Book Chapters of CGST members published in Feminisms, Empowerment, Development by ZED Books
Recently several book chapters of Centre for Gender and Social Transformation (CGST) members were published in A. Cornwall and J Edwards edited Feminisms, Empowerment, Development by ZED Books, London. They are:
a. Nazneen, S and Sultan, M. (2014),' Reciprocity, Distancing and Opportunistic Overtures: Women's organizations negotiating legitimacy and space'
b. Priyadarshini, A and Rahim, S. (2014). Women Watching Television: Surfing between Fantasy and Reality'
c. Kabeer, N and Huq, L. (2014), ‘Power of Relationships: Money, Love and Solidarity in a Landless women's organization’.
Details about the book can be found here: http://zedbooks.co.uk/paperback/feminisms-empowerment-and-development
Roundtable on “Women’s Leadership: Parliament and National Politics in Bangladesh”
A roundtable on “Women’s Leadership: Parliament and National Politics in Bangladesh” was organized by the Centre for Gender and Social Transformation (CGST), BRAC Institute of Governance and Development, BRAC University on Wednesday, 19th March, 2014 at the Red Shift Café, Bay Galleria. The roundtable was organized to mark the closing of the South Asian Regional Secretariat of Women in Parliament (SARSWP), based at BRAC University under Promoting Democratic Institutions and Practices (PRODIP) program implemented by The Asia Foundation and sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The main objective of the roundtable was to review the opportunities and constraints for women’s leadership in national parliament and in national politics. On behalf of CGST, Simeen Mahmud and Maheen Sultan welcomed the participants and introduced the workshop objectives. Dr. Sohela Nazneen, Professor, Department of International Relations, University of Dhaka, set the agenda for discussion by pointing out that the current debate on women’s representation in politics has to move towards: a) exploring women’s various pathways into politics, and b) on creating effective networks both inside and outside the national parliament that lead to the development of a constituency demanding gender equity in politics. Marufa Akter, Programme officer of the Secretariat presented the current status of women’s representation within different political parties.
The speakers identified the following as obstacles to women’s leadership such as the lack of inter-party consensus to promote women candidacy; influence of muscle, men and money in politics; lack of bargaining skills among women MPs; absence of financial support and limited representation within political parties.
Among the participants, Professor Firdous Azim, Dr. Samia Huq, Dr. Seuty Sabur from BRAC University and representatives from Oxfam-GB; Manusher Jonno Foundation, Naripokhkho, Khan Foundation, Democracy Watch, IDP program of UNDP were also present.