Student club Peace Caf茅 and the Counselling and Wellness Centre of BRAC University in collaboration with platform Cyber Support for Women and Children has recently organised a seminar titled Accelerating Women鈥檚 Safety: International Women鈥檚 Day at the university鈥檚 Merul Badda campus in Dhaka.
The seminar celebrates International Women鈥檚 Day, focusing on addressing the challenges and ways to ensure women鈥檚 safety in the country, said a press release on Sunday.
Inaugurating the programme, David Dowland, registrar of BRAC University, emphasised the crucial role of students and youth in driving the social change.
He expressed confidence in the determination of young minds to create a safer environment for women and children.
Manzoor Hasan OBE, executive director of BRAC University鈥檚 Centre for Peace and Justice, focused on three key points, including alarming statistics of violence against women and children in Bangladesh, multifaceted challenges in addressing this issue, and strategies to increase youth engagement in combating violence and promoting gender equality.
Tania Sharmin, United Nations Women鈥檚 planning, monitoring, and reporting analyst, underscored the importance of strengthening grassroots feminist movements and increasing women鈥檚 political representation.
She called for intensifying efforts to ensure women鈥檚 safety, promoting equality in decision-making, and enhancing digital inclusion.
Safina Binte Enayet, Counseling and Wellness Centre鈥檚 counsellor, expressed concern over rising incidents of violence against women and children, highlighting the severe short-term and long-term psychological harm it causes.
She urged all to work towards eliminating inequality and being more mindful of others while prioritising mental health.
Manisha Biswas, senior officer for legal and research, Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust, explained definitions and elements of cyber harassment and highlighted legal measures that victims could take.
Minhaj Aman, Digitally Right鈥檚 research coordinator, highlighted an alarming rise of technology-facilitated gender-based violence in Bangladesh, pointing out a lack of evidence-based research on this issue within the country.
Sadat Hasan, founder and president, Cyber Teens, shed light on their initiative for enhancing online safety for teenagers through its helpline, educational programs, and community outreach.
Tahsina Rahman, joint director, Student Life, BRAC University, and Sorna Rani Das, president, Peace Caf茅, also spoke on the occasion.