DMP hotline soon to stop crimes against women
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) is going to introduce 24-hour emergency hotlines to provide services to victims of violence against women.
A striking force combined with female police personnel will be on vigilance in city to curb crime against women, including stalking, sexual harassment and domestic violence.
“Any woman can call anytime from anywhere of Dhaka seeking any help. Our women police unit will rush in and take immediate action,” Ayesha Siddique, senior assistant superintendent of police (ASP), told a discussion yesterday.
Australian High Commission in Dhaka and Brac jointly organised the discussion titled “Recognising gender -- At home and abroad” at Brac centre in the city.
“The initiative of introducing hotline is now under process. It will launch soon after finalising the work plan and other formalities,” said Ayesha Siddique, also Chief of Women Support and Investigation Unit of DMP, hoping that this would help reduce crimes against women significantly.
For that purpose, she advised to recruit more women in law enforcement agencies to stop political intervention in police works.
State Minister for Women and Children Dr Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury was the chief guest in the event while Elizabeth Broderick, sex discrimination commissioner, Australian Human Rights Commission, presented the keynote paper.
Dr Shirin pointed out various initiatives taken by the government to establish women's rights and stop violence against women.
“We have increased maternal leave from four months to six months in public services. Now we are pursuing the private sector to adopt this provision,” she said, adding that the government has been working to ensure gender equality at all levels by addressing all sorts of challenges.
Australian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dr Justin Lee, director of Brac's Gender Justice and Diversity and Advocacy for Social Change Sheepa Hafiza, Gender Adviser of AusAid Susan Ferguson, honorary director of Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) Barrister Sara Hossain and University Laboratory School and College Principal Selina Banu also spoke at the discussion.
In her keynote paper Broderick said there is still a large gap in wages between men and women in many developed countries.
“In Australia, 51 per cent of the population is women. But a woman only earn 83 cents for every dollar that a man earns,” said the women activist, adding that around 1.2 million women in Australia over the age of 15 has experienced domestic and family violence in 2005.
Taking part in the discussion, some speakers observed that there are procedural gaps in the state interventions towards preventing violence against women.
They also pointed out that the incidence of violence against women is rising due to weaknesses in the legal framework, lack of gender sensitivity in the administration and poor law and order situation overall.
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