Barisal Correspondent :
Participants at an advocacy meeting in Barisal stressed proper empowerment of women ensuring non-discriminate equality to end domestic violence on Sunday.
The programme was organised by Barisal Unit of Nagorik Uddyog (Citizen’s Initiative) at Bangladesh Development Society Auditorium titled as ‘ Proper Implementation of Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act 2010: Role of Local Government”.
The programme was presided over by Israil Pandit, President of Nagorik Adhikar (Citizen Rights) team.
Among others Muhammad Abdur Rouf Mia, Barisal Sadar, UNO, Rashida Begum, District Women Affairs Officer, Rabeya Khatun, District President Mohila Parishad, Advocate Rashida Aktar Shirin, legal Aid Activist, A K M Aktaruzzaman Talukdar, Upazila Social Services Officer, Akkhas Hossain, Cultural Activist, participated in the discussion attended by representatives from different government and non-government organizations, socio-guttural activists.
The speakers said although torture and violence against women were continuing world-wide but it also recognised that women are actively important agents for transforming society. So empowerment of women with gender equity at different stages and spheres of family, society, state needed to ensure progress of the society on sustainable right ways.
Meeting the challenge of preventing and protecting domestic violence against women always a precondition for reducing poverty, promoting sustainable development and building good governance, the speakers told
Quoting recent statistics of Bangladesh Statistical Bureau the participants noticed that 81.6 percent women psychologically tortured by husband in home and it were more damaging than physical torture. They said 64.6 percent women victimised by physical and 36.5 percent victimised by sexual abuse in domestic arena in our country.
Bangladesh parliament although passed the ‘prevention of domestic violence ( prevention and protection) act 2010 ‘ on October 2010 and it came into effect as law on December 30, 2010, but still failed to give sufficient affects on the society due to weakness of our local government and socio-family structures.
The enacted law was applicable only for women and girl-children as family members and outsiders of the family could easily remain out of net of the act. Besides there were lacks of coordination among the law enforcers, courts, other service providers to make the law properly effective, the speakers noticed.
The discussants also stressed on creating mass awareness, focusing role and contribution of women in building and progressing society and family in and outside the home.
They suggested forming committees for children and women welfare in local levels, making the local government instruments and committees active, coordinating and properly implementing the acts related with prevention of violence and protection to resolve domestic disputes and prevent tortures against women, for successfully prevent and protect women from domestic violence.
BSS from Rangpur adds: All sorts of repressions and violence against women could be eradicated through ensuring unity among the backward rural womenfolk and their development, speakers said at a daylong women grand rally said.
Fulbari Area Development Programme (ADP) of World Vision Bangladesh (WVB) organised the rally at Siddeshi High School ground under Fulbari upazila in Dinajpur on Saturday for forming community based forum of the rural women.
Over 700 extremely poor and distressed women of different villages from allover Betdighee union under Fulbari upazila participated in the rally with grassroots level women leader Mahfuza Begum in the chair.
Chairman of Betdighee union and Vice-principal of Fulbari Degree College Shah Mohammad Abdul Kuddus attended and addressed the rally as the chief guest.
Fulbari Upazila Cooperatives Officer Abdur Rouf, President of Fulbari Press Club Amor Chand Gupta Apu, Acting Manager of Fulbari ADP of WVB Badal Sangma and its Project Officer Gyanottar Chakma addressed as the special guests.
The speakers said the women must be united at the community levels to attain their socioeconomically development and political empowerment to prevent all sorts of social injustice, discriminations, repressions, tortures, abuse and violence against them.
