Table of Contents Executive summary ................................................................................. 2 Introduction ............................................................................................ 3 Background of the study ...................................................................... 4 Objective .............................................................................................. 4 Methodology ........................................................................................

5 Limitations............................................................................................ 5 Womens primary access to justice in urban areas ................................. 6 1. Patriarchal norms and culture values ............................................. 6 2. Lack of awareness/knowledge about rights .................................. 15 3. Weak justice system ..................................................................... 16 4. Fear of violence if they report ...................................................... 17 5. Dont know where to seek help .................................................... 18 6. Organizations and institutions providing help .............................. 19 7. Statistics ........................................................................................ 23 8. Creating awareness....................................................................... 26 9. Social protection and service centers ........................................... 27 Conclusion ............................................................................................ 28 Reference .............................................................................................. 29

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Executive summary
In Bangladesh, the patriarchal capitalism puts women in such a position within their communities that they always remain subordinate under male domination and in many cases this is reflected through violence. Thus a woman commonly has risk of experiencing domestic violence within her family and it is not very surprising that the husband is more likely to assault and/or batter his wife if she fails to meet his dowry demands or to perform household work. Given the scale of the human rights violation against women within family this article concentrates on the sociolegal concerns of domestic violence problem in Bangladesh. The study in the beginning focuses on the womens primary access to justice in urban areas. Social position of women & domestic violence in Bangladesh and then finds out the domestic violence prevention mechanisms through national law and international human rights obligations of the state. Thorough this report we try to focus on patriarchal norms and cultural values and the lack of awareness among the women about their rights. Despite the existence of legal provisions, there is a disconnection with the operational framework dealing with human security and the environment that is hostile to the poor, the marginalized and vulnerable. In the light of the study, it is wise to show a gateway that may break the silence to bring out the fact and may assist in reducing family violence in the country. Many experts suggest that the amount of family violence in Bangladesh may be much higher than it is anticipated

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Introduction
Justice is defined as the state of affairs when a person has been given what he is due or owed, and therefore has been given what he deserves or can legitimately claim Scholars, however, have identified various factors which present as barriers to access to justice and restrain people to attain their legitimate claim. Hutchinson argues that barriers cause a difference between availability and access to justice. When discussing barriers to access to justice, Scholars have identified broadly two different types of barriers: subjective barriers and objective barriers. Subjective barriers relate to intellectual and physiological barriers including age, physical or intellectual deficiency the attitude of state functionaries such as the police, lawyer and judges. The objective barrier relates to purely physical barriers including geographic dis persion of courts, availability of claims officers and lawyers, cost of obtaining legal redress, delay in legal proceedings and structural complexity of the legal system. As observed in literature, due to their more vulnerable condition in the society compared to men, the high-cost and long disposal time of litigation compound to make it harder for women to access the formal justice system. Therefore, due to delays in courts and high costs of litigation women have difficulty accessing the benefits of many protective laws guided by the personal laws or other secular laws to enhance women rights in the society. In fact, mere presence of legal rights will not ensure justice to women if there is not an effective mechanism to make those legal rights accessible to them. Although existing national legislation does ensure far-reaching gender equality and protection against discrimination and violence, there is widespread ignorance of the law and significant resistance to implementation of gender equality in the courts, the law enforcement agencies and in society at large. Implementation of laws and polices guaranteeing equal rights and opportunities for women has faced many barriers. Constitutional rights and commitments under international conventions have not always been transformed into laws and policies protecting womens equal rights. Even when progressive and far-reaching policies have been formulated, such as the National Policy for Womens Advancement, changes in key provisions made in 2004 may have the potential of reinforcing discriminatory laws and practices against women.

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Background of the study

Safeguarding security in the twentieth century is a development issue and its definition has moved beyond the traditional one of defense policy. It has expanded to include, legal frameworks, political management and control mechanisms, working state institutions and capacities, and the capability of the civil society to self-organize and cooperate. In Bangladesh, security is not just a development issue it is also a gender issue. The country has made significant strides in framing laws to guarantee equal rights and legally protect women from violence and discrimination. The Constitution guarantees equal rights and prohibit discrimination of the basis of sex thereby giving women opportunity to participate in public life. Bangladesh has been party to international conventions on womens rights and ratified the Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Violence against Women (CEDAW) in 1984, although it retains reservations on Article 2 and Article 16.1(c). Following up from the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing (1995), Bangladesh formulated a National Policy for Womens Advancement (1997) to implement commitments made at that Conference and under various laws upholding womens equal rights. Finally, in 2005, the Governments Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) demonstrated a commitment to gender equality by mainstreaming gender in its goal-setting and policy implementation plans.

Objective
Modern civilization is the result of joint action of men and women. No nation can progress without the help of women. Now days women are seen in positions of power. There are queens and prime ministers with constitutional control or virtual, and women in general have wrested benefits in greater or smaller measures. But all this does not change the fact that the system is male dominated and women are merely accommodated in it in a variety of ways. Gender justice entails ending the inequalities between women and men that are produced and reproduced in the family, the community, the market and the state. It also requires that mainstream institutions from justice to economic policymaking are accountable for tackling the injustice and discrimination that keep too many women poor and excluded. Discrimination is a blight that holds back progress towards social justice in developed and developing countries alike. this paper discussed how the scarcity of legal aid restrain women from making claim on their matrimonial rights, that they could make otherwise in presence of sufficient legal aid and legal

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representation to carry on their proceedings in formal courts. So the main purpose of the study is to analyze patriarchy and Womens primary access to justice in urban areas.

