Published: 10:21 AM, 13 April 2026
Gender equality is required for peaceful societies: UN
Women and girls represent half of the world's population and, therefore, also half of its potential.
Gender equality, besides being a fundamental human right, is essential to achieve peaceful societies, with full human potential and sustainable development. Moreover, it has been shown that empowering women spurs productivity and economic growth.
Unfortunately, there is still a long way to go to achieve full equality of rights and opportunities between men and women, warns UN Women Rights Office.
Therefore, it is of paramount importance to end the multiple forms of gender violence and secure equal access to quality education and health, economic resources and participation in political life for both women and girls and men and boys.
It is also essential to achieve equal opportunities in access to employment and to positions of leadership and decision-making at all levels.
The United Nations defines violence against women as "any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual, or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life."
Some latest facts and figures from the United Nations show that women in various countries till today continue to face violence despite the fact that statutory laws and legal defence for women strongly exist.
Intimate partner violence refers to behavior by an intimate partner or ex-partner that causes physical, sexual or psychological harm, including physical aggression, sexual coercion, psychological torment and controlling behaviors.
Sex crimes like gang rape and physical attacks on women in Bangladesh happened over and over again in Bangladesh during the ruling period of the immediate past interim government.
Non-partner sexual assault is sexual violence perpetrated by strangers, acquaintances, friends, colleagues, peers, teachers, neighbours and family members. Sexual harassment is an unwelcome sexual advance, unwelcome request for sexual favours or other unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature which makes a person feel offended, humiliated or intimidated, where a reasonable person would anticipate that reaction under the circumstances.
