- The Title of the Research: Socio-legal Impact of Nari O’ Shishu Nirjaton Daman Ain, 2000 in Bangladesh: A Legal Analysis.
- Introduction:
At
least half of all population in Bangladesh
comprises of women. But it is a matter of great regret that they are not in a
comfortable position. They are victims of both repression and depression in all
level of social status. Even a well educated woman, teacher of the University of Dhaka, Rumana Monjur also can’t escape
from repression in spite of having the provision of the Nari O’ Shishu Nirjatan
Daman Ain, 2000.
Another
thing makes me keen to conduct this research that sometimes persons are falsely
accused under this Act. Many false and fabricated suits are filed as matter of
revenge which makes both the complainant and accused in a socially heinous
position. So I want to conduct this research to see the reality of the impact
of this Act on the women of Bangladesh.
- Statement of the problem:
Article
27 of our constitution ensures the equality of man and woman. In spite of this
constitutional right women are to face a great deal of violence. Now a days
this violence is so acute that Nari O Shishu Nirjaton (Bishesh Bidhan), 1995
was unable to meet the problem and the Act Nari O’ Shishu Nirjaton Daman Ain,
2000 was passed and come into operation on 14th February, 2000. Some
amendments were brought in it on 2003 in order to keep pace with society.
Despite
this Act, women are not in a safe position. Violence is increasing in an
alarming rate including sexual harassment, physical and mental torture, etc. If
a wife file any suit against her husband, she does not feel easy to live with
him after mitigating the matter and even mutual respect to their relationship
come to a looser point. So more often dissolution of marriage takes place which
is not after all desired by woman.
Again,
to prove a rape case is a matter of another type of harassment. It is the least
reported crime and a sensitive case as a woman’s sense of dignity is related
directly to that case very intimately (Naomi, 2009).
On the other hand, when a false and fabricated
suit is issued, it takes so much time to prove the matter. To face a suit in Bangladesh
is time consuming and expensive, though there is scope to be tried under a
tribunal.
I
am very much confused how much this Act is a benediction for Bangladeshi woman!
Is the Act able to change the social status of a female and to improve the
social attitude of male towards female? These questions inspired me to conduct
this research.
- Research Objectives
This
study will explore the real conditions of the female’s repression in
socio-legal environment after passing of the Act Nari O’ Shishu Nirjaton Daman
Ain, 2000.Actually the main objectives of my research are as follows;
(a)
To see the real picture of this vulnerable society.
(b)
To go through the Nari O’ Nirjaton Daman Ain, 2000
properly.
(c)
To discover the effectiveness of the act on the
Bangladeshi women.
(d)
To raise the social awareness and try to improve males’
attitude towards female.
(e)
To ensure mutual respect between husband and wife by
avoiding the legal proceedings.
(f)
And after all to reduce vexatious, false and fabricated
suits and to ensure social justice.
- Review of Literature:
Rape
case has the highest pending number of cases as in most of the cases defense
lawyer raise the question of character of the victim. Eight stages of rape case
have been selected to identify the challenges in judicial cases-from filing FIR
in police station to the pronouncement of judgment in the special tribunal for
Nari O’ Shishu Nirjaton Daman Ain (Naomi, 2009). Naomi only explore through the
rape cases, did not go through the domestic violence between husband and wife.
I will study all types of violence faced by women determined in the Nari O’
Shishu Nirjaton Daman Ain, 2000.
While
Nari O’ Shishu Nirjaton Daman Ain, 2000 prohibits the earlier practice of using
jails to place women or girls in safe custody, still judges may direct that
woman be put there without their prior consent. Women in safe custody remain vulnerable
physical and psychological abuse (ASK,et al;2004) . ASK shows only the defects
in judicial process not its social impact which is an important part of my
research.
Women
are more susceptible to becoming poor when they lose the male earning member of
the family due to abandonment or divorce (CPD, 2001). This report deals only
with the inequalities related with the empowerment but there is no picture if
even empowered women are free from the said violence.
The
prevailing climate of insecurity, especially a rise in stalking and sexual
harassment of school and college going girls discourage their families to
continue their daughters’ education (CiC-BD, 2010). This study merely says
about the result of harassment, does not get the legal way to help them.
Gender
bias, myths and stereotypes about women, their sexuality and their role in
family and society, impinge upon women’s access to justice, and deter rather
than facilitate women seeking redress against grievances Counseling and
guidance should be the first step instead of putting the accused into cell, as
most of the petitions ensue from marital or domestic discord, where if the
husband is pushed into jail, the situation only worsens for the woman (Pereira,
2005). This policy is much related with my topic but a difference I find that
my study will say to improve the humane relation between a male and a female
not only the relation of woman and police.
In
spite of having, Nari o Shishu Nirjaton Daman Ain, 2000 and The Domestic
Violence Bill, 2010, we are still haunted every day with stories of rape,
violence, inhuman torture against girls and women and worst of all, the stigma
that is attached to this violence that stops us from seeking justice within our
families and the formal courts (Siddiqui; 2011). Her study explore some
crying and grievance of victim women existing even after passing Nari O’ Shishu
Nirjaton Daman Ain, 2000 ;The Domestic Violence Bill,2010 and some decades of
feminist movement but does not say about socio legal impact and remedy under
the Nari O’ Shishu Nirjaton Daman Ain,2000.
Harassment
leaves women feeling insecure and afraid at the least, but can have several consequences,
one of which is of the women wanting to take their own lives. It seems to be
the easier way out, for facing the consequences is far from it. Under
section 9(a) of the NariO’ Shishu Nirjaton Daman Ain, 2000, the punishment of
willful dishonour is not only inadequate, but 'willful dishonour or assault'
itself may be difficult to prove,
which allow perpetrators to get away (Islam, 2010).In this study only judicial
shortcoming has been shown but its another side relation of social and legal
process is avoided here.
