WIND OF CHANGE Stories from Girl Power Project

WIND OF CHANGE Stories from Girl Power Project

Stories from

Partners of Girl Power Project

oncept Plan International Bangladesh & BNNRC

Overall Supervision

Plan International Bangladesh Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC)

Special thanks Girl Power Project Team

Photography

Design& Production Expressions Ltd

GPP Overview Girl Power Project is a five-year (2011-2015) global programme funded by Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs for promoting equal rights and opportunities for girls and young women. This programme is being implemented by local civil society organizations (through partners) in 10 countries with a common goal. GPP goal is to reduce gender-based violence against girls and young women. Objectives of this Project are strengthening civil society organizations to influence policy makers through lobbying and advocacy, increasing awareness and sensitizing duty bearers on the rights of girls and young women, improving legal protection system and increasing capacity of right holders (girls and young women). GPP targets to reach 50,000 girls and young women of age 10-24; irrespective of their socio-economic situations (school and college students, working girls and women, excluded groups), 200 civil society organization (CSOs). The project works in eight districts of Bangladesh which covers 30 upazilas (sub-districts) and 10 zones of Dhaka City Corporation. Covered districts are Dhaka, Gazipur, Kishoreganj, Shariatpur, Rajshahi, Dinajpur, Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat. GPP expected outcomes from four levels are Individual level: Reduction of gender-based violence against girls and young women and better protection for girls and young women, Socio-cultural level: Values in communities do not allow violence against girls and young women and ensure protection, Institutional level: Government acts for better protection of girls and young women, Civil Society level: Enhanced participation and representation of girls and young women in targeted civil society organizations (including your own organization) and locally elected bodies.

04 Roksana

32 12 Mishti

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Hashi Akter

Collaborative Efforts

Girls’ Football

26 Shahnaz

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TABLE OF

CONTENTS

46 Mosak

52 Community Initiatives

Roksana

An Achiever of Today, A Dreamer of Tomorrow

Their life was not easy; it was constant struggle against poverty. That is when the Nari Uddog Kendra (NUK) stood beside 20 girls to provide Ophthalmic Paramedic Training, under Girl Power Project (GPP). Among them, 8 was appointed in Kishoreganj Eye Hospital managed by NUK, 4 got jobs in public community clinics and 8 are working with private clinics. Their lives have been changed radically. This is one of their stories; her name is Roksana.

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Roksana never had an easy life. The daughter of a workshop labour father and a housewife mother, there never seemed to be enough money to support them. Sometimes, they even had to starve for a day. When Roksana was in the tenth grade, her parents decided to arrange her marriage - so there would be at least one less mouth to feed. This was a reality check for Roksana, life could not continue as it always had. Yet, she gathered her courage and requested her parents to change their mind, as she wanted to appear for her Secondary School Certificate examinations.

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May be it was fate which led to a notice after her exams - ‘An Ophthalmic Paramedic training course will be provided freeof-cost under GPP, implemented by NUK’. She applied and was selected for a 3-month long course. She performed so well on her written and spoken exams that NUK decided to extend her training by another 3 months. Roksana performed well and proved her skills in those 6 months, which convinced the NUK management authority to appoint her as a trainee nurse at Kishoreganj Eye Hospital. Once again, her excellent performance as a trainee nurse led them to appoint her as an ophthalmic assistant.

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Today, Roksana contributes to her family financially; she has earned the respect and acceptance of the community members. She even got admitted for her higher secondary education in Open University, to continue her education. Roksana says, “I am grateful to NUK for the training programmes. It has changed my life. I think this type of training programmes play a pivotal role in making many poor girls self-dependent like me and empower them to stand on their own.”

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Mishti

A Fighter and a Dreamer

I’m Mishti, I was born in a needy family from the village Lakarta, under Bhedorganj Upazila of Shariatpur District. My father, Md. Mannan Sardar, is a mason and my mother, Jesmine Begum, is a housewife. My father’s income was not enough to feed us and pay my educational expenses. During my school days, we used to pay the school fees by selling the eggs of domestic hens and ducks. My mother always said, “You can always earn money, but if you lose your chance to go to school today, you will never get it back.”

