The second consultation workshop on “Promoting Gender Equality and Preventing Violence against Women at Workplace” took place at BIAM Foundation, Dhaka, on 9th February 2011, which was organized by the Ministry of Labour and Employment and supported by the ILO. The Honorable State Minister, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh Begum Monnujan Sufian was present as the Chief guest. Mr Gagan Rajbhandari, Deputy Director, ILO Bangladesh Country Office was the Special Guest. Among the about 40 participants there were representatives from relevant Ministries, UN agencies, BEF, NCCWE and civil society. Mr Nurul Haque, Secretary of Ministry of Labour and Employment chaired the session.

The objective of the workshop was to enhance recognition of workplace violence against women as a major threat to safety and security, productivity, equal treatment and decent work and to identify effective means of promoting gender equality and preventing VAW (sexual harassment) at workplace and role of different key actors [government, employers (BEF), workers (NCCWE), and other civil society members].

In her speech, the Chief Guest Begum Monnujan Sufian, the Honorable State Minister, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh said, “women as workers are more sincere, accountable/ responsible than men”. She said that women cannot utilize their maximum skills due to different forms of violence they usually face in workplace. However, they do not disclose that because of the concern of self-esteem and dignity or social stigma. She also mentioned that if women face violence/sexual harassment at workplace they cannot concentrate on work; this hampers their production, which impacts on economic development. She emphatically pronounced, “`stop violence against women in every sphere of life not only at workplace’, this would be my slogan.” The Chief Guest clearly underlined the need for giving recognition of women’s household work and changing patriarchic attitude /mindset towards women. She also urged for creating awareness among male and implementing the High Court’s guidelines on sexual harassment and Women and Children Repression Act 2003.

Special Guest of the workshop Mr Gagan Rajbhandari, Deputy Director, ILO Bangladesh office, spoke about ILO’s position regarding promoting productive employment,decent work, gender equality and safety at workplace. He also gave importance on women’s contribution to household work that needs to be counted in GDP. He also requested all relevant stakeholders for giving directions to develop more knowledge and expertise to work more productively.

The Chair of the session Mr Nurul Haque, Secretary of Ministry of Labour and Employment, mentioned in his address that VAW is more prevalent at rural setting than in urban setting since women are much more organized through trade unions and other interventions in the latter. In his opinion, creating social movement led by the civil society members to prevent VAW at every setting would be necessary.

The full-day workshop came up with a set of recommendations that define the means of addressing VAW at workplace and the role of key actors, which would be reflected in the ongoing activities of the project towards achieving the goal. Ms Shirin Haque –President of Karmojibi Nari (working women) presented the keynote paper while Ms Maheen Sultan and Advocate Jahan Ara Begum attended as discussants at the workshop.