UNB, Dhaka :
Integrated interventions can promote sexual and reproductive health knowledge and reduce violence against young women and girls in urban slums, says a new study.
After carrying out survey on 12,000 people, the preliminary findings of the study show statistically significant decline in violence against women and girls in urban slum communities.
A unique integrated research and intervention project led by icddr,b was conducted aiming to reduce gender violence against young women
and girls in urban slums and also address sexual and reproductive rights and health show considerable improvements in these areas. The ‘Growing Up Healthy and Safe’ (SAFE) project, combined awareness raising on health and legal rights and remedies through interactive group sessions, community campaigns, activism and provision of legal and health services.
The project, which ran from 2010 to 2014, was a joint initiative between icddr,b, Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), Population Council, Nari Maitree, WE CAN (an alliance of civil society organisations), and Marie Stopes Bangladesh.
Adolescent girls experienced the largest reduction of physical and sexual violence. The study found that interventions targeting both male and female groups worked better to reduce both spousal violence and gender inequitable attitudes of men.
On the other hand, in the case of adolescent females, economic violence against them actually increased when men were not included in the intervention.
Gender-based violence is a significant problem in Bangladesh, and adolescent girls are particularly vulnerable due to the prevalence of child marriage.
Research indicates that over 60 percent of Bangladeshi girls are married before the age of 18. Although 53 percent of married women experience spousal physical or sexual violence during their lifetime, less than 2 percent of abused women and girls seek assistance for physical violence.
The problem is particularly acute in urban settings. Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, is one of the fastest growing cities in the world and young women migrating to the city are faced with insecure living arrangements, weak social networks and lack of public services, which leads them to experience higher rates of violence and poorer access to sexual and reproductive health services.
SAFE was funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Additional support was provided to the Population Council from the MacArthur Foundation and the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA).
