Int’l Day for Elimination of Violence against Women today
Bangladesh will observe the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women today with various forms of violence against women including rape and sexual harassment continuing unabated. Different government and non-government organisations have taken elaborate programmes marking the day. Women right activists said that violence against women continued unabated due to patriarchal mindset, corrupt practice within the law enforcement agencies, political influence to escape punishment and lack of victims and witnesses’ protection.
Bangladesh Mahila Parishad president Ayesha Khanam termed alarming the situation of violence against women and said that the violence against women took very brutal shape despite many multidimensional initiatives – enactment of laws and introduction of one stop crisis centre.
According to Bangladesh Mahila Parishad statistics, 4,854 women became victim of violence against women in the country in the last 10 months till October 31.
Of them, 445 were raped, 132 were gang raped, 94 were killed after rape, 263 were killed for dowry, 759 were killed for different reasons, 383 committed suicide, 575 were stalked, 14 committed suicide after being stalked and 37 women became victim of religious edict issued by village leaders and clerics.
Ayesha Khanam said that though women were successfully playing role in different sectors, they were facing different forms of violence.
Men feel threatened for women empowerment, she said.
According to Bangladesh National Women Lawyers Association, 640 women were raped in the last 10 months till October 31, while 836 women were raped in 2012 and 703 in 2011.
The association director Fauzia Khandaker said that the real number of violence was more than the reported figure.
The right activist said that though the women of the country were moving forward after rape, violence for dowry was still a major issue which prevailed in all classes of the society.
She blamed poor implementation of existing laws, lack of awareness programme in media and uncontrolled use of technology for the violence against women.
Women and children affairs ministry secretary Tariq-ul-Islam said that the trend of violence against women had changed.
The secretary said that the incidents of acid attack decreased in recent days, but the incidents killing women setting them on fire increased.
He said that there were many laws and policies in the country, but awareness was more important than laws and policies.
-With New Age input
