Archive for category: Press Releases & Media Coverage

This project explored the linkages between traditional, harmful norms of masculinity, the stigma around sexual and reproductive health and rights, and the perpetration of violence against women and girls in three districts in Bangladesh. Due to harmful, learned messages about what it means to be a man and the societal taboo on sexuality, young men and boys in Bangladesh do not openly seek information about sexual and reproductive health and rights. Instead, many learn sexual behaviors and attitudes through watching pornography, which is increasingly widespread with the increased access to mobile phones and internet throughout the country. Pornography teaches men and boys harmful attitudes and behaviors around their own sexual health and normalizes violence against women and girls. This project responded to these findings with a three-tiered action approach: first, group education sessions for young men and boys through a “Campus Hero Café” to discuss issues related to gender, health, psychology, and sexuality with experts and open up with each other to reflect on their own attitudes and experiences in order to transform their behaviors. Second, community activism was encouraged and implemented by the participants. 

Moderator :

Dr. Sayed Shaikh Imtiaz

Associate Professor and Former Department Head,

Women and Gender Studies, University of Dhaka.

Chairperson, Trustee Board, UNYSAB

Chairperson, CMMS

Guests:

Mona M’Bikay Boin

Executive Director

UPR Info Geneva Area, Switzerland.

Zarin Zeba Khan

Gender Equality Advisor FSSP of GAC.

Tanja Doucet

Student of Sustainability Sciences in Lüneburg,

Germany member of the project “Poculum”.

Kyra Haskins

Student of Global Environmental and Sustainability Studies in Lüneburg, Germany Member of the project “EqualTech”.

Jana Schulte Hürmann

Student of Environmental Sciences and Economics in Lüneburg,

Germany Member of the project “Poculum”.

Nayem Molla

Youth Activist

At present, menstrual cups have become very popular in ensuring hygiene and comfort during menstruation. It has also gained popularity for being environment-friendly. According to Stewart, E. G (2099), “A menstrual cup is a menstrual hygiene device which is inserted into the vagina during menstruation. Its purpose is to collect menstrual fluid. Menstrual cups are usually made of flexible medical grade silicone, latex, or a thermoplastic isomer. They are shaped like a bell with a stem or a ring”.

The menstrual cup is eco-friendly. When a pad takes over a hundred years to mix with soils, a menstrual cup leaves nothing to earth at all. One can save a lot of money too because a cup can be used for up to 10 years. However, though it has become popular in many first world countries, women of conservative societies still hesitate to use it due to lack of knowledge. Since the cup is located inside the body, there are questions about the virginity of women. However, it is scientifically proven that there is no question of losing the integrity of women in the use of menstrual cups. Another myth regarding menstrual cup is ‘one size fits all’ whereas in reality this is not true. Moreover, other myths include- one can not use the toilet or swim or exercise while wearing a menstrual cup, it hampers sleep and it can get lost in vagina, it is painful and many others. Although some women use the cup ignoring the social stigma, thousands of women are still confused.  Misinformation about using cups does not allow them to try this new device.

When we think about women’s rights, a stereotypical image of protests, conferences and meetings led by women often come to mind. But can we imagine hundreds of school-going boys taking to the streets, expressing their pledge to prevent violence against women (VAW) and girls? Not only that – imagine them visiting every household in their village and encouraging their neighbours to end gender-based violence. This revolutionary picture can be seen in many of the villages of Pabna, Sirajganj and Natore districts of Bangladesh. 

It is the outcome of Dr. Sayed Saikh Imtiaz’s BraveMen Campaign (BMC), an action research that tries to develop the most effective strategies to end VAW involving young men and boys in schools. The campaign is being run by Dr. Imtiaz’s team at the Centre for Men and Masculinities Studies (CMMS) in more than 50 schools in rural areas and also in Dhaka.

“Allah has given me three daughters. They are ten, six and two years old respectively. In my village daughters are often seen as liability and treated harshly. My neighbours and friends also laugh at me for having no son,” says Abul Kalam, a farmer living in a remote village called Haripur under Gangachora upazila of Rangpur district. “My mother used to rebuke my wife for giving birth to three daughters, one after another. Out of my anxiety about my daughters’ future, I also used to act roughly with my wife and daughters. I used to think that I was in deep crisis and I have no other option except for begging or robbing, to feed my family,”