gender equality

December 24, 2019

Women’s financial inclusion: The smart thing to do

[…]
March 7, 2018

A letter from Sir Fazle for International Women’s Day

There is one thing we need to understand clearly: patriarchy is an enemy to both men and women. Men need to be saved from patriarchy just as much as women. If we are able to defeat patriarchy, both women and men will gain.
December 17, 2017

Social enterprises: More than women-friendly spaces

When women have more access to financial as well as physical assets, it provides them with a base of authority that is important in staking her claim for equal or fair treatment.
August 11, 2017

Four lessons from a rising star in local governance

Rina Halim is in a rush today. Her husband is outside, waiting to take her to Dhaka. There she will be receiving the Mother Teresa Award for her social service, and for being an outstanding councilor.
July 13, 2017

No tragic hero

But as soon as night falls, she replaces her sari with a colourful salwar kameez and swaps the bucket on her arm for a row of shiny bangles, ready to take the stage. Alpina acts in a popular theatre group that regularly travels across the northern villages of Bangladesh.
March 10, 2016

How do we get more women into workplaces?

Women in the workplace make sense. According to the World Economic Forum, companies with a strong track record of gender diversity are 15 per cent more likely to have higher earnings than their peers. The Fortune 500 companies with the highest representation of women on their boards significantly outperform the others.
March 8, 2016
The skilled girl effect

The skilled girl effect: Worth more than the US and Chinese economies put together

An hour away in the rural town of Tongi, Mahmuda Akhter, 16, sits in a mobile phone servicing shop in the main market. A stressed looking customer rushes in with his phone. Holding a small screwdriver, Mahmuda pries open the cover of his mobile and diagnoses the problem.
December 9, 2013

Realising the next barrier to human rights

Last week the world mourned the loss of global human rights icon, Nelson Mandela, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and post-apartheid president of South Africa. Mandela’s commitment to equality will forever remain an inspiration to activists and citizens alike.
May 27, 2013

Overcoming gender inequality through water, sanitation and hygiene

During my 12 years of work experience in the water and sanitation sector, it has been evident that gender inequality and poverty exclude large numbers of people from enjoying the benefits of water supply and sanitation facilities and processes aimed at their improvement. There is a traditional concept that mainstreaming gender in water is a matter of women, and only women speak about the issue, whereas the policy makers are mostly men.
March 8, 2013

Not a moment of silence on International Women’s Day

“What I most regretted were my silences.” – Audre Lorde, The Transformation of Silence into Language and Action

In honor of International Women’s Day, we use the words of Audre Lorde, a self-described black lesbian poet, who spent the better part of her life advocating for female empowerment and equality. Through solidarity and individual self-awareness, Lorde recognized the innate power of women in overcoming oppression. Her words are the embodiment of empowerment, not only for women but marginalized groups from all walks of life. She firmly believed that “it is not difference which immobilizes us, but silence.”

June 15, 2011

BRAC Afghanistan: Changing the most dangerous place on earth for women

Today, TrustLaw, which runs AlertNet, published a "Danger Poll" identifying the world's five most dangerous countries for women, with Afghanistan topping the list.  These figures serve only to further motivate our dedicated BRAC Afghanistan staff, who strive every day to change these conditions.Among the multifaceted BRAC Afghanistan programs in microfinance, health, enterprise development, community development, and education, are 2,297 BRAC schools where 84% of the enrolled students are girls. BRAC is realizing the potential of gender equality in education by increasing the enrollment of young girls through completion of their primary education, and by training local women to teach in these schools.
March 31, 2011

BRAC Uganda Celebrates International Women’s Day

In celebration of the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day on March 9, 2011, BRAC Uganda asked it's staff and program participants to think about the meaning of International Women's Day. Specifically, the initiative aimed to create awareness and explore widely held perceptions of International Women's Day. Broadly, the initiative sought to bolster BRAC's commitment to establish a gender sensitive working environment.