‘Violence against girls has reached barbaric levels’

Women's empowerment has progressed significantly, but violence against women has increased as well, said National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Chairperson Nasima Begum, ndc, yesterday. 

Violence against girls has reached a barbaric level. At the same time, the most noticeable injustice they are facing in current times is child marriage, which is increasing in number, she said at a webinar organised by National Girl Child Advocacy Forum to observe International Women's Day.

"Due to Covid-19 induced income loss, many parents are marrying off their girls, considering the situation as one less mouth to feed. We must look into this," she added.

Praising the initiatives of women leaders, lawmaker Dr Shamil Uddin Ahmed Shimul, also member of the Parliamentary Caucus on Child Rights, said although child marriage has emerged as a serious issue in the pandemic, women leaders at union and district levels played an important role to prevent it.

Lawmaker Adiba Anjum Mita, also member of the caucus, said women are also not free from the patriarchal mindset. Women must unite in supporting each other to flourish.

National Girl Child Advocacy Forum Executive Member Wahida Banu, also executive director of Aporajeyo Bangladesh, focused on the necessity of socialisation and changing the mindset of people towards girls.

There must be more employment opportunities for women, she said.

"Although we have so many achievements, the ongoing violent incidents are forcing them to fade away," she added.

Two women leaders -- Birangana Kanan Gomez (72) and young journalist Rabeya Akter Shuborna from ATN Bangla -- were honoured with crests and provided Tk 10,000 each at the event.

Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar, global vice president and country director of The Hunger Project, presided over the programme.

Rabeya Begum, assistant secretary of National Girl Child Advocacy Forum; Nasima Akter Jolly, secretary of the forum; Bitheeka Hasan, gender expert at UNDP's human rights programme; and Prof Hosne Ara Begum, executive director of Thengamara Mohila Sabuj Sangha, also spoke at the webinar.