North South University Ethics and Diversity Club organized a seminar on “Empowering the Third Gender in Workforce Development” on Saturday, 31st July 2023. The seminar aimed to acknowledge and promote the contributions of the third gender community to society while advocating for their inclusion in the workforce, in line with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of gender equality and social inclusion.
Welcoming all, Dr. Zerina Shabnaz Akkas, faculty advisor of the Ethics and Diversity Club, urged them to join hands in promoting the empowerment of the third gender and creating a society that respects their rights and voices, ultimately leading to a discrimination-free Bangladesh.
The first keynote speaker, Sanjibani Sudha, CSR & Communication Officer at BRAC Bank Limited, shared her personal struggles with discrimination during childhood and her experiences studying at Chittagong University and volunteering during the COVID pandemic. Her speech highlighted the urgent need for inclusivity and support for the third-gender community.
Shova Sharker, Junior Advocate Officer at BLAST, and Mitu Hijra, General Secretary of Paddakuri Hijra Sangho, expressed gratitude to Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for recognizing the third gender and called for proper education and safety rights for their community.
Professor Dr. M. Emdadul Haq, Chairman of the Department of History and Philosophy at NSU graced the event as a special guest and emphasized the importance of education and socialization to eradicate social stigma surrounding the third gender. He advocated for a third gender-friendly recruitment policy in workplaces and a national law addressing the inheritance of family property by members of the third-gender community.
Chief Guest, Honorable Member of Parliament Ms. Naheed Ezaher Khan M.P., delivered an empowering speech, applauding the efforts of Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in supporting the third gender community. Ms. Khan pledged to advocate for their rights to education, health, and employment and called on the public to stand against discrimination. Additionally, she urged the Information and Communication Technology Division of Bangladesh to establish training centers for the third-gender community, ensuring their skills are utilized both domestically and internationally, contributing to the nation’s development and economic growth.
The event’s Session Chair, Professor Dr. M. Ismail Hossain, emphasized the significance of recognizing the legal dimensions of gender diversity. He stressed the need for implementing laws that guarantee equal rights for all gender communities, which will foster social equality in the country. Dr. Hossain concluded the seminar by underlining the importance of inclusivity, which can lead to social harmony and fulfill the SDG requirements of gender equality and social inclusion.
