Staff Correspondent
Bangladesh is still among the countries with the highest rate
of child marriage. As part of the 16-day campaign against gender-based
violence, UNFPA, UNICEF and UN Women jointly released a meta-analysis report.
Such information has emerged in the published report. The analysis highlights
how women, girls, children and adolescents in Bangladesh are coping with the
increased risk of gender-based violence (GBV) as a result of the Covid-19
pandemic. The
report titled 'Justice, Accountability and Support: Essential Services for
Victims of Gender-Based Violence' was released in a joint effort by three UN
agencies to support the Government of Bangladesh in taking swift and effective
action to end all forms of violence against women and children. The report
emphasizes proper linkages with victims and with health, police, judiciary and
social services to ensure essential services for victims of gender-based
violence. A
key recommendation of the analysis is to ensure victim-centred and
trauma-informed services. Through this system, women and children, especially
adolescents, can seek help easily and without hesitation; And in this way it
will be possible to prevent the harmful practices of child marriage, trafficking
and various types of gender-based violence (GBV). UNICEF Bangladesh Deputy
Representative Emma Brigham said now is the time to adopt a coordinated
response to address the multidimensional challenges that victims of GBV face. Let
us strengthen our prevention and protection systems to ensure that women and
children get the services they need in time to live well and develop fully, he
added. According to a 2021 report by UN Women, 93 percent of women in Bangladesh
reported that they had either been a victim of violence against women and girls
(VAWG) or knew someone who had been. Besides, Bangladesh still ranks among the
countries with the highest child marriage rates in the world, where more than
half of women aged 22 to 24 were married as children. UNFPA
Bangladesh Deputy Representative Masaki Watabe, UN Women Program Coordinator
Shrabna Dutta spoke on the occasion.
DCT/OL/AH/END
