Nari Maitree

A Report on NARI MAITREE

1.0: NGO background: Nari Maitree is a non-government development women organization. In 1983 the organization was established by a group of women activist in order to build the capacity of women, children and adolescent for establishing their rights in the society.

NM has special interested to work with the children. At present Nari Maitree runs 17 different projects those are directly or indirectly have some impact on children especially deprived children. As a whole NM intend to work in a holistic approach for the best interest of the children. As children are not apart from the society and family, therefore, NM also works with the family and society to bring positive change in the life of children.

From the working experience Nari Maitree felt that most of the disaster situation like flood and other natural calamity, children position is most venerable and their lives are in thereat from the context of physical and mental health development. During these time children are in more vulnerable situation in terms of sexual, physical and mental exploitation and abuse.

According to the National Sample survey of Child Labor by Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (2002-2003), 17.5 per cent of the total child population was child laborers.

However, this survey did not include figures from several parts of the informal sector, in which the largest numbers of child laborers are found, e.g. child domestic workers. Among 12.1 million working children (5-12 age group), boys were 8.8 million and 3.3 million were girls. Child laborers of age group 5-17 years are 3.38 million (Boys: 2.58 and girls: .8 million). Only 7.1% of the child labor (5-17) was in the formal sector, the rest of 92.9% were in the informal sector. About 65.4% of working children were employed in the agricultural sector. By residency, number of working children is 20.7 million among them 16.05 are in urban area and 22.0 are in rural area. They work for a minimum of 9 hours to as long as 18 hours a day for very low wages.

Considering the reality and importance, Nari Maitree introduced some activities to address this immerging issue under a program with financial assistance of Danish Embassy since November 1991 to 1995. This program was introduced in some slum areas under the Dhaka City Corporation. Based on the working experience from this project, Nari Matree incepted a program namely “Education and Rights for Working Children” with financial cooperation of Red Barnet, Save the Children Denmark (Now it is Save the Children Sweden-Denmark). The project aimed at education and child rights development program in wards no 25 and 26 of Dhaka City Corporation. The project was continued up to June 1999. This project was expanded since 1999 July to December 2002 under the title of “Intervention towards Child Development”. As a continual process, a gap-bridging project for two years was incepted from January 2003 to December 2004.

With the continual partnership assistance of SCSD, Nari Maitree enhanced their capacity from the learning of previous phase and started the 3rd phase under the same title from January 2005 to 2007. This project is developed with the framework followed by Bangladesh Country Program Strategy (2005 to 2010) of SCSD. 2.0 NGO Profile: Mission Statement: To empower the under-privileged people by undertaking intensive and extensive programs in order to bring about changes in the family life style and social system.

Vision of NM: Our vision is to establish an equitable society.

Objectives of NM:  To increase education rate among the adolescents  To aware the adolescent, women and other stakeholder about HIV/AIDS  To establish human rights and empowering of women, children and adolescents  To help facilities to the target people to raise their voice for social justice  To undertake programs on preventive and curative health services  To facilitate sustainable development  To ensure male participation in program activities  To promote volunteerism among the youth  To enhance knowledge on natural and social disaster management Major strengths of NM:  Working experience with many Donor Agencies at home and abroad  Strong community network in the project areas including linkage with GOBs, NGOs  A network of its branch offices in Dhaka city and some selected districts  Experienced and skilled human resources which can easily be mobilized for any new project  Strong leadership by the Executive Committee  Strong financial and managerial capacity to manage projects within time schedule and cost estimates  Strong monitoring, supervision and quality control system  Physical & logistical facilities, including fully equipped own training facilities of the organization Policies of NM:

Nari Maitree has developed different types of policies to operate the organisational activities smoothly and properly. The policies are as follows;  Human Resource Development Policy  Financial Guideline  Gender Policy  Credit manual Place where we work: Nari Maitree covered as many as 17 wards of Dhaka Metropolitan City 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 31, 49, 52, 54, 55, 56, 57, 60 and 85 including 12 villages of Demra Thana.

Besides, it also covered the 457,948 disadvantaged children, women and adolescents of Mymensingh, Jamalpur, Netrakona, Tangail, Tongi, Kishoreganj, Sherpur, Cox’s Bazar, Comilla, Feni and Chandpur districts 2.1 Organizational Structure Management Structure: NM has 39 members General Committee (GC) and eleven members Executive Committee (EC). The GC meets once in a year to approve annual budget and review progress reports while the EC meets once after three months. The EC members take decisions, review the progress, give financial approvals and consider other priority items. The Executive Director is the operative Head of the Organization and is responsible for overall program management. Under the able guidance of the ED, each Program Manager/Coordinator manages his /her program area. Program Managers/Coordinators, Area Coordinators also manage their respective programs outside Dhaka. They all report to the Executive Director.

Nari Maitree has the Management structure as below:   

Executive Committee/ Governing Body Advisory Committee Professional staff

Total Staff of the Organization Currently, NM has 359 (2007) staff who are also working in different project areas.

Women constitute 70 percent of the current staffs.

Summary of NM Projects/Programs Nari Maitree has been engaged to fulfill its objectives through the following multidimensional programs: 1. ‘Improvement of public awareness for HIV/AIDS and women trafficking’ funded by ADB through Ministry of Women and Child Affairs 2. ‘Mother and child health care and family planning program’ 3. ‘Adolescent development program’ under Action Aid 4. ‘HIV/AIDS Prevention Project (HAPP)’ for Street Based Sex workers under UNICEF & NASP 5. ‘Volunteer development program’

7. ‘Better SRH service for urban adolescent and youth (RHIYA)’ 8. ‘Child Development Intervention Project’ under Save the Children Sweden-Denmark 9. ‘Capacity Building, Poverty Alleviation and Sustainable Livelihood for Socially Disadvantaged Women and their Children, Dhaka’ financed by UNDP through DSS 10. ‘Capacity Building, Poverty Alleviation and Sustainable Livelihood for Socially Disadvantaged Women and their Children, Mymensingh’ financed by UNDP through DSS 11. ‘Empowering Adolescents to become the agents for Social transformation program, Dewanganj’ financed by UNESCO, Paris 12. ‘Empowering Adolescents to become the agents for Social transformation program, Madhupur/ Tangail’ financed by UNESCO, Dhaka 13. ‘Integrated Education, Health and Capacity Building for Adolescent girls in Bangladesh at Dhalpur’.

14. ‘Urban Primary Health Care project PA-5’ through Dhaka City Corporation funded by ADB. 15. ‘Violence Against Women’ at Dhaka 16. ‘Income Generating Program (IGP)’ at Dhaka funded by NM 17. ‘Training on prevention of HIV/AIDS for workers of Garment Factories’ supported by PHD. 18. ‘Action research with Child sex worker’ funded by UNICEF. 19. ‘Prevention and Protection on HIV/AIDS and STD’ funded by CARE. 20. ‘Creating awareness on HIV/AIDS prevention of urban slum adolescent and youth’ through Dhaka City Corporation funded by UNDP. 21. ‘Comprehensive Reproductive health care center’ funded by UNFPA. 22. ‘Piloting of sex worker manage health care system with in the Brothel’ funded by World Bank.

23. ‘Establishing child Led organization to ensure child participation’ funded by Plan Bangladesh 24. ‘Participation of the urban Poor in Municipal’ funded by Plan Bangladesh 25. ‘CARE income project’ funded by CARE Bangladesh 26. ‘Education for all and capacity building project’ funded by UNESCO Net Working & Affiliations: Nari Maitree has spread its multi-dimensional programs at different thanas/wards in 9 districts of the country with different target people. It is making coordination with several organizations working in the same field of activities and collaborating with each other.

In addition to that Nari Maitree is closely associated and linked to different NGO networking organizations & apex bodies as one of the significant members: ♦ STI/AIDS Network of Bangladesh ♦ Voluntary Health Services Society (VHSS), ♦ Coalition for the Urban Poor (CUP), ♦ Credit and development Forum (CDF), ♦ Disadvantaged Adolescents Working NGOs Forum (DAWN), ♦ Action against Trafficking and Sexual Exportation of Children (ATSEC) ♦ Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar (Child Rights) Forum (BSAF) ♦ Girls’ Child Forum ♦ Together we work for working children ♦ International Association of Voluntary Efforts (IAVE) Financial Management Structure Nari Maitree is quite aware of updating the Financial Management structure from its inception in 1983. It has transformed all the Accountants of the projects by the skilled personnel after providing training. The financial programs of the projects are guided by the organization’s own Guideline but it also be followed the guidelines of donor agencies on demand. The organization took the initiatives of making advance in consolidating the financial activities of the projects in a monthly finance meeting with all Managers, project coordinators and the accountants.

Audit Management: Nari Maitree has given special emphasis on the external audit side by side with the internal auditor of the donor agencies, NM’s own initiative and Govt. audit to bring the clarity in the accounts of the projects. The financial management is concentrated with the implementation of the recommendations of the internal auditor, external auditor and Govt. audit.

Current Donor Agencies: Nari Maitree obtained donations/grants from the following Donor Agencies at home and abroad for implementation of different projects/programs:             

Save the Children Sweden-Denmark Action Aid Bangladesh UNESCO Plan Bangladesh Concern Worldwide UNDP through Social Welfare Department Asian Development Bank through City Corporation ADB through Ministry of Women and Child Affairs UNFPA OXFAM GB UNICEF USC Canada – Bangladesh

Monitoring and Evaluation: Nari Maitree conducted the following programs: • • • • • •

Monthly monitoring and preparation of Database reports Project based study Project based field visit Monitoring by the Donors and internal monitoring and evaluation Co-ordination meeting with all section chiefs Staff meeting

Physical Resources of NM: Nari Maitree runs a number of programs in different parts of the country. To ensure effective program implementation and smooth operation, NM has physical and logistical facilities at Head office and field offices including equipment and instruments DESCRIBING OF THE EXISTING (ON- GOING) PROJECT(S) It is to be mentioned here that the proposed project will be constructed on the past experience of NM in implementing health, nutrition and population based projects. NM has so far implemented different projects of similar nature, which is a major strength of the organization in proposing this project. Of them a total of six (6) projects are currently under implementation and two have been completed recently. The following are the projects: Report title:  Project Title: Intervention Towards Child Development  Name of the Donor Agency: Save the Children Sweden-Denmark  Duration of the Project: 1998 – On Going  Project Location: 25,27,28 and 60 no. ward under Dhaka city corporation  Total Budget: BDT 11,815,784/= 3.0 Summarize of the Project: The project will cover the targeted child labourers and street children at Goran, (Ward no25) Ragarbagh (Ward no-28), Bashaboo (Ward no-27) and Lalbagh (Ward no-60) of Dhaka City Corporation. As a preventing aim the proposed new phase will include to motivate the parents, children, guardian, community people and employers to realize their responsibilities and accountability towards reduction of child labour and participation of working children as rights holder to demand their rights. As a curative the project will include basic services like non-formal education, vocational and skill development training, credit support and psychosocial rehabilitation and life skills. Throughout the next 3 years, 36 children will be mainstreaming from NFE to formal school. 150 children will receive vocational training including computer operating, sign board writing, mobile servicing, tailoring, beauty parlor, block batik, embroidery, electric and electronic, provide

credit support to 135 children and 150 children will get job placement and self employment opportunities.

