EngageNow Project | Ain o Salish Kendra(ASK)

Annual Coordination Meeting and Work Plan Adoption

admin — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 10:45:13 +0000

On 15th April 2026, Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) organised an annual coordination meeting to review progress and adopt the work plan for the EngageNow project. The meeting focused on strengthening programme implementation and ensuring strategic alignment with the approved work plan.
Key discussions included roles and responsibilities in addressing potential challenges, the use of standardised reporting formats and the identification of specific actions to advance the rights and well-being of children and women. A comprehensive work plan with clearly defined timelines and deadlines was finalised to support effective and timely implementation.

The session also covered several core components of the project, including opening remarks for the annual orientation, a review of first-year plans versus progress and an overview of second-year activities. In addition, detailed discussions were held on mediation mechanisms, investigation processes, litigation strategies, communication and branding approaches.
Through this coordination meeting, ASK reinforced its commitment to improving programme coherence, accountability and impact.
ASK is implementing the EngageNow project under the “Nagorikota: Civic Engagement Fund (CEF)” programme with support from the Embassy of Switzerland, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and European Union (EU).

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Human Chain: Demanding Justice and Accountability for Domestic Child Abuse

admin — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 03:59:48 +0000

Under the EngageNow project, a mobilisation initiative was conducted by partner organisation SoDesh on 7 February in Satkhira district. This initiative included advocacy engagement and the submission of a memorandum to the relevant authorities. A human chain and protest rally were organised to demand justice and exemplary punishment for an incident involving the torture of an 11-year-old domestic child worker. A total of 48 participants joined the rally. The activity successfully amplified community concerns regarding governance and social protection. Through this organised and peaceful civic engagement, community voices were formally communicated to decision-makers, reinforcing participatory governance and accountability. ASK is implementing the EngageNow project under the “Nagorikota: Civic Engagement Fund (CEF)” programme with support from the Embassy of Switzerland, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and European Union (EU).

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ASK’s Legal Aid Services –February 2026

admin — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 03:34:09 +0000

During the period, Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) handled 161 registrations, including 134 females and 27 males, with several survivors from marginalised and persons with disabilities groups. Of these cases, 134 were addressed through the Mediation Unit and 27 through the Litigation Unit. The Unit registered 17 new survivors, conducted 10 mediation sessions, followed up with 6 survivors and provided legal advice to 34 individuals. Helpline services were extended to 100 survivors; rapid response support was provided in 7 cases and counselling services were offered to 5 survivors and offered couple therapy to 2 couples. Recovered dower and maintenance (including children) of taka 1,13,500/ (One lac thirteen thousand and five hundred) through mediation. At the field level, a total of 20 new clients were registered across partner organisations (AVAS-3, OWDEB-4, MPS-2, ACD-7, ASED-1, soDesh-3) at Barishal, Chattogram, Tangail, Rajshahi, Habiganj and Satkhira districts. A total of 4 new legal cases were initiated under the HRLF mechanism, with ASED filing 1 case and soDesh filing 3 cases. A total of 5 emergency responses were delivered during the reporting period (Owdeb-1, AVAS-1, MPS-1, soDesh-2). A total of 3 mediation sessions were conducted at the field level, all facilitated by MPS. These activities were implemented under the EngageNow project, part of the Nagorikata: Civic Engagement Fund (CEF) programme, with support from the Embassy of Switzerland, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and European Union (EU).

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ASK’s Legal Aid Services –January 2026

admin — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 04:03:27 +0000

During the period, Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) handled 206 registrations, including 170 females and 36 males, with several survivors from marginalised and persons with disabilities groups. Of these cases, 164 were addressed through the Mediation Unit and 42 through the Litigation Unit. The Unit registered 20 new survivors, conducted 17 mediation sessions, followed up with 8 survivors and provided legal advice to 46 individuals. Helpline services were extended to 120 survivors; rapid response support was provided in 9 cases and counselling services were offered to 7 survivors and offered couple therapy to 3. Recovered dower and maintenance (including children) of taka 5, 29,900/ (Five lac twenty-nine thousand and nine hundred) through mediation. At field level, a total of 46 clients were registered, 3 new cases were formally initiated and handled by HRLF, 5 emergency response interventions, 16 mediation sessions and 2 RTI applications and formal petitions/complaints were submitted to the NHRC and other relevant authorities. Partner Organisations ( SODESH, AVAS ,OWDEB, ACD, ASED and MPS) engaged directly with communities to identify register individuals, explain available services and secure informed consent. These activities were implemented under the EngageNow project, part of the Nagorikata: Civic Engagement Fund (CEF) programme, with support from the Embassy of Switzerland and Global Affairs Canada (GAC).

