Combating Violence against Women in Bangladesh: A Content Analysis of National Legal and Policy Frameworks

Addressing violence against women (VAW) is a vital component of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5, which seeks to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. VAW remains a significant issue in Bangladesh, despite the country’s initiatives to address the issue for decades. This study critically examines Bangladesh’s effort in developing and reforming legal and institutional arrangements to address VAW in the last three decades since 1995. Based on a robust conceptual framework for understanding the legal and institutional aspects of VAW, the study uses literature review and content analysis tools to analyze the qualitative data of various legal and policy frameworks related to VAW in Bangladesh. The findings indicate that Bangladesh has made considerable progress in establishing laws and institutional mechanisms to address the issue; however, the impact is limited by ingrained social norms, systemic weaknesses in the justice system, and insufficient support for survivors. The study contends that tackling these complex issues will require sustained commitment, improved sector-wide collaboration, and specific reforms to ensure that the existing legal and policy frameworks contribute to deliver practical results for women and children affected by violence.