Finally Nari Maitree together with other Save Children Sweden-Denmark’s partners who work with child labourers problems will establish an active implementing sub-network for combating child labour. Nari Maitree prefers the other partners in the formal and informal network and consultants contribute to solve common identified problems and develop needed tools, materials and methods.

The partnership co-operation between Save the Children Sweden-Denmark (SCSD) and Nari Maitree has been excellent. Nari Maitree and Save the Children Sweden-Denmark (SCSD) have together explored the various complexities of working with child labor in the local slum area and Nari Maitree is playing a vital role in the implementation of the Save the Children Sweden-Denmark (SCSD) strategy in Bangladesh. SCSD provides technical support to Nari Maitree staff to heighten their capacity in this regard.

Nari Maitree is one of the members of Together with Working Children (TWC) networking forum. It is a strong network forum which is working for a long time for child labor on advocacy issue at local and national level. We hope that in future we will able to work with this forum very effectively which will be help to sustain the program for working children.

Regarding sustainability through the awareness raising activities on child rights issue children, parents and community people have been disseminated within the next generation. After phase out of the project Child forum will be community based children organization and community based resource centers will also be established, which will be run by children and local community people in the project areas. These resource centers will be consist of a library, indoor-game material, child rights related books and information, cultural and recreational materials. Moreover, children who will over the age of 18 years we will linkage them with local “youth club”. In future they will be able to continue the children organizational activities from their own views and capacities.

Participation of community people is another dimension, which have been worked for the sustainability of the project. Finally, CMC (Center Management Committee) has been formed by the project which consists of local government, local elite people, teachers, employers, parents’ etc. People of different classes and levels have been included in the CMC to get the necessary support and feedback from the local community people.

Gradually, it is expected that CMC help to resolve different problems of children and have taken different activities to establish the child right after phase out of the project.

The project is based upon the assumption that the political environment will remain stable.

It is also assumed that is will be possible to establish contracts to employers among the middle class without major obstacles.

Total budget for this project is Tk. 11,815,784/= for the period 2008-2010.

3.1 JUSTIFICATION OF THE PROJECT: The project has been developed following a series of consultation through FGD, workshop, formal and informal meeting or discussion with the participation of children, parents,

employers, community people and project staff. In deed, Nari Maitree aims to involve community people in the project design to make the sense of sustainability real. Eventually all the lessons learnt has been incorporated in the new proposed project.

Project Document was prepared through stakeholder analysis. During the stakeholder analysis beneficiaries, caregivers, duty bearers, support groups as well as the opponents groups are considered. Their problems, their interest and stakes, their potentials as well their linkage are considered in the present undesirable situation.

During the development the project document Logical Framework Analysis (LFA) is followed which was practiced through a workshop in presence of all thematic partners.

Team has identified core problem through analyzing the cause effect in the context of project learning and experience. On the basis of the problem, the development and immediate objectives, outputs and the project matrix have been reformulated in the light of GIM dimensions and CRP approaches.

Recently a base survey and situation analysis has been conducted at Nari Maitree project areas by INCIDIN Bangladesh. Number of focus group discussions was held during the survey and situation analysis. Reflections from the focus group discussion were also analyzed and learning was considered for PD development.

Lesson Learn from previous Phases: In Nari Maitree working areas, most of the families live in the slums and living below the poverty line in Dhaka City. Generally people migrated from rural areas due to river erosion that makes them land less, and other natural calamities bring them in the slum areas. These areas are densely populated, characterized by huge scarcity of water, sanitation, medical facilities and other facilities of urban life. The poor parents could not provide nutrition, clothing and education, health care, recreational facilities. Due to this situation children are growing up without enjoying their minimum rights. Generally they involved in hazardous work. Without any exception, the working environment of these children is hazardous also.

Child Forum was developed to ensure children participation in different level, make the children voice stronger on CRC in local, national level, develop their leadership capacity through create a child friendly space. By this time they have achieved, confident to interact with each other, create a good position & acceptance in their family & community, children are able to improvised drama, capable to write newsletter, some children are involved in family decision-making & solving problem, children are involved in raising awareness family, community & national level. Through strong participation of different activities children are more disciplined, organized, socialized. They have strong contribution to, reduced early marriage, physical & humiliating punishment, working time in their community.

Through the consultation with disadvantaged children it is found that the stakeholders are aware about the child rights, employer become sensitize on child labour issues. In community level people are encouraged for birth registration, increasing knowledge of child rights and understand bad consequences of child labour. This result came out through massive initiative have been taken during the last phases on code of conduct and PHP.

From the consultation of the center management committee members it is found that they are very much interested to organize meeting with community people to sensitize the child rights issues to the community which will ultimate reduce the child labour as per their opinion.

Nari Maitree considered itself as a learning organization. Therefore, the organization aim is to acquire knowledge from the experiences of its own project and also from the other projects supported by Save the Children Sweden-Denmark. We have links with Save the Children Sweden-Denmark partner NGOs like SEEP, CPD, SUF, Shoishab Bangladesh, INCIDEN, UCEP and UDDIPAN, TWC, CC Project. The areas of collaboration are education, skill development training, job placement, micro credit, recreation, health, awareness raising, networking and advocacy.

From our consultation meeting with children and parents of our project areas it reveals that still now many children are deprived from their basic rights. It is found that most of the working children are Muslims and very few are Hindus. Most of the working children families are consisted of 5-6 members. Parents of working children are engaged in small traders, small factory workers, garments workers, drivers, vendors, baggier, day labor and rickshaw puller. Most of the parents are illiterate. So, parents are not aware about the importance of education of their children. Children do not get any participation scope in their family. Moreover children face physical and mental violence from the family member.

The recommendations from mid term evaluation are as follows: • • • • • • •

The project should extend NFE centers in other localities including more children.

The existing non-formal education curriculum should include lessons /training on life skill education for the children/adolescents for more clear conception.

More parents/guardians meetings should be organized and CMC meetings should be held at the Project areas to make community involvement in the program.

Limited stipends could be granted for the interested and meritorious children/ adolescents so that they could participate at the computer education from the distant places of their home Existing networks and coalitions should be strengthened to advocate for rights of working children at the national level Necessary steps to recruit quality/appropriate resource persons for conducting different trade based training for the children/ adolescents of the center The project should closely develop linkage with the local organizations/companies for employing the adolescents who have received skill training.

• Recommendation from Project Base line and situation analysis 2007 are as follows: • • •

Micro finance assistance to parents Rehabilitation services for potential child laborer with no of parents/ caregivers: For child workers code of conduct should be introduced to bind the employers with responsibility of child’s well being.

• • •

• • •

Raising awareness of the household members on equal rights of the girls especially in terms of access to protection and development resources (such as health, education etc.).

The culture of early marriage has to be challenged not only at family level but also at broader community level. In this regard a comprehensive awareness campaign has to be carried out.

The family heads and the employers of the marginalized children (both working and non-working children) need to be sensitized on the advantages and rights of the children in participating in decision making process with respect to work major decisions concerning their wellbeing (e.g. health, education, work, leisure and marriage etc.).

A campaign against stigmatization of the child survivors of sexual violence needs to be carried out at family, school and community level.

Initiation of community-based advocacy program is needed to create a collective space for the realization of provisional rights of the children The access of the working children in health services needs to be expanded both in terms of knowledge and health support services

3.2 Relationship to other SCSD projects The current 4th phase of the project is a part of Save the Children Sweden-Denmark’s Child Labour theme programme. Save the Children Sweden-Denmark has gradually built up its partnership cooperation with this group of like minded local NGOs. Central in the screening for partners has been shared visions, willingness to work with a right based approach and willingness not only to implement their own project but also contribute to the implementation of a coherent program. So every project of these organizations is a part of the theme.

Working many years with child labor, Nari Maitree has observed that there are good laws to eliminate or reduce child labor in Bangladesh. But unfortunately, these laws are not properly implemented. It is true that project has been able to bring many children from hazardous works to soft works/non hazardous works. But the employers and owners of those factories have employed other children in that place. Other children instantly fill up the gaps created in those places of hazardous works that means. So the efforts made by Nari Maitree and other like-minded organizations, which are working for the elimination or reduction of hazardous works, are jeopardized to some extent. So, Nari Maitree feels that the government should come forward in this regard and make sure that the laws concerning child labor are properly implemented. The authority of the organization also feels that stern and punitive actions should be taken against those employers who break these laws. A joint monitoring cell can be formed comprising government organizations and Non Government Organizations (NGO) to monitor the factories and places of hazardous child labor to make sure that no employers employ any child laborers in hazardous works. Advocacy work should be accelerated to implement this plan. SCSD also feels in the same way. So, such plan of Nari Maitree matches with the framework of SCSD. On the other hand, if the common people are made aware of the bad effects of child labor, they will come forward to reduce this from society. So, in the long run child labor will be reduced in the informal sector as well.

The current 4th phase of the project is developed within the framework of Save the Children Sweden Denmark program. The framework of the SCSD program started to work in relation to cross cutting issues like: Physical and humiliation Punishment (PhP), Child Sexual Abuse Exploitation and Trafficking (CSAET), CRP, Media-communication, and Emergency. Project will maintain relation with the CRP thematic group for capacity building on human resource development, researching on child rights issues, Documentation and child rights policy. Through the relation with the mediacommunication of SCSD, project will create space for children participation in media.

Besides, the accountability, non discrimination, child participation in development activities, awareness development on HIV/AIDs, gender development, and empowerment and trafficking issues are considered as cross cutting issues. Considering the country strategy of SCSD above mentioned interventions were incorporated in this project.

CC Project is one of the rural based child led organization. Nari Maitree has aim to acquire knowledge from the experiences of CC Project. In this regard Nari Maitree maintain network with this project. In future Nari Maitree will utilize related experience in this project which will improve this project activity also. On the other hand Nari Maitree has good practice in relation with children organization which will be introduced and incorporated in the CC project also.

Together with working Children (TWC) is one of the Child labor base forums. Nari Maitree is one of the members of this forum. Nari Maitree is working with this forum for local and national level advocacy work very actively and cordially. Nari Maitree believes that joint forces are needed to strengthen any initiative, especially National level advocacy work.

3.3 Relation to Nari Maitree’s Organizational Strategy: This project objective fully coincides with the vision and mission of Nari Maitree.

