The UNFPA, Unicef and UN Women on Thursday published a meta-analysis report focusing on how women, girls, and children, including adolescents, in Bangladesh face the brunt of the growing risk of gender-based violence (GBV) as an aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, that hit in 2020.
The report "Justice, Accountability and Support: Essential Services for Survivors of Gender-Based Violence," draws an effort by the three UN agencies.
It underscores their commitment to taking decisive actions and providing support to the government of Bangladesh in its endeavor to eliminate all forms of violence against women and children.
"Now more than ever, it is critical to have a comprehensive and coordinated response to address the multifaceted challenges faced by GBV survivors,” said Emma Brigham, Unicef deputy representative to Bangladesh.
“Let’s strengthen our prevention and protection mechanisms, ensuring that women and children have access to the services they need to thrive," she added.
According to a 2021 UN Women report, around 93% of women in Bangladesh reported having experienced or knowing another woman who has experienced violence against women and girls (VAWG).
Moreover, Bangladesh also continues to witness one of the highest rates of child marriage, with more than half of women aged between 22 and 24 married when they were still children.
The report highlighted the urgent need to bridge the gap between health, police, justice, and social services and survivors, emphasizing the delivery of essential services to a GBV survivor.
Encourage women to report violence: Justice sector stakeholders need to encourage reporting of violence through the provision of information to the community on police commitment, by ensuring police can be contacted 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
They may coordinate with other service providers and the community to ensure that whoever the survivor first reports the incident to, be it directly to the police or health service providers to social workers, their cases are treated with utmost care and prioritized.
Essential Services Package (ESP) for Women and Girls Subject to Violence is a UN global guidance supporting national systems to respond to gender-based violence across four key sectors: health, social services, justice, and police.
“On behalf of UNFPA, and together with Unicef and UN Women, I reaffirm our collective commitment to support Government efforts to address gaps identified. Closer partnerships with the relevant Government institutions, non-governmental and civil society organizations, and development partners are key to achieving all of them,” said Masaki Watabe, deputy representative, UNFPA Bangladesh.
UN Women Programme Coordinator, Shrabana Datta, said: “It is essential to work holistically, work in an intersectional and coordinated way, and involve all stakeholders to strengthen prevention and response programming for ending violence against women and girls. We need to scale up investments in prevention efforts. UN Women stands ready to work with the Government, civil society partners and development partners to advance prevention and response to gender-based violence efforts in the country.”
The report also suggests many recommendations to the Bangladesh government bodies on GBV.
Increased use of technology to fast-track justice processes: Increased use of technology for hearings, especially in the context of Covid-19, to accelerate action on cases of GBV may be considered.
Availability of trained health workforce, infrastructure and logistics: Ensure that required health workers like doctors, nurses and other staff are available 24/7 and are well trained to provide medico-legal services and referrals for psychosocial support.
Appropriate psychosocial and other health assistance: Ensure health care providers have the right skills and specialization to provide psychosocial Justice Accountability and Support Essential Services for Survivors of Gender-Based Violence care and counselling support to GBV survivors.
Engaging men and boys: Partner with UN agencies for community mobilization, including the engagement of men and boys as allies to end GBV.
According to Emma Brigham: “This is very important to engage the boys and the men to be involved in order to reduce gender-based violence. This type of topic can be included in the schools. As many children are outside of schools, we need to also think about them and educate them about this issue.”
