ESS wins UN Volunteers' Debate in Honor of Women's Day (Original Post on March 7, 2009)

Do men really make better volunteers than women? -- That was the topic under heated discussion on 6 March 2008 at Notre Dame College. In this debate, sponsored by the 'United Nations Volunteers' (UNV) program in commemoration of Women's Day on 8 March, the boys proposition team comprising ex-Notre Dameians (Mir Nakibul Islam, Shahnoor Islam Khan and Asif from Dhaka University) faced off against a girls opposition team made of past and present European Standard School students (Faria Ahmed, Alaka Dhara Halder and Afrida Mahbub).

In this exciting debate ('Men Make Better Volunteers than Women'), the proposition highlighted the fact that as women face many barriers and risks in the field of voluntary work because of their gender, they cannot utilize their abilities to the same extent as men. However, team opposition emerged victorious after proving that despite the difficulties women face, they still show themselves as more capable, nurturing and willing volunteers in fields ranging from nursing and education to fund-raising and environmentalism. Both sides agreed that women continue to face discrimination and oppression across the world, and require our wholehearted encouragement and support.

The lively session concluded with wise words and encouragement (for both the debaters & also for the women across the globe to whom Women's Day is dedicated!) from UN members including Mr. Kazi Ali Reza (Officer-in-Charge, UN Information Centre) and also a prize-giving ceremony.

This article appeared in the Rising Stars (Daily Star) in March 08