Moreover Nari Maitree has special competence to address the problems of child labor in the working areas. Nari Maitree has a long attachment to work on child rights issue especially on child labour issue that gives a wider insight to the staff working with the organization. This organizational learning through experiences to work on Child Labour issues strengthens the competence level of Nari Maitree as a whole. Nari Maitree intervention rescued the child labor from hazardous work and provided them with skill training and credit to select their own trade to be self-employed. Besides these, Nari Maitree has taken awareness program for the parents and the employers about danger of hazardous job performed by the children.

Competency of Nari Maitree to deal with CL issue: Based on the working experience from July 1999 Nari Maitree started another project titled "Intervention towards Child Development� with the financial and technical support from Save the children Denmark. Till now Nari Maitree is working with Save the Children Sweden- Denmark with very good relation and cooperation. As a result NM has working since long towards the change of the child labourer lives. According to our last few years experience many of the parents become aware to support their children in pursuing their studies. The children being aware of their rights and oriented towards learning while in NM’s schools have been pursuing their education. As a part of project achievement Child labourers are facing lesser instance of physical punishment and verbal abuse both by employers and parents. The children face less exploitation as the working hours in factory

have reduced with out any reduction in their wage. Discrimination against girl children with respect to education and participation have reduced a lot which is manifested in their enrollment and continuation in schools and involvement in the cultural activities and other recreational & mobilizing activities organized to mobilize community’s opinion in favour of child rights.

3.4 Nari Maitree Project at a glance in child sector: Name of the Project Funding Core objectives projects Areas/ sources Ward Adolescent Word Action To increase health Development no-27 Aid & nutrition status Project Dha Banglades To aware about ka h their raise voice Capacity Ward UNDP To create Building no –85 alternative job Property Dhaka To empower & Alleviation of aware women Disadvantage To increase their Women & economic status Their Children BGD/97/029 Creating Ward UND Increase awareness Awareness on No: P on HIV/AIDS HIV/AIDS 25,26,2 among adolescent Among Urban 7,28 Slum and 31 Adolescent & Dhaka Youth of city Dhaka City Adolescent UNSCO To develop Health & Paris capacity & health Education of Adolescent Project Action Ward UNICEF To change their life Research no-31 style With Child Sex Dhaka To aware on health Worker in & nutrition issues Dhaka Improving Dhaka ILO-IPEC To reduce worst quality of life form of Child of Child labour for domestic domestic child workers workers

Major beneficiaries 1500 targeted Adolescent 2000 sex worker & their children

3360 Adolescent & youth

1200 Adolescent

75 Child worker

sex

1000 Child domestic workers

Name of the Project projects Areas/ Ward Urban primary Dhaka Health Care

Funding sources

Core objectives

Major beneficiaries

ADB through DCC

To improve health 400000 population status of urban in five zone of population DCC

Staff capacity Nari Maitree has overall 346 staff where 72% are women. But in ITCD project that is supported by SCSD, total staff is 9. Project Coordinator will carryout the over all Child Labor project with the support of program officer, supervisors, four organizers and accountant.

Capacity need: Nari Maitree is one of the community trusted organization. Nari Maitree works with local government as well as community people. In community and national level organizational value of Nari Maitree is very high. In the non-formal education sector Nari Maitree use CRC based curriculum, flexibility in program designing, maintain child friendly environment. In health side Nari Maitree provide health service through referral service and through linkage.

The capacity building is needed both for organizational & program level. Capacity building is necessary for facilitation area so that most of the staff and trainer team of child forum could conduct training as well as they know how to facilitation the children organization. Moreover, basic and refresher training on CRP & CRC should be continued.

The capacity building on the following issues is needed for the project staff & beneficiaries: First Aid Training, Leadership training, communication skills, Monitoring and Supervision training is an essential part to proper implementation of the program or project objective, Training on accountability. Another capacity building area is Record keeping, reporting and documentation for making accurate planning. Advocacy training is also very much necessary for field staffs. Capacity building is also needed for children, community people and others duty bears like school teacher, religious leaders, ward commissioner for improving their contribution in the project.

Local resources and knowledge Executive Director of Nari Maitree is a member of the local government school committee, Bangladesh Shishu Adhiker Forum (BSAF), ATSEC Bangladesh Chapter, Voluntary Health Services Society (VHSS), Coalition for the urban poor (CUP). She is well experienced in education and project management and she has good relations with the education resource person of the country. She has received different development related training both for overseas and national label training.

Vice president of Nari Maitree is an assistant headmistress of the local high school. The Executive Director (ED), as operative head of the organization is responsible for the overall management of organization as well as programs. Under the guidance of ED, each program Manager/Coordinator manages implement her/his program as per agreement between NM and donors. Area Coordinators and Program Coordinators also manage their respective programs in the local offices outside Dhaka. The ED also acts as the member

secretary of the Executive Committee. Currently Nari Maitree has 246 total staff. Besides, 56 Volunteer Staff (48 TBA and 8 peer educators) work in different projects.

NM has skill staff-members that are volunteer-minded. When there is insufficient fund they can with small salary. Even thought they could work without salary for month after month.

It is mentionable that NM has 13 projects funded by different donors. Among them two projects (Women Development Programme and Income Generation Programme) have been running without donors ie those projects have been going on from the NM’s own fund. In every project there are credit programme. It is also notable that the Women Development Programme is based on Credit.

Legal status: Nari Maitree is registered with the Department of Women Affairs, Directorate of Family Planning and NGO Affairs’ Bureau. The details of the legal status of Nari Maitree are given below Registration Authority

Registration Number

MWA-299/84 Department of Women Affairs Directorate of Family No.43 Planning NGO Affairs Bureau FDR 326

Date & Year 15 October, 1984 17 April, 1986 19 November, 1989

Affiliation status NM is a member of the NGO apex bodies like the Association of Development Agencies in Bangladesh (ADAB), Voluntary Health Services Society (VHSS), and Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar (Child Rights) Forum (BSAF), Coalition for Urban Poor (CUP).

Staff recruiting policy There is staff recruitment committee in Nari Maitree. Staff recruiting policy is maintains through the gender policy. Gender policy has been address gender sensitiveness among the staff. During the recruiting of staff NM maintain non-discrimination process.

4. PROJECT LEVEL 4.1 Child rights context at National Level: Child labor is considered to be one of the most important child rights violations in Bangladesh. Large numbers of children are contributing directly to their household economy and work in hazardous environment. Children work full-time as well as parttime; they are engaged in wage employment as well as in non-income generating activities.

Child laborers face several problems. They are deprived of their childhood and they often work very long hours under hazardous working conditions, which represent a threat towards their physical health and psychological-social development. Many child laborers are also exposed to different forms of abuse, including sexual abuse, which represent not only a physical but also a mental health hazards. The vast majority of the child laborers are denied their rights to education. They are also more prone to be trafficked especially the working children on streets. Child labourers are mostly live in the slums or street and other peripheral area.

Children, adolescents of urban slums and streets are marginalized group who are most vulnerable groups in this scenario. Problems of security and violence are predominant and most importantly violence against children, child abuse, trafficking, drug use & selling, the rising number of street children and their associated vulnerability have put forward a major development challenge to the urban society. The whole environment is not protecting child rights & not supporting in creating enabling environment for their normal growth. This situation is crippling our next generation.

Within the urban slum context children are exposed to a series of risks and vulnerabilities that affect their interests and their rights for survival, development, protection and participation. Their risk and vulnerabilities increase due to discriminations regarding income, age, gender, and ethnicity; decisions and life strategies adopted by individuals and households that could harm children’s interests when family’s interests are considered as more important; due to inadequate government policy, lack of meaningful coordination among the development actors in urban contexts that generate child labourer.

445,226 street based child workers are engaged in different kind of jobs in six divisions of Bangladesh. Out of them 334807 street workers are alone in Dhaka cities; of which 54% illiterate, 44% can read and sign only and 1.1% attend NGOs school according to Baseline survey (DSS and UNDP).Street children working time is not fixed it varies from early morning to even midnight. Street based child workers are currently involved mainely day labourer, shop keeper, vendor, restaurant helper and vagrants (Tokai) Child labourers have little participation in decision making process either in family or community level. Children are not allowed to raise their voice by their parents and are taught to be quiet. Street and domestic children have less access as they are struggling to make a livelihood. Govt. pays little attention to poor underprivileged children’s participation.

4.2 Child rights context in Dhaka City: Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh, has one of the fastest urbanization rates in the world.

Now, it is the 11th most populous city in the world. Slum is one of the major problems that are occupying 30% land of the city. There are about 3,000 slums and squatters settlements which houses about 1.3 million poor people.

In the city, there are children and families who live and work in the streets in an unhealthy, unsafe and unprotected environment. During day time they do odd jobs or collect garbage for their livelihood and in the night they sleep in street/path. They are vulnerable to violence as they grow up without adult care or guidance. Harrassment by police, mastans, security guards and elders and abused by interest groups are part of their everyday life.

Children engaged in domestic work are abused and tortured frequently. Around 334807 children (ARISE Report) are street children.

In Dhaka City there are children who live in slum and street in an unhealthy, un-safe and unprotected environment. Child labor constitutes about 12% of the total labor force in the country. According to the National plan of Action for children in 1997-2002 adopted by MOWCA the number of children working in urban areas was 2-4 million which has probably increased to 3 million now. Around 1.1 million children live in the Metropolitan Cities. Many of them are living in slum areas under the most unhygienic conditions, are engaged in hazardous jobs, working on an average 48 hours per week and earning less than 1500 taka in a month. In practice child labor laws in Bangladesh do not protect working

children. Employers prefer children as they are cheap, productive and obedient. Children working in the industrial sector have no contract of employment and so it is difficult to stands up for themselves and fight for their rights.

4.3 Child rights context in Project level: The proposed area for the project is Goran, Bashaboo, Razarbagh and Lalbagh. These are located at the east and south part of Dhaka City. A common scenario in the project area is, like other areas of Dhaka that small portions of population control the big percentage of asset. The economic gap between rich and poor within these areas is widening at an increasing rate and poverty has afflicted in the city. Poor people are not uniform. Poverty has different dimension as well as absolute and relative poverty. It is still in project area the highest number of people living in poverty.

According to the situation analysis conducted in 2002, the population of the four areas (Goran- Ward 25, Bashaboo- Ward 27, Rajarbagh- Ward 28, Lalbagh- Ward 60) where Nari Maitree has been working was 571000 in 2001. The said area is comparatively poorer and underdeveloped. The proposed area is densely populated and everyday in migration is taking place, as this is a growing new township with lots of small and medium size factories are developing. During our situation analysis it came out that approximately 4800 children live at Shobuzbagh Khilgoan and Lalbagh Thana and out of which 3300 are engaged in hazardous child labour.

