One out of two girls in Bangladesh are married before they turn 18, making them more vulnerable to violence and poverty.

 

We strive to shift the mindsets that accept child marriage, gender-based violence, and the culture of not seeking justice which results from putting a low value on the girl child, a complex judicial system and social stigma. Only 2.6% of married women in Bangladesh experiencing violence take legal action. Dedicated services to respond to violence are often unavailable.

Our community-led approach empowers girls to drive transformative change towards a society free from child marriage. Our legal aid services enable violence survivors to claim their rights. We started in October 2021, through the consolidation of BRAC’s two rights-based programmes: Human Rights and Legal Services and the Community Empowerment Programme.

 

NUMBERS

 
 

*From 2001 to 2023

  • “BRAC Social Empowerment and Legal Protection Programme is actively engaged in grassroots initiatives for women's empowerment, child marriage prevention, and provision of legal assistance. Girls brigade called Swapnosarothi is being formed, consisting of adolescent girls who participate in diverse life skills development sessions. These initiatives are strategically designed to foster women's empowerment and deter child marriages. Furthermore, the programme plays a pivotal role in advocating women's rights, settling familial disputes, and facilitating the reconciliation of marital relationships through alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. The programme maintains consistent communication with the upazila administration to ensure effective implementation. The upazila administration stands in alliance, offering comprehensive cooperation to support these endeavours. My best wishes extend to the success of this programme.”
    Md. Mahiuddin Al Helal
    Upazila Nirbahi Officer, Galachipa, Patuakhali
  • “BRAC Social Empowerment and Legal Protection Programme is playing a leading role in developing women's leadership by building a community-based grassroots forum called Pollishomaj. The Pollishomaj members reported increased roles in accessing justice, protesting violence against women, child marriage, accessing safety net allocation for the right holders, participating in local governance institutions, and political process.
    Nasrin Jahan
    Women’s Affairs Officer, Ministry of Women and Children Affairs Debhata, Satkhira
  • “On behalf of UNESCO, I would like to send my heartfelt congratulations to Radio Pollikontho for reaching this significant milestone of successfully operating a community radio station for over 10 years. Radio Pollikontho has spent the past decade developing its listening communities through the radio, as well as other online and offline activities. Its initiatives have been greatly praiseworthy, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
    Beatrice Kaldun
    Head of Office and UNESCO Representative to Bangladesh

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