Gender Justice & Diversity: Key areas of work

Promote & sustain gender equality in organizational development

Capacity development
As per BRAC senior management decision all BRAC staff will received gender sensitization training by 2012.

Gender Focal Point
Gender Focal Points (GFP) are responsible to address gender equality through their program interventions following Gender Policy 29.  Focal points are nominated by the respective units and play a vital role to ensure equal and fair working environment for both men and women in their own program and department. They especially try to retain and increase women staff in their unit and organize Gender Policy, SHE policy Orientation, National Women Development Policy discussion and other conceptual discussion within their respective units.


Mon Khule Katha Bola Forum
This is the forum to know about staff’s status and opinion regarding decent working environment. Here staff discusses about organizational gender initiatives and also about gender practices in the organization.

Day Care Center (DOLNA)
DOLNA is running successfully with 28 children and 9 caregivers in a safe and secure environment. It is for the children of BRAC employees during the working period. The children are accommodating in two floors according to their age group. DOLNA also promotes this concept to other organization through articles on national and in house newspapers. People from the Government and other NGOs visited DOLNA for gathering practical experiences on developing Child Care Centre.


BRAC Investigation Team
GJ&D section is strongly involved with the core investigation team of BRAC to investigate sensitive cases on abuses and harassment and also violation of BRAC HR Policy, Gender Policy and She Policy. BRAC GJ&D section also provide individual and group counseling to all staff of BRAC as required. In this year special training on “Strengthening Capacity on Investigation related to Sexual Harassment and Abuse” was organized for all members of investigation team, SHarE unit and special investigation team member.


Mainstreaming gender equality in program 
Provide technical support to develop program wise Gender Analysis Framework, assist in formulating and reviewing manual, guideline, PP & IEC materials of different programs, develop gender sensitive monitoring indicator.
    

Gender Quality Action Learning (GQAL) program in the STUP area

GQAL operates at the household level to stop domestic violence and gender based discrimination. The aim is to create a gender friendly attitude in rural areas for women's empowerment and to develop gender-sensitive relationships within families and communities through awareness-building and community mobilization. The program has made a significant impact by creating community movements for women and children, increasing men's awareness of women's education, foods, nutrition’s, division of labour, rest and recreation, domestic violence, control and access to resource, health issues and increasing male participation in household work.

MEJNIN Programme
MEJNIN or "Meyeder Jonno Nirapod Nagorikatto" (Safe Citizenship for Girls)  is operating with the target group of adolescent girls, their parents, teachers and other stakeholders in the community across urban areas encouraging them to take a stand against sexual harassment in public places and ensuring their access to justice and public support.

The project currently supports 15,000 students from 60 schools in 4 Thanas in Dhaka city in partnership and alliance with -

• 53 students watch groups : working as a active change maker in the school level and building solidarity, assertiveness and sharing with peers and parents
• 16 Community Watch Groups: working in the community program area to combat sexual harassment collectively
• Other BRAC program, local women and human rights organizations, Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, Ministry of Education, Bangladesh Police, Prothom Alo (Bandhu Shova) and Local news papers

Objectives:
Specific objectives of this project include building awareness and sensitizing girls and other stakeholders to recognize teasing and sexual harassment against girls as a social crime, reaching out to the victims and provide immediate physical, psychological and legal support, enhancing responsiveness of community to take collective effort against teasing and sexual harassment and mobilizing a social movement against sexual harassment at education institutions.

Impact:

• The project has brought many positive changes in students, parents and teachers and in the community level:
• Increased dissemination of information and experiences about sexual harassment including identification of the ‘teasing spot’ in the community, relecant state law and punishment against sexual harassment and improved relationship with the local thana and police administration
• Increased openness through sharing of experiences and self confidence among students.
• Increased assistance from teachers and school authorities in information dissemination and legal assistance in combating sexual abuse and harassment both inside and outside the school.

Nationally and internationally networking and lobbying
Advocacy for National Policy and Law formulation, review and reform

GJ&D Section maintains a strong network with national and international women rights organizations and networks. At the national level it works as a team member of Shamajik Protirodh Committee on Bangladesh National Women Advancement Policy, Sexual harassment and other social issues relates with Human Rights Violation, Jatiyo Konna Shishu Advocacy Forum on Child Rights, WECAN campaign to end DVAW, Naripakhkha with Social issues regarding Women rights, Violence’s and also involved with the campaign of men engage to end VAW.

Trainings and assistance provided:
•    Gender Awareness and Analysis
•    Gender and Social Change
•    Gender and Reproductive Health
•    Gender and HIV/AIDS
•    Gender and Rights
•    Gender awareness and Analysis and HIV/AIDS

Gender Awareness Analysis Course (GAAC)
The focus of the course is to develop their understanding, analytical skills and positive attitudes towards gender equality, human rights and dignity in promoting development programs

Course contents:
•    Various theoretical concepts on Gender
•    Impact of Gender relations in Development
•    Understanding gender equity, equality, mainstreaming and empowerment
•    Organizational gender sensitivity
•    Gender analysis in programs
•    Mainstreaming gender equality in institutions

Gender and Social Change (GSC)
Participants will learn about the role of critical gender analysis in organizational social change, and will also receive instruction in specific techniques of incorporating gender into program design, implementation and monitoring.

Course Contents:
•    Status of women in society
•    Social analysis
•    Gender in social transformation
•    Gender and feminism
•    Gender discrimination in society
•    Women and the modernization process

Gender in Reproductive Health
The course re-orients participants about the gender relations in reproductive health and introduces approaches to incorporate them in development projects.

Course Contents:
•    Gender sensitive programming
•    Gender equity and human rights within the health service providers
•    Gender relations in health within the current socio-economic context
•    Developing a common understanding of the reproductive rights related concepts and documents.

Gender and Rights
Assist people to develop program with a view of promoting Gender Equity and Human Rights focused on Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS services Programming.

Course Contents:
•    A theoretical framework for gender concept and rights.
•    A practical outline of gender division of labour
•    A systematic approach to identify areas of gender discrimination
•    Linkage gender and Health
•    RH, HIV/AIDS, Gender & Rights Issues in International Charter & Conventions.
•    A theoretical framework on appraisal of programs through gender lens
•    A systematic approach of mainstreaming gender and program planning.

Gender awareness and Analysis & HIV/AIDS
Assist participants in their understanding, analytical skills and positive attitudes with a view to promote Gender equity focused on HIV/AIDS services programming.

Course Contents:
•    Theoretical concepts of Gender
•    Division of labor
•    Access to and control over resources
•    Linkage Gender and Health
•    HIV/AIDS & Gender
•    Human rights, gender and HIV/AIDS
•    Men’s involvement in health services