Ruhul Amin
Secretary
Upazila MSP
"It needs money as bribe in traditional arbitration in the villages. For this reasons, Poor doesn't get legal justice often.So, Poor people don,t have faith on traditional arbitration. Poor people are going to MSP for getting legal justice. But there are less staffs in compare with demands.So. It is our request to expend its area as well as staffs for betterment of the poor people"
REHEP
The aim of REHEP is to creat an environment where people will enjoy their livelyhood with rights, honour and dignity
Rights, Education, Health and Environment Program (REHEP)
The aim of REHEP is to create an environment where people will enjoy their livelihood with rights, honour and dignity.
Rights and Governance (SHARIQUE-Local governance, Strengthening Union Parishad by GTZ, Access to justice by MJF, SHOUHARDO).
Education (Early Childhood Development-ECD, Non-Formal Primary Education-NFPE and Advocacy)
Health (Comprehensive Health Service-CHS, Reproductive & Sexual Health Rights-Initiative for Health Development-IHDP and Disability Rehabilitation Project-DRP, Reflect and Lokokendra)
Agriculture and Environment (Sustainable Agriculture Project-SAP, Sanitation and Nutrition)
Rights and Governance
Sabalamy Unnayan Samity (SUS) is operating its Human Rights and Legal Services (HRLS) program to aware people especially access of women to legal services towards establishing their rights. People have been feeling the necessity to establish their rights from the beginning of human civilization. It has maintained its values and the inspiration of a continuing struggle to deplore mass poverty and achieve equality among men and women. SUS believed that both the needs-based and rights-based approaches should be carried out in its mission to realize its vision of a harmonious society. Hence, the Human Rights and Legal Services (HRLS) Program has been strategically developed in 2001 with Human Rights and Legal Support, Gender and Women’s Issues, Culture and Information, Publication and Networking components. During the years, SUS provided its legal rights services successfully by minimizing local problems with the contribution of local community based committees such as: Manobadhikar Shongrakkhan Parishad (MSP), Manobadhikar Natya Parishad (MNP), Manobadhikar Nari Somaz (MNS) and Stop Violence against Women (SVAW) to concentrate on raising awareness of the community in all development issues. Committee members have been trained-up on their rights, duties, opportunity and responsibilities. They are playing active role and are taking initiative to protect the violence through Salishi (arbitration) and also communicating with govt. institutions to ensure existing services. Salishi is a fully social process. The salishi process helps to reach the negotiation between two groups. The mediator tries to minimize conflicts and provide mental support including law explanation through prioritizing their opinion between two-person/two groups. Acid throwing, rape, robbery, kidnap, murder and trafficking related issues are arranged through salishi. 1249 allegations on dowry, family violence, women repression, polygamy, illegal pregnancy, illegal divorce, land dispute etc. have been minimized during the year.
The HRLS staffs always carry out a gender sensitive approach in order to raise awareness and improve gender relations in the society with the hope of restoring values, equality and justice. HRLS has been doing networking and linking with other like-minded organizations both government and non-government level, local and national/international groups. HRLS also believes in continuing education for staff and CBO members, thus, has conducted different types of activities like meeting, workshop, drama presentation, training, arbitration, providing legal support, activating village court activities, circulating legal act-2000, legal council meeting, awareness meeting on law and human rights, community meeting on law and order situation, workshop on duties and responsibilities for UP female members and stop violence against women committee, day observation, arranging seminar on national and international issues, networking with like minded organization, regular basis publication and its distribution.
SUS has undertaken different steps to inform women and raise awareness about their civil rights. SUS program now provides group members with information on Muslim Family Law, Fundamental Rights from the constitution which commensurate with the universal "Declaration of Human Rights", inheritance law and land law. SUS also has taken initiatives to strengthen the Village Court and involve themselves with Legal Aid Fund 2000 from 2003. Union parishad (council) is highly encouraged to reduce child and women repression and others social violence in their society. SUS human rights and legal services program is working at 29 unions of Atpara, Madan, Kendua, Purbadhala, Mohanganj, Barhatta and Netrakona sadar upazila of Netrakona district. This component is working at 4 unions of Mymensingh sadar upazila. SUS has been implementing legal aid fund-2000 activities with other 18 unions of 4 districts (Mymensingh, Kishorgoanj, Jamalpur and Sherpur) with the assistance of partner organizations for activating district legal aid committee and ensuring legal justice for poor people through national legal aid fund-2000.
