How Legal Change Happened through Effective Policy Advocacy in Bangladesh: Adoption of the Domestic Violence Law

Violence of different types against women is widespread in Bangladesh with domestic violence being one of the most prevalent. Despite laws, policies, and constitutional guarantees for equal rights for women, there is considerable divergence between legal provisions that exist in theory and what happens in reality. Prior to the enactment of the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act in 2010, the legal framework failed to provide any effective remedy for victims of domestic violence. In light of the major shortcomings of the earlier legal framework, civil society and women's rights organizations were engaged in advocacy efforts and demanded separate legislation to combat domestic violence. My organization, Bangladesh National Women Lawyer's Association (BNWLA), was one of the leading ones in this advocacy effort, as we had firsthand experience in providing legal aid to women and children who were subjected to violence. I have been actively involved in this process and, in this paper, I share my experiences of this successful advocacy effort.