Pandemic worsening inequality faced by indigenous women: MJF

The Covid-19 pandemic is negatively affecting the livelihoods of indigenous women and is exacerbating the inequality and marginalisation faced by them.

This became evident on Wednesday during an online discussion organised by the Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) on the occasion of International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, read a press release.

Due to a decline in income, indigenous women are also being subjected to domestic violence, speakers said during the webinar.

Falguni Tripura, coordinator of the Bangladesh Indigenous Women's Network, in presenting the main paper during the discussion, said indigenous women are subjected to multifaceted discrimination – first as women, then for belonging to indigenous communities, and finally for being indigenous women.

Due to the existing repressive societal system of a patriarchal society, indigenous women are victims of various discriminatory policies, the paper said.

According to the paper, indigenous communities are struggling with an acute food crisis due to the pandemic, both in the hills and in the plains. Many women from these marginalised communities took high-interest loans during the crisis which is now causing them to be subjected to violence.

Rani Yan Yan, an advisor to the Chakma Circle, said the existing problems that the indigenous communities always faced got worse due to the pandemic.

"Due to limited communication and increased travel costs, farmers dependent on the market could not sell their produce. Indigenous women are also being burdened by crushing debt," she added.

The paper also mentioned that school going children of indigenous communities are dropping out due to the existing digital divide in the country, and many girl children are being married off at a very young age.

Shaheen Anam, executive director of  MJF, said the biggest problem for indigenous women is their lack of security.

"There has not been any visible development in the livelihood of indigenous women in the country and we must stand by them in this time of crisis," she added.

Aroma Dutta, MP, who was present at the event as chief guest, asked, "Even though we talk about the struggles faced by indigenous women, can we truly grasp what these women go through?"

She urged the government to resolve the existing systemic problems so that indigenous communities can properly receive the aid the government disburses for them.

Advocate Sultana Kamal, executive director of Ain o Salish Kendra, present at the event as a special guest, said that even though the current government is sympathetic towards indigenous communities, it has not succeeded in viewing every citizen equally.

Sanjeeb Drong, secretary of the Bangladesh Indigenous Forum, said it is important to engage women in welfare activities that are undertaken for indigenous women to ensure the greatest success.

The webinar was attended by Dr Sadeka Halim, dean, Faculty of Social Sciences at Dhaka University, Tahera Jebin, social development advisor, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Shamsul Huda, executive director, Association for Land Reform and Development (ALRD), among many others, and was moderated by MJF's Program Coordinator Evelyna Chakma.