Ignite Women Carnival-2021
Amar daraz presents Ignite Women Carnival-2021, with The Daily Star took place on 8th and 9th March, to honor the women of our society who have protected, loved and served Bangladesh to make it the nation it is today.
Twenty-five dynamic women of 5 different countries, including female leaders of all industries, entrepreneurs, doctors, writers and lecturers representing different fields participated in the two-day long virtual event.
This year, even with the pandemic above our heads, the celebration of International Women's Day was in no way underwhelming. Moreover, the purpose to promote women's rights and their social, economic, cultural and political achievements was effectively accomplished.
The carnival featured various panel discussions, where experts added their value and vision to make a better and Digital Bangladesh where women will feel protected and have the resources to thrive in their passion, breaking all the stereotypical mental barriers of society. The event was made successful by the partners WhatsOn, Dhaka FM 90.4, Barta24, Digital Bring, Ignite volunteer, Craftnite, Youth Planet, Torun, Hype scout, in association with Travelettes of Bangladesh and Technite.
Session 1: Empowering Women through E-Business
The session moderated by, Nahida Khan Shurmi, discussed about the increased popularity of E-Commerce during the current global pandemic. The panelists were: Farha Mahmud Trina- Vice-Chairman Investment Committee at E-Commerce Association of Bangladesh, Ms. Monjuri Mallik- Head of Product Management & Payments, Daraz Bangladesh Limited and Nishat Mushfiqa- Managing Director at Rain Drops Tech Ltd. The rapid rise of small businesses has been possible due to the vast platform provided by the online industry, especially during the pandemic. The women on this sector must approach their work with the same confidence and mentality as men seem to have. "We can do it and we can do it better", said Ms. Monjuri Mallik. Entrepreneurs should never compromise on the quality of the products and maintain a good relation with the customers. They should be patient throughout the ups and downs of the journey. "Every challenge and risk has an opportunity behind it", added Farha Mahmud Trina. The necessity of training and practical skills was also highlighted during the session.
Session 2: Women in leadership
The session moderated by, Jasrin Raisa, discussed about empowering women through leadership. The panelists were: Khushi Kabir- Coordinator at Nijera Kori, Mahzabin Ferdous Sharna- GS at Bangladesh Cancer Aid Trust and Co-founder at Daruchini and Tahsina Banu- Group Chief Financial Officer at Elegant Group. When asked about overcoming inequality towards women, Khushi Kabir replied with, " We can only overcome this major issue when the society as well as ourselves, start seeing women as people and not confine them within a certain box of social and cultural rules". It takes many hardships and difficulties for a woman to become a leader in our society. "You have to be courageous, strong, confident and outspoken besides having a suitable family environment to become a leader. But you will also be penalized for bearing these certain qualities they demand", added Tahsina Banu. When asked about why females should challenge themselves to become leaders, Mahzabin Ferdous Sharna said, "When I became a businesswoman, when I am in a position of authority, I can empower 10 other women as well". The struggle of influential women to get where they are is endless. However, we can also see a slow but gradual progress around us.
Session 3: Women's Studies- Why female education matters
The session moderated by Ayesha Mostafa, talked about how the literacy rate of females in Bangladesh is 72% but not steady throughout the country. The panelists were: Dr. Saika Ahmed- Assistant Professor at department of Chemistry in University of Dhaka, Salma Siddika- Writer, Farin Daulah- Lecturer at North South University and Ishrat Naher Erina- Brain Child, Prescription Bangladesh. Education is one of the most critical areas for empowerment of women. To increase the literacy rate, the family has to be more conscious about the issue and invest equally in their sons and daughters. "Parents have to think of girls as human beings first", said Ishrat Naher Erina. In most parts of Bangladesh, education seems like a luxury compared to the struggle people have to do to survive on a daily basis. "More scholarships and free education should be arranged in such cases and the media should do a better job promoting them", shared Salma Siddika. Education is not limited to text books and copies. "We have to push girls towards STEM education and also teach them about consent and sex education", added Farin Daulah. Looking at all the difficulties women have to face regularly, it is more than clear how important education is for females. Dr. Saika Ahmed said, "The problem is in the roots. We must fight and never give up. In that way, we can set an example".
Session 4: Women in Leadership
The session moderated by Ayesha Mostafa, described the obstacles and gender discrimination women have to face all over the world and how even then, women have repeatedly proven themselves as equal to men. The panelists were: Chiranthi Senanayake- Founder and President at HYPE Sri Lanka, Emily Eldredge- Founder and CEO of The New Self Employment and Batol Gholami- CEO at Afghanistan Youth Assembly. When asked about the qualities a good leader should possess, Chiranthi Senanayake replied with, "It is a unique journey that a person has to go through. It is very subjective. A leader may not necessarily be a good leader. You don't really focus on the execution but the impact that you're trying to make". It is common in our country for a woman to drop their careers and focus only on household duties once they are married or when they embark on motherhood. "In certain cultures there may be a lot of societal pressures, but it's still important to tune into our own truth of who we are and who we want to be and know that there are ways to live that and express that within the immediate environment", said Emily Eldredge. Women are now resolved to break the traditional glass ceiling that barred them from entering leadership positions. "Women constitute half of the world population and of course half of the population has to be represented, would be the most basic and statistic-oriented answer to why we need more women leaders. But a more elaborated answer would be because women are big contributors of the labor force and economy of the country. Hence women need to be represented in the decision-making processes", shared Chiranthi Senanayake. "I'm working in Afghanistan with women and their empowerment, my goal is to expand the possibilities and pave the way for other females to learn and grow", added Batol Gholami.
