DHAKA, Nov 25, 2020 (BSS) – State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Fazilatun Nesa Indira today said the government was committed to prevent violence against women and children.
“In this case, the position of the government is very strict, our government is taking various steps to stop violence against women, ensure women’s safety and create opportunities for legal aid,” she said.
She was speaking as the chief guest at the inaugural function of a 16-day program on Prevention of Gender-Based Violence on Virtual Platform jointly organised by the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs and United Nations in Bangladesh at the conference hall of Bangladesh Shishu Academy in the city, said a press release.
“The Prevention of Violence against Women and Children (Amendment) Act, 2020 has been enacted. The maximum punishment for rape in this law is ‘death penalty or life imprisonment’ instead of ‘life imprisonment’” Indira added.
She said, “DNA testing of the accused and the victim of the crime has been made mandatory. DNA profiling and screening laboratories have been set up in government hospitals in the divisional cities including Dhaka. Committees have been formed at inter-ministerial and divisional levels to prevent violence against women and children”.
“Everyone must work together with the government to stop this torture and violence and only then we will be able to establish a country free from all kinds of torture and violence against women and children” she further said.
Highlighting the data released by the UN Minister for Women, she said that 35 per cent of women in the world or about one in three women are victims of physical, mental or sexual abuse in their lifetime.
In most cases it happens by relatives, less than 40 percent of women who admit to violence receive assistance. Women and children account for 82 per cent of the world’s total human trafficking.
The programme was chaired by the secretary of the ministry Kazi Raushan Akhter while UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Mia Seppo, and Commonwealth Development Director in Bangladesh Judith Herbertson also spoke.