Supported By

Project Background:

In the rural society the Union Council (Union Parishad) has significant role in prevention of women oppression and establishment of women rights. But the UP members and the Chairman are not so active and sincere in performing their duties and responsibilities. They are not aware about the women affairs. On the other hand, the rural people are fully unaware of the duties and responsibilities, services, facilities and opportunities of the Union Council. Therefore, by changing the traditional belief and structures with the aim of establishing equal rights of men and women DDJ started implementing the project.

This was a network based project. The project activities had been implemented through a network of 8 NGOs of Pirojpur district namely Coastal Development Initiative (CDI). DDJ as a partner NGO of the network implemented the project in Zianagar upazila of Pirojpur district.

Area Coverage: Zianagar upazila of Pirojpur district.

Source of Funding: Steps Towards Development.

Project Goal:

The goal of the project is to reduce present discrimination of the society through establishment of the human rights and gender equity by changing the existing beliefs and structures.

Objective of the Project:

1.   To establish a common platform with the local like minded people and skill development of the support group comprised of the representatives of the civil society, government and non-government organizations at the local level;

2.   To establish a mutual learning process between the CSDIs and GCAs for undertaking joint initiatives.

Project Participants: Secondary level school students, locally elected bodies (Union Council Chairman, members), civil society representatives, upazila administration, community people.

Major Interventions:

  • Formation of GCA (Gender Change Agent) groups;
  • Organized GCA trainings on gender and advocacy, gender and governance, and gender and program issues;
  • Publication of wall magazines;
  • Organized discussion session on Birth Registration Law and Marriage Registration Law, sharing meeting with teachers, guardians and students on impact of early marriage and Early Marriage Prevention Act, orientation of the GCA on domestic violence concepts, its forms and impacts to create awareness for recognizing domestic violence as VAW;
  • Conduct open discussions in each school with the teachers, guardians and students on birth registration, marriage registration, bad effect and impact of early marriage, dowry, women oppression and exploitation, EVE teasing and its effect;
  • Provide scholarship to the students for encouraging them for higher education.
  • Ensure birth and marriage registration.