Gender equality

“Gender” does not simply mean male or female. Gender refers to the different roles that society assigns to women and men.

To achieve equality, it's important to understand, and address the inequalities that arise from the different roles of women and men, the unequal power relations between them, and the consequences in people’s lives, health, and well-being.

Obstacles to women's empowerment

One of the major obstacles to women’s empowerment in Bangladesh is that the general population seems to acknowledge that women, in various circumstances, are entitled to fewer rights and benefits than men.

The social values, traditional customs, and religious interpretations of many rural communities reinforce gender inequality and gender discrimination.

The ongoing violence against women is a growing issue and it is a serious threat to the general development and progress of Bangladesh.

Even though new laws are passed, the enforcement of these laws are not substantially monitored, therefore many of them are being violated. Women are rarely represented in public fora, and their participation is a crucial determinant to achieve gender equality.

Constitution

The Constitution of Bangladesh provides equal rights for women and men in spheres of public life. The Government is fully committed to ensuring equality for all citizens, and to eliminating all forms of discrimination against women.

As a reflection of this commitment, it has made efforts to address the specific needs and interests of women, as well as bringing them into the mainstream of national development.

Violence against women

Homes are not safe havens but places of violence for half the women in Bangladesh. Recent surveys carried out by the UN show that 47 per cent of women in Bangladesh face physical violence from their husbands or intimate partners, while a larger number of women undergo emotional and verbal abuse.

Although the Bangladesh Constitution guarantees equality, and equal protection for all citizens, the principle is often severely curtailed with respect to women’s rights. Thus, women continue to face various forms of violence, harassment and humiliation.

One particularly vicious and damaging form of violence is acid attacks that have traumatic consequences, scarring the victims physically, psychologically, and socially for life. The overwhelming majority of victims are women, and nearly half are below eighteen.

Violence against women will continue for as long as social attitudes do not change and women's rights are not recognised.

Oxfam’s approach

The focus of our gender programme in Bangladesh is to promote gender equality, and reduce violence against women through changing people’s ideas, beliefs, attitudes, policies, and practices towards violence against women.

In order to achieve this, we work with the local government, judiciary, the police, medical institutions, and elected bodies that handle such cases.

Furthermore, the involvement of men, young people, students, and people of different professional backgrounds with Oxfam’s gender programme has created an environment that contributes to reducing gender disparities, and to bringing gender issues out of the family and onto the national platform.

Encouraging results

The results have been encouraging. Greater awareness among women about their rights has enabled them to challenge the physical, and mental abuse they had been facing in the past.

Members of the police, the judiciary, and medical personnel are also realising the importance of setting up mechanisms to ensure that women are protected from such violence, and that services catere for them.

Oxfam’s advocacy and lobbying work with its partners on violence against women in Bangladesh was successful in getting the Government of Bangladesh to pass the Acid Crimes Control Act, 2002 against acid violence. Instructions have been given to law officials to bring such cases to trial within 90 days.

Addressing the needs of women during disasters

Women are often the most vulnerable during disasters. Their vulnerability is linked with the inequitable power relations between women and men, the different abilities of humans, and with their identities in the societies they live in. Therefore, unless gender and diversity is made an integral part of emergency response, assistance may not reach the most deserving and ensure their right to live with dignity.

Oxfam is an active partner with the Disaster and Emergency Response Group sub-committee for ‘gender and diversity’. The group addresses the needs of women, and other vulnerable communities, during disasters and emergency response.

Oxfam in particular stresses that women actively participate and are empowered in community meetings, such as in Flood Shelter Committees, and in the decision-making processes during a disaster. Oxfam also ensures that women have direct access to relief and share equal control of assets.

‘We Can’ Campaign

Oxfam’s South Asia ‘We Can’ Campaign on violence against women was launched in Bangladesh in 2004 where it began its activities for the campaign in the region. ‘We Can’ in Bangladesh focuses on domestic violence that affects half the homes in the country and is a part of Oxfam’s gender programme.

Ending domestic violence requires changes beyond individuals and families - the community as a whole needs to be motivated to work together.

To make this possible, 180 organisations have joined together in Bangladesh to highlight the silent crisis. Through a series of public education, and community mobilisation events, they work to raise awareness among all sections of the community to reject and end this practice.

Change Makers

The campaign aims to reach millions of men and women, also known as ‘Change Makers’, between the ages of 20 and 50 so that together they can effect changes to make homes safer for women in Bangladesh.

These 'Change Makers' are ordinary people who speak up, break the silence, and act to stop violence against women. They encourage others to act as well - as long as they are brave and open minded and willing to challenge prevailing beliefs and attitudes.

 

Back to Bangladesh in depth overview

Last updated: July 06