Methodology
Primary sources: None Secondary sources: The whole report is based on secondary data. These secondary information were collected from different websites, books journal, report, research publication and newspapers.

Limitations
This report is not free from limitations. Moreover the topic is so much vast, so we faced some problems while preparing this report. The limitations acquainted with this report are as the following: Collecting previous information was little bit tough. It was difficult to arrange a suitable time for all members. Technical problem. Time shortage. Website is not up to date or information enriched.

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Womens primary access to justice in urban areas

1. Patriarchal norms and culture values
Concept of Patriarchy Patriarchy is the prime obstacle to womens advancement and development. Despite differences in levels of domination the broad principles remain the same, i.e. men are in control. The nature of this control may differ. So it is necessary to understand the system, which keeps women dominated and subordinate, and to unravel its workings in order to work for womens development in a systematic way. In the modern world where women go ahead by their merit, patriarchy there creates obstacles for women to go forward in society. Because patriarchal institutions and social relations are responsible for the inferior or secondary status of women. Patriarchal society gives absolute priority to men and to some extent limits womens human rights also. Patriarchy refers to the male domination both in public and private spheres. In this way, feminists use the term patriarchy to describe the power relationship between men and women as well as to find out the root cause of womens subordination. This article, hence, is an attempt to analyze the concept of patriarchy and womens subordination in a theoretical perspective. The word patriarchy literally means the rule of the father or the patriarch, and originally it was used to describe a specific type of male-dominated family the large household of the patriarch which included women, junior men, children, slaves and domestic servants all under the rule of this dominant male. Now it is used more generally to refer to male domination, to the power relationships by which men dominate women, and to characterize a system whereby women are kept subordinate in a number of ways (Bhasin 2006:3). Patriarchy refers to the male domination both in public and private spheres. Feminists mainly use the term patriarchy to describe the power relationship between men and women. Thus, patriarchy is more than just a term; feminists use it like a concept, and like all other concepts it is a tool to help us understand womens realities. The concept of patriarchy is defined by different thinkers in different ways. Mitchell, a feminist psychologist, uses the word patriarchy to refer to kinship systems in which men exchange women (Mitchell 1971:24). Walby defines patriarchy as a system of social structures and practices in which men dominate, oppress and exploit women (Walby 1990:20). She explains
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patriarchy as a system because this helps us to reject the notion of biological determinism (which says that men and women are naturally different because of their biology or bodies and, are, therefore assigned different roles) or the notion that every individual man is always in a dominant position and every woman in a subordinate one (Ibid). Patriarchy, in its wider definition, means the manifestation and institutionalization of male dominance over women and children in the family and the extension of male dominance over women in society in general. It implies that men hold power in all the important institutions of society and that women are deprived of access to such power. However, it does not imply that women are either totally powerless or totally deprived of rights, influence, and resources (Lerner 1989:239). Thus, patriarchy describes the institutionalized system of male dominance. So we can usefully define patriarchy as a set of social relations between men and women, which have a material base, and which, though hierarchical, establish or create independence and solidarity among men that enable them to dominate women (Jagger and Rosenberg 1984). Patriarchal ideology exaggerates biological differences between men and women, making certain that men always have the dominant, or masculine, roles and women always have the subordinate or feminine ones. This ideology is so powerful that men are usually able to secure the apparent consent of the very women they oppress. They do this through institutions such as the academy, the church, and the family, each of which justifies and reinforces womens subordination to men (Millett 1977:35). The patriarchal system is characterized by power, dominance, hierarchy, and competition. So patriarchy is a system of social structures and practices in which men dominate, oppress and exploit women. Origin of Patriarchy Regarding the existence and origin of patriarchy, traditionalists do believe that men are born to dominate and women to be subordinate. They believe that this hierarchy has always existed and will continue, and like other rules of nature this one too cannot be changed. There are others who challenge these beliefs and say that patriarchy is not natural it is man-made and, therefore, it can be changed. In this regard, Aristotle propounded similar theories and called males active, females passive. For him female was mutilated male, someone who does not have a soul. In his view, the biological inferiority of woman makes her inferior also in her capacities, her ability to reason
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and, therefore, her ability to make decisions. Because man is superior and woman inferior, he is born to rule and she to be ruled. He said the courage of man is shown in commanding of a woman in obeying (Learner 1989:8-11). According to modern psychology, womens biology determines their psychology and, therefore, their abilities and roles. Sigmund Freud, for example, stated that for women anatomy is destiny. In his view, normal human was male (Freud 1977).

