On 02 November 2016, NHRCB organized a seminar on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Gender Equality at Hotel Radisson Blu, Dhaka. Mr. Kazi Reazul Hoque, Chairman, NHRCB chaired the seminar. At first, Nurun Naher Osmani, Member, NHRCB and Chair of the Women’s Rights Thematic Committee of NHRCB delivered welcome address.

Mr. Akhter Hossain, Member, NHRCB presented key note paper on “SDGs: Gender Equality and Women Empowerment”.  He mentioned that major changes are required to be made in the inheritance law. Kazi Reazul Hoque, Honorable Chairman of NHRCB said “UNCEDAW Committee has identified the most vulnerable areas where we should work and government, NHRCB and CSOs are very active and working hard for the empowerment of women in the country.”

He also said, “Bangladesh has Vision-2021 and it is growing fast to be developed. Bangladesh needs to concentrate on one more thing and that is gender equality. Though our honorable Prime Minister, Speaker and the leader of the opposition party are women it does not mean we have achieved gender equality. We are still far behind it. In Upazilla level we want to see women as UP chairman and member.”

Mentioning about Government’s reservation on Article 2 and 16 of CEDAW, honorable Chairman said that Bangladesh government should withdraw these reservations as it is complying with the provisions in other ways. So, this is the high time to fully comply with all the provisions of CEDAW. The distinguished guests applauded the strong role played by the NHRCB on this issue.

Mizanur Rahman, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Women and Children Affairs; Sudipto Mukherjee, Country Director, UNDP- Bangladesh; Christine Hunter, Country Representative, UNWOMEN- Bangladesh; His Excellency Johan Frisell, Ambassador, Embassy of Sweden addressed the seminar as Guests of Honor.