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After passing my school certificate exam, I entered into Bhedorganj M. A. Reza Degree College. But, I couldn’t continue my education as I had no money to buy my books and pay my exam fees. In 2012, I took karate training under the Girl Power Project (GPP) from SDS, a local NGO. I became the champion in Adolescent Girls’ Assembly at Damudya Upazila in 2014. GPP then gave me a chance to get a 1-month long residential advance karate training in the same year.

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I used it to buy a mobile phone and gave the rest to my mother. Now, I perform with the street drama team regularly and also earn 1,500 taka monthly as a paid volunteer girl at Bhedorganj Kishori Club (Bhedorganj Adolescent Girls’ Club).

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Now that I am earning, I got re-admitted to the college and am continuing my education. I dream of becoming a karate coach and training girls in self-defense skills and empower them to become self-dependent. As a karate teacher, I will help stop violence against women and earn my livelihood.

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Girls’

Footba ll Girl Power Unleashed

Football is typically perceived as a game for males in Bangladesh. To break the social taboos and empower girls to stop all types of violence against women, the Shariatpur Development Society (SDS) formed a girls’ football team under the Girl Power Project (GPP).

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Smriti Akter was selected as the team Captain, while the games teacher, Mondira Majumder, was appointed the coach. Mondira Majumder and the GPP Upazila Coordinator, Mehedi Hasan, took the initiative to find a skilled trainer for the team. SDS also supported them by providing the necessary equipment, which also encouraged the girls to participate in the inter-upazila football competition.

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The real encouragement came when the team won the laurel of Upazila Champion. The girls got a taste of victory and continued participating in the tourna- ments. They won the district-level championship and finally competed at the division level. At the division level, they competed with Viqarunnisa Noon School and College and lost the match. However, as a team from a small corner of Bangladesh, going on to competing with a renowned team from the capital Dhaka, motivated the team immensely. In the future, girls’ participation in various games, like football, will boost their confidence and empower them to fight against any type of violence.

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Shahnaz An Inspiration to Thousands

Since 2011, Rupantor, with the financial support of Plan International Bangladesh, has been working in Hatibandha, Kaliganj and Lalmonirhat Sadar Upazila of Lalmonirhat District, to stop genderbased violence. It is providing different types of trainings to adolescent girls and young women to improve their mental and physical health and provide various job skills. These trainings have impacted the lives of many girls, giving them the power to protest any violence, earn one’s own bread and even support their families. One of them is Shahnaz Parvin – an achiever of today, a dreamer of tomorrow.

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Shahnaz Parvin – a girl from Saniyajan Union, Hatibandha Upazila, Lalmonirhat – is one of a 7-member family, consisting of her parents, 3 sisters and 2 brothers. Her father is a day labourer and her mother is a house maid. In 2010, when she was in the ninth grade, her parents arranged her marriage to lessen the family burden. With the help of her relatives and neighbours, she managed to convince her parents to stop the marriage. In 2012, when Rupantor started working with adolescent girls and young women, she joined its forum and today, she is the President of that forum. At first, she received some skills training from the Girl Power Project (GPP). Later, she wanted to learn karate from GPP as she felt insecure walking the long distance through the maize fields to her college. Her parents were not convinced – “Girls don’t need to learn such skills,” they said. Yet again, she persuaded her parents by involving the College Principal and Union Chairman, and successfully completed the training. The training gave her self-confidence, but it did nothing to alleviate her family’s poverty and to fight against early marriage and continue her education.

