This year, the theme of International women's Day is "Women in Leadership: Achieving an Equal Future for Covid-19 World". As we celebrate the day, our thoughts are with the millions of people afflicted with the contagion Covid-19, the precious lives lost and livelihoods destroyed. The pandemic demonstrated once again the role women play during crisis situations in taking on extra work burden, caring for the family, persevering against all odds and providing the leadership that sustain families, yet remain unrecognised and undervalued.
In Bangladesh, the struggle for gender equality has been long and arduous. The political, social and economic progress women have achieved in the last 20 years is in stark contrast to the high number of violence and abuse they suffer, both within families and outside. During lockdown, women faced increased domestic violence demonstrating the unequal power relations and their low status within families. Household chores including productive activities are not valued either by society or families and unpaid care work does not count in national statistics. The undervaluation of their work at home is reflected in the now famous poster of Banchte Shekha depicting a woman with 12 hands doing multiple tasks yet a statement below says "my wife does not work".