Changing attitudes, fighting abuse in Bangladesh
Educating both men and women about women's rights helps to reduce domestic abuse
In Bangladesh, a project run by a DFID-supported charity is tackling the causes of domesticĀ violence and helpingĀ abused women and girlsĀ to make a fresh start in life.
The project, which is based in the impoverished Comilla district, works hard to change the attitudes that lie behind abuse. It educates local men about womenās rights and shows them how violentĀ behaviour can be passed onĀ from one generation to another.
One local husband talks about how the project has made him look again at his treatment of his wife. āI realized through the training that when I stopped my wife from going outside alone, didnāt provide enough food, or was abusive to her, all were acts of violence,ā he says. āIt will never happen again.ā
The project also recognises the need to raise awareness of domestic violence among women. āPeer educatorsā are crucial to achieving this. Selected from within communities, they talk frankly to other local women about rights and abuse issues.Ā
āShe never knew before that she had any rights as a wife,ā says 1 peer educator about a woman she helped. āShe came to learn, and now she talks to her husband about womenās rights. This is a major change. She can make her own decisions, move anywhere - even give advice to other women.ā
The project also offers legal representation to abused women to help bring their attackers to justice. ā(The project) helped me with legal support,ā says 1 woman who was attacked by her drug-using husband. āWe took him to court and he apologized. He signed a paper in front of the judge agreeing that he will not take drugs and will provide for the family. Now he is better.ā
Training and loans are also provided to women to help them set up small businesses. As they begin to earn money for themselves, the women become less dependent on their husbands. They even find that their husbandsā attitudes towards themĀ tend to change.
āI was abused every day,ā says one local woman who was married at 13 to a man ofĀ 32. āBut I was too scared to protest. Then I took a loan and set up a poultry farm. Once my husband saw me earning, he started respecting me more. Now my husband says: āSheās independent - I canāt do anything to her!āā
Facts and stats
The project in Comilla was implemented by theĀ Family Planning Association of Bangladesh (FPAB), which is supported by the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF).
DFID is providing Ā£43 million to IPPFĀ throughĀ a Partnership ProgrammeĀ ArrangementĀ from 2008 to 2013.
An estimated 53% of women in Bangladesh aged 15 to 49 who are or have been marriedĀ haveĀ experienced domestic violence (2007 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey).
To date, FPAB has provided 25,000 women in poor rural areas with small loans, skills training, reproductive health education and other services.