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HRG
project summery
Executive
summary of the project title “Promoting Local
Level Civil Society and Capacities for Human Rights
and Governance: A Micro Macro Linkage” funded
by Manosher Jonno (a funding agency funded by DfID
managed by CARE Bangladesh, BLAST, LSE-UK, D&T-UK)
Coastal
Association for Social Transformation Trust (COAST)
at present has three area development initiatives
covering around 35,000 poor families especially in
remote islands of high risk disaster zone, all those
project cross cut by few thematic projects especially
one is related to governance aspects. During 2003
the organization has a budget of taka 24.3 millions
where 60 % is from own income and rest 40 % is form
external funding (annex-1: present funding status).
Since 1995 there have been experimentation of a concept
of core programs, i.e., appropriate blending of the
program components of micro finance, institution building,
good governance and development education. The concept
is based on two premise first the organization will
not develop any services which is available with government
agencies, rather it will mobilize poor people to claim
those as their legitimate demands, and second is that
all the three other components will run out of the
income of a progressive micro finance operation. COAST
claims that it has gain relative operational sustainability
and has developed a primary mode of operation in this
regard.
Within
this purview since 1996 there were systematic interventions
for good governance (i.e., building people’s
organization, mobilization for social action on legitimate
resources and rights, access to local government and
institutionalization of democracy) and advocacy (i.e.,
action research for policy changes and sensitization
for minimizing gaps between policy declaration and
policy implementation). The interventions was externally
reviewed during 1999 and new strategy have been prepared
and being implemented. Meantime in view of felt need
COAST organizes a network of local Non Governmental
Organizations (NGOs) called Sushashoner Jonny Prochravijan
(SUPRO) during the middle of 2001. This was basically
to uphold separate identity of local NGOs and to raise
common voice on macro issues of reformation in structural
and policy changes. The network has already conducted
four countrywide campaigns. It has now 21 regional,
45 district, 200 upazila committees and around 600
members.
In
this way of journey COAST feels six major problems
related to human rights and governance, these are
i) general mass are not aware on democratic principles
and human rights and thereby not on reform agendas,
ii) there are hardly any democratic practice within
party culture which reproduces criminalization of
politics, iii) civil society activism in Dhaka seems
futile, iv) external fund depended and piecemeal approach
of election monitoring raising questions on credibility,
v) NGO groups (association of poor people in grass
root) has potentialities to transform as right claiming
mechanism and finally vi) potentiality of local NGOs
in respect of promoting right based movement will
be jeopardized if they are not separately organized
and facilitated.
Taking
this in purview this project titled “Promoting
local level civil society and capacities for human
rights and governance: a micro macro linkage”
has been prepared for four purposes as follows, i)
enhanced voices for autonomous local government and
democratization of party culture at least among the
majority of political and civil society leaders in
district level; ii) increased initiatives of transforming
the local NGOs and their groups from service delivery
to right claiming mechanism; iii) improved social
justice and enhanced government resources for poor
and iv) reduce level of election-related violence
and corruption.
In
micro level poor families especially the women and
minority population will be the beneficiaries of the
project while in macro level local level NGOs capacities
will be developed to integrate right based approach
in their programs striving for operational sustainability.
Key stakeholders of the project are the union parishad
members and chairman, especially district level political
leaders, media personals and civil society leaders.
Major activities of the project are i) developing
flip charts for awareness on democracy and human rights,
ii) campaign to popularize reform agenda especially
on democratization in party culture, autonomous local
government and positioning on national issues, iii)
promoting district level civil society initiative
on monitoring of human rights, iv.) developing capacities
of local NGOs for integration of HR&G (Human Rights
and Governance) issues, v) promoting local level civil
society initiatives on assistance and monitoring for
free and fair election and vi) building people organization
with alliances for demand mediation in respect of
their legitimate rights and resources. While most
of the activities implemented through the network
SUPRO, the activities related to people organization
will be implemented in COAST to develop a prototype
approach. This is three year project with the cost
of taka 45 millions and with a possibility of further
expansion. All most all the staff for this project
implementation will be provided from available COAST
human resources. SUPRO is being developed in organic
way, soon it will have registration. Executive Director
(ED) of COAST is also secretary of the SUPRO national
committee. In this view COAST will take the responsibility
on implementation of the project.
Activities
Plan of the project : September 2003 to August 2006
| Component |
Objective |
Probable
Impact |
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1.
Awareness on Democracy and Human rights.
1.1
Flip chart development on democratic principles,
human rights, decentralization and reform agenda
especially sensitive to gender and secular approach.
1.2
Orienting implementation. for NGO group members,
villagers, elected and political leaders, education
institutions and government officials (especially
Police, Ansar and VDP) and its review
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1.1
At least 3 sets flip charts have developed and
9000 copies printed for 25 district committees
in view of existing SUPRO approach.
1.2
At least 200 NGO staff of 50 district and 200
upazila received orientation on implementation.
1.3
At least one review on implementation has been
held during the middle of the project period.
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Mass
people, mid level political activist and group
member of NGOs will raise question to political
leaders for true democratic practice and respect
to human rights.
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2.
Popularizing reform agenda especially on democratizing
party culture.
