Women and Children Affairs Adviser Sharmeen S Murshid spoke at a National Workshop held at the Bangladesh China Friendship Conference Centre in Dhaka. Photo: PID

DHAKA, June 26, 2025 (BSS) - Women and Children Affairs Adviser Sharmeen S Murshid today called upon the country’s girls to speak out and stand up against violence, drawing inspiration from the bravery they showed during the July uprising.

"All forms of violence against women and children must be prevented through collective efforts. Girls must raise their voices and take a stand against such violence—just as many did last July, demonstrating courage, protest, and a call for change. These girls are not merely protesters; they are the architects of our future," she said.

Sharmeen Murshid, also the Adviser of the  Ministry Of Social Welfare, made this call while speaking as the chief guest at the National Workshop on Prevention of  Violence Against Children And Women, organized by the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs at Bangladesh China Friendship Conference Centre, said a ministry press release.

Mentioning that the government alone can’t prevent violence against women and children, she said “We seek to begin this new journey through the collective efforts of every individual, every family, community, and people from all walks of life. We envision a new Bangladesh—one rooted in care, compassion, and justice.”

She went on to highlight the government’s commitment to creating a safe haven for women and children in the vision of a new Bangladesh.

She added, "This new journey of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs is dedicated to building that safe haven—inspired by the spirit of the July uprising, in honour of the 11 female martyrs, the hundreds of injured women and children, and the brave warriors of July."

Sharmeen Murshid said women and children are frequently subjected to various forms of violence and abuse—within families, workplaces, public spaces, public transport, educational institutions, and across online and digital platforms. 

Mentioning that over the time, the nature and intensity of such violence have continued to evolve, she emphasized that violence against women and children is a clear violation of human rights.

She further noted that, in line with its official mandate, one of the responsibilities of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs is to protect women and children by implementing effective measures to prevent all forms of violence against them. To this end, the ministry has launched several new initiatives, she added.

The adviser said, “Following the July uprising, we envision a new Bangladesh—free from violence and grounded in equality—where every woman and child is protected and grow up with security, dignity, and the shelter of love, enjoying all the rights they rightfully deserve.”

She also highlighted different initiatives of the ministry of women and children affairs. These are: formation of Quick Response Teams from the union to the central level to ensure immediate integrated services to prevent violence against women and children, and expansion of its activities at the union level to the community level at the ward level through social forces; Providing medical services, psychosocial counselling services, legal services, police assistance, legal aid assistance, shelter services, economic and social reintegration and DNA testing facilities from the same place through the One-Stop Crisis Centre, providing referral services to survivors through the One-Stop Crisis Cell, providing psychosocial services through the National and Regional Trauma Counselling Centre.

It also includes DNA profiling, toll-free 109 helpline, establishment of safe shelter homes, establishment of community hubs, formation of a cyber expert pool under the Cyber ??Unit, formation of a legal expert pool under the Legal Unit, formation of a gender expert pool, formation of a gender club, formation of a helpline service provider pool, formation of a psychosocial counselling and psychiatrist pool, preparation of daily reports on violence against women and children and continuous follow-up of sensitive and sensational cases, proper implementation of existing laws and regulations on violence against women and children, and various activities in accordance with the organogram of the Ministry.

With Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs Momtaz Ahmed in the chair, the event was addressed among others by Religious Affairs Adviser Dr A F M Khalid Hossain, Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter, Primary and Mass Education Adviser Professor Dr Bidhan Ranjan Roy Podder, members of the Women's Affairs Reform Commission, and Director General of Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Force.

Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs Dr Prakash Kanti Chowdhury delivered the welcome address.

Representatives of various ministries, divisions, offices, organizations, representatives of civil society organizations, representatives of educational institutions, Julykanya, students, scouts, girls’ guides, and youth and media personalities were present at the event.