Inequality for women and girls starts from the very birth of a girl child and it is largely rooted in our traditional culture and social practices. Lack of proper laws and their proper implementation perpetuates women’s suppression by men and makes them more susceptible to repression and violence. The shame and stigma, the trauma and humiliation inflicted on women and children adverse affect in the whole lives of the victims and may in some cases result in mental and physical disorder leaving little hope for their survival.  Moreover, acute poverty also restricts their access to the justice system.

Violence against women and children can be attributed to many causes, and sustainable protection cannot be ensured without effective preventive mechanisms like awareness raising programs and strong advocacy. There is an immense need to bridge the gap between those who govern and those who are governed.  As laws are one of the very significant tools of the state to safeguard the interest of citizens; the well being of society largely depends on the enactment of appropriate laws and their proper enforcement. Without the combination of these twin factors there is every possibility of society to degenerating into anarchy.

BNWLA feels the responsibility and role to help to create a congenial policy environment for enacting laws in favour of protecting the rights of women and children. Therefore, BNWLA believes the project “Combating Violence against Women and Children” will help deprived and distressed women and children to strengthen their voices and unite their efforts to demand access to the formal and informal justice system, which in turn will reduce the future risk of violence against women and children at the domestic level.

Goal/PurposeThe prime goal and purpose of the project is to conduct effective advocacy on issues related to domestic violence with a view to reduce the violence against women and children.

Objectives

1. To improve access to information on issues related to domestic violence.
2. Mobilizing local level organizations to be more concerned and responsive to the needs of women and children.
3. Sensitize community people to take more pro-active roles in combating domestic violence.
4. Drafting a law on domestic violence and influencing the State at policy level for its enactment.

Major Activities

• Capacity Building of staff and members
• Capacity Building of Partner Organisations
• Prevailing situation analysis through surveys
• Develop guidelines for advocacy
• Sensitize people through the mass media
• Organize programs for mass mobilization
• Involve communities to resist domestic violence
• Draft laws on Domestic Violence
• Organize programs for policy advocacy
• Publish/dissemination information through IEC materials and a Web Site
• Conduct an impact assessment study on the role of BNWLA in combating violence against women

The Expected Outcome

• Improved access to information on domestic violence
• Local level organizations are more concerned and responsive to the needs of women and children.
• Community people are more responsive in combating domestic violence.
• The policy levels are influenced and the Draft Law is enacted.  
• TargetBeneficiaries/Stakeholders
• Vulnerable women and children
• Local level partner organizations
• Policy makers, judges, lawyers, local elected members, journalists and women activist groups will also be target groups of the project.