c

S

9
 
 
 
9 









c
c
c
c
c
c
×
 

Ã

 





¦

c


cc
cc



 c

 c
 
 
c
c

c


S
 
c
S



9cc  c
9 cc c
c  c
c



  

 S

c
c
c
c

cccccccc


c
c
c
c c
any NGOs in Bangladesh have been actively working to protect and uphold
human rights, particularly the rights of women and children for several years. They
are very active in creating awareness among the policy-makers and actors working
among the general masses. They are trying to reform laws to eliminate social, legal
and political discrimination on the basis of gender, c lass, ethnicity, race and religion.
They carry out advocacy at different levels i.e., local, national and international
through awareness building, lobbying and mass communication. Few NGOs also
provide legal aids to the poor and victims, particularly to women, workers and
children in the forms of counseling, mediation and litigation. Since awareness about
rights and responsibility is the key means to protect rights and establish justice,
many NGOs have awareness campaign on issues like human rights and constitutional
laws, family laws, women rights and violence against women and children.

As the protection of human rights is an integral part of democracy, human rights

defenders play an important role in promoting the rule of law through defending
people's rights and by continuing their efforts to set standards to ensure that no
rights are violated by either state or non-state actors. Until the early 1990s,
however, human rights activism in Bangladesh was confined, practically speaking, to
only a number of legal professionals. Their human rights non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) were operated with an elitist and legalist outlook rather than a
service-based approach. As a result, there was a type of client-patron relationship
between victims of human rights violations and these organizations, which became
active only when there were political or vested interests for the benefit of certain
elites.

During the nine years of struggle against autocracy in Bangladesh, more and more
young and dedicated people became interested in issues related to human rights. It
is no wonder then that with the end of autocracy the elitist domination of human
rights activism based on a client-patron relationship ceased to flourish.

From a historical point of view, the people of Ban gladesh for hundreds of years were
engaged in a struggle for dignity, equality and cultural diversity and in a struggle
against discrimination, deprivation and exploitation. However, a concerted effort for
human rights activism has not been made. Therefore, human rights organizations in
Bangladesh are passing through a process of learning by doing. They carry out
investigations, monitor incidents of human rights abuse, conduct research,
campaigns and training workshops along with advocacy and lobbying within the
country and undertake networking with international and regional organizations. In
addition, human rights defenders play an important role in campaigns against
torture by law enforcement agencies, the violation of the rights of women and
children, gender-based discrimination, political violence and arbitrary arrests and
detention as well as participate in election monitoring to ensure free and fair
elections.

Bangladeshi human rights defenders do not generally face risks, like physical
harassment. They suffer mostly from intimidation by the government, non-

c c
cooperation and obstructions from state actors and insecurity from non -state actors,
such as armed hooligans, especially when they conduct fact-finding missions on
torture or killings.

Basically due to the criminalization of politics and lack of a tolerant and participatory
democracy, state authorities have become the largest perpetrator of human rights
violations in Bangladesh. Even in violations by non -state actors, one can always find
some political affiliation or patronization of the perpetrators by the major political
parties. It does not matter whether they are in power or in the opposition.

As a result, human rights defenders are considered as an enemy of the State and of
the ruling elites. The major political parties tend to polarize human rights defenders
in accordance with political divisions in the country. When human rights defenders
report on violations by the party in power, they very often receive appreciation from
the opposition; but whe n they protest the violation of human rights by any
supporter or worker belonging to an opposition political party, they tend to be
branded as pro-government sympathizers. Empirical findings have proved that the
ruling parties always are inclined to become hostile and the opposition tries to be
friendly to human rights defenders. With every change in government, the political
parties change their attitude dramatically. It is only the law enforcement agencies
which maintain the same cultural mindset as they enjoy a type of informal impunity.
According to them, human rights defenders create embarrassment for their
professional life. They do not miss any opportunity to brand human rights defenders
as agents or provocateurs when there is a report published with major findings
against them.

