DHAKA, April 22, 2024 (BSS)- Collective efforts of all the government and non-government organizations concerned can be the crucial means of preventing sexual harassment and cyber bullying.
 

Civil societies and local government authorities should come forward and work together to free the society from the crime as it's being judged as a human rights violation at present.
 

Government officials and development activists came up with the observations while addressing a national dialogue titled "Prevention of Sexual Harassment and Cyber Bullying: How to Make CSO-LAS Joint Actions More effective" here today.
 

On behalf of its 'Young People at High Schools Strengthen Women's Rights and Inclusive Governance in Bangladesh" project, NETZ Partnership for Development and Justice organized the dialogue at CIRDAP conference hall.
 

Civil society representatives, government officials and local government people from eight districts in Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions joined the meeting. DASCOH Foundation and Manob Kalyan Parishad (MKP) are jointly implementing the project in the eight districts supported by BMZ and NETZ Bangladesh.
 

Dr Prokash Kanti Chowdhury, Joint secretary of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, addressed the meeting as the chief guest saying the government has adopted various need-based initiatives to prevent women repression.
 

He termed the involvement of technology as reality of the present era and there is no scope of remaining far away from the technology. But repression of women using the technology is totally unexpected.

He urged all quarters to remain cautious towards abuse of the technology together with positive use of it.
 

Dr Prokash Kanti Chowdhury, who is also Project Director of the Multisectoral Program to prevent women repression, told the meeting that the government has already taken some steps for preventing the crimes.  
 

Findings of a research conducted in the eight districts were presented in the dialogue saying 82 percent women face online harassment and 89 percent of those are subjected to facebook harassment.

In-charge of National Hotline 109 Raisul Islam, In-charge of National Emergency Service 999 Anwar Sattar and Programme Manager of NETZ Bangladesh Afsana Binte Amin addressed the dialogue disseminating their expertise on the issue elaborately.
 

Programme Manager of NETZ Bangladesh Sara Khatun gave an overview of the project along with its aims, objectives and implementation strategy during her concept paper presentation. Chief Executive Officer of DASCOH Foundation Akramul Haque moderated the discussion.