Experts at a dialogue have suggested strengthening victim support service and institutional response for combating sexual and gender based violence in Bangladesh, reports BSS. United Nations Developm-ent Programme (UNDP), BRAC and Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) organised the policy dialogue on Strengthening Victim Support Service and Institutional Response for Combating Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) in Bangladesh at Radisson Blu Water Garden in Dhaka.
Secretary of Ministry of Women and Children Affairs Nasima Begum was the chief guest at the dialogue. Moderated by UNDP Country Director Pauline Tamesis, country director of KOICA Joe Hyun-gue and BRAC executive director Dr. Muhammad Musa participated in the dialogue, among others.
The policy dialogue facilitated the participants sharing experiences and exploring means to further strengthen victim support in an institutionally sustainable way. The discussion was focused on the need for an integrated and multi-dimensional response to gender based violence.
The findings from the pilot study revealed that out of 1411 households surveyed who suffered from sexual and gender based violence, only 4.0 percent sought support from the police or formal institutions.
Many preferred to work with informal institutions, such as Shalish or through the Union Parishad, and when they did report or seek redress from formal mechanisms, victims preferred to go to the Village Courts. The findings highlighted the need to address stigma, stereotypes and other social norms to demystify gender based violence as a personal or domestic issue.
The role of men and boys, including how they are socialized in terms of masculinity and violence plays a crucial role in preventing SGBV. In addition, the dialogue reinforced the links between ending child marriage and preventing gender based violence.
Referring to the government initiatives, Nasima Begum said that the government is very active in preventing sexual and gender based violence in Bangladesh. “We remain politically committed and are currently considering whether we can replicate this successful pilot database model of SGBV throughout the country,” she said.
UNDP Country Director, Pauline Tamesis said replicating the pilot online system for reporting and tracking cases of gender based violence from the current seven districts to a national scale would improve monitoring of required actions by service providers.