But these theories of male supremacy have been challenged and it has been proved that there is no historical or scientific evidence for such explanations. There are indeed biological differences between men and women but these distinctions do not have to become the basis of a sexual hierarchy in which men are dominant. The analysis of many of these theories enables us to recognize that patriarchy is man-made; historical processes have created it. No single explanation of the origin of patriarchy is accepted by all. Here, I will present only some of the principal theories put forward and that too, very briefly.

A very important explanation for the origin of patriarchy was given by Frederick Engels in 1884 in his book, The Origins of the Family, Private Property and the State (Engels 1940). Engels believed that womens subordination began with the development of private property, when according to him; the world historical defeat of the female sex took place. He says both the division of classes and the subordination of women developed historically.

At that stage when private property arose in the society men wanted to retain power and property, and pass it on to their own children. To ensure this inheritance, mother-right was overthrown. In order to establish the right of the father, women had to be domesticated and confined and their sexuality regulated and controlled. According to Engels, it was in this period, both patriarchy and monogamy for women were established. According to the radical feminists (Brownmiller 1976, Firestone 1974), patriarchy preceded private property. They believe that the original and basic contradiction is between the sexes and not between economic classes. Radical feminists consider all women to be a class. Unlike the traditionalists, however, they do not believe that patriarchy is natural or that it has always existed and will continue to do so.
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Socialist feminists accept and use the basic principles of Marxism but have tried to enrich and extend it by working on areas which, they believe, were neglected by conventional Marxist theory. They do not consider patriarchy to be a universal or unchanging system because of their commitment to a historical, materialist method as well as of their own observation of variety in the sexual division of labor. Socialist feminists view the struggle between women and men as changing historically with changes in modes of production (Beechey 1977). Hartmann (1981) looks at the link between patriarchy and capitalism and argues that patriarchy links all men to each other irrespective of their class. A womans work benefits both capital and her husband. Hartmann defines patriarchy as a set of relations which has a material base and in which there are hierarchical relations between men and solidarity among them, which in turn enable them to dominate women. The material base of patriarchy is mens control over womens labour power. Another important socialist feminist view has been presented by Mies (1988) in a paper entitled, The Social Origins of the Sexual Division of Labour. She puts forward some ideas regarding the possible reasons for and the sequence of historical developments leading to the origin of gender hierarchy or patriarchy. In this paper, she says, whatever the ideological differences between the various feminist groups, they are united in their rebellion against this hierarchical relationship between men and women, which is no longer accepted as biological destiny. Their enquiry into the social foundations of this inequality and asymmetry is the necessary consequence of their rebellion. According to Mies, male-ness and female-ness are not biological givens, but rather the result of a long historical process. In each historic epoch male-ness and female-ness are differently defined, the definition depending on the principal mode of production in those epochs. This means that the organic differences between women and men are differently interpreted and valued, according to the dominant form of appropriation of natural matter for the satisfaction of human needs. According to Mies, women were the first producers of life, of social production, of the first tools of production and if they were also the first to initiate social relations, why were they unable to prevent the establishment of a hierarchical and exploitative relationship between the sexes? She answers this by saying that male supremacy, far from being a consequence of mens superior economic contribution, was a result of the development and control of destructive tools through which they controlled women, nature and other men.
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According to Lerner (1989), patriarchy was not one event but a process developing over a period of almost 2500 years (from approximately 3100 BC to 600 BC) and a number of factors and forces that were responsible for the establishment of male supremacy as we see it today. Gerda Lerner (1989) begins by emphasizing the importance of women history in womens struggle against patriarchy and for equality. According to her, patriarchy, in fact, preceded the formation of private property and class society. One socialist feminist school of thought prefers to use the concept of subordination of women rather than patriarchy, which they reject as being historical. Patriarchy, according to them, is neither universal nor an all embracing phenomenon as different kinds of relationships have always existed between men and women in history. According to them, it is not sex but gender which is important; sex is biological, gender is social. This group is concerned with what they call gender relations (Oakley 1972). The search for the social origins of this relationship is part of the political strategy of womens emancipation. Without understanding the foundation and the functioning of the asymmetric relationship between men and women it is not possible to overcome it.

