Rights bodies urged the state and society to confront entrenched social norms and structural power imbalances to build what they termed a fear free future for women and girls, warning that gender based violence both online and offline has escalated to a level demanding emergency attention.
A high level national dialogue convened by Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) held on Wednesday at Lakeshore Grand in Gulshan as part of the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence 2025 campaign, brought together policymakers, civil society, development partners, journalists, and youth under the UN theme UNiTE to End Digital Violence against All Women and Girls.
In her opening remarks, MJF Executive Director Shaheen Anam said that despite gains in education, employment and leadership, violence against women and girls remains widespread and is increasing. Citing figures compiled by Ain o Salish Kendra and Mahila Parishad, she noted 503 reported deaths of women from domestic violence and 905 cases of sexual violence against children between January and October 2025, while more than 78 percent of women have experienced digital violence, "particularly on Facebook." She called for treating violence against women and girls as a national priority, arguing that "negative norms and customs that accept violence must change," along with stronger institutional accountability and reforms in the justice system. "Numbers do not tell us the full story because behind every case lies the pain and trauma of a woman, a girl or a child," she said, urging long term investments to transform social attitudes and improve law enforcement responses.
