Nahar (28-years) has become a role model to the community around her for standing up against gender-based violence (GBV). She is now a successful small entrepreneur in her locality. After getting training from the UNFPA-supported Women Support Centre, she was able to change her life. Now she is producing handicrafts and selling her products to the community. She is also sharing her experiences with them and encouraging people to stand up against gender based violence.
Nahar got married Jahangir Alam in 2002 according to Muslim law. Alam demanded TK. 20,000.00 as dowry for furniture and other necessary things, which her parents agreed. Nahar is a gentle and hard-working woman and her poor parents gave dowry to her husband because they wanted Nahar to have a happy married life.
The new couple passed their married life happily for about a year. After that, her husband started demanding more dowry in cash or kind. When she failed to produce it, he would torture her both physically and mentally. Her husband also had suspicions about her character and used this to justify the physical and mental torture that increased day by day.
Her mother-in-law and sister-in-law both tortured her for household chores. Her husband and mother-in-law did not provide her with proper food and clothing, either. Despite this adverse situation, Nahar wanted to continue her married life for her 2 daughters and their future. She tried her best to keep the family happy, but the intolerable torture was increasing every day.
Nahar's husband was continuously pushing her demanding more dowry. When she did not agree to give him more money or anything else, he beat her brutally and threw her out of the house.
In these helpless circumstances, Nahar came to know about the Women's Support Centre that provides support to the victim through a neighbor. She came to the UNFPA-supported Woman's Support Center (WSC) in January of 2013. After hearing her story, office authorities suggested that she stay in the shelter home in order to ensure her safety. After field investigations, WSC found this to be a Gender-Based Violence case. WSC sent a notice to her husband and other perpetrators to force them to come meet for arbitration. During this period, psychosocial counseling was provided to Nahar for her mental strength. On October 6, 2013, a successful arbitration was held in WSC with the presence of senior members of both families to help solve their problems.
Nahar and her husband expressed their opinion to continue their family life with the following conditions demanded by Sabekun Nahar: Her husband, Jahangir Alam, would work regularly for earning; her husband would never torture her for any reason; and her husband would provide support for her and their children's livelihood.
Nahar's husband realized that his behavior had been unacceptable and agreed with all of the conditions. During her stay in the WSC shelter, Nahar completed her vocational training successfully on handicrafts.
Nahar returned to her home in a happy moment with her husband. With her new expertise in stitching clothes, she also started a small business, which her husband is supporting her in. Now Nahar is continuing her handicrafts business and contributing monetary support to the family along with her husband. The couple is maintaining communication with WSC and has become an example in their community to end GBV.