An intersectional analysis of Economic Violence against Indigenous Women in Chittagong Hill Tracts

Abstract

This paper examines the fundamental causes of economic violence directed towards

Indigenous women living in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) of Bangladesh. The research

examines how the indigenous women of CHT face challenges such as restricted financial

control and decision-making authority along with effects on their mental health. Indigenous

women in CHT face multiple economic and social barriers which result from their exclusion

at both community levels and in national policies. The intricate and layered aspects of their

oppression mean that broad perspectives fail to represent their lived experiences. The research

has been approached from an intersectional framework, to examine the real-life experience of

indigenous women in CHT. The research findings offer foundational knowledge for

developing targeted and context-specific policies and programs to address economic violence

against Indigenous women in the CHT, highlighting the influence of customary laws and

societal gender norms on their lived experiences.