Patriarchal Structures in Bangladesh Discrimination against women constitutes a subordinate position of women and a violation of basic human rights and is an obstacle to the achievements of the objectives of womens equality, development and peace. In the last two decades, discrimination against women emerged as one of the most visible and articulated social issues in Bangladesh which generates womens subordination. Male domination and womens subordination are the basic tenets of Bangladeshi social structure. All forms of discrimination constitute the social, political, economical, religious and cultural differences between men and women and establish male dominated society. It also eliminates womens equality with men, forms womens subordination and constructs a social system which produces womens subordination. The systems of patriarchy in Bangladesh are commonly identified by patrilineal descent (influence of patriarchy) and patrilocal residence (i.e. the practice of women living with their husbands relatives after marriage) (Rendall 1982:15-34). Patrilineal descent in Bangladesh is mainly organized along the patrilineal lines, which has direct consequences to the position of
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women in the society (Monsoor 1999:32). A boy is the perpetrator of the patriline, he will inherit the family name. On the other hand, a girl is treated as subordinate to men and of no or little value. After marriage a girl goes to her husbands house. So our families think that girls are burden for them. Sons will earn and will look after their parents. So the oppression of a girl starts from her family. As a wife comes to her husbands house after marriage, so her husband thinks that she is in a subordinate position and he is more powerful than her. So, here a girl is also oppressed and discriminated. This experience of subordination destroys womens self-respect, self-confidence and self-esteem and sets limits on their aspirations. Womens dependency upon and subordination to men is conditioned by a whole range of institutional practices embedded in the family and the Kin-group. It is these aspects which provide the constituent elements of the well-documented system of patriarchy in Bangladesh which institutionalizes the female subordination of women and their structured dependency on men. Some examples of patriarchy in Bangladesh are as the following: In Bangladesh, people mostly prefer new born male children to female. When a woman gives birth to a girl her husband and other members of the family start to oppress and undermine her and the child. Discrimination against girls in the domestic menu, food distribution is still a common feature in maximum household. Probably for lack of food and care in Bangladesh maternal mortality rate is high. Burden of household work is mostly on the women and young girls, while men are executed on the plea of their economic activities. But patriarchal society like Bangladesh has no recognition to this work. Girls have to cope with lack of educational opportunities because their parents think education is primarily necessary for the male children. In patriarchal society, a woman from her childhood does not gets equal chance with a boy to develop her qualities.

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 Lack of freedom and mobility for girls is another main feature of patriarchy in Bangladesh. They cannot go out to work, meet with their friends or come back any time; they have to return home before dusk. Wife battering is quite common in the country. Patriarchal norms that naturalize domestic violence are not freestanding; they are embedded in a larger culture of discipline. Sexual harassment at workplace is another common feature. Many women workers are thrown out of their job when they are not willing to give in to the demands of their bosses. Women face discrimination of inheritance or property rights. In the Muslim families of Bangladesh sisters get half of their brothers share while Hindu women get nothing. Only Christian women get equal share of property like-their brothers. But in this social structure of the patriarchal family women are deprived of their property rights which are granted. Male control over the female body or gross sexuality is a common feature. Women possess no control over fertility or reproductive rights. It is mostly the husbands who decide on family planning methods. In most cases, women have no rights to choose their husbands; rather the male members of their families impose decisions on them. After marriage, women are traditionally not allowed to provide support to their own relatives. In our patriarchal society, woman has to cover herself fully with cloth which is called purdah. We know the justification for purdah, beyond the Quranic verses on modesty which are clearly applicable to both sexes. But patriarchal structure operates this purdah on womens voice and movement to keep women in private place. Thus, purdah is a complex institution that entails much more than restrictions on womens physical mobility and dress.

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The article examines respondents perception on discrimination against women by using Likert scale. The respondents values and beliefs are important factors in determining whether there is any discrimination in communities. In order to examine respondents perception, 7 items were constructed and the results are presented in Table 1.
TABLE I: RESPONDENTS PERCEPTION ON DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN

No

Questions

Strongly disagree N% N 32 -

Disagree

% 0

Neither Disagree or Agree N % 1 2

Agree

Strongly Agree % 8 N 29 % 58

Total N 50 % 100

N 4

Women are homemakers while men are the breadwinner of the family Daughter is the non-permanent family member as they move away another family after marriage Both of son and daughter should given equal opportunity in education. Science and technical subjects are not suitable for women. en are more suitable for holding higher position rather than women Men should make most of the important decisions in the family. Women should to be respectful and obedient to their husband in every aspect

16

2.

14

28

14

13

26

14

28

50

100

3 4. 5. 6. 7

18

36

31

62

50

100

16 10

32 20

0 16

0 0

4 13

8 26

29 19

58 38

50 50

100 100

14

13

26

17

34

10

20

50

100

13

26

19

38

15

30

50

100

Again in this article, a Likert scale has been used to examine respondents gender ideology regarding the value of womens education. The variables of respondents gender ideology of education were measured using 8 items on a four point Likert format. The study measured respondents gender ideology and awareness regarding childrens education using a four point Likert scale. The respondents gender ideology was examined using a set of statements that reflect respondents attitudes towards their expectation and responsibilities towards their childrens education. The respondents values and beliefs are an important factor in determining patriarchal influence that reflects womens ideology.

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Table 2: Women gender ideology regarding childrens education

Variables Daughter should not to pursue higher education, but son should do so. Daughters education is less important than son as son contribute family income. Access to basic education is human rights for boys only. Education is more important for boys than the girls. The role and duty of women is to taking care of the children and the household only. Parents should to be given high value to sons education because they are potential providers and perpetrators of family names. Girls should be given priority on training the domestic chores rather than to their education. Parents should to give less priority on daughters education because they will go away another house after marriage.

