Women in our society are constrained into a cycle of constant violence that seems never ending. Prior to birth they are faced with sex selected abortion (aborted if girl), during infancy they experience female infanticide and less access to resources than boy child, in early childhood there is genital mutilation and sex trafficking of girls, when in adolescence they face date rape, sexual abuse and forced prostitution, in adulthood they are strained with dowry and marital rape by husband or his family, while in old age she is expected to receive unfair treatment or else sending to old home. The honour of the family is believed to lie in the virtue of its women; and men are charged with its guardianship. Women in Bangladesh are doing exceptionally well in almost all the sectors of our economy today. You will find successful women behind every successful man. A separate policy is dedicated to safeguard their position in society. But still they lack fairness and justice to their action they produce in the fabric of our society. That really requires an inspiring change to overcome this gridlock.
Bangladesh belongs to classic patriarchy both from geographical and historical background considered. Both in pre and post-liberation periods subjugation and suppression of women continue. A number of elements can be identified in this system (patriarchy) as key mechanisms through which social control over women are potted and reproduced. They relate patriarchy, marriage, practice, power, subjectivity etc. Following part of this paper focuses few of these cradles of female suppression in Bangladesh.
Family is the main institute of patriarchy. The main contribution of the family in a patriarchy is the socialization of children. Son bias is one of the common forms of discrimination that begins at birth. It begins with female infanticide and finishes with early marriage of girl children. Statistics shows that about 20,000 women are victim of honour killing each year and 2.0 million girls are subject to genital cutting all over the world. At the same time discrimination prevails in terms of workload that a girl child is put up with. About 3.8 per cent girl aged 5-14 years undertake more than 28 hours of domestic labour compared to only .9 per cent males in Bangladesh. Again little choice is permitted to women in deciding whom they marry. Pew Global Attitude Survey shows that only 12 per cent of respondents believe that it is better for women to choose her own husband.
Early marriage is complete violation of child right. Thousands of girls, mostly in rural areas are exposed to child marriage. Studies show that in 2001, 70 per cent of women who were killed by their husband were aged 13-18 years. Concerning such prevalence, Bangladesh has outlawed early marriage and rose minimum age to 18 for girls. In 2004 an act was passed which makes it legal requirement to register both birth and marriage. Still it could not stop such rate. The UN data estimates that 48 per cent of all girls between 15 and 19 years of age are married off in Bangladesh. Again, the Dowry Prohibition Act 1980 is barely in effect. Ain O Shalish Kendra (ASK), from January to December 2013, identified 318 cases of dowry related violence. In 2012, some 273 women were killed because of dowry (Odhikar report 2012).
Practice or custom in Bangladesh plays a vital role to strain girls in their ambiances. Women in our families rely heavily on the decision of father and husband for both private and public matters. The dominant ideology and practice that govern relation between women and men in Bangladesh is Islam. But unfortunately it is not the same version that prevails in the book. As a result there is always ingrained tension between what is considered Bengali identity and what is Islamic among its citizens. Islamic edicts (fatwa) by extra legal village courts are common practice in rural Bangladesh. According to Odhikar, in January to December, 2012 a total 17 persons were victimized by illegal fatwa in Bangladesh. Ain O Shalish Kendra (ASK) reported 21 female victims from January to September 2013.
Women are constantly deprived of property rights. They represent 50 per cent of world's population and one-third of labour force. But unfortunately they own less than 1.0 per cent of world's property and 10 per cent of world's income. This is one of the reasons that let women lag behind even after many initiatives taken to mainstream women in development. Constitution of Bangladesh, provision of CEDAW convention guarantee equal right, but social practice is quite reversing. Large participation of women in agriculture (59 per cent) faint out due to lack of access to credit for farming. Again of 14 per cent women engaged in non-agricultural employment, only one in every ten women gets formal wage. Again, their rate of wage is around 60 per cent - 65 per cent of wage of male workers.
Rape, sexual harassment, eve teasing, acid throwing are criminal offences under the Provision of Cruelty Against Women and Children Act adopted in 2000. But according to reports and news of our dailies, these offences seem to put on a normal footing in our society. According to a report of Prothom Alo, in last ten years there were 1,716 cases for acid throwing of which only 167 cases got punishment verdict. ASK report from January to December 2013 shows, there were 813 cases of rape and 185 of attempts to rape. Of them 256 were gang rapes, 87 women died as a result of this and 14 committed suicide. Some 287 victims were aged fewer than 18 years of age. This entire picture puts a very big question mark not only to our legal system, but also our on prospect in restricting subjectivity of women in the field of politics, economy, education, judiciary, service and other sectors of public life.
"We have to free half of the human race, the women, so that they can help to free the other half," truly said British political activist Emmeline Pankhurst. "When you grow up, you can be whatever you want to be", little girls in most of the developed countries hear this all the time, both from parents and society. But the massage is completely opposite in developing countries like Bangladesh. From the day they are born, they are constantly reminded of the things they are not allowed to do or have. Some 19 per cent women in our parliament (better than India and Pakistan), healthier enrolment ratio in primary and secondary education, 7.7 per cent annual growth rate of female employment, and achievement of few MDG goals may camouflage real scenario of women to some deepness. But the situation stated above along with position of 101st among 155 countries in Gender Development Index, 81st in Gender Empowerment Measure certainly unmasks the real scenario of our country. Following lines from a folk song from rural area of Bangladesh very well justify the foundation of despotism women are facing every day in their life. "Why did you come, O girl, when we wished for a boy? Take the jar and fill it from the sea, may you fall into it and drown".
To build society more gender sensitive, people of all walks of life and men in particular should change their approach towards women. They must remember that "men of quality are not afraid of equality".
The writer is 1st Semester, Master's student of Department of Development Studies, University of Dhaka.
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