DHAKA: Bangladesh has been nominated as a founding member of the 8-member steering committee of the US-led Equal Futures Partnership (EFP).

Bangladesh has also been made chair of the EFP Asia Pacific Regional Sub-Committee.

These decisions came form a meeting held in Washington DC, USA, among the EFP members from the Asia and Pacific region, namely Australia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand, Timor-Leste and New Zealand.

EFP is a multilateral initiative launched by the US Department of State following the announcement made by US President Barack Obama during the 67th UN General Assembly in 2012.

Its main objective is to promote gender equality in political and economic spheres, and bring together countries that have shown leadership in this regard.

EFP has 26 members representing all geographic regions and includes UN-Women and World Bank as advisory partners.

Bangladesh has committed to work for women development in the country.

The final composition of the Steering Committee is expected to be announced on the 59th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women in March 2015 in New York.

BDST: 2111 HRS, FEB 25, 2015