Nation's silent war: Never-ending battle for Women's safety and dignity

I sat down with the newspaper on a peaceful morning. Hoping to begin the day with uplifting news, I started flipping through the pages of the newspaper. That's when my attention was abruptly drawn to a headline written in bold letters "Three-Year-Old child who went to buy chocolate raped by teen shopkeeper". Wondering how much harder life is for women in Bangladesh, I set the newspaper aside. I turned to my phone, only to find another distressing story trending online: "Two women were beaten up for smoking at a tong." What more could I expect? Before I could fully process this, yet another headline emerged "Victim withdraws harassment case amid rape, death threats", followed by the earlier report of a "Mother and aunt allegedly beaten for protesting against rape of daughter with a disability."

Throughout history, women have sought their rights amidst myths, folklore and societal narratives. Women have soared high through the ages and remain anxious about their safety today.

In a world that is becoming more advanced, debates continue about women's lives. Is this womanhood? Is this the history of civilization? On International Women's Day, we amplify calls for women's rights, respect, and dignity. Yet, the question lingers: Will our nation ever truly become a haven for women? 

The dominance of human-like hyenas has spread across a sick society. The recent incident of two young women being verbally abused, surrounded, and physically assaulted by a group of men in the capital for smoking raises a critical question: Were they targeted for smoking or simply for being women who smoke?

In another case, a victim withdrew her harassment complaint under the weight of death threats. Shockingly, after securing bail, the accused was publicly honoured with a floral garland and a turban.

Such incidents force us to confront deeper societal issues: Are clothing and behaviour always to blame for such atrocities? Or does the colour of one's skin—fair or dark—dictate how women are perceived and treated?

From the killing of Nusrat in 2019 and the 2022 case of Iran's Masha Amini, none of these injustices provide clear answers.

Instead, they underscore a pervasive and systemic failure to protect women. Where will it end? The path to a safer, more equitable society demands not just awareness but actionable change—a collective commitment to dismantle the structures that perpetuate such violence and discrimination. Until then, the struggle for women's rights and dignity remains an urgent and unfinished battle.

In protest against the injustice done to Mahsa Amini, Iranian women took to the streets. Women of all attire, from burqa to fatwa, stood united on the roads.

In solidarity with Mahsa Amini, who lost her life for the crime of showing her hair in front of her father and brother, many women cut off their hair as a form of protest.

The demand of these women who sacrificed their hair was not for the right to remove the hijab but against state-sponsored killer police and for the right to live as human beings above being women. Last year, in protest against rape, the base of the Raju Sculpture at Dhaka University resonated with the slogan, "Wherever I go, whatever I dress. No means no, yes means yes."    

A lot has been said about violence against women, but how much is discussed about the neglect and misogynistic attitudes that push women several steps backwards?

These subtle yet deeply ingrained issues often go unnoticed, yet they play a significant role in perpetuating inequality and holding women back in society. 

Despite the high risks of childbirth after 40, the husband avoids proper medical care, relying instead on a government doctor simply because the previous child was a girl.

These examples highlight the pervasive gender bias, colourism, and neglect that women endure in society. Such toxic attitudes not only reinforce inequality but also jeopardize women's health and safety, further marginalizing them and deepening their vulnerability.

From climate change to the decline of democracy, women's rights have regressed in a quarter of the world's countries in 2024. This information was revealed in a report published by UN Women, the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and women's empowerment.

The report states that violence against women and girls continues at an alarming rate worldwide. Nearly one in three women experience physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner or sexual violence by a non-partner during their lifetime.

This highlights the pervasive and persistent nature of gender-based violence across the globe. Although laws and regulations are in place to address these issues, their implementation is inadequate.

The gap between legal frameworks and their practical enforcement remains significant, leaving many women without the protection and justice they deserve.

Witnessing all this fills me with profound disappointment, and it brings to mind a famous quote from Leonardo DiCaprio's renowned film Blood Diamond,— "Sometimes I wonder will God ever forgive us for what we've done to each other? Then I look around and realize God left this place long ago."

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