Our Prime Minister, Being A woman, Looked At The Refugee Crisis With Compassion: Sharita Millat, MD, Veritas Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Bangladesh
At the Women Economic Forum event of April 2018, there was a session on “Empowering Potential with Diplomacy, Conflict Resolution and Human Rights”.
“I am passionate about economics, because I am convinced we need to reconsider the structure of social organizations and its functioning. We have made a lot of progress but there is still much to be done. Today, as per the 17 UN SDGs, women and men have a chance to introduce a better life through gender equality. We can introduce priority in public resources. I want you to focus on another issue which is close to my heart, which is the use of technology algorithms for creating changes in fields like economics and medicines. Being here, makes me an ambassador or ethical and gender issues“, said Laura Moschini, Professor of Gender Issues and Social Ethics, RomaTRE University.
“In mediation it is not about who is wrong or right, its about finding a solution acceptable to all parties involved. One way to empower is to give weaker parties the tools to speak. Only when the weaker party is empowered, a fair solution can be reached. The assessment whether the issue is resolved can only be made by the person being assisted. Very often organizations say they have empowered others, without realizing that they are speaking on behalf of those they are trying to empower. Real empowerment is about the others. Be truly interested in other people, don’t just try to salvage the other person because they may not need salvation," said Edith N Nordmann, Managing Partner, Attorney at Law, ACG International, Netherlands.
Ramit Singh Chimni, Founder, The Rasich Group, said, “Diplomacy, conflict resolution and human rights are meant to be words for positive action. Diplomacy implies that straight honest conversation won’t yield results. I am a cynic on a mission to bring an end to my cynicism. Our world is dictated by commerce. The term globalization was first formally defined in 1930. It was defined as the expansion of trade mainly. The ensuing exploitation after the war never ended. I’m not a communist or a socialist, but I am just scared of the narrative the world has adopted. Who is going to take the lead to set our world right? Only individuals at the individual level can do this. Women are best placed to solve the problems of our world today. Please don’t be a cynic like me, there is hope in this world."
“I do have a dream, a dream to work hand in hand with the women of my fraternity, who were oppressed. We are specially working for minority women and children to uplift them. We are focusing on education, and the Char area has a literacy rate of 19%. I found my happiness in their innocent sad smile, looking at me desperately. Every year they lose everything to the floods. We are trying to uplift and develop their community“, said Shaheen Hussain Nongbri, Founder President, Char & Rural Development Society.
“I have been involved in businesses as long as I can remember. I am from Bangladesh, and recently we have had an onslaught of Rohingya refugees, and I want to thank our prime minister for opening the borders to these refugees. I have worked with these refugees, and it is little organizations like ourselves that have extended their hand to help the million odd refugees. I have seen atrocities that these conflicts can bring. My father is the minister of the local government, and he was provided with the mammoth task of providing clean water to these refugees. Our prime minister, being a woman, looked at the refugee situation with compassion. Cynicism can be overcome. We can make a difference," said Sharita Millat, Managing Director, Veritas Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
Ayesha Farha Chowdhury, Chairman, CEM Ready Mix Concrete Limited, said, “Women have come a long way and are being involved more than ever. Today I would like to share how my own struggle has changed me for the better. It is never easy in the largely patriarchal society to be a woman in business. My aim was to create a niche for myself. I have also found time to fulfil my social responsibilities. When you are self-sufficient, it gives you the opportunity to give back to society. Women must be givens space in diplomacy. Conflict negotiations are more sustainable when women are at the table.
“When I graduated in commerce, I wanted to study diplomacy in the UK, but my parents wanted me to study finance. We had a Race Relation Officer, and I took that position, and I solved a lot of conflicts in this period. I always looked for a common ground, despite different cultures. Each student had the same desire. I became very open to travelling. Open your mind to the world, collect information about people, listen to people, don’t seek to be understood, but seek to understand, and always put yourself in a spot where you are the odd one out, get out of your comfort zone.“, said Nidhka Bahl, International Bestselling Author, Entrepreneur, Speaker, Strategic Interventionists, Celebrity Life Coach.
Abida Sultana, Proprietor, AS Technical, said, “One of the virtues which supports mankind from the animal kingdom is creativity. I cannot imagine where we would be if we're not born with the gift of creativity. We need to be educated and get involved in socio-economic development. Women were oppressed in a male-dominated society. Women were confined to homes to do household. Little or no importance is given to their vision and ambitions. Women are gaining their rightful place in the world now. Our 7% GDP growth is due to the role of women, in Bangladesh. Positive changes have already started, but we have to make bigger efforts and create sustainable socio-economic development.”
“I would like to thank my parents for not killing me at my time of birth because I am a girl. I owe my education to those who fought to allow girls to go to school. I owe my career to my husband for not asking me to quit. Women end up thanking people for their very basic rights. What I am calling our rights is a dream for millions of women. Life is hard for women, and it is harder when we move to rural areas“, said Rekha Kumari, Director & Programme Head, Kaushalya Foundation.
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