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Referral to Relevant Organisations

admin — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 05:30:39 +0000

The ‘EngageNow’ project made two referrals to appropriate external organisations during January to ensure clients received specialised services beyond the project’s direct scope. Referrals were based on assessed needs and aimed at providing comprehensive support through coordinated service delivery. Field teams maintained communication with partner organisations to facilitate smooth handover and follow-up. This referral mechanism enhanced inter-organisational collaboration and avoided duplication of services. By linking clients with competent service providers, the project ensured continuity of care and maximized impact. Referral activities also strengthened local service networks and reinforced a survivor- and client-centered approach, ensuring that individuals received timely and appropriate assistance.

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Litigation Activities – January 2026

admin — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 05:28:13 +0000

Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) continued to represent victims and legal aid seekers before the courts. During January 2026, on behalf of victims, court dates were scheduled for cases related to family disputes, violence against women and children and criminal offences. In these cases, ASK lawyers undertook necessary legal actions, including court appearances, hearings, follow-ups and examination of witnesses. During the reporting month, 2 new cases were filed on behalf of victims. A total of 229 cases were handled during this period, of which 206 were family cases, 17 involved violence against women and children and 6 were criminal cases.

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ASK’s Legal Aid Services –December 2025

admin — Sun, 25 Jan 2026 06:47:50 +0000

During the period, Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) handled 213 cases, primarily through mediation (177) and litigation (36), supporting survivors including women, marginalised groups and persons with disabilities. ASK registered 15 new survivors, conducted 6 mediation sessions and provided legal advice to 52 individuals. Helpline services reached 130 survivors, with 6 rapid responses and 3 counselling services delivered. One mediation resulted in an open divorce (Khola Talaq), with BDT 1,72,950 paid as dower. At the field level, ASK registered 21 survivors, conducted 22 survivor assessments, provided 2 emergency responses and arranged 7 mediation cases involving 43 individuals. Through the Human Rights Legal Fund (HRLF), 1 new case was initiated, 10 survivors received continuous legal support and 3 survivors were assisted through referral and linkage mechanisms. These interventions were implemented under the EngageNow Project of the Nagorikata: Civic Engagement Fund (CEF), supported by the Embassy of Switzerland and Global Affairs Canada (GAC).

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Inter school workshop for BINAD (Bidyalay Natya Dal ) on Drama Production

admin — Fri, 26 Dec 2025 08:16:33 +0000

The aim of organising inter-school workshops on drama productions of the School Theatre Group (BNAD) is to protect children from sexual abuse, promote gender equality and address gender-based violence among school students through awareness-raising drama performances. These drama initiatives are designed to cultivate leadership skills in children, encouraging their active involvement in fostering a safe and supportive environment while establishing an effective, gender-sensitive child protection framework. As part of the Nagorikota project, Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), in partnership with SoDESH, conducted a workshop on drama productions with the District Level Bidyalaya Natya Dal (BNAD) in Satkhira in December 2025, which saw the participation of 25 students.

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ASK’s Legal Aid Services –November 2025

admin — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 06:00:06 +0000

During the period, Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) handled 272 registrations, including 157 females and 55 males, with several survivors from marginalised and persons with disabilities groups. Of these cases, 112 were addressed through the Mediation Unit and 60 through the Litigation Unit. The Unit registered 18 new survivors, conducted 20 mediation sessions, followed up with 254 survivors and provided legal advice to 58 individuals. Helpline services were extended to 140 survivors, rapid response support was provided in 12 cases and counselling services were offered to 5 survivors. Through mediation, an open divorce (Khola Talaq) was conducted by a Kazi with the consent of both parties, resulting in the payment of BDT 1,00,000 as dower (Kabinnama) and the return of household items valued at approximately BDT 1,50,000. In another mediation, money recovery efforts led to the collection of BDT 1,13,100. These activities were implemented under the EngageNow project, part of the Nagorikata: Civic Engagement Fund (CEF) programme, with support from the Embassy of Switzerland and Global Affairs Canada (GAC).

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Litigation Activities – November 2025

admin — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 05:48:13 +0000

Through the EngageNow project, Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) continued to represent victims and legal aid seekers before the courts. During this month, court dates were scheduled for cases related to family matters, violence against women and children and criminal offenses on behalf of the victims. In these cases, ASK lawyers undertook necessary legal actions, including court appearances, hearings, follow-up actions and examination of witnesses. During November 2025, a total of 236 cases were handled, including 205 family cases, 21 cases of violence against women and children and 10 criminal cases. These activities were implemented under the EngageNow project, part of the Nagorikata: Civic Engagement Fund (CEF) programme, with support from the Embassy of Switzerland and Global Affairs Canada (GAC).

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