Structural Violence: A Tale of Three Women from Marginalized Communities in Bangladesh

Abstract

The notion of structural violations of human rights is increasingly gaining currency in international human rights arenas. Structural violence yields a complex picture of inequality in terms of social, economic, political and human rights arenas. The study intended to understand the extent of structural violence with a special reference to the state of human rights of the women of the marginalized communities Bihari, Garo and Ahmadiyya in Bangladesh. The study employed a qualitative approach, applying a case study technique that dealt with three women of these communities and aiming to substantiate structural violence in relation to human rights perspectives. The study revealed that the women of the three marginalized communities experienced diverse forms of violence, including psychological, physical, sexual, etc., that violated their human rights. There was also a failure to restore their peace and security. The theory of structural violence provides a useful framework for understanding the structural inequalities that systematically deny marginalized communities, especially women of these communities, from achieving basic human rights in their daily lives.