Empowerment of the Marginalised
1. Risk Analysis of the Women in Cities: Role of the Duty Bearers
Sandiza Akter and Helal Uddin Dhali, Women and Gender Studies
Department, Dhaka University and Tahmina Huq, ActionAid Bangladesh
Violence against women is one of the major key concerns in the area of
gender justice and rights. As part of patriarchal traditional societies, many
women in Bangladesh experience violence at home and outside, at
workplace and street. This violence takes many different forms like sexual
harassment, assault, acid throwing, beating and other forms of domestic
violence. The impact of violence against women is huge. It lessens women’s
productivity and in many cases, reproductively, it can create physical
disability of women, stigmatize them and so many. Ultimately, the sufferers
of violence against women are not only women themselves, but also families
they belong to, societies and nation. Most importantly violence against
women is a human rights issue which needs to be taken seriously. In the
context of Bangladesh, violence against women takes different pictures in
urban and rural areas, in cities and villages. It is no less frequently happened
incidence in cities of Bangladesh than that of villages. As mobility of women
is greater in cities, cities need to be safe and women friendly. This research
identifies the risk factors that women experience and perceive regarding
violence against them as well as the strategies survivor women suggest to
minimise the incidence of violence against women. The research covers
seven district towns, where ActionAid Bangladesh’s Stop Violence Against
Women networks are operating.
2. Empowerment of women and local development: Impact of
gender responsive budget in Union Parishad
Feroz Hossain, WAVE Foundation, Chuadanga
For the overall development activities of the state the role of local
government is very important. The objective of this research is to assess how
women empowerment and local development take place as a result of
women-friendly participatory budget at union parishad (UP). According to a
government Act, union parishad formulates its budget every year through
consultation with people at ward level. But the needs and priorities of
people are not reflected in that budget due to lack of people’s awareness
about the process. Even the UP members, especially, the women
representatives do not know about the process of participatory budget.
Among the local government institutions, union parishad is the oldest
closest institution to people. Therefore, people show their utmost
expectations and aspirations from this institution. Effective development
Poverty and Development: Realities of Grassroots 15