Greetings

Thoughts of School going children

On 3 February 07, Child rights Unit of ASK organized a painting competition for the students of Lake Circus Girls' High School, Kalabagan, Dhaka. The theme of the competition was ‘Child Domestic Worker and My Thought'. Sixty participants from different classes participated in the competition and expressed their thoughts and feelings through pictures and words. Some of the thoughts as reflected in their paintings are as follows:

However, the remarkable point that come out from the competition is that, many of the children expressed desire to open school for working children and help them in getting education. This sort of program provides the opportunity to know the feelings of the privileged children about under privileged children which can stimulate the commitments of the elders of the society towards the realization of the rights of the children working at home as helping hands.

Dialogue with Govt. officials on Violence Against women

In the reality of increasing violence against women and children, ‘BRAC- ASK joint Legal Aid Programme' initiated Dialogue Session with the district level government officials, such as, District Commissioners (DC) including other administrative officials, Judges, Police Officers, Public Prosecutors and Panel Lawyers of this joint legal aid programme to sensitize the officials on the issue and build strong networking with them to facilitate in getting support to ensure justice for the survivors of the violence.

In 2006, the Outreach Unit of ASK organized 11 such dialogues in 11 Districts of Rajshahi Division. In the session, the participants emphasized on the factors, such as, gender discrimination, lack of justice, class discrimination, lack of education, poverty, drug addiction, misinterpretation of religious rules, dowry etc. as responsible for escalating violence against women in the society. Likewise, they emphasized on the need of awareness on equality of man and women and women empowerment to prevent violence against women.

The discussants also assured to extend their cooperation from their own office to prevent violence and help the survivors of the violence to get justice. ASK thinks, this sort of assurance and realization from the government officials is important, in particular, in providing legal aid to the survivors of the violence, as can facilitate easy, smooth and effective dealings with the relevant institutions, like police stations, hospitals and courts.

Launching of South Asian Human Development Report

ASK and Manusher Jonno (MJ) Foundation jointly launched the report ‘ Human Development in South Asia 2005 - Human Security in South Asia ', on 25 th January, 2007 in VIP lounge of the National Press Club, Dhaka as part of simultaneous launching of this report in different South Asian Countries . Pakistan based research institute Mahbub Ul Haq Human Development Centre has produced this report on the security concerns of the people in South Asia. The report presents an in-depth analysis of multiple threats to human security, while linking human security to human development and human rights. It shows how intra-state and inter-state conflicts in the region affects the people living in the region. The report also contains analytical chapters on economic, health and environmental insecurity and how all these together affect mostly the vulnerable groups- poor, women and children. Some of the important findings of the report that affect the security concerns of the region are -

Objective behind this launching programme was to stimulate discussion on the issues affecting human security of the region and thereby affecting human development and human rights situation through disseminating findings of the report and attracts the attention of the policy makers of the respective countries of the region to the gravity of the issues on human insecurity. The programme was also a part of a process of intellectual exchange and way of stepping towards consciousness of the people.

Legal aid to Arif

One of the main purposes of ASK's work is to provide free legal aid to the disenfranchised of the society. For the purpose, ASK has its own staff lawyers who appear before the court on behalf of the person, persons needed legal aid. To start with the process, one has to approach with the litigation unit of ASK describing the details of his/her case.

Like, Md. Arif, age-17, son of Nurul Haque, residing in Hajaribag, Dhaka who was arrested by the police without any specific complaint against him and only in suspicion of future offence. Initially, his arrest was recorded in General Diary (no 479) of Police Station. Later on, he was shown arrested under several charges. After hearing the case, he was sent to the jail custody. In the incident Arif's father sought legal assistance from ASK on the ground that his son has been falsely accused and he is financially incapable to pay lawyer's fee in the court.

The Litigation Unit took up the case in consideration that the said accused is a child under different national and international standards. Therefore, in the case ASK moved in the court for Arif to ensure Juvenile justice. Presently he is free on bail with the case pending. ASK's legal assistance is still with the case.