Despite this hostility with political and state actors, human rights defenders have
been successful in putting pressure on state and political actors to set a human rights
agenda and to change policy on many issues, like cancellation of the public safety
law, the enactment of a law against the abuse of women and children and acid-
throwing and a pre-election promise to establish an independent National Human
Rights Commission (NHRC).

Since democracy and respect for human rights are constitutionally the fundamental
principles of Bangladesh, it has ratified almost all of the major international human
rights instruments, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
(ICCPR), the International Covenant on Economi c, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR),
the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
(CEDAW), the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the Convention against
Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) and
the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD). In
reality, however, even after 25 years of the adoption of the Geneva Guidelines and
13 years after the adoption of the Paris Principles on national hu man rights
institutions, there is no National Human Rights Commission or ombudsman in
Bangladesh.

c
c
ñ
c c
cñ
c  cc
 c

·c Bangladesh Society for the Enforcement of Human Rights

·c Bangladesh Human Right Commission (BHRC)
·c Institute of Democratic Rights
·c atyo Mohila Ain-ibi Samity
·c Amnesty International
·c Bangladesh Shishu Adikhar Forum
·c Work for Better Tomorrow Foundation (WBTF )
·c Integrated Service for Development of Children and Mothers (ISDCM)

·c Community Development Friend (CDF)

·c Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK)
·c Ayoti Mohila O Shishu Kollyan Sangstha (AMSKS)
·c Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS)
·c BRAC

·c THE HUNGER PROECT

·c Bangladesh Rehabilitation Centre for Trauma Victims (BRCT)
·c Gono Kallayan Parishad (GKP)
·c Human Development Foundation (HDF)
·c Destitute Development Foundation (DDF )
·c Coastal Development Partnership (CDP)
·c Manabik Shahajya Sangstha (MSS)
·c Media Information and Communication Centre of Bangladesh (MICCB)
·c Participatory Research & Action Network (PRAN)
·c Human Rights and Humanitarian Services Organization (HRCBM)
·c Karmojibi Nari (KN)
·c Steps Towards Development (Steps)
·c Bangladesh Association of Rural and Social Advancement (BARSA)
·c Odhikar

c
c

c c
ac cc  

© ca
c
c

All NGO has a documentation team that keeps the organization updated with human
rights abuses published in the major national dailies. The work of the documentation
unit is to gather and document relevant information for investigation purposes from
both the daily papers and personal and organizational sources/contacts, including
human rights defenders. These are included in annual human rights reports and
monthly reports of human rights violations, which are distributed to the media for
publication and to other NGOs.

©© cc


NGO͛s fact-finding activities cover instances of torture, cruel, inhuman and

degrading treatment or punishment and abuse of some specific laws leading to
human rights violations, repression against innocent people and application of
unnecessary force by law enforcement agencies. They identifies incidents of human
rights violations, which are reported in the newspapers but need further enqu iry and
information to clearly establish the actual abuse faced by the victims, causes behind
the abuse and the persons responsible. While the media focuses on human rights
violations more from a journalistic perspective confined within reporting the incid ent
only, the fact-finding goes deep into the incidents from socio -legal perspective.

©©© c 

The Research Unit at NGO is responsible for the archival preservation and
enhancement of the fact finding reports. This involves the inclusion of legal rig hts,
available data and statistics from previous years and recommendations into the main
text of the fact finding reports as well as translation and editing work. The work also
involves the preparation of human rights reports, collection of data regarding
various human rights abuses throughout the year and writing and publication of
various articles on human rights abuses for public knowledge. Another activity of the
Research Unit is to keep international and regional human rights organizations.

©
ccc
c 

Encourage the electorate to vote freely and without fear to popularize the concept
that the country needs the vote of every citizen. It also aims at campaigning and
monitoring for free and fair conduct of the electoral process to ensure voters' rights.
NGOs maintain a close liaison with the Bangladesh Election Commission.

Many NGO has been monitoring national and local government elections in
Bangladesh since 1996. The monitoring work is not only limited to Election Day, but
also covers pre and post election periods.

c c

c
c
c
All NGO regularly conducts media campaigns for the protection and promotion of
human rights. The data collected by the organization are published is both Bangla
and English language dailies on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis. Articles
written by both staff and members of the organization are published in special
edition pages and legal rights supplements of national dailies as well.

