“Our contribution in food production and in managing all household works is not yet recognized and even no gratitude and thankfulness is offered to us for our hard work. We have been deprived from our rights though we play as much as same role in food production as male members do”. Hawa Akter, member of HABADA (a handicraft organization led by women in Netrokuna) from Netrokuna while sharing her wounds and woes being born as women in a discussion meeting arranged by MATI-I KUMAR women organization and facilitated by BARCIK on the eve of international day of rural women.

To mark the international event, the women organization with support from BARCIK organized rally and arranged discussion with the participation of rural women farmers, women government officials, NGO representatives and journalists. Carrying the banners and festoons where the theme of the observance “Food security could be ensured recognizing the role of rural women in biodiversity conservation” was written, the organizers conducted a rally where numbers of rural women participated including government representatives, Ngo representatives, students and farmers.

A discussion was arranged after the end of the rally where Happy Roy, staff of BARCIK presented a paper. In the paper, Happy Roy illustrated the role of women in food production and biodiversity conservation. The paper also describes the lack of rights and deprivation of women due to being not recognized for their crucial role in food production. Based on the paper, an open discussion was organized where women leaders and rural women and human rights activists shared their views regarding the role of rural women and their agonies of not being recognized. However among the discussants in the discussion include: Hawa Akter of HABADA, Muzammal Haque, of Sreerampur youth organization, Mahmuda Akter, human rights activist, Niva Rani Paul, member of MATI-I KUMAR,  Faozia Nasreen, women leaders and human rights activist, Zebunnahar Nargis, government officials of women and children and staffs of BARCIK.

It is mentionable that the first International Day of Rural Women was observed on 15 October 2008. This new international day, established by the General Assembly in its resolution 62/136 of 18 December 2007, recognizes the critical role and contribution of rural women, including indigenous women, in enhancing agricultural and rural development, improving food security and eradicating rural poverty. In parallel to this international event world food day is observed on 16 October to bridge and focus the crucial role of women.