Human Rights Advocacy
Survivors' network launched to stop acid violence
ACID violence is a particularly vicious and damaging form of violence in Bangladesh where acid is thrown in people's faces. The overwhelming majority of the victims are women, and many of them are below 18 years of age. The victims are attacked for many reasons. In some cases it is because a young girl or women has spurned the sexual advances of a male or either she or her parents have rejected a proposal of marriage. Recently, however, there have been acid attacks on children, older women and also men. These attacks are often the result of family and land dispute, dowry demands or a desire for revenge.
Nitric or sulphuric acid has a catastrophic effect on human flesh. It causes the skin tissue to melt, often exposing the bones below the flesh, sometimes even dissolving the bone. When acid attacks the eyes, it damages them permanently. Many acid attacks survivors have lost the use of one or both eyes. But the scars left by acid are not just skin deep. In addition to the inevitable psychological trauma, some survivors also face social isolation and ostracism that further damage their self-esteem and seriously undermine their professional and personal futures. Women who have survived acid attacks have great difficulty in finding work and, if unmarried (as many victims tend to be), have very little chance of ever getting married. In a country like Bangladesh this has serious social and economic consequences.
In this situation, Babli, an acid survivor, inaugurates the two-day Acid Survivors' Convention-2007 by lighting candles at the Biam auditorium. Acid Survivors' Network was formally launched at a convention with a vow to work together to stop acid violence in the country. During the two-day Acid Survivors' Convention, the Network has developed a set of recommendations for policy makers, civil society members and development organisations to take bold initiatives in this regard.
The convention was organised by Acid Survivors' Network at Biam Foundation with the support of Action Aid Bangladesh, Acid Survivors Foundation (ASF), Odhikar, Channel i, Prothom Alo and Persona. Narrating the background Nurunnahar, who played the key role in forming the platform, said the idea of forming the Network came to her mind to support the destitute survivors and strengthen the movement against acid violence. She said only a small number of victims have come out of their home and survived with dignity in the society while majority of them remain alone living as a burden of the family. Nurunnahar said with the launching of the Network, countless acid survivors from across the country will be able to share their feelings with others and become self-reliant. She paid tributes to late Action Aid Country Director Nasreen Huq who was a pioneer of the movement against acid violence.
Speaking on the occasion Madhob Chandra Dutta, executive director of SoDESH, called for strict implementation of acid control laws. "The major reason of acid violence across the country remains with the availability of acid," he said while sharing his experience of working with the acid survivors in Satkhira. Motiur Rahman, editor of the Prothom Alo, said acid violence cannot be stopped until men come forward against the violence. He said although the incidence of acid violence has decreased recently, the nation cannot take pride in it as acid violence has tarnished the image of the country. Criticising the role of previous political governments in implementing the acid control act and acid violence prevention act, Motiur said this is the high time to create pressure on the caretaker government to implement the acts to check acid violence. He said the Prothom Alo has been working countrywide to collect donation for the acid survivors and create public opinion against acid violence since 2002.
Munira Rahman, executive director of ASF, said although people are now more aware about acid violence, only 10 percent acid throwers have so far been brought to book. "It is our failure that we are still unable to create such environment where acid violence could be stopped," she added. Munira laid emphasis on developing 'community based society' to change the mindset of people in helping acid survivors to lead a social life.
Farah Kabir, country director of Action Aid Bangladesh, called on the newly formed forum to strengthen its network to raise voice against acid violence. Rina Roy, member of Nari Pakkha, Kanij Almas, director of Persona, Syed Raihan Kabir, executive director of Creative Media, and Dr Shamanta Lal Sen, project director of Burn Unit at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, also spoke on the occasion.
Source: Acid Survivors Foundation
Compiled By: Law Desk
