Dhaka: State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam emphasized that advancing the women, peace, and security (WPS) agenda is both a global commitment and a shared responsibility. She spoke as the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of a workshop held at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center in Dhaka.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the State Minister underscored Bangladesh's pioneering role in the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 and reaffirmed the country's commitment to the WPS agenda. This includes the ongoing review of the first National Action Plan (NAP) for 2019-2025, supported by UN Women. She also remembered the contributions of former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia in advancing girls' education and women's empowerment, alongside current government's efforts in promoting education, entrepreneurship, employment, safety, culture, and sports. Shama Obaed called for an inclusive, realistic, and measurable second five-year NAP.
Women and Children Affairs Secretary Dr Rowsan Ara Begum, speaking as the special guest, emphasized the need for the next-generation NAP to be well designed, adequately financed, effectively coordinated, and owned by the women it is meant to serve. UN Women Representative in Bangladesh, Gitanjali Singh, in her welcome remarks, highlighted the opportunity for Bangladesh to build on its strong WPS foundation, calling for greater focus on implementation, women's leadership and participation, measurable results, and accountability.
The two-day workshop, titled 'Developing Bangladesh's New-Generation National Action Plan on WPS,' is a joint effort by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and UN Women Bangladesh, concluding on Monday. It aims to provide a platform for members of the inter-ministerial coordination group and representatives of civil society organizations to contribute to shaping a next-generation WPS framework responsive to evolving national, regional, and global contexts.