In the reporting year, Human Rights and Legal Services Program has activated community-based organizations (CBOs) in the grass-root level that will serve as prime actors in establishing a just and equitable society. The MSP, MNS and SVAW have been formed by the elites of the community like representative of civil society, doctor, lawyer, teacher, NGO representatives and cultural person etc. MSP members are observing the human rights violation events and are taking collective efforts accordingly. MNS have been formed only participation of advance women. 20% MNS members are arranging shalishi through their own initiatives and 30% members are participating in different social activities. On the other hand, MNP is intended to organize local youth and artists who advocate human rights protection through popular theatre and folk songs. They are arranging monthly meeting, conducting quarterly meeting, receiving allegation, investigating human rights violation, practicing written salishi and protecting illegal salishi. The committees have been working on eligible mediation event through arranging arbitration and events those are not possible to minimize by arbitration that events are sending to thana and court for getting legal justice. During this year, 250 complaints have been received. Of them, 100 events have been minimized, 72 are under process, 26 complaints have not been minimized, 12 complaints have been running for case through legal aid fund and 04 applications have been submitted as cases and over 2 lakhs money have been received as decree. 09 cases are running by the women and child violation control law and 31 complaints were not communicated. Community meetings have been organized in their own locality through analyzing the law and order situation for taking initiatives and establishing active communication with police administration and mass people for protecting human rights violation, motivating union parishad and administration to ensure their duties and accountabilities for establishing social peace. As a result of community meeting, initiatives have been taken to stop showing CD, gambling, drinking wine, stolen and other unsocial activities. A good relationship has been built up between administration and community people.12 community meetings were held in 2008. 14 dramas were presented by MNP and 6605 viewers observed the dramas. Out of 6650 viewers, about 3000 have been involved in relevant activities directly. 28 legal camps were arranged where 240 disadvantaged poor people received law advice and they have taken initiative accordingly. District level Advocate Panel, upazila and district level SVAW committee and strong NGO Network are supporting to strengthen union level committees and also the way of getting Legal Aid Fund for the poor and marginalized people to access into justice. Importance of ``Salishi’’ has been emphasized and participation of women in arbitration has been increased. On the other hand, illegal Salishi has been reduced.
Nature of cases of 2008 (Total complaints: 250)
*Divorce 08, *Suicide after Rape 06, *Quarrel with Others 02, *Illegitimate Pregnancy 02, *Maintenance 54, *Polygamy 07, *Money recovers 10, *Husband and wife mutual 34, *Killed for dowry 01, *Trafficking 02, *Torture for Dowry 65, *Acid throwing 03, *Illegal relationship 02, *Family violence 10, *Land dispute 15, *Wife torture 29
SUS has been working for activating the village court activities with union parishad, community elite’s person and local level civic organization through sharing meeting. Thereafter, SUS is providing training and sending necessary papers for preserving of importance documentations as a result the village court in 08 unions properly and rest of 06 unions activities are running irregularly and 30 unions have been selected to run village court activities.
SUS has taken different programs such as: rally, gathering, discussion meeting, human chain, cultural show and dialogue on the occasion of national and international special days such as international women day, world rural women day, world poverty alleviation day, international human rights day, world health day, independent day, International literacy day, victory day and international mother language day. The participants were lawyers, doctors, journalists, women leaders, govt. officials, teachers (school and college), people’s representatives, farmers. All the participants agreed to come into a same platform through creating an equity basis working environment. District and upazila SVAW committee has arranged 8 discussion sessions on awareness raising at schools and colleges with the participation of about 800 students and teachers and a relationship has also been established among themselves.
SUS has arranged various sharing workshops/seminars/sharing meeting with religious leader, Kazi, Imam, UP members and others to inform and disseminate clear conception of the existing social condition and its family laws, proper implementation of family laws, administrative accountability, social arbitration, village court and the role of local government, women's condition and position in the society are the issues. Union Parishad budget and other social issues were also discussed in details through organizing opinion-sharing workshop with the participation of chairmen, male and female members and needs of the community have been collected to implement gender sensitive budget. SUS also arranged a pre-budget seminar on national budget 2008-09 to increase allocation in agro-sector for food security. A voice has been raised for preparing region-based national budget.
