“Equality for Women is Progress for All” 2014 #IWD Celebrations

March 14, 2014

bangladeshiwd.preview On March 8, 2014, The Hunger Project joined billions of people in celebrating International Women’s Day (IWD) to honor women around the world and to rise up to advocate, as a global community, for equality, prosperity and the empowerment of all women. The 2014 theme for International Women’s Day was: Equality for women is progress for all. Here we highlight some of the inspiring celebrations among The Hunger Project’s global community.

BANGLADESH

On March 8, 2014, the National Girl Child Advocacy Forum (NGCAF) and The Hunger Project-Bangladesh jointly celebrated International Women’s Day in 354 locations throughout Bangladesh. There was a central event organized in Dhaka followed by a huge rally, discussion meeting, awards, cultural program and dissemination of posters and leaflets.

A kilometer- long procession, led by women and girls in traditional apparel holding the banner, included approximately 1,800 men, women, adolescent girls and boys from 56 organizations and institutions, who waved placards inscribed “Stop violence against women.”

At the awards ceremony, the National Girl Child Advocacy Forum showed honor and appreciation to two distinguished women for their significant expertise and achievements in respective fields. The honorable awardees were: Rowshan Ara Begum, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the Criminal Investigation Department in the Bangladesh police and Ms. Rehana Parvin, who obtained the Bronze Medal as a player who participated in the 10th South Asian Federation (SAF) Games Women Kabadi Competition held in Sri Lanka in 2006.

The events in Bangladesh were covered by major broadcasting channels, like ATN Bangla, Channel eye, Boishakhi TV, Shomoy TV, Desh TV, SA TV and Jamuna TV. Learn more about The Hunger Project’s IWD celebrations in Bangladesh.

The British Council and National Girl Child Advocacy Forum, of which The Hunger Project is a part, also hosted a discussion session called “Connecting Girls, Inspiring Change.”

ETHIOPIA

In Ethiopia, The Hunger Project used the occasion to celebrate the inauguration of the Machakel Epicenter Savings and Credit Cooperative (SACCO). Even though the event was on Saturday, Market Day, half of the 400 guests participating were women. The local government was represented by the Woreda Administrator (District Administrator), Agriculture Office Head, Economy and Development Office Head, Women, Youth and Children Office Head, Cooperative promotion office Head and others.

As part of the inauguration ceremony, SACCO Committee members (100% women) who served the community and other women who utilized the program received certificates and gifts for contributing to the success of the SACCO. The Amhara Regional Media (TV and Radio) recorded the event to air it over the week.

Also in honor of International Women’s Day and to encourage the community to save and get credit for development, loan partners and high school students prepared poems and drama to transfer the message of the importance of saving to the community and the role of women in the development process. Learn more about THP-Ethiopia’s inauguration event.

INDIA

On the eve of International Women’s Day, The Hunger Project-India, People’s Cultural Centre (PECUC) and Rotary Club of Bubaneswar Heritage organized a district level convention of elected women representatives at Bhubaneswar Block Conference Hall.

Over 50 elected women, members of the press and PECUC staff attended the program and spoke on the theme which was to create a violence free society for women. The event started with a candle lighting in memory of women who had passed. Check out THP-India’s celebration on Orissa Diary.

UNITED STATES

On Monday, March 10, The Hunger Project, in partnership with BRAC and Center for Health and Gender Equity (CHANGE), hosted a side event during the UN’s 58th session of the Commission on the Status of Women in New York City.

Titled “Gender Is Fundamental to All the MDGs: Lessons from the Field,” the side event featured a discussion with three NGO leaders whose work centers on comprehensive, gender-based programs that improve the health, education, nutrition, income and basic human rights of women and girls across Africa, while sharing the policy lessons provided by these innovative approaches. Read more about The Hunger Project’s side event.