Attitude of respondents regarding education ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Strongly Strongly agree Agree Disagree disagree Total -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------N (%) N (%) N (%) N (%) N (%) 138 40.6 90 26.5 58 17.1 54 15.90 340 100 194 38 175 184 150 193 202 57. 1 11.0 51.5 54.1 44.2 56.8 59.4 36 65 52 42 76 36 32 10.6 19.1 15.3 12.6 22.4 10.6 9.4 56 184 52 59 59 57 59 16.5 54.1 15.3 17.4 17.4 16.8 17.4 54 53 61 55 55 54 47 15.90 15.59 17.90 16.20 16.20 15.90 13.80 340 340 340 340 340 340 340 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

It is observed that all practices and structures support womens subordination in practice which undermines womens position in Bangladesh. As Mahtab stated, in Bangladesh, women bear many of the marks of a disadvantaged minority in the social, economic and political realms. The traditional society of Bangladesh is permeated with patriarchal values and norms of female subordination, subservience, subjugation and segregation. The reality of the women of Bangladesh, (most specifically, the rural poor women and those living in the urban slums) is that they remain a vulnerable, marginalized group that is yet to enjoy equality in status, and access to services and resources with male counterparts. Women are found at the bottom rung of poverty, illiteracy, and landlessness. (Mahtab 2007:20-21). Women are the most affected by negative impacts resulting from discrimination at birth leading to deprivation of access to all opportunities and benefits in family and societal life, such as education and health. This puts them in the most disadvantageous position and also the victims of worst forms of violence some advancement of women does not prove that women are not subordinated. Though some changes have occurred, but such changes are marginal, superficial modifications in the ways in which men exploit women. Rather, male violence against women is systematically condoned and legitimated by the states refusal to intervene against it except in exceptional instances, though the practices of rape, wife beating, sexual harassment etc. are too decentralized in their practice to be part of the state itself. However, patriarchy does not operate in a vacuum. Our normative social practices are
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deeply embedded in a disciplinary culture that condones or even encourages violence. Womens rights, under the Islamic law are often not implemented. There are lots of evidences; the rights which are grunted in the religious laws are often not enforced in a male dominated patriarchal society. Thus, the patriarchal argument that women are subordinated by religion is not completely true. Rather the proponents of patriarchy in the society use religion as a tool to conserve their dominance over females.

2. Lack of awareness/knowledge about rights

Women have some legal rights in various matters but they do not have adequate knowledge or awareness about those rights. There are some categories stated below where women have lack of knowledge and awareness. Proper Education Unless women are educated, they will not know their rights. Proper education will increase the knowledge about their rights. Early Marriage & unregistered marriage In many countries including Bangladesh female are getting married in a very young age, although there is a legal age standard for marriage for both men and women. Registered marriage is also a right of women. Unregistered marriage can cause various problems for them in their future. Dower (Mohorana) To receive mohorana after marriage is a legal right of the women. But most of them do not have knowledge about it. Inheritance and ownership of property According to the law of Bangladesh and laws of different religions, womens inheritance to the property is a must. But this is not properly practiced in several parts of our society due to the ignorance and lack of awareness. Polygamy Polygamy is a common practice in a male dominated society like Bangladesh. Even some religions allow it in favor of the male which definitely hampers the rights of the women. The matter of the regret is women sometimes do not even know how to response and accept this as a part and parcel of their lives.
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Family planning It is very surprising that even in women in urban areas are not aware of their family planning rights where womens decisions should be prioritized while deciding about family planning. As a result, sufferings of the women keep continue.

3. Weak justice system

One of the most common causes of the failure to protect women's rights is weak enforcement of the laws and widespread corruption within the justice system itself. According to a study carried out by the Policy Leadership and Advocacy for Gender Equality (PLAGE) project of the Ministry of Women's Affairs, legal measures and other support services undertaken by the government have not been able to address the issue of violence against women effectively. Due to many lacunae in the investigation and charge sheet procedures, 88% of the offenders were not brought to court. Violence-related issues such as custodial rape, illegal fatwa and other kinds of violence at the community level perpetrated by local religious leaders or arbitration bodies continue to be unresolved without any visible government intervention. Most sources indicate that the mechanisms to enforce and administer the relevant laws are inadequate and ineffective. Unusual delay in court procedures and trial proceedings allow accused persons out on bail to intimidate victims and tamper with evidence. Corruption in the law enforcing agencies is a critical obstacle to eliminate crime and violence against women. According to a Transparency International survey conducted in Dhaka in 1997, 63% of the 2,500 households questioned reported that they had to bribe court officials. Hiring witnesses was reported by 18.7% of the households. With the open market economy and globalization, trafficking in women and children has turned into a rapidly growing trade with the involvement of international organized crime groups and require very sophisticated investigation and follow-up mechanisms that Bangladesh lack. Medical care, short-stay-homes or shelters are far too inadequate and girls and women who suffer from family problems often are left with no option but to fall prey to new exploiters. There are no facilities to treat trauma victims, or to provide occupational therapy, education-cum-vocational training or recre
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4. Fear of violence if they report

In our country more than 80% of womens have fear of violence in their own if they make any report against any harassment by men. Statistics shows, it is also true that most of the women had faced many problem after reporting against the harassment they suffer. A research (Women and the City II: Combating violence against women and girls in urban public spaces) shows that that women face a constant threat of violence, including rape and sexual harassment, in public spaces, preventing them from living and working in cities without fear of attack.

