Parliamentarians should play the role of watchdogs in society to prevent violence against women.
The observation came at the closing ceremony of the three-day-long regional seminar titled “Ending the cycle of violence against girls in Asia pacific” at the capital’s Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel yesterday.
Participated by MPs from 12 Asia Pacific countries, the seminar broadly discussed issues like child marriage, sexual abuse and domestic violence.
The discussants identified key factors to an effective legislation, its implementation and role of parliamentarians in that regard.
Whip Shahiduzzaman Sarker said parliamentarians should engage those concerned with the implementation of legislation, like law enforcers, health care professionals, social workers, civil society members, grassroots organisations, religious and community leaders.
He said these stakeholders must play role models and participate in awareness campaigns outside parliament to ensure that the knowledge over the legislation was spread properly and accessed and understood by general people.
He said: “Male parliamentarians and opinion leaders in particular should voice against gender inequality and violence against girls and women.”
Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury urged the participants to pass on the recommendations made in the seminar to their fellow parliamentarians and work together to prevent violence against women.