Cities not safe for women
Skip to main content
T
Thursday, September 21, 2023
The Daily Star
E-paper Today's News বাংলা
  • Home
  • News
    • Bangladesh
      • Investigative Stories
    • Investigative Stories
    • Asia
    • World
  • Opinion
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Culture
  • Life & Living
  • Youth
  • Tech & Startup
  • Multimedia
  • Feature
    • Lifestyle
    • Rising Star
    • Showbiz
    • My Dhaka
    • Satireday
    • Campus
    • Toggle
    • Star Literature
    • In Focus
    • Star Youth
    • Shift
    • Daily Star Books
    • Roundtables
    • Star Holiday
    • weekend read
  • More
    • Environment
    • NRB
    • Supplements
    • Law & Our Rights
  • E-paper
  • বাংলা
Search Epaper T
  • Today's News
  • Home
  • News
    • Bangladesh
    • Investigative Stories
    • Asia
    • World
  • Opinion
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Culture
  • Life & Living
  • Youth
  • Tech & Startup
  • Multimedia
  • Feature
    • Lifestyle
    • Rising Star
    • Showbiz
    • My Dhaka
    • Satireday
    • Campus
    • Toggle
    • Star Literature
    • In Focus
    • Star Youth
    • Shift
    • Daily Star Books
    • Roundtables
    • Star Holiday
    • weekend read
  • More
    • Environment
    • NRB
    • Supplements
    • Law & Our Rights

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Apps
  • Comment Policy
  • RSS
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Newsletter
  • Privacy Policy
  • Conference Hall
  • Archives
Back Page
Staff Correspondent
Fri Dec 1, 2017 12:00 AM
Last update on: Fri Dec 1, 2017 01:23 AM

Most Viewed

  • Provident funds to pay 27.5% tax

  • Dollar Manipulation: BB asks 10 banks to explain

  • Banks’ lending slows for liquidity crunch

  • Tanzim’s Misogynistic Posts: BCB parrots player’s defence, says he is sorry

Back Page

Cities not safe for women

55pc face violence, ActionAid reveals in study
Staff Correspondent
Fri Dec 1, 2017 12:00 AM Last update on: Fri Dec 1, 2017 01:23 AM
women experience violence

A total of 54.7 percent women living in urban areas of Bangladesh face violence, ActionAid said in a study yesterday.

They face physical, psychological, financial and social violence including unwanted touches from strangers, said the study, referring to a 2015 report by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and UNFPA.

For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.

ActionAid's study was conducted on the basis of five indicators- - situation of violence against women, existing legal frameworks for violence against women, proper plan and budget allocation to stop violence against women, gender friendly urban planning and gender friendly transportation system.

The study, which evaluated the safety of women in urban areas, was launched at a programme titled “Whose City” at the Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP) in the capital.

The methodology included collecting the relevant data of 2015 and 2012 from UNFPA and BBS. Besides in 2015, it conducted a survey on 1200 Bangladeshi women living in the seven divisional cities of the country.

This year, the data of 10 countries was analysed and then they were ranked according to the findings by ActionAid. Bangladesh positioned sixth while Nepal came first. The other countries in the study were Brazil, Jordan, Liberia, Nepal, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Moreover, the study found that 57 percent women alleged that their complaints are not taken seriously by law enforcers and 65 percent women think that law enforcers are more prone to blaming the victims instead of the accused. 

The study also showed that 49% women feel unsafe in public transport and 48% claim to feel the same while availing public services including health services.

Countries were marked out of 100 and Bangladesh secured 39.32 marks with a C grade in the range of A to E while Nepal secured 72.65 marks, acquiring a B grade.

The countries surpassing Bangladesh in women safety and empowerment issues are Nepal, Nigeria, Jordan, Brazil and Zimbabwe.

“The study shows that Bangladesh is not in a satisfactory condition regarding women's safety,” ActionAid Bangladesh Country Director Farah Kabir said while revealing the findings.

She urged the government to make the city more women-friendly.

While talking about legal aid for women in the country, Shahnaz Huda, a professor of the law department of Dhaka University, said laws in the country should be women-friendly as there is "no specific law to stop sexual harassment".

Maleka Banu, general secretary of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, said that different places of the city should be adequately lighted and CCTV camera should be used for surveillance, helping women feel secure.

Dr Akter Mahmud, professor of urban and regional planning in Jahangirnagar University, said that a smart city is a city where everyone, including women, is safe.

However, women in urban areas are afraid to go to the park or in open places as they do not feel safe lest they be harassed by a man, said Mahmud.

Criticising the public transportation in Dhaka, he said, “Harassment would be reduced if the public transportation was women-friendly.”

Meher Afroz Chumki, state minister for the women and children affairs ministry, Shoko Ishikawa, country representative UN Women (Bangladesh), and Mohammad Mufti Khan from Rapid Action Battalion of Bangladesh, were also present. 

Related topic:
face violenceWomanCities womanActionAid
Apple Google
Click to comment

Comments

Comments Policy

Related News

Rana Plaza survivors

Over half of Rana Plaza survivors unemployed

Trial begins in rape case against Indian director

Woman dies in DB custody hours after being picked up

Dalilah powers to hurdles gold

Entrepreneur and MUA Farnaz Alam in the limelight

|নির্বাচন

নির্বাচন পর্যবেক্ষণে ইইউর পূর্ণাঙ্গ দল না আসার কারণ বাজেট স্বল্পতা: ইসি সচিব

তারা অবহিত করেছেন সিইসিকে যে, তারা পূর্ণাঙ্গ দল পাঠাবেন না। ছোট পাঠাবেন নাকি আংশিক পাঠাবেন বা এ দেশে যারা আছেন...সেটা পরবর্তীতে

১৭ মিনিট আগে
|বাংলাদেশ

জাতীয় নির্বাচনের পরিবেশ পর্যবেক্ষণ ‘উপযোগী নয়’ বলে পর্যবেক্ষক পাঠাবে না ইইউ

১ ঘণ্টা আগে
Please Click on allow
The Daily Star
Journalism without fear or favour
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Apps
  • Comment Policy
  • RSS
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Newsletter
  • Privacy Policy
  • Conference Hall
  • Archives
© 2023 thedailystar.net | Powered by: RSI LAB
Copyright: Any unauthorized use or reproduction of The Daily Star content for commercial purposes is strictly prohibited and constitutes copyright infringement liable to legal action.
X