‘Young urban slum women feel unsafe at open bathing spaces’

Adolescent girls and young women of urban slum areas feel unsafe while bathing at open bathing spaces, a survey of the Plan International finds.

The lack of accessible water and infrastructural challenges create risks of sexual harassment and violence, according to the survey.

SM Tariquzzaman, WASH specialist of Plan International Bangladesh, shared the survey findings at a press briefing at a convention centre in Dhaka on June 11.

Plan International Bangladesh started a model project titled "Empowering Girls for Economic Opportunity and Safe Space-Egloss" in January 2022, he said.

Under the project, the international development organisation initiated to establish and reform 15 bathing spaces in four slum areas of Dhaka: Dhalpur, Malek Member Colony, IG Gate Colony, and Match Colony.

The initiative has been implemented by Plan International Bangladesh and Population Services and Training Centre (PSTC).

Under the initiative, a survey was conducted in these four slum areas where 417 girls under the age range of 14-24 years took part.

Some 12 focused group discussions were also organised, Plan International Bangladesh said in a statement today.

The survey was conducted by youth-led organisation BYS with the support of Plan International Bangladesh.