Enhance gender sensitivity to eliminate violence against women: Rights activists

Enhancing gender sensitivity among men and boys is essential to eliminate gender-based violence, said experts.

Education on such critical topics should begin during the adolescent years, said Bithika Hasan, gender expert at the Human Rights Programme of the UNDP, in a panel discussion during an event titled #PushForward with Swisscontact on 6 November.

The panel discussion was held to reflect on the current condition of violence against women, gender-based violence and the many forms it takes in the context of Bangladesh.

The panellists also discussed how development organisations like Swisscontact that implement technical projects can contribute even indirectly to reduction of gender-based violence.

Swisscontact organised the event as part of this year's 16 Days of Activism Against Violence Against Women and Girls at its head office in Dhaka.

The event was hosted by Pritam Azra Hassan, the country communication focal, and Tahrima Trishna Ahmed, the country gender focal. They began the proceedings by addressing the session's purpose and presenting statistics to demonstrate the severity of the growing number of gender-based violence cases.

The event aimed to instil a mindset among Swisscontact employees that will be carried forward throughout the project's implementation and to improve the gender elements of all projects, said a press release.

At the discussion, Shrabana Datta, programme lead of Ending Violence Against Women, UN Women Bangladesh, articulated the concept and significance of the 16 Days of Activism, emphasising the critical role that development practitioners can play in reducing gender-based violence.

She also discussed the importance of economic resources and how a lack of them can make women not only more vulnerable to violence but also less able to speak out against the violence inflicted on them.

Alessandra Pellegrini, advisor of Gender and Social Inclusion, Products and Solutions, Swisscontact Head Office, expressed the organisation's values and beliefs, as well as its recognition of the need to work toward the abolition of gender-based violence in society.

She said there are multiple entry points in various projects that have the potential to work towards gender equality and that the organisation's goal should be to look for and actively work on such opportunities.

The discussion was followed by a question-and-answer session.

The Swisscontact Gender Equality and Social Inclusion team members Proma Paromita, Sultana Jahan and Naziba Naila Wafa presented recitation of Finding Freedom, A Poem on Violence against Women by Wadia Samadi.

The event concluded on a strong note with Mujibul Hasan, country director of Swisscontact Bangladesh, emphasising the importance of gender-based violence and the role that everyone can play in helping to reduce it.

He also emphasised Swisscontact's zero tolerance policy for Protection from Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment and other issues related to gender-based violence.