- Justification:
I think this study will
help in increasing both social and legal awareness among people as well as law
enforcing agencies. Many related researches have taken place but my study will
be somehow different as I saw show social and legal effect of the said Act on
women only and will explore the conditions or position of the victims after
passing the Act. Naomi (2009) and ASK (2004) show only judicial defects, not
social effects and Naomi explores only the rape cases.
CiC-BD (2010) and
Siddiqui (2011) studied only the grievances of the victims while my study is
need to see the reality as well as to find out the actual problem and its
solution.
Pereira (2005) says only the relation between
women and police but I wish to go through humane relation which will extends to
every male and female.
Islam (2010) recommends
to the judicial shortcomings under section 9(a) of the Act while my research
will show relation between judicial and social shortcomings. So I assure that
no same research has been taken place still in Bangladesh and my study will be a
distinct one. It will be helpful for vulnerable section of society who are
still ill fated by social attitude in spite of having legal remedy education
and all other facilities.
7.
Scope of the research:
This study will find out
the lacuna of the Act related with women violence and will include the picture
of the false cases under this Act and its result both on male and female. I am
hopeful that this research will fix the real causes which bar this Act to
reduce women violence in society. By using this study development policy may be
made in national and international sphere.
8. Limitations of the research:
I will not analyze all
the sections of the Act, only related matter will be discussed. My study will
explore only the reality faced by women not by children as it include a vast
area. It will be applicable only for Bangladeshi women not for the women
abroad. I want to show only the socio-legal effect of Nari O’ Shishu Nirjaton
Daman ain, 2000 and not related provisions of other prevailing statutory laws.
9. Methods of the research:
The research will be
based on the qualitative method. I will use text books, journals and
information from internet as secondary sources. Then I will go through the statute,
case law, and existing research report as primary source. I will use the
procedure of purposive sampling to sample, and then I will take interview of
the selected group to feel their problems properly. Some case study will help
me to go in depth for investigation and to see the real picture of them. By
understanding the problem profoundly, I will try to make my research as a
useful one.
10.
Conceptual framework:
Various
concepts are very important in this research, like woman, abduction,
kidnapping, rape, dowry etc. which need to conceptual clarification. In this
section the key concepts would be described on the basis of the research
subject according to the said Act.
Woman: it means woman of any age
(sec.2g).
Kidnapping or Abduction: to compel a
person to go from one place to another place by applying force or upon
inducement or enticement or by deceitful means or by intimidation (sec.2b).
Rape: If a male person, except in
marriage tie, without the consent of the woman or by intimidation or by
deceitful means cohabits with a woman aged above the age of sixteen years or
with a woman of below the age of sixteen years with consent or without consent
cohabits then it will be presumed that he has raped her (sec.9 (1) explanation).
Dowry: any types of money, goods or
another property as (demanded by the bridegroom or by his father or mother or
any other person who is directly related to the marriage in favour of the
bridegroom) consideration for the marriage on the condition to perpetuate the
marriage and it is paid during the time marriage to be held, or in the earlier
period or during the continuation of marriage (Ud-Din, 2008).
Socio-legal impact: it will include the
effect of the Act on the women and men in their family and society.
11. Time Frame:
I
think that the study will need about six months time to be completed. I have
divided the time for several works as following categories:
No.
|
Working List
|
Time period
|
1
|
Literature review and
preparation of guidelines
|
One month(15th
july-15th August,2011)
|
2
|
Data collection
|
Three months (16th
August-15th November,2011)
|
3
|
Data analysis
|
One months (16th
November – 15th December,2011)
|
4
|
Preparing final report
|
One month (16th
December – 15th January,2012)
|
12.
Conclusion:
Justice
and human rights are fundamental components of human development. To reduce
women violence is one of the fundamental elements of ensuring human rights.
Legal provision itself is not able to ensure this right without help of social
awareness which will be tried to clarify in my study. The research will leave
further scope of new research on socio-legal effect of other existing laws on
women. The implication of the legal remedy under Nari O’ Shishu Nirjaton Daman
Ain, 2000 can be more effective by improving social attitude.
13. Bibliography:
Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK), Bangladesh Mahila Parishad
and Steps towards Development, 2004;
SHADOW report to the fifth periodic report; To
the UN Committee on the Elimination of
Discrimination against Women.
Citizens’ Initiatives on CEDAW –Bangladesh (CiC-BD), 2010; combined sixth and seventh alternative report to the UN committee; Dhaka.
Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) 2001; Policy Brief on
‘Inequality between women and men and women’s empowerment’;
Dhaka.
Islam, Kajalie Shehreen
(2010); Nowhere to Turn (For
many women, the psychological torment
of sexual harassment leaves few avenues of escape) http://www.thedailystar.net/magazine/2010/01/05/human_rights.htm
Naomi, Sharin Shajahan, 2009; The legal challenges on the way of judicial remedy in Rape cases: The Role of Human Rights
and Legal Services Program of BRAC; Dhaka. www.brac.net/research
Pereira, Faustina, (2005); Towards Pro-Women Policing in Bangladesh; (http://www.prp.org.bd/downloads/prowomenpolicing.doc
Siddiqui, Shahana, (2011); Sultana’s Nightmare: Henas and the Feminist Movement; (http://www.thedailystar.net/forum/2011/march/sultana.htm
The Nari O’ Shishu Nirjaton Daman
Ain, 2000
Ud-Din, Muhammad Faiz (2008); A Text Book on Islamic Law; Shams Publications; p-
381 to 390
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