Shobuzbagh and Khilgoan Thana area started getting inhabited especially in the 1960s. At that time, as a result of increased access to economic activities of the East Pakistanis following the Indo-Pak independence in 1947, people of even relatively lower economic echelons started settling here in order to make a more prosperous urban living. There are two adjacent natural lakes that are prone to over flooding even early in the rainy season.

Most roads get inundated in floodwater, especially in the rainy season. This area has not been blessed with any flood protection initiative as those in the western side of the city. In the aftermath of flood and other natural disasters, there is outbreak of different diseases like diarrhea, scabies, malaria, and dengue. As a result, life becomes difficult for people.

Those who are involved in different small business cannot make any profit. Their very existence is jeopardized due to such natural disasters.

The flow of in migration is higher in this area because of the mentioned reasons. The employers get Child Labour from mentioned areas. As a result of increasing poverty and growing population, there is a huge demand for child labour from different Khilgoan, Shobujbagh and lalbagh Thana.

From the working areas it has been seen that children are mostly involved as Garments employee (21.1%), handicrafts labourer (karchupi/jori/embroidery/small cottage) (19.9%), domestic labourer (14.8%), low salaried government/non-government employee (10.5%), small business (8.6%), low income work (8.2%), day labour (6.6%), unskilled labour (4.7%), Assistance Wielding/automobile (4.7%), others (Soil digging, Beggar, Carpenter, Mason, Hawker, Sales man, Shoe making, Office assistance, Butcher 's shop) (4.8%) etc.

4.4 Findings from base line and situation analysis: From the situation analysis (under the title of Base line and situation analysis for child labour projects of Nari Maitree Project area, conducted by INCIDIN Bangladesh) it is

found that significant number children engaged in work in some earlier occasions i.e.

10.3% boy and 9.6%girl. Girl children are more vulnerable to that of the boy children almost fifty percent children working against their will. It is also found that in all respects work hours per day of the studied children reflects severe rights violation of the working children. Regarding holidays, children are worked seven days in a week. Significant number children mentioned that their employers behaved rudely. Regarding freedom to leave employment, a significant number of children (20% boy children and 25.7% girl) denied of this participation rights by their employer. It also revels that a significant number of under non-working children showed their ignorance of the marriage age. Regarding right to play and recreation a number of children expresses that they have no chance or time to play. Another instance is that a significant number of children can play after launch time that means after providing their labor at the first half of the day. In considering all it is found that children are far behind to that of the level standardized in CRC. The baseline study concluded that the vulnerability of the children into child labour is proportional to the size of the family of the children. Also children from the broken family who are living at female headed households are more vulnerable for being economically active than the male headed households. Adolescent age (15-17 years) is the most vulnerable period for potential child labour irrespective of gender. More than half (53.7%) of the children are in between 10 to 14 years. That means more than half of the children are in their post puberty.

Child labour Characteristics: Handicraft works controls the invisible child labour market at the working areas of Nari Maitree. The average work hour of the child labourers is 9.5 hours per day. The mean working days for the children, according to the WRC stand 6 days. It can be pointed that almost every household have 0.79 (working children / Household) working children. More than half of all child labourers (52.2%) are working 7 days per week, and the other nearer to half (40.0%) work with a leave of one holiday round the week (6 days). Only small percentages of child labours (6.9%) are working 4 - 5 days per week. Working children bear or contribute 20% to 50% of the monthly household expenditure of the family. Almost one-third of the working children do not have any scope to enjoy themselves with recreational activities.

Decision making regarding well-being of the children: More male household heads (90.1%) within their household take decision on behalf of their family members on what they can do or not. About children’s education male household head is the major decision maker.

Educational status of the working children: The educational status of the working children depicts an alarming situation. Non-working children are currently attending school 7.3 times more than working children. Presently, only a little number of working children have access to mainstream education. Economic vulnerability as the most common reason for being dropped out from the school. Children consider NGO school as a ray of hope for the enjoyment of their participation rights regarding scope of association, participation and access to information.

Knowledge base on the child rights: More than half of the household heads (66.0%) heard about child rights. Among the HH heads neighbor is the second main source of dissemination of information on Child Rights, after mass media. Most of the HH heads

firmly hold education as an important element for the well being of the children. More than three quarter of HH heads believe child abuse as a punishable act.

5. PROBLEM ANALYSIS/CAUSALITY ANALYSIS 5.1 Causes of the child rights Violation: One of major cause is inadequate income of the families forced the children to hazardous work which lead the prevalence of Child Labour in the country. About 55 million people live below the poverty line in Bangladesh because most of the poor households have large family size moreover their job opportunity is very much limited in their locality. Beside this, income is very poor from the existing job. In the context of Bangladesh, most of the family are male dominated, female member are not allowed to go out side work for income. So children of the family become bound to involve in hazardous work for survive.

Lack of job opportunity at rural level a bulk proportion of unskilled children migrated to suburbs area of city. As they are very much unskilled, they have no bargaining capacity for benefits. It is one of the great opportunities for small scale informal factory owner. So, unskilled migrated children are high demanded to them.

The children of Bangladesh are in a vulnerable position, trapped in their current situation by an interlinking network of forces, including poverty, vulnerability, lack of access to basic services, broken family, inadequate knowledge of parents and employers about hazardous child labor, lack of employment opportunities, limited mobility, lack of awareness on issues affecting their health, increased rural-urban migration, life choices and self-development, and an inability to exercise their basic rights. As a result Children as well as their parents are not aware about the child rights also. They do not aware and do not know the bad consequences of child labor so, they are engaged the children in work.

The children have little control over resources such as land, money or household assets, and mobility, particularly for girls, is limited for cultural and traditional reasons. Children are not usually involved in decision-making processes, and decision related to their own lives, for example marriage choices, their parents or guardians make education options.

The target children have almost no access to information regarding issues affecting them, and are unaware about their basic legal and child rights. Even those who are aware of their rights do not know how to exercise them, and have no means of involving themselves in legal processes, as they are not acknowledged by local leaders as active community participants, employers, parents and even the law makers.

Traditional norms, values still exist in our society. There is no life oriented education rather parent's perceptions greatly influence their children's participation in the labor force.

The education system of the country in general does not provide any immediate prospects of better jobs or their levels of income. Low return of education and poor parents are not conscious about value of education. Naturally, poor parents fail to appreciate the long-term values of education. In many cases, the male children of the household are expected to help the father in the field and the female children the mother with the household work.

Moreover, parents consider their children's employment in certain occupations like in the engineering workshop as a rare opportunity to learn employable skills. To them, it is an

alternative education with much more practical values than the traditional primary education. Even though the government launched the Compulsory Primary Education Program all over the country since January 1993, education remains very expensive for a poor family, which is expected to bear the costs of uniform and transportation. In some areas of the country the expenditure on primary level students represents one-third of the entire income of a typical poor family, tough most families have more than one child of the school-going age. Many children are, therefore, forced to work to pay for their own education.

Child marriage in these areas is quite prevalent because of socio-economic reasons. Such as men demanding smaller dowries for younger brides, or the social perception of girls as being a financial burden on parents, parental anxiety regarding their children’s social security, the maintenance of social prestige, and local customs and traditions. In traditional communities such as these, there is invariably a large age gap between women and their husbands, usually between 7-9 years, but for adolescent females whose marriages were arranged when they are between the ages of 12 to 14, the difference can be up to 18 years.

Adolescent females in these circumstances have no access to information relating to the procedures for marriage registration, legal rights of women regarding dowry, early marriage, polygamy and divorce. Lack of adequate legal awareness among adolescent females makes them unable and sometimes unwilling to play a more proactive role in exercising their rights.

The target children live in communities where there is little or no awareness of issues relating to gender relations or equality, and females are not offered the opportunities or life choices afforded to males. Children from these poor communities have little opportunity to receive formal education, and subsequently their prospects of finding work and improving their socio-economic situation in the future are limited. Neither male nor female adolescents have many opportunities in relation to skill development or employment, and many out-of-school children/adolescents are unemployed, involved in unpaid work, or engaged in unskilled labor under poor conditions, for minimum wages. Many gave to work to support them or contribute to the family income.

The target community people are not aware about the consequences of hazardous child labor. They don’t even bother the ultimate future of their children rather think about the immediate benefits. So they send their children to work. Early involvement of children in work leads to serious health and developmental consequences. Working children suffer significant growth deficits as compared to school children. They row up sorter and lighter, and their boy size continues to be smaller even in adulthood. Many of them work under condition that leaves them alarmingly vulnerable to chemical and biological hazards. Child workers tend to develop muscular, chest and abdominal pain, headaches, dizziness, respiratory infections, diarrhea and worm infection. Poor working conditions make tem more susceptible than their adult colleagues do to infectious disease, injuries and other workplace-related ailments. Many even experience amputations or loss of body parts.

Moreover, children in certain occupations experience particular types of abuse. Child domestic workers are often found to be victims of verbal and sexual abuse, beating or punishment by starvation. Children, engaged in scavenging, rag-picking or marginal

economic activities in the streets, are exposed to drugs, violence, and criminal activities, physical and sexual abuse in many parts of the country.

Most of those children on the street are those abandoned by parents or guardians or simple runaways from broken home fleeing violence or sexual abuse. On the street the homeless children, with or without parents or family, are subject not only the ravages of nature but also to the deprivation of humans in from of the brutality meted out by some numbers of the police as well as the regular prosecution of hoodlums. The hoodlums later secure their recruits from among the voice, and enormous target is that as many street children especially girls are victimized as sex workers. These girls fall prey to sexually transmitted diseases. In fact, almost all of them are subject to some form or other of STDS with syphilis, as is the global phenomena, accounting for nearly half the STD cases.

Other forms of child rights violation also occurs in the project areas of Nari Maitree and those violations should be stopped as well. But the above-mentioned violations are more serious. So, the organization gives priority to stop these child rights violations at first.

5.2 Articles In order to protect the children from these violation the project has aimed to work on specific article 32 and will focus on CRC principles and some relevant articles are; a) Right to education, article #28 b) Right to Nutrition and Health, article #24 c) Right to express those views in all matter affecting the child, article # 12 d) Right to freedom of expression, article # 13 e) Right to Right to Recreation leisure, and cultural activities, article # 31 f) Right to protection from economic exploitation and from performing any work that is likely to be hazardous or to interfere with the child’s education, or to be harmful to the child’s health or physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development, article #32; g) Right to protection from physical or mental violence, article #19; h) Right to protection from all forms of discrimination, irrespective of the child’s or his or her parents’s or legal guardian’s race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national, ethnic, property, disability, birth and other status, article #2. i) Right to survival and development of the child, Article # 6 5.3 Local Level duty bearer: District Administration/Courts: District Administration/Courts play very important role in enforcing the existing laws regarding child rights other rights. Usually these institutions are more busy with other things and reluctant to preserve the rights and privileges of the poorest section of the population. Sometimes few unscrupulous officials favors the affluent section depriving the rights of the poorest section of the population especially women and children.

