The Engage Men and Boys Network (EMB), an alliance of civic organizations, has taken the initiative to form a model union free of gender-based violence against women and children. Jainkathi union of Patuakhali Sadar upazila have been selected as the model union of the Barisal division. The information was given at an exchange meeting with the Jainkathi Union Women and Child Abuse Prevention Committee on Tuesday (January 19).
The meeting was organized by the Bangladesh Rural Economic Development Society (BRED), three-member organizations of EMB Network, Alor Dishari Mahila Unnayan Sangstha, and Pratik Yub Sangsad. Union Parishad members, secretaries, religious leaders, and dignitaries took part in the function.
Jainkathi Union Parishad Chairman Firoz Alam presided over the meeting held in support of the BRAC Gender Justice Program. BRAC Regional Human Resources Director Khan Omar Farooq was present as the chief guest in the performance of Md. Shahidul Islam, Executive Director of BRAD.
Sohanur Rahman, Executive Chief of Pratik Youth Parliament, presented the keynote address on the initiative to build a gender-based violence-free model union for women and children. She said in her presentation that it is not possible to prevent violence against women and children through the sole participation of women. This requires integrated initiatives. The participation of men and adolescents in preventing violence against women and children is a timely step towards gender equality. Following this, BRAC and EMBI Network have launched 7 unions in 7 districts in the project area as model unions with the aim of sustainable development under the project ‘Promoting Gender Justice: Reducing Violence Against Women and Children in Bangladesh through Inclusion of Men and Boys’.
It will be possible to accelerate the national level movement against violence against women and children by strengthening the network of men and adolescents as well as strengthening the network of men and adolescents through the involvement and awareness of men and adolescents in various ways.
Also speaking on the occasion were SDA Executive Director KM Enayet Hossain, BRAC Gender Justice and Diversity Program Divisional Manager Md. Selim Mollah, Patuakhali District Coordinator Md. Nefaz Uddin, Youth Organizer Sabbir Hasan and others.