Overall changes happened
Demerits of early marriage is now known to all due to mass awareness development. Qazis (Marriage Registrar) are now strict in registering marriage at legal ages. Birth registration and proactive role-playing by the HR activists helped in decreasing the incidences of early marriage.
Due to increased access to law, proactive role-playing by Qazis and HR activists and awareness development of women the incidences of polygamy decreased in the society.
Due to not receiving shelter of law the incidences of dowry practice could not decrease significantly in case of the poor though it has been decreased tremendously in case of the rich families. Many people give dowry being self-initiated.
Due to awareness development by the program gambling decreased significantly.
People are now aware of the demerits of illegal divorce, as they know the law for this. Proactive role of Union Parishad and mass awareness development by SUS helped in decreasing the incidences.
The reasons behind the illegal pregnancy are lack of consciousness of the guardians, demonstration of sex appealing movies and misuse of cell phones. The incidence of illegal pregnancy now decreased a lot due to awareness development by SUS at family and society level.
People are now aware of the land records. Appropriate application of law and due to strengthening village court the incidences of land related disputes decreased significantly.
People are now aware of the strict law against acid maiming due to huge awareness campaign by different organizations and mass media. Strict law and its proper implementation helped in decreasing the incidences significantly.
People are now aware of the strict law against rape and they are also aware on being hated by society people due to mass awareness development. Thus the incidences of rape have been decreased in the society.
Women’s participation in social activities has been increased tremendously. This has been possible due to awareness development of women, impact of education, activities of NGOs and increased job opportunity for the women.
Due to mass awareness development in the community, women now can move to any place alone what previously they could not even wish to do.
People are now aware of the same important role of man and woman in family. Women are now increasingly receiving education and they are earning to increase their family income. Men now discuss with women while taking a family decision. The incidences of quarrel between husband and wife have also been decreased. Above all concerted voice of women has been raised and strengthens in the family and society.
We will continue its learning based on our experiences and will strive to work more and more for the achievement of SUS ultimate goal of establishing a just, equitable and peace society where people live and work harmoniously.
Rights, Education, Health and Environment Program (REHEP)
The aim of REHEP is to create an environment where people will enjoy their livelihood with rights, honour and dignity.
Rights and Governance (SHARIQUE-Local governance, Strengthening Union Parishad by GTZ, Access to justice by MJF, SHOUHARDO).
Education (Early Childhood Development-ECD, Non-Formal Primary Education-NFPE and Advocacy)
Health (Comprehensive Health Service-CHS, Reproductive & Sexual Health Rights-Initiative for Health Development-IHDP and Disability Rehabilitation Project-DRP, Reflect and Lokokendra)
Agriculture and Environment (Sustainable Agriculture Project-SAP, Sanitation and Nutrition)
Rights and Governance
Sabalamy Unnayan Samity (SUS) is operating its Human Rights and Legal Services (HRLS) program to aware people especially access of women to legal services towards establishing their rights. People have been feeling the necessity to establish their rights from the beginning of human civilization. It has maintained its values and the inspiration of a continuing struggle to deplore mass poverty and achieve equality among men and women. SUS believed that both the needs-based and rights-based approaches should be carried out in its mission to realize its vision of a harmonious society. Hence, the Human Rights and Legal Services (HRLS) Program has been strategically developed in 2001 with Human Rights and Legal Support, Gender and Women’s Issues, Culture and Information, Publication and Networking components. During the years, SUS provided its legal rights services successfully by minimizing local problems with the contribution of local community based committees such as: Manobadhikar Shongrakkhan Parishad (MSP), Manobadhikar Natya Parishad (MNP), Manobadhikar Nari Somaz (MNS) and Stop Violence against Women (SVAW) to concentrate on raising awareness of the community in all development issues. Committee members have been trained-up on their rights, duties, opportunity and responsibilities. They are playing active role and are taking initiative to protect the violence through Salishi (arbitration) and also communicating with govt. institutions to ensure existing services. Salishi is a fully social process. The salishi process helps to reach the negotiation between two groups. The mediator tries to minimize conflicts and provide mental support including law explanation through prioritizing their opinion between two-person/two groups. Acid throwing, rape, robbery, kidnap, murder and trafficking related issues are arranged through salishi. 1249 allegations on dowry, family violence, women repression, polygamy, illegal pregnancy, illegal divorce, land dispute etc. have been minimized during the year.
