Bangladesh is set to observe International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women today along with other countries across the globe.
Violence against women is an acute human rights violation across the country as well as the world. Around 35% of women and girls globally experience some form of physical or sexual violence in their lifetime, with up to seven in ten women facing this abuse in some countries.
UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka recently issued a statement in observance of the day.
She stressed on for some interventions including community mobilisation, group interventions for both women and men, educational programmes and empowerment of women. She said these elements can make a change if put together with other legal, behavioural and social changes.
With the global theme “Orange the World: End Violence Against Women and Girls,” a 16-day activism campaign is set to launch today and will continue till December 10, Human Rights Day.
During this activism campaign, different government agencies, United Nations agencies and civil society organisations will come together to set up initiatives to end violence against women and girls.
In Bangladesh, human rights defenders along with the government agencies have taken up a number of programmes.
ActionAid Bangladesh will organise interactive theatre performances in different parts of Dhaka, youth happenings, discussions, media training and a robust social media presence using #SafeCities, #SafeCitiesBecause and #16DaysofActivism.
The public activities in the capital will take place tomorrow in the Banani Club Field from 11am to 1pm. Transgender theatre group Shomporker Noya Shetu and youth mobilising group Activista will lead the events.
On local level, discussion on violence against women and child marriage will take place in eight districts.
Bangladesh Mahila Parishad and Dhaka University Women and Gender Studies department is jointly organising a rally in front of Oporajeyo Bangla in Dhaka University at 10am.
Besides Bangladesh, over 450 “orange events” will take place around the world during the campaign, unified by the colour orange, to symbolise a brighter future without violence and mobilise people everywhere to bring about change.
At UNHQ, the commemoration event will also launch the first-ever UN Framework for Preventing Violence against Women, jointly developed by UN entities including UN Women, ILO, UNDP, Unesco, UNFPA and WHO.
