Ensuring safe citizenship for girls through combating all sorts of violence especially sexual harassment against them has become an urgent need for boosting women empowerment, speakers at a discussion said.

They observed that sexual harassment at public places restricts girls rights to education, rights to mobility, rights to freedom and rights to life. So, the social crime must be averted through forging social movement.

Gender-sensitive social mindset can help establish rights of the adolescents through reducing violence and repression against them.

The observations came at a networking meeting styled "Elimination of Sexual Harassment against Schoolgirls. Meyeder Jonnyo Nirapad Nagorikotto (MEJNIN)" programme organized the meeting in association with Gender Justice and Diversity Division of BRAC held at its office here yesterday afternoon.

During his concept paper presentation Feroj Kabir, Sector Specialist of Mejnin highlighted the aims and objectives of the event and sought all-out cooperation of the network members on how to prevent and resist sexual harassment and all other violation against girls.

With Network Convener Akbarul Hassan Millat in the chair, BLAST Coordinator Advocate Abdus Samad, Prof Rozety Naznin, Prof Bulbul Rani Ghosh, TIB Area Manager Mahmud Ali, Nasima Khatun and President of Chhotobangram Girls High School Managing Committee Sadrul Islam spoke on the occasion.

The discussants viewed that sexual harassment and teasing has become a widespread phenomenon in the society and the crime involves mental, physical and sexual domination and humiliation by the powerful.

They suggested building awareness and confidence of students both boys and girls to free the society from the curse. Community members should protect and protest sexual harassment and establish and functioning networks and alliances involving government and non-government actors.

Besides, they urged the Brac authority to arrange such meetings at school and community levels to yield better result in this regard.

They also underscored the need for collective efforts of all quarters including guardians, schoolteachers and members of the civil society for creating a safe space for the girls.