The HRLS staffs always carry out a gender sensitive approach in order to raise awareness and improve gender relations in the society with the hope of restoring values, equality and justice. HRLS has been doing networking and linking with other like-minded organizations both government and non-government level, local and national/international groups. HRLS also believes in continuing education for staff and CBO members, thus, has conducted different types of activities like meeting, workshop, drama presentation, training, arbitration, providing legal support, activating village court activities, circulating legal act-2000, legal council meeting, awareness meeting on law and human rights, community meeting on law and order situation, workshop on duties and responsibilities for UP female members and stop violence against women committee, day observation, arranging seminar on national and international issues, networking with like minded organization, regular basis publication and its distribution.
SUS has undertaken different steps to inform women and raise awareness about their civil rights. SUS program now provides group members with information on Muslim Family Law, Fundamental Rights from the constitution which commensurate with the universal "Declaration of Human Rights", inheritance law and land law. SUS also has taken initiatives to strengthen the Village Court and involve themselves with Legal Aid Fund 2000 from 2003. Union parishad (council) is highly encouraged to reduce child and women repression and others social violence in their society. SUS human rights and legal services program is working at 29 unions of Atpara, Madan, Kendua, Purbadhala, Mohanganj, Barhatta and Netrakona sadar upazila of Netrakona district. This component is working at 4 unions of Mymensingh sadar upazila. SUS has been implementing legal aid fund-2000 activities with other 18 unions of 4 districts (Mymensingh, Kishorgoanj, Jamalpur and Sherpur) with the assistance of partner organizations for activating district legal aid committee and ensuring legal justice for poor people through national legal aid fund-2000.
In the reporting year, Human Rights and Legal Services Program has activated community-based organizations (CBOs) in the grass-root level that will serve as prime actors in establishing a just and equitable society. The MSP, MNS and SVAW have been formed by the elites of the community like representative of civil society, doctor, lawyer, teacher, NGO representatives and cultural person etc. MSP members are observing the human rights violation events and are taking collective efforts accordingly. MNS have been formed only participation of advance women. 20% MNS members are arranging shalishi through their own initiatives and 30% members are participating in different social activities. On the other hand, MNP is intended to organize local youth and artists who advocate human rights protection through popular theatre and folk songs. They are arranging monthly meeting, conducting quarterly meeting, receiving allegation, investigating human rights violation, practicing written salishi and protecting illegal salishi. The committees have been working on eligible mediation event through arranging arbitration and events those are not possible to minimize by arbitration that events are sending to thana and court for getting legal justice. During this year, 250 complaints have been received. Of them, 100 events have been minimized, 72 are under process, 26 complaints have not been minimized, 12 complaints have been running for case through legal aid fund and 04 applications have been submitted as cases and over 2 lakhs money have been received as decree. 09 cases are running by the women and child violation control law and 31 complaints were not communicated. Community meetings have been organized in their own locality through analyzing the law and order situation for taking initiatives and establishing active communication with police administration and mass people for protecting human rights violation, motivating union parishad and administration to ensure their duties and accountabilities for establishing social peace. As a result of community meeting, initiatives have been taken to stop showing CD, gambling, drinking wine, stolen and other unsocial activities. A good relationship has been built up between administration and community people.12 community meetings were held in 2008. 14 dramas were presented by MNP and 6605 viewers observed the dramas. Out of 6650 viewers, about 3000 have been involved in relevant activities directly. 28 legal camps were arranged where 240 disadvantaged poor people received law advice and they have taken initiative accordingly. District level Advocate Panel, upazila and district level SVAW committee and strong NGO Network are supporting to strengthen union level committees and also the way of getting Legal Aid Fund for the poor and marginalized people to access into justice. Importance of ``Salishi’’ has been emphasized and participation of women in arbitration has been increased. On the other hand, illegal Salishi has been reduced.
