Three-wheeled rickshaws, one of the trademarks of the Bangladesh capital Dhaka, are famous for their colourful, brightly painted exteriors. These vehicles have been in use since the 1940s, and the artworks adorning them can depict everything from movie stars, flowers or religious imagery.

At the beginning of April, group of about 50 women in Bangladesh used rickshaw painting as a way to protest against violence against women and other injustices that they face. The event was organised by Meye (Bangla for “girl”), a non-profit, women-led network of Bangla-speaking women which advocates women’s rights, empowerment and leadership. Founded in 2011, Meye has created a community of about 5,000 women to date, mostly connected via social media.

In Bangladesh in recent years, there has been a worrying increase in the number of rape cases. When women do become victims of rape, they are often shamed and their modesty questioned. Street harassment of women also is commonplace. At home, as many as 87% of currently married women reported experiencing violence from their husband, including psychological violence, according to a 2011 survey by the Bangladeshi government.

Read more: globalvoices.org

Written by Rezwan