DHAKA: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said proper education can encourage a girl mentally, economically and socially to be self dependent.

“Women can stand against any injustice and discrimination if they get proper education,” she said.

The premier said while addressing an international conference on importance of women education on the occasion of International Literacy Day at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in city on Monday.

She said to provide education to every girl in the world is our one of the big challenges. Still today, girls are facing hindrance in going to school in several parts of the world.

We want to change this situation, she added.

However, UNESCO director general Irina Bokova, handed over a memento of ‘Tree of Peace’ or ‘Shantir Briksha’ to Sheikh Hasina for her outstanding contribution in extending women and girls education.

Later, the PM dedicated the award to women, especially to the girls, all over the world.

UNESCO awarded seven persons and institutions worldwide for contribution to literacy and education.

They were nominated earlier by UNESCO Jury Board as per submission of nominations for 2014.

Association for the Promotion of Non-Formal Education of Burkina Faso president Anatole T Niameogo and Ecuador education minister Augusto Espinosa received the King Sejong Literacy Prizes.

Aicha Barki, President, Algerian Association of Alphabetization (IQRRA), Algeria,  Ana Garcia Reina, Director of the Permanent Education Center Poligono Sur Seville, Spain, Isabel Dealbert, Deputy Director of the Permanent Education Center Poligono Sur Seville,Spain, Masennya Dikotla, Chief Executive Officer, Molteno Institute for Language and Literacy and International Literacy Institute, South Africa, Dan A Wagner, Director, Molteno Institute for Language and Literacy and International Literacy Institute received the Confucius Prize for Literacy.

Bangladesh education minister Nurul Islam Nahid, foreign minister HM Mahmood Ali and primary and mass education minister Mostafizur Rahman, among others, spoke at the program.

BDST: 1600 HRS, SEP 08, 2014