Women and Children Affairs Adviser Sharmeen S Murshid has emphasized the urgent need to reinforce and revise existing strategies to combat gender-based violence (GBV) effectively.

Highlighting the shortcomings in achieving goals, the adviser said, “16 Days of Activism raises more questions than it provides answers. We must rethink our approach as violence, both globally and in Bangladesh, continues to rise.”

She made the remarks at the inaugural event of the ‘16 Days of Activism’ campaign on Wednesday.

The ministry in collaboration with the Local Consultative Group on Women Advancement and Gender Equality (LCG WAGE) and United Nations in Bangladesh officially inaugurated the campaign.

Arranged at the Bangladesh International Conference Center, the inaugural event featured a national dialogue on advancing legal frameworks and fostering collaboration to eliminate violence against women and girls.

The adviser underlined the critical need for the ministry to establish specialized teams with expertise in gender issues and GBV.

“Many ministries experience frequent turnover, which disrupts continuity. A trained individual working on GBV might suddenly be transferred, leaving a gap in expertise. We need stable, specialized teams- comprising sociologists and gender experts who can effectively manage and lead research in this domain.”

The event brought together government representatives, civil society organizations, women’s rights advocates, development partners, and private sector stakeholders.

They discussed the urgent need to address violence against women as a multidimensional issue and called for increased resources, robust legal measures, strengthened policies and proper implementation of the laws to ensure justice and accountability.

Ambassador of the European Union to Bangladesh Michael Miller said they do recognize the landmark directives of the High Court in 2009, but they look to this government in fact, to now adopt and implement the draft sexual harassment prevention bill.

“The domestic violence detection and prevention law needs to be amended to international standards,” he said.

UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Gwyn Lewis said, “As we commemorate the 16 Days of Activism, I appeal to you to use this time as a catalyst for lasting change. Commit to the tangible actions that we know are effective: allocate the resources needed to implement laws, prevent violence, and protect survivors.”

Taslima Yasmin, Associate Professor (Law), University of Dhaka gave the keynote presentation. She highlighted the reforms proposed in the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act 2010 and the law on sexual harassment at workplace and educational institutions drafts.

She also discussed the process of strengthening the legislative framework through the reform proposal in her presentation.

Dr. Praskash Kanti Chowdhury, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Women and Children Affairs moderated a reflection session on the keynote presentation.

Umama Fatema, student coordinator, University of Dhaka mentioned that, proper application of the law is the only way to protect women and girls.

"It is crucial to clearly specify harassment in public spaces and identify its different types. Using vague terms only makes it more challenging for women," said Umama.

"Additionally, clauses need to be clarified, and implementation must be prioritized. Ensuring women's safety starts with making them feel secure. A genuine commitment from the state is essential," she added.

Shireen Parveen Huq, Founder Member, Naripokkho and Chairperson, Women’s Affairs Reform Commission; Dr. Maleka Banu, General Secretary, Bangladesh Mahila Parishad; and Salma Mahbub, Founder General Secretary, B-SCAN also participated in the panel discussion.

Mohammad Mukhlesur Rahman Sarker, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Women and Children Affairs started the event with his welcome speech. He mentioned that there will be a series of activities in all over the country through these 16 days which has been advised by the Chief Adviser himself.

The event was attended and addressed by Keya Khan, and Director General, Department of Women Affairs as the special guests. Mumtaz Ahmed NDC, Senior Secretary, Ministry of Women and Children Affairs chaired the event.

The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is a global campaign that runs annually from November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to December 10, Human Rights Day.

Launched in 1991 by the Women’s Global Leadership Institute, the campaign mobilizes individuals and organizations worldwide to advocate for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls (VAWG), emphasizing the need for urgent action to address this pervasive human rights violation.