A ‘National Colloquium on Empowering Young Women: Promoting Peaceful, Cohesive & Prosperous Bangladesh’ was held at BRAC Centre Inn, organised by Centre for Peace and Justice, Brac University. This was the closing event of the project ‘Empowered Women, Peaceful Communities’ undertaken by UN Women Bangladesh and CPJ.
Her Excellency Ms. Charlotta Schlyter, Ambassador of Sweden to Bangladesh was the chief guest at the ceremony. Prof. Dr. Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah, Honourable Vice Chancellor of BRUR, Prof. Dr. Md. Tamim, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Brac University and Asuka Murata, Programme Specialist, UN Women Bangaladesh were the special guests of the programme. Executive Director of CPJ, Manzoor Hasan was the chair of the ceremony.
Project participants from BRUR and JKKNIU shared their experience and learning in that event. A photo album on ‘Rivers of Life’ were launched in that programme followed by an open discussion session between project beneficiaries and various national and international guests. Also some research findings were shared briefly.
CPJ started this project of empowering young women, in June of 2018 and Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur and Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University, Mymensingh were implementing partners. 320 female students from two universities took part in a series of women entrepreneurship training to produce socially responsible business ideas to promote peace & cohesion in Bangladesh. Two teams from BRUR and JKKNIU won seed funds to initiate their business ideas. As a unique initiative, CPJ launched peace cafés in BRUR and JKKNIU to sustain the idea of peace and cohesion in campuses. After closure of this project, students will use the Women Peace Café to nurture their business ideas further.