2.1
Organizing seminar in district/upazila and national
level.
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2.1
Organized at east 25-district round table discussion
and 1 national convention with total 1250 participants
in per campaign, total 2 campaign during the
project period.
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Mass
people, mid level political activist and group
member of NGOs will place reform agendas to
political leaders for true democratic practice
and respect to human rights.
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3.
Campaign and pro poor positioning on national
issues e.g., budget analysis, PRSP monitoring
and WTO.
3.1
Campaign material development
3.2
Organizing nation wide campaign with larger
stakeholders.
3.3
Organize seminar / round table only at national
level on pro poor issues.
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3.1
At least 3 material developed per campaign,
per material 3000 copies printed, total two
campaign during project period in view of existing
SUPRO quality.
3.2
At least per campaign 25-district press conference,
25 district seminars, 2 national press conferences
and 1 national convention implemented with minimum
1250 participants in each campaign.At least
four national seminars on pro poor issues implemented
during the project period
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Peoples
even of grassroots will inform about necessary
important national & international issues
which are related with local development Mass
people will also raise their demand or protest
on any issue considering their interest
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4.
Promoting watchdog of civil society on human
rights linking to national initiatives.
4.1
Training to the district leaders for report
publication.
4.2
Report publication and presentation at district
and national level.
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4.1
At least 50, per district 2 leaders participated
in 3 days training workshop 2 times during the
project period.
4.2
At least 25 districts committee produces and
presented HR situation of respective area in
district level participated by 1500 local civil
society members two times during the project
period.
4.3
At least two national seminar implemented on
compilation of the report, participated by at
least 200 prominent civil society member from
national level
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In
district level Civil Society will monitor &
report regularly on human rights situation and
present a yearly report in this regard with
self initiatives. It will knock policy makers
to attention more on Human Rights situation.
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5.
Promoting an approach of people organization
(PO) and its interaction with other local stakeholders
for social justice and good governance. (COAST)
5.1
Training PO members and leaders
5.2
Issue based meeting and mobilization of POs
along with its like minded communities in local
level.
5.3
Issue based upazila workshop with locally elected
leaders, officials, and PO leaders to minimize
the behavioral gaps between existing policy
declaration and implementation.
5.4
Sensitization of local media on the human rights
and governance issues.
5.5
Creation of popular culture groups among the
members.
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5.1
At least 1246 PO leaders participated in at
least one five day each course training center
based in COAST working area and approach.
5.2
At least 630-unit/ union issue based meeting
on mobilization and awareness of PO members
and fellow poor people of the area.
5.3
At lest 99 upazila based workshop participated
by at least 25 locally elected leaders, govt.
officials and civil society leaders in each
workshop.
5.4
At least per district 20 journalist, in total
40 Journalist trained on reporting and supporting
HR &G issues.
5.5
At least per year 3 team of journalist from
national level visited and reported pro poor
cases, in total 18 journalist visited the project
period.
5.6
At least 11 popular culture group created in
total project area, each upazila one group.
5.7
At least 50 action oriented cases implemented
per upazila for social justice and demand mediation
on rights and resources by the respective upazila
PO. |
Leader
of Peoples Organization (PO) will mediate and
achieve their legal rights through regular &
successful dialogue with locally elected leaders
and government officials as representative of
poor . Journalist will report giving emphasis
on human rights situation in local media.
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6.
Facilitating Union Parishad (UP) for social
justice and participatory culture in COAST area.
6.1
Sensitization to UP members on HR&G issues
to UP members and chairman especially women
members.
6.2
Minimizing gaps between the UP leaders and poor
people’s aspirations in respect of policy
declaration and implementation.
6.3
Developing role model UP on participatory culture.
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6.1
At least 1 training course 2 problem solving
workshops, 3 domestic and 1 abroad visits on
responsive local governance with especial reference
to the need of poor women, children and minority
population will be implemented in project period
where 75 chairmen, 900 members of COAST working
areas will participate.
6.2
Technical assistance has given especially on
participatory budget preparation, resource distribution
and planning in at least 1 unions of each of
the upazila where COAST is working. |
Union
Parishad will more activate and will have availability
of best practices in COAST working area, other
may follow the process to contribute more for
social justice and participatory culture through
union parishad.
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7.
Organizational capacity building for promotion
of HR&G at local level.
7.1
Development of modular program of training courses
with built-in gender sensitivity and managing
the risk of social disaster.
7.2
Implementation and review.
7.3
Capacity of project staff.
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7.1
Manuals development on training courses of five
days each on i) RBA Integration in MF based
Programs, ii) Governance and Influencing at
Local Level, iii) Social Analysis and Dev. Approach,
iv) Building Institution of the Poor, v) Leadership
for Changes and Learning the Organizational
Development in view of COAST approach.
7.2
At least 25 core trainers from 25 district-based
organizations in each course have been developed
for each of the course.
7.3
At least 20 Managers and 25 Organizers level
staff of COAST has been trained 4 generic and
4 project related training course.
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To
build capacity of local NGOs so that they will
be able to integrate Right Based Approach with
their other programsSkilled staff will carry
the project smoothly to achieve goal.
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