutional capacity.

Micro-credit activities are being carried out to improve the socio-economic condition of rural poor and helpless women for poverty alleviation and affording opportunities for self-employment, he said.

Loan disbursement is going on in 488 upazilas of 64 districts on a revolving basis with the allotted funds, he added.

Kamal said the government has been continuing its efforts to establish the rights of the children and integrate them into the mainstream of their overall development.

"We are also giving importance in the forthcoming budget on providing essential healthcare, ensuring availability of food and nutrition, ensure access to education, training and development for the children," he said.

The finance minister said necessary steps will be taken to impart healthcare knowledge among adolescents.

"We are taking into account the nutrition-sensitive approach and the priority of poor families including children in social security programmes," he said.

The finance minister said the government is working to ensure strict implementation of the previously enacted 'Child Marriage Prohibition Act 2017', 'Digital Security Act 2018' and 'Prevention of Violence against Women and Children (Amendment) Act-2020'.

In addition, the Child Day Care Centre Act, 2021 has been enacted for the daycare and safety of the children of working women and in the meantime, Child Care Centres have been set up in 6,160 industrial factories and establishments across the country, he said.

"To implement the strategic objectives of the government for women's empowerment and child welfare, we have given importance to five areas in the forthcoming budget," he said.

These include food assistance for vulnerable mothers (VGD) programmes, mother and child benefit programmes on life-cycle basis, child development centres and adolescent empowerment programmes, technical, vocational, income- generating and productive training for women and prevention of violence against women, he added.