Session 5: Cyber-bullying and Awareness
The session moderated by Ratin Zaman, discussed about the increased cyber- bullying that women seem to face more in comparison to men. The panelists were: Nurun Nahar Begum- Sr. Program officer at ActonAid Bangladesh, Salma Sultana Shrity- Brand Manager at Grameen Danona Foods Limited, Ms. Ismat Zerin Khan- Head of Legal and Corporate Affairs at Daraz Bangladesh Limited. "Mental harm is not visible like physical harm which makes it more detrimental to our health. The fact that mental abuse takes place for a prolonged period of time before we speak about it, adds on to it", said Ms. Ismat Zerin. Cyber-bullying has turned into a crucial issue. "Parents have to create an environment for their children to share their troubles. Children, especially girls must be able to vent to their parents", added Nurun Nahar Begum. "Females from a young age must be educated about the importance of speaking up when they are harassed. They should be made aware of the legal support", shared Salma Sultana Shrity. The Digital Security Act -2018 was brought up during the discussion as well.
Session 6: Women's Health
The session moderated by Arabia Tanzila Nishi, talked about the poor state of women's health status in Bangladesh. The panelists were: Dr. Zaki Rezwana Anwar-FRSA, Medical Doctor, Newscaster, Columnist and Philanthropist, Umme Shaila Rumki- Guest Physiotherapy consultant at dbcnews.tv. Maternal mortality rate in Bangladesh has decreased in the past few years. "The medical reasons for the death include hemorrhage, eclampsia, sepsis and unsafe abortion. However the age of the mothers is a major factor in this case", said Dr. Zaki Rezwana Anwar. The decrease in mortality rate is also influenced by the evolved series of family planning programs in Bangladesh. "There is a considerable gap between the planning and performance in the teams in society. We have to work in a combined and united manner to bring a positive change in empowering women", added Umme Shaila Rumki. Women have to educate themselves about sanitation and learn to speak up about their health problems which seem to have been made into a taboo by the society.
Session 7: Creating Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs in Bangladesh
The session moderated by Jasrin Raisa, discussed about the heightened interest in women towards becoming entrepreneurs in the present world. The panelists were: Afroza Naznin Shumi- CEO at Shumi's Kitchen, Kanij Fatema- CEO at TripZip and Sultana Shikder Ahona- Founder at Coin Coaches Limited. Women have to face numerous difficulties when trying to establish themselves as entrepreneurs. "I had to accept it myself first that I'm choosing cooking as my profession. It is very often frowned upon by our society", said Afroza Naznin Shumi. "People had definitely tried to take advantage of my situation when I first started out. They had it set in their minds that I, as a female will not have much knowledge about these processes", added Sultana Shikder Ahona. "Women have to balance different roles in our regular lives while running our businesses. This becomes a huge challenge when we are constantly under the scrutiny of the society. But you always have to remember who you are and whose opinion matters", shared Kanij Fatema. If women want to sustain as an entrepreneur, they definitely have to educate themselves with practical skills and be fearless when it comes to dealing with new experiences and situations.
Session 8: The experience of women in workplace
The session moderated by Tanishaa Arman, talked about how women in workplace, especially women at the top, have to struggle and hold on to their position on a daily basis. The panelists were: Naurin Jahan- Executive, Brand Marketing at The Daily Star, Zara Mahbub- CEO and Country Director at Kazi IT, Laila Naznin- Head of HR Star Cineplex and Josinta Zinia- Chairman and Head at Department of Sociology at BUP and Sr News Caster at NTV. Women have to fight a constant battle of ups and downs throughout their work life. "We have to market our desire from a very early age. That is how women will be able to gain support for their desired profession", said Zara Mahbub. "We should never lose confidence in ourselves no matter what our background is", added Naurin Jahan. When asked about how women can gain confidence in their work, Laila Naznin replied with, "Have patience and keep trying. You will succeed in overcoming anything that comes in your way". If we can prove our sincerity and dedication towards our work and dreams, the path to our success will be smoother. "Choose to challenge. If we look at the hurdles in our way as challenges, it becomes easier to conquer them", shared Josinta Zinia. The session ended with the inspiring words by Zara Mahbub, "We have to establish equality at home first. Only then we can shatter the glass ceiling that limits women from reaching their full potential".
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