Nusrat Jahan Rafi
Nusrat was 19 years old girl from Feni, a small town in Bangladesh. She was studying at an Islamic school. She had dreams and ambitions like any other girl in her age.
World is inspired by her courage to fight for her truth.
She had filed a sexual harassment complaint against her headmaster. Many girls and young women in Bangladesh choose to keep their experiences of sexual harassment or abuse secret for fear of being shamed by society or their families.
What made Nusrat Jahan different is that she didn’t just speak out - she went to the police with the help of her family on the day the alleged abuse happened. For a girl in her position, reporting sexual harassment can come with consequences. Victims often face judgement from their communities, harassment, in person and online, and in some cases violent attacks.
Nusrat went on to experience all of these. When she refused to withdraw the case against the headmaster, they set her on fire.
“I will fight this crime till my last breath.”
NUSRAT
UN Women Bangladesh
Women live a life free of violence
Bangladesh has a significant history of women organizing movements to claim their rights. Over the years, women’s groups have mobilized themselves and made sure their voices are heard in various issues, starting from violence against women, gender equality in securing economic opportunities and participation, equal representation in politics, reproductive rights, family law reforms and gender mainstreaming in public policies.