Lack of access to public services such as transport, street lighting and electricity, along with proper housing and sanitation, were found to make women more vulnerable when moving around the city for work or education. For many women, the pressure to earn money for them and to send home to their families leaves them with no option but to accept unsafe conditions when travelling to and from markets or factories.

The report also reveals that inadequate policing places women at greater risk of violence and sexual harassment. In many of the cities, the police do not patrol the dangerous neighborhoods where poor people live, with attacks often going unreported. Poor women in particular, reported having to travel long distances to report attacks where they often face police who are unable or unwilling to process their claims. Womens should break their fear and raise their voice against those harassments. Government should take some necessary steps to handle all of this situations and make womens to feel comfortable to continue their everyday life easily and freely without facing any kind of harassment. Government could take some necessary steps to support the women.

Government can: Legislation by the state to address all forms of violence against women and girls in public spaces. A proper complaints procedure should be included within the justice system, accessible to the poorest and most excluded women.

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 Fund essential public services (street lighting, safe public transportation and safe housing) to reduce violence against women. Implement public policies on service provision and to ensure that all service providers receive the necessary training to prevent, identify and report harassment and violence against women. And also women can organize and demand their rights on issues related to their safety, cultures that allow violence to continue and victims to be blamed. Urban planning must be based on womens rights and experiences.

5. Dont know where to seek help

In our country womens dont know where to seek help, because of their lack of knowledge about law where the law is an essential tool for advancing womens rights and gender equality. When a society is governed by the rule of law, with an accessible and just legal system, women can thrive, contribute to the system and improve it for future generations. The rule of law requires that laws are free from bias and discrimination equally enforced and independently adjudicated, and consistent with international human rights norms and standards. As such, a robust and effective legal system based on the rule of law is central to assisting women to become equal partners in decision-making and development. Just as a strong legal system can protect and open up opportunities for women, a justice system that is inaccessible or that contains discriminatory rules or practices can significantly impede the advancement of womens rights. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has highlighted the danger of women being left vulnerable to becoming victims of criminal acts, such as fraud, theft, sexual or economic exploitation, violence, torture or murder, if they are not empowered to benefit from the full protection of the law. The global study conducted by the Commission on Legal Empowerment of the Poor (CLEP) also concluded that groups that experience discrimination and exclusion from the protection of the rule of law are more likely to fall victim to a range of socio, economic, political and criminal injustices. Over the last couple of decades, the international community has invested substantially in programs aimed at strengthening the rule of law in developing countries. Yet despite this investment, the rule of law continues to mean very little for the vast majority of women and girls. Many women are simply unable to access and navigate their way through formal legal
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institutions. This can be due to structural as well as cultural barriers, including womens inadequate knowledge of rights and remedies, illiteracy or poor literacy, and lack of resources and time to participate in justice processes, especially given the heavy burden of labor that women bear for their families. These challenges are even greater for women who are subject to multiple forms of discrimination based on factors such as being part of indigenous or ethnic minority communities, religious minorities or sexual minorities, or for disabled women, migrant workers, and women living with HIV/AIDS. Research suggests that in developing countries, up to 80% of the cases are resolved by informal justice systems, signifying that most women in the developing world access justice in a plural legal environment.

6. Organizations and institutions providing help

In compare to previous, Bangladesh has lots of organization and institution which are working on womens right and for justice for women. Laws are much stronger to support the women and help to get the justices.

Bangladesh Nari Progati Sangha (BNPS): Bangladesh Nari Progati Sangha (BNPS) is an activist womens organization, working since 1986 to establish equality for women from the family to the state level. BNPS has been working at the national level for policy and legal reforms and at the community level for organizing and mobilizing grassroots people through a variety of programs. BNPS follows a bottom-up right-based approach linking community to the national level. In the process its role is one of a catalyst and facilitator. BNPS has been trying to create an environment for women and other marginalized groups raising their voice and claiming their entitlements through a variety of activities, like awareness raising, institution building, livelihood activities and reforms of different policies, systems, institutions and mindset. The congenial working environment, culture of co-operation and teamwork, non-hierarchical management with an activist orientation is seen by all as an asset in BNPS. Oxfam International (in Bangladesh): Oxfams involvement in Bangladesh began in 1970 assisting the then cyclone victims and supporting the people of Bangladesh during the Liberation

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War in 1971. For our work in 1971 Oxfam was one of only three organizations honoured as a friend of the Bangladesh liberation war in 2012. Oxfam works with a wide range of partners including civil society organizations, NGOs, media organizations, foreign and local universities, private sector companies and different levels of government. We see a particular role for Oxfam as a network facilitator between the wide range of power holders and poor people in Bangladesh.

Focus of their work: Their objectives in Bangladesh: 1. Gender justice Empower women to make meaningful decisions concerning themselves, their families, their community and their country, through their realization of their rights, their control of resources, their freedom from violence, and their access to, and influence within, social and political space. 2. Education Enhance the quality of education for all, and enabling more girls and young women to have sustained access to quality education. 3. Secure livelihoods Increase the food and income security for the most marginalized people through increased resilience of their communities and livelihoods to change and disaster. 4. Humanitarian response Help vulnerable women, men, boys and girls, their communities, government and humanitarian actors so they will be better able to cope with and adapt to shocks. We achieve this through preparedness and improved policy, resulting in reduced negative impact for women and men, more rapid and effective gendered response, and more rapid long term recovery.

Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC): As a strong advocate against gender based violence, BRAC launched a Social Development Programme in 1985, with a Human Rights and Legal Services component where women were enlightened about their legal rights and taught about the laws concerning marriage, family and inheritance. In May 2007 an Impact Assessment done by the North West Microfinance Expansion Project testified to increased awareness of legal issues including that of marriage and divorce among women participants of BRAC programs. Furthermore, incidence of domestic violence was found
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to have declined and womens self-confidence boosted among participants. In fact, one of the most prominent forms of violence against women, acid throwing, has been decreasing by 1520% annually since the enactment of legislation specifically targeting acid violence in 2002. As of 2 March 2011, BRAC obtained a contract from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to introduce the Joint Programme on Gender Based Violence, a project aiming to end violence against women. Reaching across all 6 Bangladeshi districts, the project includes the improvement of local administrators capabilities in advising impoverished women, raising awareness on violence against women, enhancing the administrative capabilities in data collection and preservation concerning violence against women, providing social and financial rehabilitation and re-assimilation into society for victims of violence as well as consolidating cooperation with other human rights groups in Bangladesh to establish more efficient platforms against violence against women.

Bangladesh Women Lawyers Association (BNWLA): Bangladesh National Women Lawyers' Association is a lawyer's association based in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was established in 1979. Its main goal is "to create equal opportunities and equal rights for every woman and child in the country."BNWLA promotes the rights and status of women lawyers alongside fighting for access to justice for all women & children particularly for the most disadvantaged women and children in Bangladesh. Mahila Porshod: Bangladesh Mahila Parishad (BMP) is a womens human rights organization. BMP emerged as a womans group the preparatory phase of liberation war of Bangladesh in 1970. The founder members of the worked as organizer of the organization as well as liberation war simultaneously. Organization was launched under the bold leadership of Poet Sofia Kamal, the competent successor of Begum pioneer dreamer of womens emancipation of the subcontinent. In order to eradicate all forms of against women, BMP is devoted to establish a democratic, secular, discrimination free family, society and state in the light of UFH/R and on the basis of the spirit of our liberation war. To promote the status of women of Bangladesh, BMP is active both nationally and internationally, in order to empower women, who are living in a disadvantageous position. The organization has been in Bangladesh on voluntary basis for more

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than three decades and pioneering the womens movement with slogan Womens Rights are Human Rights. The organization is committed to uphold the values of equality.

Nari Maitree (NM): Nari Maitree Women's Solidarity is a non-governmental and non-profitable voluntary organization was founded in 1983 with a mission to empower the disadvantaged poor and vulnerable women, adolescents, youth and children characterized by slum dwellers and pavement dwellers, Street, Hotel and Brothel based sex workers and their children, child labor, including ethnic minority groups for establishing their rights in the family and as well as in the society.

Karmajibi Nari: Karmojibi Nari (KN) which means working women is an initiative for working women in Bangladesh. In 1991 this organization started functioning from a very small scale. Since 2006, it has transformed into a matured organization in its actions and framework and in its expansion of the realm of work and also in manpower. Over the time KN has reached to about 450 thousand members of women workers and developed organization of woman-workers both formal and informal sector through forming cell at factory and community level. Karmojibi Nari is moving forward aiming to spread its boundaries and activities throughout the whole country. There are some other organizations which help women to get justices are written below. Durjoy Nari Shangha Bangladesh Mahila Samity Bangladesh police

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7. Statistics
Worryingly high levels of abuse were identified, as the study found that many of the women surveyed had been physically assaulted by their husbands: 40% in the urban area studied and 41% in the rural area studied. About 19% of the women in both areas had experienced severe physical violence, which was defined as being hit with a fist or object, kicked or dragged, beaten up, choked, burnt, or threatened/injured with a weapon or object of some kind. In addition, 19% of the women surveyed in the urban area, and 16% of those in the rural area, stated that their husbands had physically abused them during the previous 12 months. Furthermore, a large percentage of these abused women had been attacked repeatedly over that period (Fig. 1 and 2).

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Violence against women remains a prevailing social problem in contemporary Bangladesh. Brutal attacks on women have become commonplace and widespread across the country. Daily news reports are filled with atrocities including physical and psychological torture, sexual harassment, sexual assault, rape, dowry related violence, trafficking, forced prostitution, coerced suicide and murder. The rate of reported violent acts against women has risen consistently and at an alarming rate, especially since the early 1990. The following data has been taken from 22 police stations in the capital city over the last three years.

In light of the above discussion the most common manifestations of violence in Bangladesh are detailed below. Available data from the Police Department give some indication of the extent of these types of violence. This data indicates that in 2004 there were 3081 crimes for dowry, 3083 women were raped, and 198 women were injured from acid attack. The most significant part of this data is only one seventh (5584) of the total (34061) number of accused were arrested.

