With the rest of the world, Bangladesh Labour Foundation (BLF) along with Gender Platform Bangladesh observed International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on 25th November 2021.

BLF has started A 16-day activism campaign under the theme “Orange the World: End Violence against Women Now!” and will continue till International Human Rights Day on 10th December 2021. BLF will hold Human Chain, Discussion Program, Awareness Sessions with different stakeholders during this campaign period.

Ahead of International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, Dubravka Šimonović, UN special rapporteur on Violence against Women, said the rise in femicides and violence was “taking the lives of women and girls everywhere” around the world, as the coronavirus continues to rage out of control. She called on all states and relevant stakeholders worldwide to take urgent steps to prevent the pandemic of femicide or gender related killings of women and gender-based violence against women, through the establishment of national multidisciplinary prevention bodies or Femicide watches/observatories on violence against women.

In Keraniganj Local RMG Industrial Cluster, BLF with the basic workers union arranged awareness sessions among the members and workers.

In Savar Tannery Industrial Estate, BLF and Tannery Workers Union arranged a Human Chain, discussion meeting with the workers and supervisors on this occassion.

In Sonagazi, Chagalnaiya, Daganbhuiyan of Feni and Kabirhat of Noakhali district, Human Chain, awareness and discussion program have been arranged by BLF, its associate organization and Agriculture Workers Union

During this year BLF urges the Government to

– The government should ensure proper implementation of the existing laws and vardict of High Court to stop violence against women
– As per High Court guideline, a law should be approved to eliminate all forms of violence against women at workplace
– Ratify ILO Convention C190 as soon as possible

These day to day programs will continue until 10th December 2021

How it all began

In 1960, the three Mirabal sisters – Patria, Minerva and María Teresa, all political activists from the Dominican Republic – were brutally murdered on the orders of the country’s ruler Rafael Trujillo on November 25.

To honour the sisters, women’s rights activists have observed November 25 as a day against gender-based violence since 1981.

On December 20, 1993, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women through a resolution, paving the path to eradicating violence against women and girls worldwide.

On February 7, 2000, the General Assembly adopted a resolution officially designating November 25 as International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, inviting governments, international organizations as well as NGOs to join together and organize activities designed to raise public awareness of the issue every year on the day.