Ward Commissioners: Ward Commissioners possess much influence over its population as they are more closed to people. Though local bodies’ track record in implementing development programs/projects is not so encouraging, their influence over the population

has to be addressed carefully. Experience shows that the local bodies support ensures smooth implementation program /project. And if motivated in the right manner, they have come forward with extensive cooperation with other organizations.

Thana Education Officer (TEO): Thana Education Officer (TEO) plays a very important role in educating the children in his/her locality. Thana education offices have the latest information about the education status of the respective Thanas. TEO possess the responsibility for the extension education for the hard to reach children. Non-governmental organizations and civil society organizations in cases come forward regarding each other’s interest.

The elected representatives: The elected representatives of the working areas have important role in the community to protect the rights of the children. As elected representative they have certainly an edge over others towards any intervention at the community level. Many a time the elected representatives have come forward with support and other practical suggestions.

School organizers: Organizers in Bangladesh society are very much respected by the community. Therefore they can play an effective role in motivating the parents and guardians towards enforcing child rights and a better living condition for the children in the community.

Civil Society: All in contemporary Bangladesh now recognizes an ever-increasing role of the civil society at the local level in the field of social development. The civil society has so far responded well to the felt needs of the society. There is hardly any sector left that the civil society did not intervene. So, the problems in the society have to be addressed by the civil society.

5.4 Networks: Networks of the like-minded organizations have been playing very important role in the development sector. Such networks ensure no duplication of works, avoid rivalry between organizations of sharing of the same target group, developing common agenda for actions, and sharing of new ideas and information regarding the development potentials both in the community and national level.

Bangladesh Shishu Adhiker Forum (BSAF), an apex body of 270 non government, local and national organizations, has been working for promotion and protection of child rights since 1990.The enhancement of government structure has been matched in the NGO sector through the various member organizations of BSAF. Besides, there are other groups namely Breaking the Silence, “Shangjog”, BNWLA, ACD working to combat sexual abuse of children particularly on girls children. Red Barnet Partner Coordination Body (RBPCB), Action Against Child Trafficking and Sexual Abuse of Children (ATSEC) and “Traffic Watch Bangladesh” also undertake advocacy and lobbying programs for prevention of children from abuse and neglect.

5.5 National Level Duty bearers:

Government Agency: Bangladesh one of the first 20 countries to both signs and ratifies the convention. The National Children Policy, drawn up in the context of CRC, WSC Declaration. Bangladesh commitment to realizing the World Summit goals and the rights enshrined in the Convention has ushered in a new era for children. The overall responsibility for the fulfillment of children’s rights in relation to the convention on the Rights of the child is with the sate and its agencies and departments including the government. By signing and ratifying the convention on the rights of the child, the national government has taken on the obligation to realize child rights and the overall responsibility for doing so. In-spite of the fact that the government of Bangladesh has ratified all relevant conventions and made a national policy for child labour, child labour remains a major child rights problem in Bangladesh. The important stakeholders of the ministry in relation to child labour are Ministry of Education (MOE), National Children Council (NCC), and Ministry of Health (MOH) etc.

Printed and electronic media: Printed and electronic media play a very important role in enforcing rights of the citizenry. They are the most vocal section of the population who are emphasizing the aspects of human and child rights and claimed violation of the same. In many occasions, the media (both printed and electronic) have attracted the interest of the nation to issues of concern. The media have a profound image among the population and a positive media role is very much significant in this regard.

Political parties: The political parties in Bangladesh play important role in the socioeconomic issues. The political parties raise their voice against any violation of the rights and privileges of the citizenry. Their voice can easily attract the attention of the population.

The political parties through their activists can popularize messages even at the grassroots level. Therefore pro-poor political activity is essential source protecting the rights of the underprivileged people especially the women and children.

Bangladesh Shishu Academy mainly concentrates on the recreational aspects of the children of affluent and middle class society. It has undertaken some activities for the disadvantaged group of children. During the celebrate of Child Rights Week Shishu Academy took initiative for the working children of Dhaka City by providing space for different cultural activities and by providing financial and technical assistance in a befitting manner. Shishu Academy also organized various activities,which play a vital role for the mental development of the poor disadvantaged children.

Donors: Donors play important role in the development sector in Bangladesh. Donors have long been supporting NGO initiatives in poverty alleviation and delivery of services to the poor people. They have always been encouraging innovative ideas to address the causes of the poor women and children as well. Save the Children Alliance, UNICEF, ILO, Terre des Homes Netherlands, Plan International, Action Aid, UNDP, UNSCO,US Aids are supporting local NGOs and government projects for prevention of child labour, child prostitution and trafficking by raising awareness on CRC and providing free primary education ,health ,Skill development training and Income generation support to the poor children are there households.

5.6 The Government Policy:

Since 1992 every year the occasion of child rights week has been observed in Bangladesh to spread awareness through out the society of the existence of children rights. The situation of the children of Bangladesh is described in various report published within and out side in Bangladesh. GOB has signed and ratified a number of international and regional treaties and declarations. These include UNCRC, ILO Convention No. 29, 87, 98, 100, 105, 111 and 182. National Child Labour Policy is very near to finalize and Labour Law 2006 has been enacted.

Ministry of labour & employment in association with Save The Children Sweden-Denmark has taken initiative to finalize the national child labour policy. As a part of this initiative a letter of agreement has been signed between MOLE & SCSD. A working committee has formed where SCSD & TWC representatives are also members. Through following a long and consultative process national child labour policy is near to finalize.

Bangladesh’s commitment to realizing the World Summit goals and the rights enshrined in the Convention has ushered in a new era for children. The basic institutional framework for bringing about changes necessary to ensure the rights of children is now in place. The National Children’s Council, under the Ministry of Women and Children’s Council, has responsibility for protecting the interests and rights of children, especially through policy and legislative action. The Shishu Academy has an important role to play in promoting widespread awareness of the Convention through its district branches.

Caregivers The caregivers are the parents and or guardians of the child. In some cultures guardians may be members of the extended family, neighbors and other adults who have been given the role of taking care of the child and also older children could be the prospective caregivers of the younger siblings.

The Parents/Guardians: The poor parents/guardians in the slum areas are so helpless that they do not have any idea about what to do with their children. Most of the parents in the slum area are from the very poor section of the population. They do not have enough income to supplement the cost of education for their children. They have the typical belief that their kids will not become big men in the society and they do not need education rather supplementing the family income by their children is more important to them. They do not aware of the rights of the children, no idea about health and hygiene.Often relatives play a caregiver’s role as both parents are busy for bread-earning and many of their children living away from them. Some working children may also resides/works with the relative’s arrangement.

The Employers: The employers have a key role in the society. Many of the children in the slum areas are getting jobs from these employers. In economic term they are contributing to the families of the working children by employing themselves in work. In fact these children are not employed without a proper appointment letter and they are also deprived of many other privileges as worker. Moreover, they have been engaged in various hazardous jobs that are certainly violating child rights.

Support Groups The state and the duty bearers are not the only actors in the field of child rights. The convention on the Rights of the child recognizes other actors who can support and monitor the realization of children’s rights. The support groups could be governmental

development agencies, multilateral organizations international and national NGOs, networks and other institutions and associations. The most important formal support groups in relation to child labour are briefly mentioned below: Bangladeshi civil society organization: There are too few NGOs working with child rights to handle the magnitude of the problem. The national level civil society organizations are the watchdogs of the society. The issues raised by the national level CSOs, other similar organization including NGOs, local level CSOs incorporate those issues in their programs/projects. Their views also get a weight at the national level among the Government, donor, and international level. So, for protecting the rights of the children, CSOs role is very much critical. Furthermore, most of the NGOs have only been working with child development problems for a few years and they are working with small and medium scale projects in local areas with little co-operation from others.

National and regional NGO networks: In some cases children have organized themselves to address child labor and other child rights violations. The children’s congress and the child Brigade are examples of such networks. Bangladesh shishu Adhikar Forum (BSAF) the national child rights network is a body of 152 local and national NGOs and it prepares the Alternative CR Report the UN convention on the Rights of the child NGO committee. The joint child labour working group has as its main task to identify common problems and initiate advocacy on child labour issues. A common agenda and working procedures particularly for advocacy e.g. lobbying of ILO 182 has been developed and plans for reviewing the national Child labour policy made.

Multilateral organizations: UNICEF’s work in Bangladesh is mainly concentrated on providing financial and technical assistance to government supported program include primary education, child healthcare and nutrition, safe motherhood, reproductive health, water and sanitation and awareness rising on women and children’s rights. ILO’s work with regard to children is concentrated on the elimination of child labor. ILO operates mainly through the Government of Bangladesh; however, they are also supporting a few local projects through NGOs. Recently, ILO has started supporting the trade unions in getting the informal sector organized. The main focus of ILO’s work is on withdrawal of children from hazardous labour and provision of non-formal education.

Informal Networks and Individuals: Informal networks and individuals are also of great importance to the children. During consultations with non-NGO working children the community was mentioned as very important. The children emphasized individuals are not formally organized, but they are close to the children and provide support in everyday life.

The children also identified the social power relations and knew how to mobilize these relations for the improvement of their lives.

The Opponents Apart from the above stakeholders, there are some opponents who for different reasons are against reduction of hazardous labour. Opponents could be potential support group, who have chosen to be in opposition. The opponents are often not homogeneous group. They may include NGOs, INGOs, religious groups, political parties, political leaders and traditional leaders. The employers are often opponents, since they have directly financial advantages by employing cheap labor. Also government officers might in some cases oppose initiatives addressing child labour.

National level

Parliament

Meso level

Donor Civil Society

Community level

School Organizers

Parents/Guardia ns Civil Society

Employers Political Parties

Ministry of Education

Networks

Printed & Electronic Media

Children

Local Government

TEO Ministry of labor

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, DCC Elected representatives

District Administration/Court Figure: Duty Bearer analysis 6 PROGRAMME STRATEGIES 6.0 Project Implementation approach: The project strategy is guided by the child Rights Programming Approach. Through this approach project transforms the abstracts of the convention of the Rights of the Child into a concrete approach for developing, planning, implementing and managing programs and projects with the overall goal of improving the position of children and building societies that acknowledge and respect children’s rights. According to CRP approach children are seen as subjects and holders of rights. All children are entitled to the rights of the convention on the Rights of the child and governments have binding legal and moral obligations to work to fulfill them. Thus governments are seen as the duty bearers and can be held accountable for the fulfillment of children’s rights. All core CRC principles will be addressed in the over all project cycle. Through out the project cycle children participation will be ensured and gender needs will be addressed.