Fixing the strategies to work with Partner Organizations

Gender and Social Justice Program of ASK focuses on mobilizing and developing Community Based Organizations (CBOs) to raise awareness on human rights and issues of gender and social justice. Members of the CBO's, which include both men and women are provided with different trainings and other motivational programmes on human rights and gender equality with the purpose of sensitizing them so that they are able to negotiate their rights and come forward in assisting the neighbors to get justice.

However, as a working strategy, the programme activities are implemented with logistic support of the local level non-government organizations, termed as partner NGOs (PNGOs). For this purpose, at the beginning of every year, a meeting, called working meeting is held to discuss about the details of the working strategies and get clear understanding of the role and responsibilities of the partner organizations and ASK.

On February 12, 2007 such a meeting with the partner organizations of Gender and Social Justice Unit, ASK took place in Dhaka.Particularly; working meeting of this year emphasized the importance on practicing culture of human rights within the organizations.

School based human rights awareness Program

Human Rights Awareness Unit (HRAU) of ASK extended its programmes to different secondary schools with the purpose of making the students, a major and important segment of the young generation aware and sensitized on human rights and gender equality.

Like all other programmes of the unit, also in school programmes, it uses performing art including action theatre as a tool for raising awareness. Currently, it has such programmes in 18 different schools where it formed School Theatre Team. Those theatre teams led by Guide Teachers in respective schools organize different events, like debate competitions, producing wall magazines, dramas on issues of human rights and gender equality, different day observations etc.

For the purpose, both the students and the teacher in the theatre team are provided with trainings on human rights and use of drama as a tool of education. For example, in July 2006, the Unit organized a TOT (Training of Trainers) for Guide Teachers of 18 schools who lead the school theatre teams in their respective schools. The training was designed to sensitize the teachers on human rights and help them to identify the inconsistencies in the curriculum itself on human rights and gender equality.

ASK's responses over the prevailing situation

As media focal point, all sorts of media campaigning and communication of ASK are done by Media & Communication Unit (MCU). For this, we use various forms of communication tools, such as, delivering press releases, conducting press conferences, sending articles in newspapers, maintaining Website, publishing Books, Bulletin etc. The latest annexure to these is E-Bulletin; a bi-monthly soft publication that is to be circulated through E-mail is now on air.

We, the Bangladeshi people are passing through a crucial period, which was started from the previous year. We witnessed the taking over and leaving of 3 governments in a row within 3 months. The situation was grave, furious and full of uncertainty. Nevertheless, ASK stuck to observe HR situation and express it's concerns over different incidents violating HRs. Like, it expressed deep concern at deaths of 4 people in army custody on the date of 21 January and demanded independent probe into and steps to stop recurrence of such deaths. ASK also condemned Caretaker Government's (CG) actions of demolishing slums and evicting hawkers without providing them alternative housing & earning sources as per High Court Division's verdict.

In a press release on 24 January, ASK demanded that the kingpins of Jammatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) - responsible for the militant activities throughout the year of 2004-06 should be allowed to talk to the media before being hanged, as it is very important to identify the masterminds. On 6 February, it urged the CG to remove confusions over the process of arrests, occurred during the on-going drives against the corrupt persons.

While condemning in all above-mentioned cases, it appreciates positive developments too. Such as, it hailed the current CG's initiatives for the long waited separation of Judiciary from the Executive.

Training Module on Family Laws

The Training Unit of ASK mainly conducts trainings on Law, Human Rights, and Gender. In this course of activity, the unit has gained considerable experience on preparing module. Thus many organizations seek ASK's expertise to prepare modules for them. As considering this as a very good way of capacity building of other organizations, ASK offers its best effort to do that. Recently Training Unit (TU) has completed the task of preparing a module for training on family laws for one of its partner organizations, Mukti, Kushtia. The module has been designed for two days' training incorporating some effective and attractive methods of conduction of training. Besides, the module has incorporated all the relevant legal information on Muslim and Hindu family matters, such as, marriage, dower money, divorce, maintenance, and guardianship and on family court in easy language.

ASK hopes the module will help the trainers in conducting effective participatory trainings in grass root levels.