Gender and Violence Against Women

An investigation was conducted to study the practices and potentiality of Agricultural rehabilitation through crop diversification and its management options of yielding after flood disaster in some Haor areas (wetlands) in Kishoreganj district. The soils are nutritionally very productive and the textural and environmental conditions are more appropriate for rice production and the main crops is rice in haor area. There are both lack and potentiality of practices of diversification and intensifications efforts. Its our searching points through the study of this potentiality for mitigating options of flood through agricultural rehabilitation in haor lands. This is also very much important for survival and livelihood for the poor farmers, who mainly depend on agriculture during, before and after flood.

High rates of violence against women and girls (VAWG) prevail in many countries despite the fact that VAWG is well recognized as a significant problem affecting women and children’s health and well-being throughout the world. Addressing VAWG remains challenging as the evidence on effective interventions is thin worldwide. The proven interventions, which are scanty, need to be tailored to the particular needs of the context involving the community members for ensuring effectiveness and sustainability. This study carried out in two districts of Bangladesh between July and September 2012 explored community perspective on ways to address VAWG. Data were collected through 14 Key Informant Interviews and 24 Focus Group Discussions with males and females.
The community members prioritized primary prevention suggesting as well strategies for improving response to VAWG. Engaging men, and the youth, in particular, was highlighted by all categories of study participants as an essential strategy. The women and the adolescent girls clearly identified gender inequality as the root cause of VAWG and suggested ensuring gender equality and equity in economic and social life as well as in ideology. For achieving this they suggested economic empowerment of women; enabling women to claim their rights; and changing gender inequitable attitudes in the community and beyond. Poverty was recognized as one of the predictors of VAWG and accordingly poverty reduction was suggested.
Other suggestions included mass campaign on laws regarding VAWG, restructuring and strengthening existing institutions for providing appropriate services to the victims, and formation of women’s collectives and courts. Male dominance throughout the recourse seeking system was identified as an important deterrent to effective response to VAWG. In addressing this, they suggested empowering female representatives at the sub-district government committees for providing support to the victims; ensuring greater representation of women in informal arbitration; ensuring women’s right to serve as witness; and ensuring voice and safety of the victims and the witnesses. Role of good governance and community pressure groups and setting up of hotline services for complaints were emphasised for addressing corruption at all levels.
While NGO activities were appreciated more active role of NGOs was desired. Creating new structures such as NGO run One Stop Crisis Centres close to the village was suggested. Women’s collectives and women’s courts were also suggested reflecting readiness of the women and girls in actively engaging with group-based initiatives for addressing VAWG.

Public paces are not homogeneous and its understandings and usages are highly gendered in terms of access and safety. The policy brief calls for a nuanced, gendered understanding of public spaces but that of gender as well. The policy brief argues multiple gender identities that get played out on differently in public spaces generating multiple narrative of gender violence, which should be taken into account while framing public policies.