Every day, every minute, every
second, we respect our courageous ‘Muktijoddhas’ – freedom fighters of 1971 –
because of whom we have this independent land as proud Bangladeshis.
In this MicroArticle, I would like
to add my respect to the 21st Century Muktijoddha’s working to
eradicate poverty, support communities in need, create an environment to ensure
social freedom, economic stability, and environmental sustainability for
Bangladesh. The leaders of today, the young impact entrepreneurs – our 21st
century Muktijoddha’s – freedom fighters –fighting to build Bangladesh.
Since 2016, Build Bangladesh in
partnership with ygap Australia supported more than 60 active impact entrepreneurs
in Bangladesh to ensure social, economic, and financial freedom while
complementing the SDGs as our 21st Century Muktijoddha’s. Over last
two years, we added another 13 plus women entrepreneurs into our support
network mainly through our yher programme. These 75 plus young men and
women agreed to take Bangladesh forward. This is what Build Bangladesh and ygap
wants, the succession plan for our country, for our private sectors to grow.
The yher programme – with specific focus on the women entrepreneurs as
the changemakers is a success story in many countries including Bangladesh.
Historically
from the late 19th century the legal position of women gradually
improved but, would you believe that a country like Switzerland introduced
voting rights for women only in 1971! The First World War gave women their big
opportunity to move into previously male dominated occupations. As the men were
at war, women were driving trams, working in the offices, banks, shops and ammunitions
factories. The principle that women were perfectly capable of doing a wide range
of jobs were established by then. Next, the second world war brought millions
of women into labor force. The widespread adoption of labor-saving technology
in the home from the start of the 1950s, as for example, refrigerators,
cookers, washing machines had an impact for more women to take up paid external
jobs. From 1970s women started moving into the labour forces in ever increasing
numbers globally.
Female employment in Bangladesh has seen a 35% increase,
reaching 18.1 million between 2008 and 2017. Higher growth in female employment
was fuelled by the industrial sector, especially the apparel industry and
services sector. But the agriculture sector still employs the highest number of
women, employing 10.9 million workers.
The prospect to bring more women
into the workplace is huge, where half of the population is women! And women
entrepreneurs can play instrumental role to bring this plan into reality! These
Yher ‘graduates’ as the women changemakers are determined to drive this agenda!
We strongly believe, they have the
capacity and determination to do it and they will achieve it! Their strengths
and ammunitions are:
- Passion and dedication to eradicate gender inequality;
- Spirit to touch people’s heart through ethical business;
- dream to support the environment; and
- unconditional love for Bangladesh.
These are our new leaders; the women change makers.
Title: yher: Women Changemakers
Contributor/s: Farhadur Reza
Contact: farhad.reza@impress.bz
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