Targeting Extreme Poverty: Support Programs

Advocacy

As BRAC uses an integrated approach, it intends to create a wider impact than simply improving the livelihood options of its beneficiaries by undertaking advocacy work at the local, regional and national level to address some of the structural and policy constraints that often have a detrimental influence on the livelihood options available to the poor.

BRAC set up a specialized Advocacy & Human Rights Unit (BAHRU) in 2002 with a specified mandate to create wider awareness about the ultra poor. It seems that from 2002 to 2006 BAHRU has successfully done the job of creating awareness on the Ultra Poor issues from village level to national level. Within 2007-2011 BRAC plans to develop its internal capacity to carry out advocacy work effectively. In the second phase of the programme BRAC will carry out advocacy, communication, and social mobilization campaigns to influence policy makers and the general public in favor of the ultra poor successfully implemented.


Research

The Research and Evaluation Division (RED) works towards addressing some of the knowledge gaps and continuous developmental challenges confronted by CFPR while aiming to frame the credibility and research support to BRAC's development programme. An important driver of RED's research on CFPR is to deliver on the broader intellectual challenge of developing a better understanding of extreme poverty in Bangladesh and draw stylized programmatic principles that should underpin effective programme design.