Government to launch nationwide anti-violence awareness campaign.
The government would soon launch a nationwide awareness campaign against violence on women and children as it thinks social resistance alongside strict law enforcement is crucial to curb the menace.
“Awareness building is a continuous process, but at times the campaign needs to be intensified. We have a responsibility to make people aware,” Women and Children Affairs Minister Prof Dr AZM Zahid Hossain told BSS in an interview.
He said the government has adopted a zero-tolerance policy against violence against women and children, as well as against drug abuse, extortion, terrorism and land grabbing.
Referring to several recent incidents of violence against women and children that have sparked concern across the country, Zahid said the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs would soon roll out awareness activities from the national level to grassroots.
The programme will involve public representatives, teachers, religious leaders, social organisations, professionals from different sectors and media workers to ensure wider public engagement, he said.
Zahid, also social welfare minister, underscored that law enforcement measures alone are not enough to combat such crimes, highlighting the importance of strengthening social awareness and moral values.
“It is necessary to make people aware of the law, educate them about their rights and responsibilities and what is right and wrong,” he said.
The minister called upon the media to play a stronger role in building public opinion against violence against women, child abuse, rape and drug-related crimes.
“Alongside mainstream media, awareness campaigns should also be strengthened on social media platforms,” he said, seeking cooperation from journalists and digital content creators to this end.
Asked about possible weaknesses in the existing legal framework, Zahid said the country’s laws were largely adequate, but implementation challenges and changing social values remained major concerns.
“There are no major weaknesses in the legal system. The main problems lie in law enforcement, people’s mindset and social degradation,” he said.
He stressed the need to further promote moral and religious education to strengthen people’s sense of humanity, justice and social responsibility.
Zahid said preventing violence against women and children is not the responsibility of any single institution alone, but it requires collective efforts from the government, political parties, social organisations and citizens.
“Only united efforts can build a safer society for women and children,” he added.
Meantime, about the brutal killing of child Ramisa, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has announced that the maximum punishment for Ramisa’s killer will be ensured within the next one month.
He said the government will in no way tolerate this kind of child abuse or violence against women. The premier also underscored the need for reviving the country’s long-standing religious, social and cultural values in national life.
