A training ‘Preventing Violence against Women in Emergency’, was held from November 5th to 7th with the aim to build up capacity of local NGO’s to deliver the idea of Minimum Standard, GBV Guiding Principles, Women Friendly Space to local organizations to mitigate, prevent and response to GBV violence and thus develop skilled GBV actors to work coordinately during emergency.
25 participants from different NGO’s and activists in Noakhali participated in this 3 days long training at NRDS Training Center, Binodpur, jointly organized by Participatory Research Action Network- PRAN and ActionAid Bangladesh, supported by UNFPA.
Dr. Sadia Shamrin Hridi- Consultant of UNFPA, Kamrun Nahar- Deputy Director, Department of Women Affairs Noakhali, Hamidul Haque- District Relief and Rehabilitation officer Noakhali as a guest of honor were present at the inaugural session. This three days’ training was facilitated by Taslima Akhter Deputy Manager – Women Rights and Gender Equity and Saiada Islam- Programme Officer – Training, Women Rights and Gender Equity ActionAid Bangladesh.
Dr. Sadia Shamrin Hridi in her guest speech said women are the most vulnerable in emergencies. According to statistics by UNFPA, 2 out of 3 women become victims of violence at some points in their lifetime. UNFPA is working toward achieving three zero’s- zero gender-based violence, zero maternal death, and zero child death. They will facilitate establishing a one-stop cell center in every upazilla to support victims of violence. This is also important to bring a positive change in attitudes towards women along with pragmatic measures to prevent violence against women, she mentioned. Kamrun Nahar- Deputy Director, Department of Women Affairs and Hamidul Haque- District Relief and Rehabilitation officer in Noakhali discussed their various programs and actions to stop violence against women in emergency in their speeches. They have already provided cyclone preparedness training for Red Crescent members. There are 11 three-storied cyclone centers newly built-in Subarno Char, Companigonj, and Noakhali Sadar Upazilla which contain women-friendly facilities like breastfeeding corners and separate toilets. More than 100 cyclone centers are to be built to ensure safety for women in emergency.
In context of various sessions, like gender inequality, gender-based violence, types, reasons and effects of gender-based violence, disaster management, vulnerability of women in emergency, core humanitarian standard and policy of emergency response preventing violence against women, women-friendly service center, the training was conducted with several interactive ways to clear the messages to the trainees throughout the training days. The trainees shared their experiences of difficulties they usually face while working to ensure safety for women in emergency.
At the end of the training, the trainees mentioned that the technical policies and concerning issues they came to know from this training will provide them support preventing violence against women not only in emergency but also ensuring safety for women in their own communities and workplaces.