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She took a 1-month long sewing training. A sewing machine was given to her for free on successful completion of the training under GPP, as a destitute girl-at-risk. Now, as a tailor, she receives orders from village women and earns 1,000-1,200 taka monthly. This allows her to pay her own educational expenses, as well as help her parents. She dreams of becoming a teacher one day. She also raises awareness about the harmful effects of child marriage and has successfully stopped 3 child marriages. As she realized that every girl should have her self-confidence, discussing with the Head Master of Thyangjhara Habibur Rahman High School and UP Chairman, Shahnaz started a batch of karate training for 20 girls and young women in 2014 at UP Building Complex Hall-room. Now Shahnaz is an inspiration for every girl in her area.

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Hashi Akter The Glory of a Rising Sun

She is Hashi, a girl from Nikli Upazila of Kishoreganj District of Bangladesh. Her eyes tell a story, her face shines, while her nameplate carries her identity as a member of the Police Department. She has been working for a long time with the Girl Power Project (GPP) and Nari Uddog Kendra (NUK). Hashi says, “I’m the eldest among my 4 siblings. My father has a small vegetable business. Life was always a struggle due to poverty, yet I managed to get my Higher Secondary Certificate from Nikli College.

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After completing my primary and higher training courses on karate under GPP, I started working as a trainer there. It really boosted my confidence and helped me pass the recruitment exam of the Bangladesh Police Department. In 2011, ‘Nikli Violence against Women Protection Forum’ was formed under GPP, where I was appointed as the President. This gave me a great opportunity to participate in various programmes like karate, gender training, child safety, child rights, etc. I also received boxing training from NUK.

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I would like to say that karate changed me the most among all these trainings. In the beginning, I faced taunts from the people in my community and even my family. But the coordinator of NUK and others from the CSO network assisted me, guided me and inspired me to pursue my goal. Now, I think, every girl in Bangladesh, who-ever felt insecure should take this training and ignite the power within and listen to one’s own heart. I believe, as a member of the Police Department, I can play an active role preventing child marriage and violence against women and also inspire many girls to earn self-respect.”

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Collaborative

Efforts to Stop Violence against Women For a long time, violence against adolescent girls and young women was a common phenomenon due to superstition, lack of consciousness, religious fanaticism and some age-old practices in Dinajpur. Protection of children, adolescent girls and young women were not strong enough as there were inadequacy of information and government services. Therefore, the Girl Power Project (GPP) played a vital role to raise awareness among many responsible people in the area. Now, they are working with representatives of Union Parishad, Upazila Administration and the concerned government divisions to protect women and stop violence against them. They have already created some positive examples in Dinajpur.

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Since 2011, Samaj Unnoyon Proshikkhon Kendra (SUPK), with the support of GPP of Plan International Bangladesh, is working in Khansama, Birganj, Kaharol and Dinajpur Sadar – four Upazilas of Dinajpur District - to protect adolescent girls and young women from violence. All the institutions are playing an active role to protect girls and women through their collaborative activities.  Mobile courts of Upazila Nirbahi Officers from 4 Upazilas have given verdict of 1-4 months of jail and fined 3 guardians for pursuing child marriage, and 8 perpetrators for sexual harassment. They have also successfully stopped sexual harassment against girls in 43 locations and illegal gambling & drinking alcohol in 14 areas.

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 Dinajpur Mohila Bishoyok Odhidoptor has provided sewing and stitching training to 157 women and employed 77 of them in various garments factories, who earn now Taka 7,000-9,000 per month. At the same time, unemployed girls from 3 Unions have attained vocational training and 35 of them were given sewing machines to earn their livelihood.  A girl has been rescued from child marriage and sent to the shelter home with the support of Mohila Bishoyok Odhidoptor.  12 Union Parishads have arranged regular public service announcements against child marriage.

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 The list of names and phone numbers of Govt. and NGO representatives has been sent to communities, schools, colleges and madrasas, so that anyone can get assistance for security if needed, as asked for by the adolescent girls and young women forum.  People from all classes participated to declare a Union as a ‘Child Marriage Free Union’ and have kept on regular monitoring through ward and Union taskforce committee. The media professionals are also supporting them to achieve the goal.

