From Sir Fazle's last 47th annual report (2018) as chairman of Bangladesh Rural Advancement Cooperation

For nearly half a century, our work at BRAC has

supported the building of a gender-equitable

world.

What would a gender-equitable world look like?

A world where cultures, embedded systems,

and values based on patriarchy are replaced by

cultures, systems, and values that empower and

create opportunities for all. A world where girls are

just as likely to gain education and skills as boys,

where women are just as likely as men to own

land, have control over assets and decisions, and

succeed in the workplace, and where men and

women share responsibilities at home equally.

Gender equity is a cross-cutting issue for all

of us - individuals, communities, corporate

organisations, non-governmental organisations,

and governments. We all need to push ahead

and find new ways to achieve this. Gender equity

plays a vital role in both social development and

domestic harmony and, as such, remains one of

our top commitments at BRAC. We will continue

to fight against anything that stands in the way

of women’s development, holds women back,

deprives them of their rights, and damages their

self-esteem or self-respect.

Only a few countries have come close to

achieving gender equality. By comparison, in the

11 countries where BRAC operates, the work

is just beginning. Despite making creditable

progress on some socioeconomic indicators,

we still lag behind in ensuring respect and fair

treatment for women. We must be steadfast in our

struggle to create an equitable society.

Although the challenges may be daunting, we

must not accept the world as it is today. Children

should not be forced to become brides, women

should not have to do more work for less pay,

and wives and mothers should not have to carry a

disproportionately high burden of responsibility at

home. We cannot sit idly by as the harassment of

women and girls continues unabated - at home,

in public spaces, and in the workplace. Rather,

we must continue to act on our conviction that

women are the real agents of positive change for

their families, communities, and for societies as a

whole.

BRAC continued to tackle many of these issues

head on in 2018. This report highlights some of

our work in these areas. As we move forward

towards the third decade of this century, we

must continue to prioritise action that will lead us

towards gender equality, and must do so with a

sense of impatience and urgency. We must strive

to create a world free of systemic prejudice, where

gender-based violence in all its forms is rooted out

for good. For we cannot and will not have peace,

justice, or shared prosperity