PEOPLE'S ORIENTED PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION (POPI)

Rights and Governance*

POPI works with community members and other relevant stakeholder to promote human, gender and child rights and rights to accessing to various public utilities and resources like khas land, khas water bodies, road and embankment sides, safety net opportunities, medical assistance and other extension services.POPI also works for women’s empowerment and gender equity, works capacity building of CBOs so that they can raise voice to realize their entitlements and rights.

Key performance

• • 987 CBOs were facilitated and capacitated who have been working actively to address the rights issues of the poor people.
• • 18484 members belonging to the CBOs are active to establish their rights and entitlements.
• • 5089 people participated in different events and received messages on gender justice and development issues and were active in preventing VAW&C including preventing child marriage.
• • 1049 program participants became committee members of different social and civic bodies.
• • 6762 adolescent girls and women played active roles in realizing their rights and entitlements.

Awareness rising initiatives

There were 18,484 people from 987 CBOs who put continued efforts to establish their rights and entitlements. Trainings, workshops, orientation sessions, campaigns and day observance events were organized to make the community people aware about various right related issues. 18,235 individuals participated in these day celebration events. Issues relating to VAW have been further highlighted through organizing Legal Camps and Study Circles throughout the year. Open public meetings and human chains were organized to create awareness on human and gender rights issues among the general public. For deepening and broadening the level of awareness on matters related to child rights and child protection, multiple activities including stipend support, birth registration, organizing protest against child marriage and dowry were conducted throughout the year.

Capacity Building of CBOs and Networking

Necessary steps are taken for the capacity building of CBOs through offering trainings on leadership, human and gender rights, issue selection, communication skills, advocacy and network building so that they can raise voice to realize their entitlements and rights. CBOs capacities are further consolidated by   strengthening their institutional development processes. Three CBOs receive legal registration from the Department of Social Welfare and a good number of CBOs are in the process of getting registration.

The CBOs comprising of landless people built network with respective government offices so that they can get access to the khas land/ pond and water resources. To ensure the representation in the civic bodies as well as to make  contribution in the decision making of local governance process, CBO members have been encouraged to get elected as the member of local government bodies. Many of them were inducted in the union standing committees.

Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equity

• • 64 meetings of VAW forum conducted.
• • 2748 couple dialogue sessions held.
• • Interactive meetings conducted with local religious leaders for sensitizing on VAW and stoping early marriage.

Training on Human Rights and Gender
Training events are organized for local human rights defenders for   developing their capacity on issues related to human rights and gender justice. In December 2017, a three days long training program for local human rights workers from Manabadikar Sangrakhon Parishad and Manabadikar Nari Samaj was held at Technical Training Centre (TTC), Katabari, Kishoreganj.

Another workshop was held again in December 2017 at Kishoreganj with local Salishkars. The workshop emphasized on importance of delivery of proper judgment to the justice seekers and the local Salishkars became fully aware about their role and the procedures of delivering proper judgment.

Promotion of Transformative Leadership

For developing transformative leadership among women, POPI imparted training on Capacity Measurement and Transformative Leadership for selected women leaders. 1049 program participants enabled to occupy positions in the various local committees and bodies including being elected as members of Union Parishad. 517 EKATA members received Advocacy and      Leadership training to lead women empowerment issues at community level effectively.

Initiatives for well being of elder citizen and marginalized people

POPI has been implementing a project at Bhairab Upazila, Kishoreganj named “Probin      Jonogustir Jibonman Unnayon ”  for the wellbeing of the elderly people so that they can live in the society with security and dignity and uphold their rights and entitlements. Selected aged people get Tk. 600 monthly as old age allowance. Enthuastic elderly persons are inspired and encouraged through awarding crests and medals.

Social Centers were established to discuss and share the views of elderly persons with each other. These social centers are also used as recreation and health support centre for the community people.

• • 1843 elderly people (57% women) inducted in this program.
• • 300 people who are physically very fragile, financially helpless and out of government SSN program coverage have been receiving Tk. 600 per month as old age allowance.
• • 11 enthuastic aged persons were honored through awarding crests and medals for their contribution in their society.
• • 5 offsprings were honored as the best children who looked after their parents with great care.
• • 9,329 HHs brought under the SSN program with our facilitation.

*All quantitative information belongs to financial year 2017-2018.