Women's Day Special
Law Event
International Women's Day 2006
'Love in family, not violence'
Action Network to Combat Violence Against Women (ANCVAW) has observed the International Women's Day 2006 with due solemnity and respect. The ANCVAW and its members organized different colorful events including rally, cultural Show, signature campaign and Candle light vigil at Dhaka. Celebrity performers from mass media, singer, writer participated in the day's programs.
Rally, Discussion session, Signature campaign and other programs has also been organized in 30 other districts all over the country with the participation of different organizations, civil society and people from all walks of life.
In Dhaka, the day's programs kicked of through a colorful rally from Manik Mia Avenue to Robindra Sorobor at Dhanmondi. Participants from ANCVAW Member organizations i.e. Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK), Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), Bangladesh National Women Lawyers Association (BNWLA), Manabik Shahajya Sangstha (MSS), Rupantar, Odhikar, Padakhep, Samata, Steps Towards Development, Uttaran, and South Asia Partnership-Bangladesh (SAP-BD) attended the rally along with members from AED/BHRAP, USAID, mass media people, and other different development and cultural organizations and people from all walks of life.
The rally was followed by a cultural Show organized at Robindra Sorobor.
Cultural Program starts with the song by Street Children Theatre Group of Padakhep. The Chairperson of ANCVAW and Executive Director of SAP-BD. Syed Nurul Alam welcomed the audience and participants. In his speech, the ANCVAW Chairperson reiterated the need to protect women from domestic violence and all forms of violence. He also urged to all to bring women in the main stream of the development process.
The statement of ANCVAW was read out by Ms. Upama Dasgupta, Assistant Program Coordinator, Samata, a member of ANCVAW. The ANCVAW statement claimed that right of decision-making is one of the important human rights. But women all over the world including Bangladesh are being deprived of this right. Lack of women's equal participation in decision-making is not only violating their human rights but also resulting into disproportionate representation of women and family issues in public policies. The root of women's marginalized position in public decision making lies in her marginalized position in family decision making. Under the existing patriarchal social structure, women are deprived of proper participation in family level decision-making. So they cannot gain knowledge, efficiency, and experience necessary for decision-making. In such vulnerable situation, women easily fall prey to domestic violence. Physical, psychological, sexual, economic and violence by husband and other family members gradually make women rightless or incapable of decision making even as an individual.
Information provided by mass media and various researches show that domestic violence is very high in Bangladesh. According to a research of AED/BHRAP, 67% married women of Bangladesh are victim of domestic violence. Domestic violence not only endangers human rights and human security of women but also obstruct their growth as a person who is confident, full of self-respect and capable of decision-making. Therefore, on the occasion of international women's day 2006, ANCVAW would like to call upon all, let us prevent domestic violence through ensuring women's equal participation in decision making of family.
The Signature Campaign also organized at the premise of the venue. Celebrities and other people in the audience signed on a long cloth to support the demand of separate law against domestic violence. A candle light vigil also observed in the program to stop the domestic violence and in solidarity with the women victim of domestic violence.
-- Law desk
