The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

Chief Adviser Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed yesterday called upon all irrespective of men and women to fight against all forms of violence on women for building an enlightened future.

"We have to be vocal and proactive to stop violence against women by breaking our silence in this regard," he said.

He said this while inaugurating a two-day National Change Makers' Assembly at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre organized by-The Alliance to End Domestic Violence-as part of its countrywide "We Can" campaign.

Presided over by Chairperson of the alliance Sultana Kamal, the inaugural function was addressed, among others, by Women and Children Affairs Adviser Geeti Ara Safiya Chowdhury, Oxfam Country Director Heather Blackwell, Shahin Anam of 'Manusher Jonya', Farah Kabir of Action Aid and Co-Chairperson of "We Can" M B Akter.

Besides, two change makers Moneja Begum from Dinajpur and Azrar Shahidul Islam Bablu of Bagerhat also narrated the experiences they gathered in their personal lives and how to get them involved in this campaign for changing negative and violent behavior of male to women.

The Chief Adviser said efforts for the emancipation of the womenfolk can only be possible through empowering them and changing desired social attitude and values on women.

Expressing his solidarity with the campaign launched by the Alliance to End Domestic Violence to build up a modern and uniformed society he said it would undoubtedly play an important role to carry forward the nation towards an enlightened future.

Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed underscored the need for reducing disparities between male and female to build up a justice based society. We have to continue our efforts in establishing equal rights in all spheres of social life, he added.

The Chief Adviser said violence and deprivation inside the family can be reduced through practicing religious and social values along with proper application of rules and regulations.

He said the core objective of the Millennium Development Goal (MDGs) declared by the United Nations is to reduce disparities between men and women and ensuring their equal rights.

In this connection, he listed different government programmes saying it is implementing those programmes especially in health and education sector to this end.

"We have partially achieved an MDG targets by bringing gender equity in primary and secondary level education in the country," he said adding we have to ensure gender equity in all sectors through women empowerment for the total fulfillment of MDG targets.

Referring to a study report of an UN organization, he said it is regrettable that 47 percent of the country's total women are being tortured by their husbands physically.

In this context, he said this social ailment can be reduced through proper application of relevant laws, changing social attitude and upholding values.

He said the government would look into the matter so that there remains no loophole in laws relating to stop violence on women.

He expressed the hope that all irrespective of men and women would come forward to build up strong resistance in social and family environment against the curse of gender inequality and violence against women.

In her speech Geeti Ara Safiya Chowdhury called for changing attitude on women to stop violence. He also urged for taking a fresh vow to help women for ensuring their empowerment.

Giving a salient feature of her countrywide "We Can" campaign, Sultana Kamal demanded promulgation of "Family Repression Act" instead of "Women Repression Act".

She said the existing "Women Repression Act" is not enough to Protect the right of women as it deprives them in getting justice.

The campaign which is launched in 2004 through Oxfam and now it is being implemented in 42 districts across the country under the leadership of National Alliance to End Domestic Violence where more than 230 organizations and two crore (20 millions) changemakers are actively contributing to end domestic violence.

A changemaker is any person (or a group of persons) who works to change his or her attitudes, beliefs and practices relating to violence against women.