Thanapara Swallows is a women’s project near the Ganges river in north west Bangladesh. Project member Raihan Ali spoke to People Tree about their very special celebrations for International Women’s Day on 8th March 2010.
2010 marks the 100th anniversary of the Day and Swallows commemorated this by staging a rally for hundreds of women in the local town square. Swallows staff and producers mingled with students, teachers, local government workers and locals to create an amazing atmosphere. One hundred women, one for each year, were chosen to carry candles in a procession to symbolise one hundred years of fighting for women’s rights.
To bring the message of women’s rights to the younger generation, local schoolgirls were invited to enter a competition to write about International Women’s Day. On the day itself the four best essays were announced and the winners presented with a prize.
In the afternoon a debate was held which was attended by over 200 producers and local women. A guest speaker spoke about the significance of the day, then five women who had played an important role in local women’s rights were chosen and presented with awards.
In the evening, Mahmuda Begum Guinea, the Assistant Director of Thanapara Swallows, was invited to speak at the local Police headquarters. The speech, about how police can play a role in establishing women rights, was extremely well attended with an audience of over 1,000, and was a perfect end to a very satisfying day.
