U.S. government empowers women entrepreneurs to fight against corruption

by Blitz Desk
February 19, 2010

http://www.weeklyblitz.net/528/us-government-empowers-women-entrepreneurs-to

U.S. Ambassador James F. Moriarty and Minister for Commerce Lt. Col (ret'd) Muhammad Faruk Khan opened the national conference on "Anti-Corruption Reform Efforts for Women Entrepreneurs" in Dhaka. The United States Government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), funded this conference as part of its good governance initiative called "PROGATI" – Promoting Governance, Accountability Transparency and Integrity Program. The conference took place at the conclusion of an eight month program of training and advocacy activities implemented by the Bangladesh Women's Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BWCCI) and supported by USAID.

Under this initiative, PROGATI brought together 300 women entrepreneurs in Chittagong, Sylhet and Khulna to promote anti-corruption activities. The entrepreneurs identified how they experience corruption in their professional lives. The participants cited taxation, access to credit, and business development services as the key areas where corruption was most pronounced. The participants analyzed how existing laws and policies protect women entrepreneurs and where new laws and policies are necessary. The entrepreneurs also held advocacy events in their home districts to promote necessary policy change.

The U.S. Government, through USAID, is working to improve the lives of the people of Bangladesh, especially the very poor. USAID administers programs in Bangladesh in five broad areas: improving health and pre-primary education, creating income opportunities for rural poor, supporting good governance, enhancing food security, and strengthening disaster preparedness and providing emergency assistance following natural disasters. The U.S. Government has provided more than $5.5 billion in assistance to Bangladesh since 1971. In 2010, U.S. assistance will total approximately $170 million.

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