One World Action has been working with Nagorik Uddyog (NU) for over ten years. Nagorik Uddyog or 'Citizens Initiative’ is a human rights organisation based in Dhaka. It works across Bangladesh to strengthen local government, to raise awareness of people’s basic human rights and to build people’s capacity to pursue and realise these rights. Nagorik Uddyog recognises that democratic elections in Bangladesh will, by themselves be insufficient to fulfil democracy and that poor, marginalised and disadvantaged women and men must be given the power to participate in, and contribute to, the decision-making processes that affect their lives.
One World Action was the first international agency to support NU and has been doing so since NU was established in 1995. NU in partnership with One World Action has been at the forefront in transforming the Shalish (traditional village courts) into a more equitable system for resolving disputes and developing people’s awareness of their rights - this programme has brought about unprecedented access to justice for rural women.
Visit Nagorik Uddyog’s website here.
One World Action is currently working with Nagorik Uddyog to implement and promote the new Right to Information Act to all citizens in Bangladesh.
The aim of this 2-year programme, is to create greater public awareness and understanding amongst civil society about this Act and to educate and empower citizens to hold their Government to account.
The majority of people in Bangladesh are unaware of the Act and how it can be used to obtain information and benefits from government officials.
On September 28th, International Rights to Information Day, Nagorik Uddyog and Tathya Adhikar Andolan (Campaign on Citizen’s Right to Information) organised a procession, events and a training workshop for government officials.
Participants and speakers stressed that the free flow of information is vital to ensure transparency and accountability, to institutionalise democracy, to establish good governance and fight corruption.
Chief Information Commissioner, Mohammad Zamir, pledged that the new Information Commission will undertake a number of activities to create mass awareness of the Right of Information Act. He confirmed that a proposal has been submitted to the Ministry of Education to include a chapter on the Act in all school manuals, and that all public and private companies must have an information officer.
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In 2006, Nagorik Uddyog and One World Action formed a coalition of grassroots women’s organisations called the Partnership of Women in Action (PaWA). PaWA are improving the lives of some of the poorest women in Dhaka and campaigning to ensure that women informal workers become visible, valued and protected.
Read more about PaWA in this report "Getting it Right - Struggles, Stories and Strategies from Dhaka' s Informal Women Workers", that shows the strategies PaWA have developed to improve the lives of women workers, and their policy recommendations.
Read an article about One World Action’s work with PaWA in The Independent here.
National Conference on the role of informal women workers in Bangladesh
In October 2009, PaWA held a national conference on “The role of the informal sector in the Bangladesh economy, and the social and legal protection of informal sector workers.” Over two days participants discussed the concerns of workers and developed recommendations.
Read the brochure of the event here.
Bangladesh Dalit Human Rights (BDHR) is a people’s organisation led by Dalit activists with strong relationships with Dalit organisations across Bangladesh. Caste discrimination is usually associated with India but there are an estimated 3.5-5.5 million Dalits, formerly known as untouchables, living in Bangladesh (2.5-4% of the total population). The majority are landless, and live in chronic poverty in rural areas or urban slums.
They are deprived or actively excluded from adequate housing, health care, education, employment and participation in public life. Approximately 96% are illiterate. Dalit communities experience daily insecurity and violence with usually no recourse to justice. Dalit women, excluded both by caste and gender, face multiple forms of discrimination, untouchability and violence.
One World Action is currently supporting Bangladesh Dalit Human Rights (BDHR) to protect and promote the rights of Dalits, to raise awareness about the issue and to lobby for the equal treatment of Dalits, and for their inclusion in development policies and programmes.
Read more on Dalit rights here.
Read the presentation 'Dalit Rights are Human Rights' here.
Ensure Dalit's rights in constitution
From the "Daily Star", 30th October 2010
Speakers at a press conference yesterday demanded inclusion of a special provision in the constitution to ensure social security, citizen's rights and human dignity of the Dalit community.
