A dialogue on Health Systems and Women's Health: Priorities for the Next Programme was organised jointly by the CPD and Columbia University on February 20, 2002. Chaired by CPD Chairman Professor Rehman Sobhan the dialogue was also attended by Dr M S Akbar, MP as the Special Guest. Dr Rounaq Jahan, a Professor of the Columbia University, USA was the keynote speaker.
In her keynote presentation, Professor Jahan stated that not diseases, but malnutrition, pregnancy and child birth-related problems and violence against them are the causes of death and disability women. Though women constitute half of the total population of the country, they face disadvantages for gender differentials, which increase the volume of maternity death rates. Speaking on child mortality rates she said that although neonatal mortality is higher for male children (55 per 1,000 against 47 for females), the situation changes soon after birth. As a result of neglect towards female children, post-neonatal mortality among males is 27 per 1,000 births against 31 among female children, she added.
According to Professor Jahan, around 20 per cent of maternal deaths were caused by unsafe abortion, 22 per cent deaths were due to violence including suicide and 14 percent due to violence. She also stated that 39 per cent of women suffered from chronic or residual morbidity related to childbirth.

Professor Rehman Sobhan speaks at the dialogue on Women's Health. Professor Rounaq Jahan, Mr M S Akbar, MP and Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya are also seen in the picture.

She stressed, among others, the inclusion of a maternal health component in the integrated reproductive health services, training for midwives and carrying forward the previous unfinished Health and Population Sector Programme (HPSP) in reproductive health as the priority areas for the next health programmes.
Participants stressed the need for development of management systems at the thana-level, the secretariat-level and the ministry-level to provide better medicare facilities to women.

Abject Poverty is the Root Cause of Hazardous Child Labour
Social safety net required for proper rehabilitation

CPD organised a dialogue titled Child labour Policy of Bangladesh: What Are We Looking For at the CIRDAP Auditorium on February 6, 2003. Mr Syed Manzur Elahi, Member, CPD Board of Trustees and a former adviser to the Caretaker Government, chaired the dialogue, while State Minister for Labour and Employment, Lutfor Rahman Khan attended the dialogue as the Chief Guest. Chief Whip of the Opposition in the Parliament Mr Abdus Shahid and Director of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Mr Gopal Bhattacharya were the Special Guests at the function.
Dr Sumaiya Khair, Fellow, CPD and an Associate Professor of the Department of Law, DU presented the keynote paper. In her presentation, Dr Khair emphasised on the struggle against exploitative child labour and the importance of collaborative efforts of the private sector, trade union, NGOs and the Government in this regard. Formulation of codes of conduct, procurement and recruitment policies and above all, establishment of a particular organisation for handling the issues pertaining to child labour also received much stress in her presentation.
In his speech the state Minister said that the government is committed to the total elimination of child labour but it needs time. He also added that the concerted efforts of the government, NGOs and civil society leaders, businessmen and the donor countries and institutions could go a long way towards the elimination of the child labour. "Sustainable development will remain a distant dream if the nation builders of tomorrow are forced to toil in hazardous conditions", he said.
Syed Manzur Elahi termed the prevalence of child labour as a consequence of abject poverty and absence of adequate social safety net. He said, though the business circle and the government have been striving to tackle

Dr Sumaiya Khair presenting the keynote paper on Child Labour while Mr Abdus Shahid MP, Syed Manzur Elahi, State Minister Mr Lutfor Rahman Khan and ILO Chief Mr Gopal Bhattacharya look on.

the problem with limited resources, the country's business sector has been victimised by negative perceptions on different standard issues, including hazardous child labour. CPD Executive Director, Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya also stressed the need for taking positive steps relating to child labour to develop sound manpower resources in the future.
The Chief Whip of the Opposition, Abdus Shahid underscored the need for a social movement with participation from community leaders to eliminate the social menace. He said, "Merely formulating policies would not be enough to eliminate child labour. Education for all including those dwelling in slums and development of rural areas should also be ensured in line with the constitutional provisions."
The ILO Director, Gopal Bhattacharya expressed his satisfaction over the performance of the government and other stakeholders in their efforts to eliminate child labour from the country. He also emphasised upon the need for sustainability of what has been achieved.