Domestic violence, or violence perpetuated in the home or family environment, is a major social problem in Bangladesh. Domestic violence incidences are fairly common and widespread across the country. Women of all economic strata are vulnerable to maltreatment and abuse by husbands, in-laws, and other family members. Available data suggests that the number of cases of domestic violence is increasingly being reported in the newspaper.

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Rape is one of the most brutal forms of violence against women in Bangladesh. In a culture that holds a woman's chastity sacred, rape crimes are particularly injurious to a woman's self-identity and social future as well as her physical and psychological wellbeing. The ever-increasing rate of rape crimes is an alarming phenomenon and depicts the diminishing value of women in society.

Acid violence is a crime that has been popularized in Bangladesh. The flinging of acid on the bodies and faces of women became a common means of taking revenge by rejected suitors in the 1980s but has reached the highest peak in recent years. Bangladesh has the highest worldwide incidence of acid violence and, acid burns constitute 9% of the total burn injuries in Bangladesh11. Acid violence involves throwing acid at a person's body to disfigure and scar the

person for life. A recent study reveals that land disputes account for 27% of acid attacks, followed by 18% for family disputes, 10% for refusal of sex, 8% for refusal of romantic relationship, 5% for dowry conflicts, 4% for marital disputes, 3% for refusal of marriage proposal, 2% for political enmity, and the remaining 23% for unknown reasons. Despite new harsh laws, acid violence has bas been increasing over the last few years.

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8. Creating awareness
Now a day it is easier to reach to women and tell them about their rights. Being a citizen of this country they have some rights to get justices. There could be some steps by which we can create awareness women about this issue Education is the most important thing for every woman. A educated woman understand her rights well Doing seminar could be another idea for creating awareness. It could help them to know about their right and can also get the answer of their questions. Using mass media for creating awareness like radio, T.V channels, newspaper and magazine. Use opinion leaders of society like Emam or Pandit or Father ( in religious context) to says on this issue Teachers or educated people can help to create awareness

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9. Social protection and service centers

While Bangladesh has a strong set of laws and judicial guidelines to tackle violence against women, implementation remains poor. Violence against women including rape, dowry-related assaults, and other forms of domestic violence, acid attacks, and illegal punishments in the name of fatwas or religious decrees and sexual harassment continue. Bangladesh reported the highest prevalence of child marriages in the world. Archaic and discriminatory family laws for Muslims, Hindus, and Christians, continued to impoverish many women when they separate from, or divorce spouses, and trap them in abusive marriages for fear of destitution. The Law Commission of Bangladesh researched and recommended reforms to these laws in 2012. In our country there are so many different social protection center actively helped the women for different kind of violence they are faced. There are more than 2200 NGOs working for different women and children right issues. There are also several Victim Support Center (VSC) working for women protection. Women and children victims of violence that quality, timely and professional services to the Police Reform Programme, UNDP - support the process of setting up victim support center. Very short time space, infrastructure reform, and training agreements with partner agencies to provide supervision of the Bangladesh police on 17 February in Dhaka Metropolitan Police under 009 Tejgaon Police Station adjacent to the top of the first victim Support Center. Bangladesh Police to deal with non-governmental organizations signed the agreement victim support Center, women and children receiving services from the same center as well as providing policing services, legal assistance, counseling and rehabilitation services to the Initiative. The number of victim support center for rehabilitation of women violence victim support center and NGOs with proper facilities should be increased.

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Conclusion
Despite the existence of legal provisions, there is a disconnection with the operational framework dealing with human security and the environment that is hostile to the poor, the marginalized and vulnerable. Women and children are the worst victims of this. A study conducted in 2000 by United Nations Population Fund shows that 47 % of Bangladeshi women were physically assaulted by their husbands and partners. The Bangladesh National Women Lawyers Association in a survey carried out in 2002 found that violence against women is on the rise. It is therefore not surprising that the national population census found hundreds and thousands missing females from households. The demographic profile of Bangladesh now shows a lower proportion of female to male ratio at 49:51. In the light of the study, it is wise to show a gateway that may break the silence to bring out the fact and may assist in reducing family violence in the country. Many experts suggest that the amount of family violence in Bangladesh may be much higher than it is anticipated. This is because surveys, studies and police reports do not capture all cases of violence and abuse In this respect, series of steps may be suggested - call the police and lay a charge; report to the legal aid organizations as soon as possible; at least tell a friend; seek help; get into a shelter or into counseling. It is heartfelt demand of the respondents that Government as well as the concerned organizations may initiate pragmatic programs that will really work for it. In order to decrease the violence rate, family education, religious practice and peace education may be encouraged. As an honor to our constitution, female should get all necessary support and services as and when required. Awareness development campaign may play a vital role in this regard. With a view to educate young generation with the concept family relationship a series of workshop, seminar, training programs and conferences may be designed. Above all, a commitment for eliminating family violence is earnestly required from each corner. One way forward, for example, would be the use of community education to remove social stigma and ensure that domestic violence isnt accepted by society.

"Given the scale of the problem, providing appropriate services to help victims of domestic violence is an absolute necessity"
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Reference
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