N.S.M. Muzzammel Huq :
Violence against Women & Children is considered as a violation of human rights. This has been identified as a worldwide problem, which is a threat against women and children health, security, social safety and economic stability at large. The violence is now not confined within the four walls of home, but outside also. It can occur in both public and private spheres and at any time of their life span. According to UN survey 2006, one out of every three women are victims of violence throughout the world.
The UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women (1993) states that violence against women is the manifestation of historically unequal power relations between men and women which have led to domination over and discrimination against women by men and to the prevention of the full advancement of women. Violence against women is one of the crucial social mechanisms by which women are forced into a subordinate position compared to men.
World Health Organization considers that violence against women puts an undue burden on health care services, as women who have suffered violence are more likely to need health services and at higher cost, compared to women who have not suffered violence.
Current Perspective of Violence against Women and Children in Bangladesh
The incidences of violence against women and children have become a regular phenomenon in Bangladesh like other countries of the world. A research and survey conducted in 1992-2008 shows that 42-70 percent women were victim of violence during this period. During the period 2010 to 2013 a statically display gives an authentic information of violence against women and children published in 24 national dailies is as follows:
All kinds of violence related to women and children exist in Bangladesh. The categories include physical torture, sexual harassment, mental torture, burn torture, acid burn, economic violence or monetary deprivation, trafficking, polygamy, child marriage, divorce etc.
To combat this violence international commitments and declarations include: Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948, Declaration on the Protection of Women and Children in Emergency and Armed Conflict 1974, Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) 1979, Convention on the Rights of Child 1989, Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women 1993, The Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action 1995, Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Eliminate of all forms of Discrimination Against Women 1999, Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Optional Protocol 2006 and Commission on the Status of Women, Resolution of 57 session 2013.
To combat violence against women and children, the government of Bangladesh took series of massive legal provisions keeping consistency with the constitutional provisions of the state. The Constitution of Bangladesh clearly states: The state shall adopt effective measures to prevent prostitution and gambling (Article 18.2). No citizen shall on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth, be ineligible for or discriminated against in respect of any employment or office in the service of the Republic (Article 29.2).
Keeping consistency with national and international declarations, commitments and conventions the government of Bangladesh enacted different acts, rules and regulations for prevention of violence against women and children. These are: The Human Trafficking (Deterrence and Suppression) Act 2012, the Pornography Control Act 2012, the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act 2010, the Child Marriage Restraint Act. 1929 (revision under-process), the Dowry Prohibition Act 1980, the Suppression of Violence against Women and Children Act 2000, the Acid Crime Control Act 2002, the Citizenship (Amended) Act 2009, the Mobile Court Act 2009 and the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Rules 2013.
The High Court issued some directives to prevent violence against women and children, like – the extra judicial punishment in the name of the fatwa is illegal. Executive order of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs to prevent child marriage or notification of the Ministry of Education to prohibit corporal punishment in educational institutions was made following High Court directives.
The implications of violence against women and children in the context of socio-economic situation are is very alarming and possess far reaching impacts on individual, family and the society at large. So it is very essential to create social awareness to change the stereotype mind set of the individual and social attitude against violence against women and children. As poverty and economic dependency of women is one of the main reasons of violence against women, the women folk should be involved in the mainstream of economic activities. For this, women should be given all facilities to become skilled human resource to ensure sustainable national development. Education, health, training, psychological and cultural areas should be made accessible to them to develop themselves as potential human resource.
Security should be ensured to the women and children victims after the incidence of violence. Women support centers, like ‘One Stop Crisis Centre’, should be expanded and helpline facilities be extended so that medical, legal, police, shelter and rehabilitation services become available to the victims. Psychological counseling can help the victims recover quickly from the trauma situation. Ensuring rehabilitation services to the women and children victims of violence is very important.
It may be mentioned that the government of Bangladesh has formulated the National Action Plan to Prevent Violence against Women and Children 2013-2025. The vision of this long term plan is to develop a society without violence against women and children by 2025.
In this journey against preventing violence against women and children, all government and non-government organizations and the civil society should come forward with time framed national plan of action. Cooperation, coordination, concerted action, sincerity and dedication can ensure a better society where no violence against children and women shall prevail and hence a gender balanced modern society can march forward to its cherished goal.
( PID-UNICEF Feature )