6.1 Children participation: Project will identified children’s participation as an important areas where the organization in cooperation with Save the Children Sweden- Denmark, can make a

difference and initiate processes, which on longer terms lead to a positive development for the children who are currently burdened by hazardous labor. Participation as an important tool has been selected on the basis of previous experiences and thus constitutes a field where project has an added value and can build on lessons learnt. Diversified child participatory approaches and methods will be followed based on specific context and interests of the group of children targeted by the project. Community based children organization and community based resource centers run by the children and local community people. As a result all stakeholders follow child protection policies, code of conduct is implemented in the informal sectors, children physical and mental torture are reduced in family, school and Madrasha, Children right based laws will be implemented appropriately and children will enjoy their childhood benefit. Community people have been encouraged for birth registration. During the proposed project period a child forum will be established for ensuring the participation of children. 980 Children (530 children from previous phase and 450 children from new phase) have organized themselves through Child Forum. 360 Child laborers have negotiated with their employers to allow flexible working hour. Child Rights Week, National and international days (World Day against child Labour, World AIDS day, Literacy day, Say Yes for children day ) will be observed through child participation. Children will visited the historical places, National Museum, recreational places, and other similar organizations. Study Tour will organized one time in a year in where 120 working children can be participated.

6.2 Project principle: Project strategy will guide by the following four principles that are in each stage of the project, discrimination and exclusion are defined and adequately addressed. Interest of the child will be considered before each decision regarding the development of the project.

The knowledge, resources and acceptance of the children will be sought at each stage of the project. The project will help ensuring that children have access to information and preventive actions will be taken to protect children against HIV/AIDS. 6.3 Direct Support: Under the direct support 360 child laborers and 90 street children will receive NFE including children rights in 3 batches. Project will keep linkages with the local schools for mainstreaming the child labourer in formal school through personal visit, attending different meetings, seminars, function of the school and invite the schools authority in any kind of functions organized by NM. And project will organize workshops, discussions for the authority of the formal schools and area-based Thana Education Officer (TEO). This will help at least 36 children into the local schools as per the children’s performance with the help of the organizer. The Program Officer have been identify the relevant institutions/firms where some job opportunities are exists to recruit the children who have been complete their skill training and aiming that at least 60 working children in the relevant firms/institutions. Project will identify 120 Child laborers above the age of 16 and provide credit support for income generating activities (IGAs) on the basis of child friendly credit policy. Project has been prepared the list of referral centers and referred the children to medical center for better health service. Vocational training centers will be established based on market demand’s job on beauty parlor, tailoring, block boutique and embroider, Mobile servicing and electric and electronic and computer operating..

6.4 Capacity Building: Provide Life skill and skill development training for the 8 staffs and 450 children based on identified training need assessment and arrange training on CRC, Child participation, Child led Advocacy, HIV/AIDS, Reproductive health service, gender discrimination, Monitoring and Evaluation, financial management and 120 children have received life skill and skill training such as electrical wearing, electronic goods repairing, Swing, Parlor.

6.5 Advocacy and Massive Awareness/ Campaign: The project will give more emphasis on advocacy work based on previous phase’s experience. For example, it has been able to mainstream some students of non-formal education centers into formal school. The same strategy will be followed where the project will include school authority in the executive committee of the organization. CMC will make the community people more accountable in accomplishing different works of the center. For local level advocacy TfD/Puppet show/Street drama will be core tool for local level advocacy and existing group of children who have been skilled on TfD will take responsibility for local level advocacy initiatives. As per local situation TfD group will be selected the TfD topic on child rights relate with child labour issues.

Local level advocacy program will be organized through massive awareness and campaign will be taken during the proposed period. The issues would be on Citizenship right, Birth registration, Stop physical and mental punishment in school, Proper implementation of existing child labor law, Code of conduct with employer for informal sector.

Networking: NM is the member of Together with working children (TWC) and through TWC, national level advocacy will be initiated and finalize the national child labour policy. Nari Maitree have been initiated to develop network linkage with partner organization of SCSD, BSAF, Plan Bangladesh, ATSEC Bangladesh Chapter, through Active Implementing Sub Network of child labor for lobbing and advocacy on child right issues. Nari Maitree is a member of PhP Working Group coordinated by SCSD and through this network NM will enhance their knowledge on this issue. The PhP will be implemented in school settings as well as workplace setting.

7. BENEFECIARIES AND TARGET GROUP Total 980 children (in danger of becoming child laborers (6-12) years who work/live on the street without their family and with their family, Working children who are engage in hazardous work (14-18 Years )and live in slums or working place. Ratio of the target group: Boys 50% and Girls 50% For the loan term preventive work the beneficiaries are the 3500 children, their families, employers and other local community people.

7.0 Development Objective: Child Laborers are enable to enjoy a conduce childhood and proper mental, physical and social development is established development has been established.

7.1 Immediate objective: 1) Alternative livelihood options are accessible for child labor and street children by 2010.

2) Duty bearers, stakeholders, caregivers at local and national level have become more responsive 3) Capacity has increased for staff, children, parents and community for promoting the rights of working and street children by 2010.

Output under immediate objective # 1 1.1 By 2010, adequate access to services and development services has been ensured for the children.

1.2 By 2010, Family dependencies on children’s income have been reduced.

Output under immediate objective # 2 2.1 By 2010 Parents, employers, community people, civil society members and local govt. representatives are more responsive to create enabling environment for Children.

2.2 By 2010, legal and health protection mechanism have been strengthened for ensure child rights protection.

2.3 By 2010, advocacy mechanisms have been strengthened with the like-minded organization at local and national level to address child labor issues.

Output under immediate objective # 3 3.1 By 2010, capacity of the children and adults have been developed on different child rights issues.

Output under immediate objective # 4 4.1 By 2010, Partnership cooperation has been enhanced through strengthening organizational capacity.

7.2 Activities Activity under 1.1  To recruit /re-contract 09 project staffs.  To organize a daylong orientation session on project activities for the project staffs in January 2008.  To identify 120 children and 30 street children through survey by January 2008  To Rent/re-contract of 05 Non -Formal education centers by January, 2008.  To enroll 30 children for each Non Formal education centers.  To Procure/purchase education materials for Non Formal Education centers.

To motivate Parents, guardians and employers for sending children to 5 non- formal education centers.  To run non-formal education programs by the centers.  To provide monthly stipend Tk.150 to each child laborer and Tk.100 to each street children  To conduct # of visit for monitoring and supervise the education activities  To conduct monthly evaluation of Non Formal education centers.

 To arrange recreational days by street children in each quarter  To organize (01) one exposure visits for the child laborers.  To organize a sharing meeting with the authority of formal schools as well as the ( Thana Education Officer ) TEO for mainstreaming children into formal schools.  To admit 15 street children into the govt. and local primary school during 2008  To follow-up admitted children in formal school.  To conduct need assessment for skill training of the children  To organize skill training for 60 children based on children’s consultation  To organize and facilitate a day long training (IGA) for children  To disburse credit among 30 selected 30 child laborers.  To arrange job placement for 15 Activity under 1.2 To arrange training for mothers of child labourers on IGA for smoothly and efficiently operate the credit activities To provide credit to 25 mothers of child labourers for increase their family income.

To organize training for parenting service for parents for ensuring education, health care, recreation as well as protection of their children.

Activity under 2.1  To arrange 12 monthly meeting with parents/guardians  To organize 2 half-yearly sharing/discussion meeting with the parents/guardians, employer and community people  To organize 4 quarterly discussion meeting with Center Management Committee  To follow up the NF education center activities by the Center management committee.  To arrange CRC training for members of CMC, Imams of mosques and teachers of formal schools for sensitizing them on child rights related issues.  To observe 3 national / international day on child rights in 2008.

Activity under 2.2  To strengthen networking and linkage for advocacy work on child participation, child trafficking, prostitution, Child sexual exploitation and abuse, HIV/ AIDS etc.  To participate in different child rights related trainings, workshops, seminars arranged by like minded organizations/forum for doing advocacy work at national level.  To strengthen linkage with like minded organizations for getting access to different facilities.

Activity under 3.1  To form 05 children groups by the children.  To arrange / organize monthly meetings of the child groups  To maintain saving deposition and keep record and accounts of group fund  To revise forum guideline after consulting with the members of child Forum  To arrange monthly forum meeting

 To organize life skill training for facilitator group of child forum  To organize training for other members of child forum by facilitator group  To develop and publish one (01) child rights focus bulletin and one (01) BCC materials on child rights based on children’s consultation.  To organize participatory monitoring meeting with forum members  To establish two communities based children organization.  To establish two communities based resource center in local school.  To continue child forum activities to carryout the local level advocacy through street drama, TfD, issues based cultural program.

Activity under 3.2  To receive regular technical assistance and support from Save the Children Sweden-Denmark.  To contribute in advocacy related workshop on finalizing labor policies and implementing the existing labor laws accomplished by SCSD  To develop half annual, Annual progress and project completion report with the assistance of SCSD.  To participate in training, workshop, seminar, exposure visit organized by SCSD.  To arrange refreshers training for organizers  To arrange training for the project staffs facilitated by Save the Children SwedenDenmark, Nari Maitree and other organizations.  To arrange monthly meetings  To form a Monitoring team  To arrange monthly PIC (Project Implementing Committee) meetings  To monitor and supervise the program regularly  To conduct two time internal monitoring activities for project..

ASSUMPTIONS AND RISK: -

Govt. commitment and positive attitude towards the violation of child rights.

Slum eviction does not take place.

Political stability exists in the country Fundamentalists are not active The primary school allow the children to enrolled in the school

DESCRIPTION OF THE IMPLEMENTATION STRAGEGY The proposed project is an extension, modification and expansion of the ongoing project “Intervention towards child Development” of Nari Maitree. Goran, Razarbagh, Bashaboo, and Lalbagh will be the working areas under the project. The project will be mended through CRP with the mandate of CRC principle.

8.0 Non-formal education: Based on the positive findings from the present project the NFE, Nari Maitree will select the 30 street children and 120 child laborers for the project. 150 children will be enrolled in 05 NFE classes. In each one-year course 150 children will be enrolled and complete the NFE course following the curriculum of CLPTP. It is to be mentioned here that every year

30 vulnerable children will continue their education and among them 50% children will be admitted into the formal schools in the local areas. After completion of 2-year education a total of 24 vulnerable children will be admitted into the formal schools. The children themselves will celebrate monthly one recreation day because they are deprived of recreation and games. In this day they will enjoy their moments according to their pleasure and will. They will perform cultural activities, and participate in different games.

Refreshment will also be given to them.

Mainstreaming: The Project Management committee and NM will take the responsibility to mainstream the children. Therefore, they will keep linkages with the local schools through personal visit, attending different meetings, seminars, function of the school and invite the schools authority and area-based Thana Education Officer (TEO) in any kind of functions. A total of 45 children (15 children each year) will be mainstreamed into 7 formal local Govt. or private primary schools in grade I and II during the 3 years project period.

