Saturday | 5 October 2024 | Reg No- 06
বাংলা
   
Saturday | 5 October 2024 | Epaper

Women’s participation in legal practice helpful for women empowerment

Published : Saturday, 11 February, 2023 at 12:00 AM  Count : 866
Md Sazedul Islam
Legal profession pursued by women can be helpful when it comes to the issue of women's empowerment. Women's involvement into the profession can create scope to uphold the rights of women. The women with legal background can play an important role in raising awareness, and can provide better support to those females, who are victimised due to gender-related violence.    

They can make contribution to developing laws to stop violence against women. If necessary, they can file writ petitions on different issues affecting women and children. According to media reports, a female lawyer filed a writ with the Supreme Court to establish dedicated breast-feeding areas and infant care corners in both public places and workplaces. The court ruled in her favour and allowed nursing mothers to be provided with rooms to feed their babies.

It is just one example of how females in legal practice can be helpful in establishing the rights of women.

Though support from males is also important, females in legal profession can play roles in awakening women about their rights and give necessary supports. Female lawyers can provide legal education and legal services, and mobilize women to raise their voices against discrimination and injustice.

Although Bangladesh's national constitution stressed on ensuring equal rights for men and women in all spheres of the State and public life, violence and discrimination against women reportedly remain common features of Bangladesh society. There are different laws in the country for protecting the rights of women. Awareness among women about those laws can play an important role in realizing their rights.

In many marginalized societies, violence against women is socially normalized to such extent that many survivors accept it as a part of their lives. Women lawyers can provide support to women in marginalized societies and can aware them of their legal rights and can empower them to create better future for themselves.           
           
Advocate Olieda Begum, aged 48, who is in legal practice at the national level for the last 15 years, shared her views while underscoring the importance of legal profession for women.

She completed her LL.B. from Central Law College at Bijoynagar in the capital after completing her Masters from the National University. She started her legal practice at the Judges Court in the capital.

Advocate Olieda thinks that there are several problems that discourage females to enter into the legal profession. These are financial problems, lack of social support as well as motivation due to absence of support from parents/families.

Despite troubles, women must overcome all the difficulties and establish themselves as successful lawyers in the country, she observed.

Apart from managing her own family, Advocate Olieda is trying to increase the scope of her activities by engaging herself in different organizations.   

At present, she is a member of Awami Ainjibi Parishad, Mohila Ainjibi Samity, and Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST). She is also working as panel lawyers of Sonali Bank, BASIC Bank and the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) under the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

In a bid to enrich herself with more knowledge on law, she is planning to earn bar-at-law degree in the future. She said she has a desire to provide services to people in the future.  

Advocate Olieda involved herself in local government election and cultural world. Hailing from Khalilpur village in Devidwar upazila of Cumilla district, she has inclination towards cultural world. During her student life in Devidwar in Cumilla, she took part in cultural activities, especially in drama.  

She had involved herself in local government election. In 2003, she contested the Fatehabad union parishad election in Devidwar upazila of Cumilla as a chairman candidate. She finished second in that election. She said that she was supposed to win the election, but she was forced to accept defeat due to disfavourable political environment which prevailed at that time.    

In her personal life, she has one son (lone child), who is now studying LL.B. at Stamford University in Dhaka. Olieda has great devotion to the legal profession. Hence, she motivated her son to be enrolled into law. She hopes that her son will contribute to the country's development when he will enter into the profession after completing his academic life.    

The writer is a freelancer



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