‘Domestic violence must be recognized as criminal offense’

Staff Reporter :
The Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, in collaboration with the United Nations Bangladesh and the Local Consultative Group on Women Advancement and Gender Equality (LCG WAGE), inaugurated the commencement of the 16-Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence on November 26th at the Pan Pacific Hotel in Dhaka.

Under the theme ‘Invest to Prevent Violence Against Women & Girls,’ the discussion highlighted the cruciality of preventing violence against women and girls, focusing on critical issues like discriminatory laws, workplace violence, and creating safe spaces for women’s leadership.

As the Special Guest, the UN Resident Coordinator Kristine Blokhus said, “Besides passing legislation and enhancing implementation, adequate funding allocation is imperative to ensure these commitments, coupled with a mechanism to track gender equality budget allocation overall.”

Swedish Ambassador Alexandra Berg von Linde, also present as a special guest, emphasized, “The cost of violence in any society is enormous.

The price we pay – as a society, as a community, as a family and as human beings are enormous.

The effect of violence covers generations and drains resources on all levels. Investing in preventing gender-based violence is therefore not only the right, but the wise thing to do.”

The chief guest, State Minister of Women and Children Affairs Fazilatun Nessa Indira said, “We can reshape our culture. Changing men’s attitudes, stereotypical mindsets, and behavior is essential to reduce violence against women.”

Country Representative of UN Women, Gitanjali Singh, Country Representative of UNFPA, Kristine Blokhus, Najma Mubarak, Secretary of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, among others spoke in the event.

The session was moderated by Dr. Prakash Kanti Chowdhury, Joint Secretary & Project Director, Multi-Sectoral Programme on Violence Against Women.

Barrister Farzana Mahmood presented a comprehensive research paper evaluating Bangladesh’s existing legal framework regarding domestic violence and workplace sexual harassment during the roundtable.

This paper, based on recent studies by the ILO, UNFPA, and UN Women, emphasized legal gaps and strengths, shedding light on necessary improvements.

An alarming revelation was the prevalence of domestic violence in Bangladesh, with a 2015 survey indicating that approximately 72.6 percent of married women have faced abuse.