Diplomatic Correspondent

As part of the celebration of International Women’s Day, a roundtable workshop on "Valuing Women in the Financial Markets in Bangladesh" was held in Dhaka on Thursday aiming to understand the importance of investing in women.

It was organised by the Women’s Heads of Mission in Bangladesh group, read a press release of the High Commission of Canada.

In celebration of International Women’s Day, it said the High Commission of Canada in Bangladesh joined by the Embassy of France, Embassy of Sweden, High Commission of the United Kingdom, High Commission of Australia, Embassy of the Netherlands, and the United Nations resident coordinator jointly hosted the roundtable held at the official residence of the Canadian high commissioner.

The objectives of the event were to understand the importance of investing in women; highlight the benefits of Gender Lens Investing (GLI) in Bangladesh; and introduce the Orange Movement creating a world where gender equality is the norm and paving the way for a sustainable future in alignment with the Smart Bangladesh Vision 2041.

The presenter Prof Durreen Shahnaz is the founder and CEO of Impact Investment Exchange (IIX), a social stock exchange supporting businesses providing development solutions. IIX, is a pioneer and global leader in impact investing and sustainability, transforming the financial system so that women and underserved communities are finally given value and a voice in the global market.

Bangladesh is Asia-Pacific’s fastest-growing economy with an average annual GDP (gross domestic product) growth of around 6.5%. The Smart Bangladesh Vision 2041 aims for a Smart Society and Smart Economy.

This workshop introducing the Orange Movement campaign and raising awareness of the benefits of GLI may help Bangladesh close the gender gap in labour force participation, elevating GDP per capita by 0.5-0.7% on average. A 10% rise in female employment could boost GDP by 3.1%.