Forty-year-old Selina Aktar Banu, the elected ward member of Gaibandha Parisabha, heard about the campaign from Gana Unnayan Kendra, a campaign ally: “I was convinced that the campaign was raising an issue that needed urgent and effective redress. It is certainly an issue in need of governance and I was determined to become a Change Maker and help in my own way, particularly in my capacity as an administrator.

I am very fortunate to be supported by the Commissioner himself who is keen to promote the campaign and help in every way possible. He has helped me in my efforts to reactivate the Standing Committee (that attends to cases on violence against women and children) that had become defunct.

We have together ensured that birth and marriage registrations are taken very seriously. All government employees, health personnel and panchayat members have been issued instructions in this regard. It is possible now to check on the number of births and marriages within a given period. This was an area that was thoroughly neglected before. Women in our society always live in fear of being dispossessed of a husband and, hence, a home. In the absence of marriages being registered, husbands have the freedom of marrying repeatedly.

We engage with women and youth groups to sensitise them to the issue of domestic violence and provide them social support. As there is a high incidence of domestic abuse in my area, I personally sit with women in my neighborhood when they are in need of counselling and help. So far, I have motivated 50 people to volunteer as Change Makers.

I do face opposition from some of my colleagues who think these issues to be trivial and undeserving of attention. But how can violence, coercion, limiting mobility and choices, denying private and public spaces to women be considered trivial? The voices of women I hear tell me one thing – that we urgently need workable strategies and effective interventions to end violence against women.”