© cñ
c ca
 cc
The aim of the training programme was to create a grass-roots and local human
rights network. Apart from training on human rights issues, fact-finding and report-
writing, Human rights defenders are also given training on election monitoring prior
to every national election.
c

©© c
 c
Through regular discussion meetings on various issues of human rights and their
abuse, NGO brings together various groups of people, including policy makers,
politicians, lawyers, human rights activists and NGO activists, journalists from
popular daily newspapers and victims of human rights abuse. The findings and
recommendations are discussed and the policy-makers are asked for comments and
suggestions.

©©© c!c c
To campaign against major violations of human rights and also to put pressure on
state actors for swift remedy for victims NGOs send urgent appeals across the globe
through its network and website. NGOs also respond to urgent appeals sent by other
organizations.

c© c©  c"c
   c

NGOs provide an internship/volunteer programme for local and international
students, researchers and activists who are interested in doing filed and desk
research work as human rights defenders in Bangladesh. NGOs provide a safe
working environment for the interns/voluntee rs.

 c 
c c
One of the main focuses of NGOs is promotion of good governance. Without
protecting human rights, ensuring good governance is impossible and vice versa
seminars, workshops and discussion meetings, including round table meetings wi th
dailies, to promote the issue of good governance.

c© c#  c
NGOs publishe its research, investigation findings and monthly and annual reports
on the state of human rights in Bangladesh in the form of bulletins books and
reports.

c c
Amnesty International is an international NGO. Its stated mission is "to conduct
research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and
to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."

Founded in London in 1961, Amnesty draws attention to human rights abuses and
campaigns for compliance with international laws and standards. It works to
mobilise public opinion to put pressure on governments that let abuse take
place. The organization was awarded the 1977 Nobel Peace Prize for its "campaign
against torture" and the United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights in 1978.
In the field of international human rights organizations (of which there were 300 in
1996) Amnesty has the longest history and broadest name rec ognition, and "is
believed by many to set standards for the movement as a whole. Now Amnesty
International has

’c 2.2 million members

’c Support in 150+ countries
’c The champion of human rights for all

The role of Amnesty International has an immense impact on ge tting citizens

onboard with focusing on human rights issues. These groups influence countries and
governments to give their people justice with pressure and in man power. An
example of Amnesty International's work, which began in the 1960s by writing
letters to free imprisoned people that were put there for non-violent expressions.
The group now has power, attends sessions, and became a source of information for
the U.N. The increase in participation of non-governmental organizations changes
how we live today. Felix Dodds states in a recent document that, ͞In the 1972 there
were 39 democratic countries in the world; by 2002, there were 139.͟ This shows
that non-governmental organizations make enormous leaps within a short period of
time for human rights.

Amnesty International attaches great importance to impartial and accurate reporting

of facts. Its Research Department collects and analyses information from a wide
variety of sources. These include hundreds of newspapers and journals, government
bulletins, transcripts of radio broadcasts and reports from lawyers and humanitarian
organizations. Information also comes in from prisoners and their families, refugee
centres, religious bodies, journalists and other people with first -hand experience.

c c
The Amnesty International movement is run democratically. It is funded by
donations from its members and supporters around the world. Its supreme
governing body is an International Council of elected delegates from its sections in
the various countries. The Statute of Amnesty International - which defines the
organization's work and structure - can be altered only by a two-thirds majority at
the International Council. The first article of this Statute sets out the objects of
Amnesty International: the release of all prisoners of conscience, fair and prompt
trials for all political prisoners, an end to torture and executions. These goals define
the scope of Amnesty International's work and are commonly referred to as the
organization's "mandate". The full text of article 1 of the Amnesty International
Statute is reproduced below.

This booklet answers some of the most common questions about Amnesty's scope
or mandate. It is hoped that by giving a clear picture of this mandate, more and
more people, as well as governments and other institutions, will develop a greater
understanding of the role of Amnesty International in the international protection of
human rights.


  c©$ c%&'#c#
cc©

cñ
c cc

´c The political role of the international community.