Stipend distribution: 360 child laborers will receive Tk.150 each and 90 street children will receive Tk.100 each as monthly stipend to compensate for the monetary loss while s/he will spend the time non-formal school. Since the children’s income quite often is essential for the family income this monetary compensation will compensate some of the losses in income.

Providing vocational skill training: Nari Maitree will establish vocational training centre where activities are perform on beauty parlour, tailoring, block boutique and embroidery, mobile servicing and electric and electronic and computer operating. Skill training /vocational training infrastructure will be established that will link with credit support for children and their parents, stipend for children. 120 child laborers (At least 50% girls) will be provided with need based marketable skill training and 50% of them engaged themselves in self-employment as well as 30% will be provided with job placement. This intervention will help children to get job placement/self employment through training & credit support, Child laborers are involved in non-hazardous work a through selfemployment and job placement, Provide skills training to the children as per market and children’s demands. It will help the children to search better employment and earn much which will be very relevant for the future sustainability.

8.1 Job placement of children: Job placement has played important roll to ensure empowerment and sustainable development of children. This issue is also very much related with their protection and survival needs. After receiving the vocational training, working children has need to help for getting a job as per their skilled, ability and potentiality. Staffs of NM will take initiative to ensure the job placement of the children. Then they will communicate with different institutions, factories and related organizations and if there is job opportunity is available, and if the children are agree to joint in job, then NM will ensure the job of the children in above mention area. NM will also develop a follow up mechanism to protect those children.

8.2 Key steps for job placement: Step – 1 : Step – 2 :

Selection objective of job placement.

Possible job area selection according to skills.

Step – 3 : Step – 4 : Step – 5 : Step – 6 : Step – 7 : Step – 8 : Step – 9 : Step – 9 : Step – 10 :

Survey of job opportunities.

Finalized of Employee and employers list.

Individual profile and bio-data for the employees.

Finalized Job profile.

Smart guideline for job management.

Tracking system for the beneficiaries.

Work plan with a focus schedule as per activities.

Job placement mapping.

Supervision, monitoring and evaluation.

8.3 Linkage develops with production house of Nari Maitree: Children who have expertise in cutting & tailoring, karcupi, embroidery and buticks skills, staffs of ITCD project will develop linkage with production house of Nari Maitree to good use of their talent. Production house of Nari Maitree will takes initiative to marketing their product and refund their production cost with benefit. By this initiative the children can be mainstreamed in order to socially, economically and personally.

8.4 Providing credit support: After completion of the NFE Course, a total of 120 children who are 16 years old or above 16 years old will get the possibilities to receive credit. Each child will receive Tk. 3,000/ to Tk. 8,000 for investing it in non-hazardous trades and small businesses so that they can be empowered economically to improving their own lives. 100 mothers will also be provided with credit support of Tk. 5,000.00 to Tk. 10,000.00 for IGA. It will be helpful to increase their family income that reduces the family dependency on children’s income.

8.5 Recreational Day: Quarterly recreational day for the street children will be observed. In this day the street children will perform cultural activities and play games according to their pleasure and will because they are deprived of such opportunities. Refreshment also will be provided for them to enjoy the whole day.

8.6 Referral Health and legal support: Most of the children are unable of going to clinic for treatment and they have limited knowledge about health and hygiene. As the modern health services with screening facilities are not available at community level, most of these community people go to Pharmacy. Nari Maitree will make linkages with clinical services for general treatment along with referral for complicated cases for the children of these areas to related GO/NGO’s health center. The Project Coordinator and Organizer have been communicated with local health care center and refereed in case of health related problems related of the target children. This is can be verified by the Monthly report, Referral register & cards.

8.7 Staff Training and Orientation: The Executive Director with the help of other management members need assessment for staff training will be done after reviewing the 1st three months performance of the project

staff. According to the training need assessment a training schedule will be prepared and training will be given. So that it would build capacity of the project staff.

8.8 Life Skill and Leadership Training: From each center, one or two children will be selected for life skill and leadership training.

The training duration would be three-four days. The participants will again disseminate training lesson to others. It would build the capacity of the children. They will have taken massive Awareness/ Campaign program on Citizenship rights, Birth registration, Stop physical and mental punishment in school and Proper implementation of existing child labor law through strengthening the children club /forum. Children are capacitated to organize campaign program to reduced child violation as well as establish child rights at local level. 980 disadvantaged Children and 7500 parents, guardians, local government and community people will be the targeted group of Nari Maitree. Children participation are ensuring in decision making process (planning, designing and implementing) at family, School and organizational level.

8.9 TFD Training and performance: From each center, one or two children will be selected for TFD training. Objectives of TfD training are to build the capacity of the staffs as well as children on TfD process to raise children’s voice for claiming their rights, to build capacity of the children and adults on making theatre and initiate dialogue at community level, to increase facilitation and negotiation skill of the children and adults and to create linkage between TfD and child Labor. After receiving the training children will organize street drama in their respective area. The street dramas are organized based on the issues of working children. Such as in most of informal sector factories children are not enjoyed the weekly holiday or working children of any form of factory can not enjoy leave when they wish to meet with their family member. These problems ultimately destroy the children creativity as well as productivity of children. More over, which may be lead the physical and mental problem of the children. This street drama will help to advocate the factory owners and local people which ultimately lead the national level advocacy also. Center based TfD shows will be organized by the TfD team. In each year 8 TfD show will be organized in 5 areas of project. After performing TfD shows formal and informal dialogue will be held and outcome of the dialogue will be considered as project content.

8.10 Exposure visit & Day observance: Exposure visit will be arranged in each year where working children will participate. In this visit children will participate to see the historical place, Museum, Zoo according to their pleasure and will because they are deprived of such opportunities. Refreshment also will be provided for them to enjoy the whole day. Child Rights Week, National and international days (World Day against child Labour, World AIDS day, Literacy day, Say Yes for children day) will be observed through child participation.

8.11 Formation of Child groups: Children will form a total of 05 new groups’ in a year. In this way a total of 15 groups will be formed in 3 years project period. Each group consists of 30 members. The 15 groups will include in Children Forum. According to the guideline prepared by the existing Forum-members, all activities of the children will be implemented properly and accurately.

In this guideline, implementing strategy, policy, election procedure, membership criteria, and responsibilities of the members will be incorporated. For advocacy purpose, the members of the Forum will maintain linkages with Child Brigade, BNWLA Forum Committee, BSAF and Ychchya Media will be trained on advocacy and leadership to establish their rights, to speak their rights in public, press conference, and developed networking skill. Gradually they will handle their problems.

Facilitator group of child forum will receive training on different issues like CRC, Child participation, Life skills, Social norms and values and gender discrimination, Reproductive health, within the project period to raise their voice for establishing child rights as well as they will competent to organize advocacy and campaign activities at local level. This facilitator group will also arrange the same training for other members of child forum.

Strengthening Child forum: Working many years with children, the authority of Nari Maitree felt that there should be a space and platform for the children where they would deal with different child related issues, express their feelings and opinions, show their potential and acquire leadership quality and sort out different problems. From this realization, Nari Maitree formed Child Forum for the betterment of children.

There are 830 members of child forum. It has an elected committee, which consists of 11 members. All the children of child forum are members of marginalized, deprived and downtrodden section of the society. The civil society and development sector are striving hard for bringing positive changes in the lives of these vulnerable children. Child forum has developed different child groups to ensure participation in decision making process of project activities. The groups are: Child monitoring team, Child cultural team, TfD, drama and puppet team and trainer’s team.

8.12 Established Youth/Younger child team for advocacy on child related issues: Those children’s who already have been received different capacity building training, skills and others training from the organization, and who is that children have already been crossed the age border line, NM can introduced them with the others local clubs or organizations who are supportable for the younger child or youths.

In the up coming working period, ITCD project will make a linkage between youth and the other club and organizations. ITCD will contact for seven numbers of club or organizations to ensure participation in local and national level advocacy issues.

For establishment of youth/younger child team, within the working period ITCD will complete its activities as following: • Job placement.

• Create a maximum opportunity environment for the youth.

• Others protection issues for the youths.

• Communication with NGO’s and youth club.

• Communication with different institutions.

• Work with the ministry of youth development.

• Work with the law and enforcement department.

• Communication with the electric and print media.

Strengthen Child monitoring team: Members of child forum will form two child monitoring team for monitor the project activities which will help them for there capacity development and ensure the children participation in project activities. This team will monitor the child development related activities or supports that they are getting from the organization. They will find out the difficulties, merits and demerits are supportable or not supportable for the children.

Through these monitoring activities children participation will ensure in decision making process in the program. This team will make work plan with a very smart schedule. The team also will take initiative to stop violation against child rights in the working arena. The team also make a suggestive report about there monitoring experience and the situation of child rights and there latest condition on the program.

Working strategy/process of children monitoring team: • Formation of team • Working area selection • Monitoring Check list develop • Monitoring schedule • Documentation and report • Cross check of monitoring report Establish a resource center: The children of the Forum will establish a Resource Center. They will preserve different information, books, journals, reports, magazines and other materials related to the children.

The children will be able to study about the situation of the children in Bangladesh and all over the world. To properly run the resource center, there will be a guideline develop by the children.

BCC materials such as poster leaflet, flyers, and sticker will be developed through the participation of children with the help of SCSD. Parenting Program: The project will introduce parenting program which will help to realize the importance of childhood, mental and psychical development, importance of education as traditional beliefs like low return from education and other taboos, realize the adolescents special need and support them accordingly. 450 parents will be capable regarding parenting services through training, discussion meeting, workshop, etc. A “Parenting Module” will be developed by SCSD and its partners to implement the program smoothly.

Networking: NM have been initiated to develop network linkage with partner organization of SCSD, BSAF, and other local child rights related NGO’s, through “Together for working children” for lobbing and advocacy on child right issues. Again NM have been initiated to develop network linkage and bondage with local organization. This network linkage will help for strengthening child rights movement, lobbing and advocacy on child right issues at national level.

Community awareness raising activities: Nari Maitree will inform the negative impact of child labour and child abuse through motivational meetings on children’s rights and communicate essential information

regarding child rights. The children, parents / guardians, community people and employers will aware through participatory discussion meeting, training/workshop, Video Show, Street/Spot Drama, and different communication materials. Campaign program will be organized on child rights violation (Street –drama, cultural program, rally, posturing, picture show, painting) by Nari Maitree.

Formation of Center Management Committee (CMC): In order to mobilize the local support and to receive guidance and facilitation to the project activities on a regular basis, 5 Center based Center Management Committees will be formed for 5 centers. Each committee will consist of 7 members including one local elected person, two local leaders, one social worker, one teacher, one employer and one parent. In the committee meeting discussion will be held on bad effects of child labor, child participation, enrolment of children into schools, violence against children, early marriage corporal punishment of children.

Organize quarterly meeting with CMC members and others: Four Quarterly Meetings have been organized in a year at the education center. The Project Coordinator in cooperation with the Executive Director has been conducting the meeting.

