DHAKA, Aug 11: Women from South Asia gathered in Dhaka on Monday for a three-day conference on violence that will include a symbolic court where women can give evidence about abuse.

“Some 1,500 women will take part tomorrow (Tuesday) in the South Asian ‘women’s court’ to lodge complaints against abuses,” said Farida Akhter, executive director of UBINIG, a Bangladeshi non-government group, which is one of the organizers of the event.

The court will record the testimony of Bangladeshi women who have been victims of violence or trafficking and analyse expert statements, organisers said.

It will be the 18th sitting of the court, which has travelled to cities around South Asia.

One of the “judges” will be Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, former wife of Nelson Mandela.

“My fight is always anti-establishment,” Madikizela-Mandela told a newspaper, Prothom Alo.

“The women (in the Third World) lack economic, social and political freedom,” said Madikizela-Mandela, who is appealing a jail sentence in South Africa for fraud and theft.

Farida Akhter said Bangladesh was hosting the meeting because the trafficking of women, as well as children, was a particular problem here.

“Bangladesh is a victim country ... it is an issue that we have spoken about before and we will get a further boost, we hope, to stop the crime by holding this meet in Dhaka,” said Farida Akhter.—AFP