They said Dalits are considered as the isolated community in the country and are victims of immense discrimination due to the absence of such a provision.
The provision is needed to ensure an end to all sorts of prejudice, they added.
The press conference was jointly organised by the Bangladesh Dalit and Excluded Rights Movement (BDERM) and Nagorik Uddyog at the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU). Read a short profile on BDERM here.
Addressing the press conference, Justice Gholam Rabbani stressed the need for inclusion of a special rule in the code of procedure to punish people behaving in a discriminatory manner with Dalit communities.
Rabbani suggested introduction of the rule with the provision of awarding 6 months to 3 years imprisonment to anyone putting impediments to Dalits from receiving education, treatment and other fundamental rights.
Reading out a written statement, BDERM President Mukul Sikder categorically demanded an end to social discrimination on grounds of caste and professions.
BDERM General Secretary Bodhanaki Shalomon said the Dalits are falling far behind in development because of social discrimination and deprivation.
Inclusion of the special provision and formulation of a necessary law is very essential to protect the just rights of Dalits, he added.
Their other demands include a constitutional declaration terming social discrimination against Dalits as a crime and to ensure equal opportunity for them in different government, non-government and autonomous institutions.
Nagorik Uddyog Chief Executive Jakir Hossain and Dalit Nari Forum President Moni Rani Das were present at the press conference.
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LOBBYING TO INCLUDE DALIT RIGHTS IN THE BANGLADESH CONSTITUTION
On October 8th 2010, Bangladesh Dalit Human Rights (BDHR) organised an event in front of the National Museum in Dhaka, to demand the inclusion of a new article in the Bangladeshi Constitution to protect the rights, dignity and social security of the Dalit community.
Bothanki Solomon, General Secretary of BDHR, urged the Government to maintain the pledges they had made in their election manifesto:
“Terrorism, discriminatory treatment and human rights violations against religious and ethnic minorities and indigenous people must come to an end permanently. Security of their life, wealth and honour will be guaranteed. Their entitlement to equal opportunity in all spheres of state and social life will be ensured”
Earlier in the week, representatives of BDHR submitted a Memorandum to a Parliamentary Committee requesting this amendment to the constitution.
Press coverage of the event:
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=157722
http://www.newagebd.com/2010/oct/09/met.html
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In April 2008, Bangladesh Dalit Human Rights (BDHR) and Nagorik Uddyog organised a joint national consultation entitled ‘Dalit and Socially Excluded Communities: Problems and Possible Ways Forward’ in Dhaka. Read more about the consultation in this summary report .
In January 2009, the Bangladesh Dalit and Excluded Rights Movement (BDERM) and Nagorik Uddyog organised in Dhaka the first National Human Rights Conference of Dalit and Socially Excluded Communities in Bangladesh.
It was attended by 254 women and men, and focussed on promoting, protecting and campaigning for Dalit rights. Read the summary report of the First National Human Rights Conference of Dalit and Socially Excluded Communities in Bangladesh here.
Watch ‘Defiant Voices’ - a landmark online photo exhibition illustrating the daily lives of Dalit communities in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Read more in the International Dalit Solidarity Network’s factsheet on Bangladesh here.
See a photo exhibition about caste discrimination by International Dalit Solidarity Network 'We Are Not Untouchable' here.
Read an article about One World Action’s work with BDHR in The Independent here.
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Towards a Comprehensive Framework to Eliminate Caste Discrimination in the 21st Century
On the 10th November 2009, the draft UN Principles and Guidelines for the Effective Elimination of Discrimination Based on Work and Descent, were launched in the UK Houses of Parliament. The event was organised by One World Action and the Dalit Solidarity Network UK.
Read more about the event here.
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Gonoshasthaya Kendra (GK) was founded in 1972, initially as a health organisation in rural Bangladesh. They now work on education, nutrition, employment-generation, agriculture, disaster relief and women's rights.
One World Action currently supports an education project with GK in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
You can visit the GK website here.
