Violence against Women
HR body offers help
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Chairman Prof Mizanur Rahman yesterday urged women to come to the commission breaking their "silence" if they face any violence against them.
The human rights commission would investigate the matter and recommend the authorities concerned to take necessary steps in this regard, he assured.
The HR chief made the call while addressing as the chief guest at a roundtable on “Writing Wrongs against Woman Journalists in Bangladesh” at the Jatiya Press Club.
ARTICLE 19, a London-based human rights organisation, organised the event. The organisation takes its name from Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal President Hasanul Haque Inu, also a lawmaker of the ruling grand alliance, urged the government to ensure security of women at workplaces to stop harassment against them.
Tahmina Rahman, director of Bangladesh and South Asia of ARTICLE 19, presented a report made based on a study of women journalists in Bangladesh saying 52.70 per cent of the women journalists face some form of sexual harassment while 47.30 per cent face other forms of censorship at workplaces including obstruction to reporting, assault and threats.
It said over 40 per cent of women journalists in Bangladesh who have harassed sexually do not raise their voice against the harassment fearing of social stigma and losing their jobs.
Shah Husain Imam, associate editor of The Daily Star, said mass media houses should bring about a gender balance in the recruitment of journalists and introduce good culture in the houses.
Nasimun Ara Haque Minu, president of Nari Sangbadik Kendra, urged the media houses to keep at least 25 per cent quota for women to do journalism and introduce a code of conduct in the houses to ensure their security.
Abdul Quayum, joint editor of Prothom Alo, Shahnaz Munni, news editor of ATN Bangla, Quinn Parker McKew, senior director (global operations), ARTICLE 19, also spoke.
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