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Mosak

Standing Firm to His Ground

Mosak Bhuiya is a well-known Qazi in his area, performing his job as a marriage registrar for the last 14 years. He was born in the Dubachhori village of Lakkhichap Union, in Nilphamari Sadar.

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Mosak shared some of his experiences, “I didn’t think much about the ages of brides and grooms when registering a marriage before. I just performed my job, acting as a holy man who was bonding two hearts in one. Then, I came to know about the Child Marriage Act. According to this Act, for any marriage to take place, the bride’s and groom’s legal age should be 18+ and 21+ respectively, based on the evidence from the Birth Registration Certificates. I have become more conscious now. I also learnt about a local organization USS, which has been working with the assistance of Plan International Bangladesh, on social mobilization and collecting information through different committees to stop early marriage. Representatives from USS and I, along with people from the local community of various professions, sat together and declared our area as a Child Marriage Free Union. Now, whenever I receive any phone call about a marriage registration, I always ask about the age of the bride and groom first.

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On 18 February 2015, in the village of Dubachhori of Lakkhichap Union, Md. Habibur Rahman and Bulbuli arranged for their third daughter’s marriage. The groom’s family was from Lalmonirhat district. They arrived at the bride’s home on the arranged date. I was supposed to register the marriage and asked for the Birth Registration document. I found out that the bride would be 18 in another 5 months. I announced my decision to not register the marriage. I told them that I would not register the marriage even if the girl’s age was 1 day less than 18. The groom’s guardians tried to convince me; they even offered a bribe and but I would not be convinced. They stayed overnight at a relative’s home in the village and tried to convince me once again, the next day. Finding no other way, I told them that if they annoy me, I would inform the police. Finally, they decided to arrange the marriage 6 months later. Today, in our Child Marriage Free Union, the marriage rate is decreasing, which is a sign that more and more people are aware of Child Marriage and are working to prevent it.”

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Community

Initiatives

for Changing Conventional Perceptions Gender-based Violence is a human rights and public health issue that limits individual and social development with high human and economic costs. It’s a matter of great regret that violence against women and girls is directly impacting 6 out of 8 Millennium Development Goals. Hence, Girl Power Project is taking some initiatives like Community Radio Station and Theatre for Development (TFD) as tools of social media in mobilizing community to reduce gender-based violence and establish different rights of women and children in Bangladesh. 14 Community Radio Stations (Coverage Area: 17 Km radius each) are reaching approximately 4.6 million Community Radio listeners and changing their lives. At the same time, development theatres are also playing a big role to raise awareness among people regarding issues like sexual harassment, domestic violence, etc.

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Under GPP-BNNRC initiatives more than 200 trained and motivated media practitioners are now more sensitized to produce news and programmes on Gender and Child Protection Issues than before. Most of all community radios in the country have increased their total broadcasting schedule on women and child development radio programmes since 31 December 2013. Thus, community radio is playing a role worth mentioning in the lives of 4.6 million people around the country, helping to raise a voice to stop early marriage, violence against women and many other issues.

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Similarly, Rupantor has formed Upazila-based Theatre for Development (TFD) groups in Hatibandha, Kaliganj and Sadar Upazilas of Lalmonirhat, to raise awareness on child marriage. The plays depict the adverse impacts of child marriage, sexual harassment and dowry. Before every performance, a session is held to discuss and share the harmful consequences of child marriage and other issues which create a great impact in the community. After watching the play, Monwara Begum, a 35 years old housewife and wife of Yunus Ali, a van driver, said “Me and my daughter Ira watched the play with others at the local Ananda Bazar. After watching it, I couldn’t hold back my tears. I held my daughter and cried right there. I could never realize how difficult it is for girls who are married off at early ages. Therefore, I have promised that I will not marry off my daughter at a young age.”

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Partners of Girl Power Project

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