Zaiba Tahyya

Zaiba Tahyya is a Bangladeshi women’s rights advocate. She established Female Empowerment Movement (FEM) to combat violence against women and promote gender equality. The organization led various programs such as teaching women self-defense in order to diminish rape cases in impoverished areas where cases are high.[1][2][3][4]

Zaiba Tahyya
OrganizationFemale Empowerment Movement
AwardsQueen's Young Leader Award

Life

Tahyya was born in Bangladesh. She spent her elementary years in Canada and moved back to Bangladesh where she finished middle school and high school. She obtained her degree in criminology from the UK.[5]

Tahyya spent her summer internship at Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST). As a research intern, she was involved in a study concerning the verification of rape cases via two-finger test. Her exposure to cases of violence against women, such as the numerous incidents of unreported sexual abuse, triggered a desire in her to address the issue.[6][7]

Tahyya worked as a research associate at Police Staff College, specializing in violence against women.[8][6]

Female Empowerment Movement

FEM was established in 2016 to empower women in Bangladesh through various projects. The organizations aims to increase women’s mobility and decrease their vulnerability.[6][7]

While doing her thesis, Tahyya did a literature review on Why Men Rape. She learned that one of the reasons why men rape is to exercise power — as reiterated by Darwin’s theory of evolutionary mechanism and survival to the fittest — since women were perceived as the weaker sex. Hence, Tahyya aimed to empower women rather than just prevent assault. FEM’s first program, Project Attorokkha, trained women with disadvantaged backgrounds self-defense. While initially there were difficulties in convincing parents to get girls on board, considering that gender notions were challenged, the initiative ended up becoming successful. Tahyya concentrated on slum areas because women are more prone to experience sexual violence there.[4][6][7]

Project Attorokkha provides Krav Maga and military training. FEM partnered with VO2 Urban Fitness, a martial arts school and physical fitness center for the project.[6]

Tahyya also conducted an anti-harassment campaign by putting up paintings on buses to raise awareness on the issue.[3]

FEM has educated girls about computer literacy and cybersecurity via Cyber Attorokkha. The program has helped women who are victims of sextortion.[9]

FEM has provided English lessons, cycling and vocational training to women. Tahyya is planning to expand the organization outside Bangladesh.[7]

References
  1. "Two Bangladeshis among winners of Queen's Young Leaders Award 2018 | Singapore News Tribe". Singapore News Tribe. 6 December 2017. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  2. "Zaiba Tahyya | Queen's Young Leaders". Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  3. "Ayman, Zaiba win The Queen's Young Leaders 2018 award". The Daily Star. 5 December 2017. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  4. "Preventing violence and exploitation". www.unicef.org. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  5. Huda, Tasfia (7 August 2019). "Working towards a better tomorrow". Dhaka Tribune. 2A Media Limited. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  6. "ZAIBA TAHYYA - AN INSPIRATION FOR THE YOUTH". BBF Digital. 23 January 2019. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  7. "'I feel that I am able to make the women in my community proud and encourage them to raise their voices more'". Dhaka Tribune. 21 June 2018. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  8. "Global Shapers | Zaiba Tahya". Global Shapers Community Dhaka. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  9. Ahasan, Nazmul (12 November 2017). "Cyber Attorokkha: How education and training have changed the online experience for Bangladeshi women". The Hindu. THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
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