Speakers at a view exchange meeting said that violence against women in the hill districts is still on the rise. Nearly half of the women in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs) are facing violence in various ways. The gender-based violence must to be stopped, they said. Manusher Jonno Foundation arranged the view exchange meeting at the conference room of Bandarban Zila Parishad on Sunday. The programme was arranged in order to enhance the ability to prevent and combat gender-based violence in the hill districts.
Chairman of Bandarban Zila Parishad Kya Shoi Hla attended the event as the chief guest with Director of BNKS Hla Sing in the chair. Members of the Zila Parishad Kya Sa Pru and Sing Yong Mro, Chairman of Bandarban Sadar Upazila Parishad AKM Jahangir, District Legal Aid Officer Md. Abul Mansur Siddiqui, Programme Manager of Manusher Jonno Foundation Soma Dutt were present at the event, among others.
The speakers said that violence against women is happening in the hill districts at a large scale. On an average, 46% women in Bandarban, 47% in Khagrachhari and 40% in Rangamati district are facing repression and harassment in various ways. They called upon all to ensure woman empowerment and gander-based equality to reduce violence against women and girls and protect the human rights of women.
The speakers said that equal rights for women would not be ensured without proper evaluation which is crucial for development in the country.