This document discusses government policies and initiatives in Bangladesh to address violence against women (VAW). It notes that while the constitution upholds equality, women face discrimination. The government has enacted laws against domestic violence, women and child repression, and acid attacks. Initiatives include legal aid cells, a multisector program on VAW, one-stop crisis centers, a forensic lab, trauma counseling centers, and a national helpline. Women's support teams provide training and shelters. Temporary women's shelters offer services like complaint receiving, counseling, legal aid, safe shelter, and skills training. Safe custody facilities provide shelter for women and children during trials.

1. Government Policies and
Legislative provisions
Towards VAW in relation to
Women and Shelter
Presented by:
Mashuda Khatun Shefali
Executive Director,NUK
Bangladesh.
Presented at the Women’s Shelter
Conference in Taiwan,
Dec 2-4, 2013

2. Women in Bangladesh
Bangladesh is a sovereign country in South Asia,
its capital is Dhaka. It is the third largest Muslim
Country in the World.
Status of Women in Bangladesh
Women constitute half of the population (49%),but enjoy subordinated
status.
Bangladesh is a gender and class segregated society. The Socioinstitutional Relationship is male dominated.
The Patrilocal resident ship and matrilineal Kinship culture places as
mother, wives and daughter in an inferior and dependent position
that are denials of equal opportunity in every sphere of life.
Gender inequality is manifested though socio-economic differences
and stratifications of authority and assets between sexes sanctioned
by the stratifications of the society.

3. GENDER AND HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION
The constitution of Bangladesh clearly upholds the
principles of equality between men and women.
However, despite the provisions, women enjoy minority
status being under the permanent protection cycle of
male guardianship.
Hence women are systematically discriminated in
terms of food intake, access to education, health,
employment, freedom of choice, marriage, divorce,
reproductive rights and inheritance rights, sharing
assets, property and resourced distribution.
Gender based violence is perpetrated at family,
society and other level in many forms including wife
battering, rape, murder, trafficking, prostitution,
molestation and sexual harassment . Rap appeared to
be the number one violence against women and girls.
Acid Attack is the closest form of violence against
women are increasingly growing.

4. VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
VAW defined as "Any act of genderbased violence that results in, or is
likely to result in Physical, Sexual or
Physiological harm or suffering to
women, including threats of such acts,
coercion or arbitrary deprivation of
liberty, whether concurring in public or
private life” UN Definition-1993.
Majority of violence occurs in
domestic environment, which is
characterized physical, sexual,
emotional abuse, intimidation,
economic deprivation and
constants threats of violence by
the intimate partners or their kins.

5. Laws and legislative Situation
regarding VAW in Bangladesh
The Govt. of Bangladesh is committed to fulfilling its
responsibilities and as functionaries of the state, has
ratified international conventions including CEADAW,
UN Conventions of the Rights of the Child, and Social
and Cultural rights. Besides, the Constitutions of
Bangladesh recognizes the equal rights of women.
To combat the VAW the GOB
enacted the following laws:
Year
Domestic Violence (prevention & Protection)
Act
The Women and Children Repression
(prevention)
Acid Control and Acid Crime prevention Act
2010
2000
2002

6. GOB’s Other Initiatives to Combat Violence
Against Women
GOB under the scope of Ministry of Women and
Children Affairs (MOWCA) has undertaken massive
programmes to reduce GBV.
Legal Aids
Service Cell
Multisectora
l Program on
VAW
The ministry of Women Affairs set up
legal aids services cell both in Central
and in the District and Sub-district
level for prevention violence against
women and children. Currently there
are a central cell in Dhaka and 22
District and 136 sub-district cells.
Under the MOWCA, its is joint efforts
of 9 Inter-Ministries towards
combating Violence Against Women
and children. The project components
are implementing both in Dhaka and
District level.

7. GOB’s Other Initiatives to Combat Violence
Against Women-Continue………
The Multi-Sectoral programme on Violence Against
women has five components:
One Stop Crisis
Centre/Cell
National Forseic
and DNA Lab.
Trauma Coun.
Centre
National Helpline
OCC established in 40 District and 20 UZ Hospital
provides health services, legal aids, police
verification and protection, DNA test, Pschycosocial counseling, shelter and rehabilitation
services to the victims of violence.
To track down perpetrators of various heinous and
despicable crimes such as rapes, murder, paternity,
maternity and identifying defaced corps and
continue supporting to the law enforcing agencies.
With a view to provide health support to the
victims of violence MOWCA has been established
the centre at the DWA Office in Dhaka.
To provide nation wide 24 hours services
women and children victims of violence and
their families, person who related to the victims
of violence DWA headquarters has established
national helpline Centre (10921).

8. GOB’s Other Initiatives to Combat Violence
Against Women-Continue………
Women Support and Investigation Division –
Bangladesh Police under Ministry of Home. The
components are as follows:
Victims
Support Centre
To provide women friendly policing support
towards VAW BD Police with the coordinated
efforts of 10 NGOs Victims Support Centre has
been established Tejgoan Police station, where all
are staffs are women.1 in Dhaka, 1 in Hill Tracks.
Other divisions will follow the same.
Joint Prog.to
address VAW
11 Ministry and 9 UN Agencies joint programme on
capacity building to Govt. staff with the assistance
from NGOs to develop necessary policy and
porgrammes towards protection of women and
children victims of violence.
Women Support
Team
In 6 divisions Govt. is offering training cum
shelters for rehabilitation of the victims of
violence for through offering employment
opportunities.

9. PROJECTS ,LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS FOR
WOMEN’S SHELTER HOME
Bangladesh does not formal Shelter Programmes. But under the
broader scope of VAW Women Support Centre work as temporary
Shelter Home for the tortured women have been set up in 2009 in
order to support to vulnerable , destitute women who have been
the victims of torture.
Services:
•Receives Complaint;
•Mediates conflict resolution through Counseling;
•Settlements of financial Pledge (Den Mohaor) for wives and
Children;
•Counseling;
•Legal Aids;
•Safe Shelter
Services of
Safe Shelter
According to their operational Manual,
victims required safe living can stay for a
maximum of 6 months with maximum of 2
children not exceeding 12 years. During
their stay in the shelter home medicine,
food and other essentials are supplied free
of costs. The Shelter also offering skill
training with employment opportunities for
victims economic and social rehabilitation.

10. PROJECTS ,LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS FOR
WOMEN’S SHELTER HOME
2) SAFE CUSTODY FOR WOMEN, CHILDREN AND ADOLSCENTS:
During trail, women and Children used to keep in prison as safe
custody, which was very inhuman and rather more unsafe. During the
time the victims used to psychologically and physically exposed to
sate of being inflicted with. In this context, BWA has set up a 100
bed “Safe Shelter” for the women , children and Adoslcents, victims
of violence required safe stay until the trial is over.
Other Services
of Safe Shelter
For street children Govt. and NGOs are
providing safe day/night time shelters and
Shorter tem residential home for children
in need of protection from abuse,
exploitation and trafficking. Some NGOs,
set up safe home cum schools for street
children or brother based sex workers.

11. Thank You