Through these meetings, the real situations of the education center have been visualized in front of the audiences. As per the feedback session, new strategy and technique will be applied to implement the education activities properly and accurately in the learning center. Besides, the guardians / employers / parents and the project staff have been informed about the progress and status of the children in NFE Classes and Skill Training Classes. shop: Children together with the adults group will do advocacy for the improvement of their working condition. Initially Office staff will get training on advocacy on child rights and provide training to the children also. Furthermore the member of the advocacy group will take initiative to develop linkage with local government and other partner organization’s child club to sharing experience and to establishing children’s rights.

From the leader of 4 centers Advocacy group will be formed to establish child right to advocate the duty bearers. These advocacy works will engage in dialogue with key duty bearers and with their communities to bring relevant changes into their lives. Nari Maitree will organize advocacy workshop with the employers, community peoples, law enforcement person, lowers, representative of local level government and other organizational representative to reduce child labor.

Quarterly sharing and discussing meeting will be organized with the employer regarding child labor related issues, especially on code of conduct. It has been helpful to improve the condition of working environment as well as implementation of code of conduct.

Nari Maitree is taking care of the disadvantaged children especially street based worker with focus on education, awareness building, health, recreation and credit for the children and their parents. They will give more focus on education through increasing NFE centre

up to grade III, enrolled more children, stipend support for children and street girls are mainstreaming in formal school.

9. ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION The Executive Director will be the in charge of the project. She will be responsible for the policy making and planning of the program. She will also be responsible for the preparing the project proposal for govt. approval. The executive director will do selection of the staff recruitment with the executive committee.

The project coordinator will be responsible for the over all project activities and he/she will also be responsible for the linkage with the donor, Govt. official, NGOs Affairs Bureau and other related organization. He/she will be responsible for preparing the working plan, financial reports (Annual, Half-yearly, Quarterly), monitoring, preparing progress report (Half –annual and Annual) on the job training of the project staff. The coordinator will review the program at the end of each year.

The program officer will be responsible for the over all project document. S/he will organize the laborers in the project area, facilitate the child laborers to participate actively in the discussion meeting, form the child group by the children in the project The program officer will also facilitate the member of the child group in taking part in deferent events in Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum and informal network (Together for working children)of Save the Children Sweden-Denmark’s other partner organizations, establish linkage with the Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum and technical assistance form Save the Children Sweden-Denmark and Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum of the child groups and select the representative from the members of child group to represent in the child institution.

The account officer will be responsible for keeping all the account records according to need, credit activities and distribution of stipends working children. The junior supervisor will be responsible for keeping all the official document of credit and supervised the credit activities.

The organizer will do the field visit and will identify of the target group (Final selection will be done jointly by the coordinator and supervisor). The organizer will also communicate with the parents the local community, employers, enroll the children, conduct non-formal education, follow up the children’s progress and also be responsible for day to day supervision of the working area.

The project will maintain the books of accounts following the procedure of the Save the Children Sweden-Denmark and the NGO Affairs Bureau. Monthly action plan will be prepared and budget will be followed up accordingly.

10. SUSTAINABILITY AND EXIT/PHASE OUT STRATEGY Expected end of project situation: At the end of the project period Nari Maitree expects that 255 child laborers will find themselves in a better situation, empowered with an awareness of their rights and having received non-formal education and skill training after their own choice. Some of the

children will get access to further education opportunities and others will have got credit and established their own income generating activities. The 75 street children in danger of becoming child laborers will also receive non-formal education and knowledge on Children rights issues especially the bad effects of child labor, child trafficking and also on Life Skills. All 225 children will be able to enter the labor market with confidence, better negotiation skills and much better job opportunities under sage working environment.

Community, employers, different duty bearers will be more accountable towards the establishing child rights. Participation of community people is of utmost importance for making any development program sustainable. It is easy for community people not only to detect different problems of the locality in relation to child rights but also to resolve those problems. That is why; Nari Maitree has given emphasis to this from the very onset. The organization has always tried to ensure the extensive and vigorous participation of the community people in their different activities and valued their opinions and suggestions with high esteem. It invites local people whenever it organizes any training, workshop.

Recently, Nari Maitree formed a CMC (Center Management Committee) in its Non formal education center of Goran. CMC consists of local government, local elite people, teachers, employers etc. People of different classes and levels have been included in the CMC to get the necessary support and feedback from the local community people. Formation of CMC is expected to help to run the centers smoothly. Gradually, CMC will be formed in other centers as well. It is expected that formation of CMC will also help to resolve different problems of local people. It is expected that CMC will ultimately turn out to be a successful committee. The community people have to be groomed to such an extent that an ownership attitude will grow among themselves and they will feel the urge to accomplish the unfinished works of the organization. But it is not likely to happen overnight rather take some time for the people to reach that level of perfection and sustainability.

There is a child forum in Nari Maitree Nari, which consists of 230 members it has an elected committee comprising 11 members. 300 more children will be taken as members in child forum in the next 3 years. They are involved in different activities like advocacy, awareness raising in the local community. There is a trainer group in child forum that trains other children on different child rights related issues. If the members of the forum are well trained and given the necessary financial support, they are expected to be capable enough to carry on the project activities.

As TFD group have been formed from the child forum. This group will peddle the child rights issue through TFD to raise the awareness of community people as a whole. This TFD will also be used as a child led advocacy tools at local as well as national level.

Nari Maitree started work in the project area with a view to reducing hazardous child labor and establishing child rights. The authority of the organization always felt that the local people should be made aware of child rights, bad effects of child labor etc. However, it was realized that making people aware of these issues is not enough. Rather it was necessary to involve people in different activities of the organization and gradually make them accountable for taking up responsibilities to ensure effective implementation of the project. As local people are important duty bearers, it is not possible for any development organization to successfully implement any project without the cooperation and active participation of them. Nari Maitree always keeps a close and cordial relationship with the local people in order to make them more accountable. It invites local people whenever it

organizes any training, workshop, and seminar etc. seeks their valuable suggestion, advice regarding the project activities. Off late, Nari Maitree formed a CMC (Center Management Committee) in its Non formal education center of Goran. CMC consists of local government, local elite people, teachers, employers etc. People of different classes and levels have been included in the CMC to get the necessary support and feedback from the local community people. Gradually, CMC will be formed in other centers as well. It is expected that formation of CMC will also help to resolve different problems of local people.

Micro credit disburses to children and parents also help to sustain the project. After phase out the project, credit holder children and parents will merge with our adult credit program. Through credit program children and their parents will enhance their capacity in terms of group formation, mobilization to empower their socio economic condition which help them to strength their livelihood capacity.

11. CHILD RIGHTS BASED MONITORING, EVALUATION AND REPORTING Monitoring by the project staff and SCSD: This year SCSD provided training on GIM dimensions. This system has been analyze the impact of work on the lives of children. GIM dimensions have been used to monitor the project activities of Nari Maitree to understand the positive change of children. Moreover, improve the quality of the program for maximizing program impact. It incorporated in the PD and Matrix.

Besides this, a two-way information flow to monitor the progress of activities will be followed during the implementation of the project. Monthly reports on education activities and awareness raising activities will be submitted to the coordinator by the organizer. The supervisor will submit monthly monitoring reports on credit activities to the cocoordinator. The supervisor and the coordinator will submit monitoring reports to the Executive Director. Supervision will be done once in a week by monitoring supervisor in each learning center. Monitoring will be done once in a month in each learning center by the coordinator. The coordinator will follow up the economic activities of the loaners by monitoring income-generating activities. The overall program support Save the Children Sweden- Denmark will curry out monitoring on a regular basis.

Monitoring by the members of the Forum The child forum member will form monitoring team. The team will consist 7 members.

The team will receive 2 days long training on monitoring by the training coordinator of NM. Project activities will be monitored twice in a year by the team with the help of skill monitor person of NM. During the project period the team will monitor three areas such as NFE centers environment, Skill training and Forum activities.

Reporting: NM will submit the following reports following the formats and timetables as per SCSD manilas and following the requirement of Danida to the overall program support secretariat and SCSD.  

Quarterly technical report as well as financial report Half-yearly progress report including work plans for the next half year and financial statement



An annual report including work plan for the next year and an report of activities and output  An audited annual financial report  By the end of the project, a project completion report and  Final audited financial report A threadbare discussion will be held during report preparation especially on learning, gapes and challenges. Based on learning project staff will take necessary steps to overcome the gapes and challenge through revising the work plan.

Conclusion: A mid term evaluation will be undertaken to evaluate the programs. The mid-term evaluation will be conducted in the mid point of the project period. Internal efforts will be conduct the evaluation. They will be organized at the middle of the 2 nd year of the program period with the most crucial groups participating in the program, i.e. the members of the child forum, the parents of the target children, the members of the CMC and the program implementing staff and staffs of SCSD. The aim of the evaluation will be to enable those who have participated in the program to take stack and critically evaluation the work undertaken up to the time of evaluation and thereby enable the management to improve further planning. After evaluation of the project, findings and recommendations will be shared with all relevant stakeholders and accordingly PD will be revised during the mentioned implementation period. The project coordinator has been maintaining the communication with the donor agency and she/ he would maintain communication with like-minded organizations as necessary. She/he would also be responsible for the linkage with Govt. official, NGOs Affairs Bureau and other related organization.

All the activities have been documented as per prescribed format and monitoring tools including process of activities at field level and send to program officer. Program Officer has been compiled and submitted to project coordinator. The aim of the documentation is for lesson learns, staff evaluation and also assessment the progress of plan activities, which may guide for future plan and action. For this a documentation file has been used from which report could be prepared for head office of Nari Maitree and Save the children Sweden-Denmark.

Shaheen Akter Dolly , Executive Director ,Vice president of Nari Maitree ,Two Center Management Community member declare the result of Art Competition on the occasion of Independent Day’ 2008 Momtaz Begum,Thana Education Officer of Motijheel thana share her speech with participants on 23rd December 2008 at Training Institute, Project office,Nari Maitree Project Coordinator of Save the Children Also participate in this workshop.

Children received monthly stipend 13.BUDGET AND FINANCING Nari Maitree has prepared budget that has been attached as annex. The Total budget for the project period is 11,815,784/= Taka (One core Eighteen lac Fifteen thousand Seven hundred and Eighty four only) and DKK 1,063,421 Organizational structure NGO

Project Coordinator-1 Program Officer1

Trainer -1

Accountant-1 Supervisor -1

Organizer-5 Driver -1

Peon-1

Estimated cost (In foreign currency and in Taka ) Currenc FY-1 y I) Local 3,857,892

FY-2 (Approved) 3,857,892

FY-2 (Revised) 3,657,892

FY-3

Total

4100,000

11,615,784

currency II) Foreign currency

DKK 308,631

DKK 308,631

DKK292,6 31

DKK328,0 00

DKK 929,262