WOMEN from all walks of life gathered on May 16 in a solidarity march demanding equality, dignity and justice at a time when democratic transformation of the state and society is said to be the national priority. The rally was organised in the context of recurring attacks on women in public places, especially after the targeted attack on members of the women鈥檚 affairs reforms commission formed by the interim government to eliminate all forms of gender discrimination. A number of right-wing political forces, who always appeared against the democratic freedom of women, instantly rejected the report and organised disinformation and hate campaigns against women. A group of men on May 3 reportedly gathered to attend a mass rally of Hefazat-e-Islam, demanding the cancellation of the commission and its recommendations, and beat a woman鈥檚 effigy clad in a sari on the Dhaka University campus. It was an alarming public display of undemocratic and anti-women sentiment that the government should have seriously taken note of, but it did not. The government鈥檚 silence and hesitance created grounds to question its commitment to upholding the democratic spirit of the July uprising.
The commission in its report identified the legal and policy-level patriarchal biases and suggested ways to develop a more equal society that included equal property rights, a uniform family code, a separate and permanent women鈥檚 affairs commission, increased representation of women in the parliament and improved access to employment, health and education. It is expected that there will be differences of opinion about how to eliminate patriarchal biases, but an outright refusal of the right-wing groups to engage with the commission鈥檚 report is undemocratic. In a democratic transition, it is important to debate and engage with the political and ideological differences. The government has so far has failed to create a platform and facilitate such a debate on gender equality and other inclusivity issues. Women marchers, however, not only challenged the government inaction but also questioned mainstream political parties that count on women鈥檚 votes but remain non-committal towards gender equality. They have reminded political parties that such a position is a betrayal of women who participated in the July uprising and paved the way for a greater political participation of many, including Hefazat-e-Islam.
The government should, therefore, take early steps to identify any groups organising targeted hate campaigns against women and make its position clear that women鈥檚 equal democratic rights must be upheld at all costs. It should facilitate debates and discussions on the report and the recommendations. In doing so, it would facilitate the process of ensuring universal democratic rights of all citizens, irrespective of gender, class, ethnicity and religion.