´c . No international `silent witnesses'.
´c Human rights chapters in peace agreements.
´c Effective and independent human rights verification.
´c Ensuring peace with justice.
´c On-site human rights monitoring.
´c Frequent and public reporting.
´c International civilian police monitors.
´c Long-term measures for human rights protection.
´c Human rights education and advisory assistance programs.
´c The protection of refugees, internally displaced persons and returnees.
´c The gender dimension.
´c Adherence of international peacekeeping forces to human rights and
humanitarian law standards.
´c Prosecution of war crimes and attacks on international peacekeeping
personnel
´c Continued promotion and protection of human rights in the post -settlement
phase.

c c
c
c
c
c

 c(  c
c
c)(*c
c
BSAF-a Forum of Child Rights Organizations founded in 1990 to promote Rights of
the Child in Bangladesh. April 2007, BSAF has been operating Hotline for the children
using 2 Mobile numbers. BSAF ensuring referrals through it͛s 263 members
organizations country wide.Policy formulation, lobby and advocacy is the main strive
of BSAF & member 17 committees.

A network at national level, Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum (BSAF) is registered

with an agency of the Government. BSAF is a network of those NGOs who work with
the children issues. Its geographical coverage is spread over the country. With
considerable age, the organization implements two programs. Among a number of
activities that the organization performs awareness raising has been addressed
through providing training. Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum (BSAF) implements the
same two programs in preventing the trafficking and sexual exploitation of children
and women. Like the beneficiary and geographical coverage as mentioned earlier,
without any physical facility the organization provides a number of services against
four categories. Though it could not prioritize the given services and different
categories, the given services indicate that it has considered
´c awareness building and
´c mobilizing locally available domestic resources.
In its external relations it is affiliated with Action Against Trafficking and Sexual
Exploitation of Children (ATSEC).

Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum has a General Body, an Executive Board, and a
Secretariat to carry out its mandate and activities. Presently, 263 NGOs are members
of the general body. Any Bangladeshi NGO working and engaged in child rights
activities is eligible for membership of Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum͛s general
body. The general body meets at least once a year to review Bangladesh Shishu
Adhikar Forum activities of the past year and approve plans and budget for the
coming year, among others. An eleven member Executive Board is elected at the
Annual General Meeting for a period of two years. The Director and chief executive
of the Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum Secretariat works as the ex-officio Member-
Secretary of the Executive Board. It is mandatory for the Executive Board to meet
four times a year. It can also meet sooner than or as often as needed. The Executive
Board formulates policies, approve action plans, monitors project activities, mobilize
resources and review the coalitions overall activities. The Executive Board is
accountable to the general body. Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum has two
Advisory Committees. One is the Children Advisory Committee with nine members,
constituted with representatives of participants of programs of General Body

c c
members, who are under 14 years of age. The Committee actively participates in the
formulation of Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum action plans. The second nine-
member Advisory Committee is formed by the Executive Board with prominent non -
partisan personalities, child rights activist and outstanding professionals, has a life of
two years and meets at least twice a year. The Committee is consulted and gives
opinion on Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum plan of action and program strategies.
An Advocacy Group comprising parliamentarians, representatives of International
NGOs, civil society members, opinion leaders and academics, also exists. Its
objectives are to raise awareness about the child rights issues and implement the
CRC in their respective fields of work. This group also works as a pressure group.
The forum regularly collaborates with the relevant government agencies, UN and
bilateral agencies, and international NGOs working and dealing with child
rights. Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum has a secretariat comprising a director and
seven-eight staff members.

For effective discharge of the functions the secretariat͛s work is divided into the
following units:

´c Advocacy Training Cell

´c support services
´c information/documentation & research
´c Program, policy and monitoring.

 c

1. c United Nations, http://www.un.org

2. c Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org
3. c Amnesty International, http://bangla.amnesty.org
4. c Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum (BSAF), http://www.bsafchild.org

c  c