Domestic violence rates in Bangladesh remain high, despite laws like the Nari o Shishu Nirjatan Domon Ain and the Domestic Violence Prevention and Protection Act (DVPPA) 2010. Dominant stereotypes about domestic violence and marriage being seen as sacrosanct have led to inaction by service agencies and legal practitioners. A 2022 study by the BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD) investigated the implementation of the DVPPA. The BIGD team conducted both primary and secondary research, with a total of 32 interviews with service agencies, legal professionals, women’s rights and legal rights groups of the Coalition for Domestic Violence (CIDV) and its allies. The findings suggest that effective implementation of the DVPPA will need a fundamental change in norms and attitudes among implementers, leading to the removal of barriers to action, the provision of supplementary support to victims, and revisions to the procedures to enable easier access to the protection of the Act.
Authors: Sultan, Maheen; Mahpara, Pragyna
Type: Policy Brief
Year: 2023
