Bangladesh Mahila Parishad - Norad

22activities. The movement sub-committee is in the process of analyzing survey datafrom a survey carried out among 280 representatives at the district level.In our field visit we heard a unanimous call for more training and support to womenmembers of the UPs. Women elected leaders faced numerous problems, such aswithholding of government documents (UP manual) and agendas for UP meetings,withholding of financial resources (allowances and financial resources for theirconstituencies), non-collaboration by male members, and inability to use theirexecutive powers. They called for support to ensure meaningful and effectiveparticipation and requested more training on rights, responsibilities, and thegovernance system. They also suggested regular informal meetings with BMP andlogistical support from BMP. Women held hopes that if they reached a critical mass,they would be able to exert effective influence. To be effective, women also pointedout that having the support of the UP chairman was essential.Gender responsive budgetingBMP has contributed to an increase in the adoption of gender responsive budgetingby government ministries, and currently 24 ministries have adopted gender sensitivebudgeting (an increase from 4 to 24 in the period 2008 to 2012). BMP organizesbudget meetings before and after budgets are presented in Parliament. For the prebudgetmeetings, BMP consults with women from the districts as well as at thecentral level, and formulate suggestions to the Ministry of Finance. After the budgethas been presented, BMP organizes another meeting to assess the impact of its work.For these meetings, prominent economists are invited to write and present papers ascomments to the budget process. There is a lack of in-house expertise in this area,which is very technical.3.3 Health: maternal, reproductive and adolescent healthBMP works to promote a gender perspective on health issues. BMP’s subcommitteeon health has close collaboration with the Obstetrics and GynecologicalSociety, Bangladesh Medical Association, UNFPA, BRAC etc. This enables BMP tobring its gender perspective into the mainstream of Bangladesh’s health sector.Like the legal section, the health sub-committee has a strong focus on national leveladvocacy. Members of the sub-committee meet several times a year with the Ministryof Health to address issues related to maternal, adolescent, sexual and reproductivehealth, with a view to promoting the achievement of the Millennium DevelopmentGoals in this area. Of late, BMP has addressed ante-natal care and institution baseddelivery in particular. Moreover, BMP has worked for a gender responsive healthbudget to ensure that women benefit from government budgets.Specific BMP initiatives have focused on raising awareness on adolescent healthissues and it argues it has played a pioneering role, such as through the campaign’Don’t marry before 18’. BMP has consistently advocated for a national women’shealth policy. Moreover, it has been vocal on the need for community health clinics,and the current project director for primary health clinics is also a Vice President ofthe BMP. BMP also advocated for the extension of maternity health leave from three