Nature of cases of 2008 (Total complaints: 250)
*Divorce 08, *Suicide after Rape 06, *Quarrel with Others 02, *Illegitimate Pregnancy 02, *Maintenance 54, *Polygamy 07, *Money recovers 10, *Husband and wife mutual 34, *Killed for dowry 01, *Trafficking 02, *Torture for Dowry 65, *Acid throwing 03, *Illegal relationship 02, *Family violence 10, *Land dispute 15, *Wife torture 29
SUS has been working for activating the village court activities with union parishad, community elite’s person and local level civic organization through sharing meeting. Thereafter, SUS is providing training and sending necessary papers for preserving of importance documentations as a result the village court in 08 unions properly and rest of 06 unions activities are running irregularly and 30 unions have been selected to run village court activities.
SUS has taken different programs such as: rally, gathering, discussion meeting, human chain, cultural show and dialogue on the occasion of national and international special days such as international women day, world rural women day, world poverty alleviation day, international human rights day, world health day, independent day, International literacy day, victory day and international mother language day. The participants were lawyers, doctors, journalists, women leaders, govt. officials, teachers (school and college), people’s representatives, farmers. All the participants agreed to come into a same platform through creating an equity basis working environment. District and upazila SVAW committee has arranged 8 discussion sessions on awareness raising at schools and colleges with the participation of about 800 students and teachers and a relationship has also been established among themselves.
SUS has arranged various sharing workshops/seminars/sharing meeting with religious leader, Kazi, Imam, UP members and others to inform and disseminate clear conception of the existing social condition and its family laws, proper implementation of family laws, administrative accountability, social arbitration, village court and the role of local government, women's condition and position in the society are the issues. Union Parishad budget and other social issues were also discussed in details through organizing opinion-sharing workshop with the participation of chairmen, male and female members and needs of the community have been collected to implement gender sensitive budget. SUS also arranged a pre-budget seminar on national budget 2008-09 to increase allocation in agro-sector for food security. A voice has been raised for preparing region-based national budget.
Overall changes happened
Demerits of early marriage is now known to all due to mass awareness development. Qazis (Marriage Registrar) are now strict in registering marriage at legal ages. Birth registration and proactive role-playing by the HR activists helped in decreasing the incidences of early marriage.
Due to increased access to law, proactive role-playing by Qazis and HR activists and awareness development of women the incidences of polygamy decreased in the society.
Due to not receiving shelter of law the incidences of dowry practice could not decrease significantly in case of the poor though it has been decreased tremendously in case of the rich families. Many people give dowry being self-initiated.
Due to awareness development by the program gambling decreased significantly.
People are now aware of the demerits of illegal divorce, as they know the law for this. Proactive role of Union Parishad and mass awareness development by SUS helped in decreasing the incidences.
The reasons behind the illegal pregnancy are lack of consciousness of the guardians, demonstration of sex appealing movies and misuse of cell phones. The incidence of illegal pregnancy now decreased a lot due to awareness development by SUS at family and society level.
People are now aware of the land records. Appropriate application of law and due to strengthening village court the incidences of land related disputes decreased significantly.
People are now aware of the strict law against acid maiming due to huge awareness campaign by different organizations and mass media. Strict law and its proper implementation helped in decreasing the incidences significantly.
People are now aware of the strict law against rape and they are also aware on being hated by society people due to mass awareness development. Thus the incidences of rape have been decreased in the society.
Women’s participation in social activities has been increased tremendously. This has been possible due to awareness development of women, impact of education, activities of NGOs and increased job opportunity for the women.
Due to mass awareness development in the community, women now can move to any place alone what previously they could not even wish to do.
People are now aware of the same important role of man and woman in family. Women are now increasingly receiving education and they are earning to increase their family income. Men now discuss with women while taking a family decision. The incidences of quarrel between husband and wife have also been decreased. Above all concerted voice of women has been raised and strengthens in the family and society.
We will continue its learning based on our experiences and will strive to work more and more for the achievement of SUS ultimate goal of establishing a just, equitable and peace society where people live and work harmoniously.
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