Sabalamby Unnayan Samity (SUS) Shibgonj Road, Netrakona, Bangladesh

Introducing SUS Sabalamby Unnayan Samity (SUS) is a non-governmental organisation (NGO). The head office of SUS is located in the town of Netrakona, which is situated about160 km to north-east of Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh. SUS was established in SUS Vision That people will live in society with dignity and justice. SUS Mission To work with poor and deprived people by providing different socio-economic and cultural services with a view to eradicating poverty and injustice. SUS Goal That deprived people will enjoy better conditions and be in charge of improving their own lives. The SUS Approach is a rights-based integrated approach.

Target groups Marginalised groups, especially children, adolescents, women and the disabled Issues raised Gender, climate, livelihood, education, health, food security, rights, governance, networking and advocacy Focusing area of SUS

Why SUS adopts an integrated approach : The integrated approach includes a number of interventions and is guided by the needs of the programme participants. Sustainable development is not possible with only one intervention. Recent human development indicators show that change depends on the implementation of multi-interventions. Nobel Laureate Amortya Sen maintains that economic indicators alone are not sufficient for sustainable development. SUS therefore adopts an integrated approach that includes education, reproductive health care, services and advocacy for the disabled, rights, justice and micro-enterprise in order to educate the target groups and help them to improve their lives.

Linking the rights-based and integrated approach: A rights-based approach focuses on equality and non-discrimination, accountability and transparency, i.e. the core of human development. An integrated development approach emphasises the different organisational practice areas and is easily adaptable to a particular region. This approach is used by NGOs to reduce the dependency of local communities on aid by improving government capacity. There are two types of stakeholders in rights-based development: “the rights holders” and “the duty bearers”. A rights-based approach aims to strengthen the capacity of the duty bearers and empower the rights holders. SUS focuses on food, clothes, shelter, education, health, justice and recreation for the sustainable development of the target people and in this way adopts an integrated development approach. SUS takes structured initiatives to organise people to ensure their legal rights. In this the participation of grassroots people and others in the civil society is vital.

A needs-based approach and a rights-based approach : Rights are what you are entitled to. Needs are what you require. In-between the two is the poverty gap. A needs-based approach emphasises the fulfilment of current needs. A rights-based approach focuses on entitlements, awareness raising and obtaining what people are entitled to through mobilisation, lobbying and advocacy. A rights-based approach is essential for developing the capacity of the poor and marginalised people to achieve their goals. Real development involves individual satisfaction and group or community satisfaction. This is why programme participants/beneficiaries take part in the programme planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. As SUS believes in sustainable development, it adopts a rights- based integrated approach.

Important aspects of a rights- based approach A rights-based approach focuses on people achieving the minimum conditions for living with dignity. It explores the root causes of vulnerability and marginalisation and expands the range of responses. It empowers people to claim and exercise their rights and fulfil their responsibilities. A rights-based approach recognises poor people as having inherent rights essential to livelihood security - rights that are validated by international standards and laws. Affirms universal human obligations,since people are social beings with human rights A right for one person means a duty for others Draws on international human rights law wherever possible Affirms that people have human rights and the responsibility to work towards their realisation for themselves and others Aims to address the power relations between those with more control over resources and those with less Strengthens people's capacities to claim and exercise their rights Emphasises solidarity with the poor and marginalised

A rights-based approach Treats the minimum conditions for living with dignity as the standard against which we define and measure impact Requires a more holistic examination and greater focus on addressing structural and societal causes of poverty and marginalisation Aims to change attitudes and eliminate practices that undermine human dignity in the workplace and in the communities we serve. A rights-based approach Respects human rights by promoting social justice Works towards the protection of people's human rights Promotes a greater awareness of rights and responsibilities Aims to help people fulfil their human rights, either directly or by facilitating the efforts of other actors A rights-based approach: Reminds us of the dignity of all people Promotes tolerance and social justice Addresses discrimination in all its forms Helps us to be advocates for global responsibility

SUS’ integrated rights-based approach Conditional indicators: To increase income status People do not need to receive loans from money-lenders Better food intake Making better use of government resources Ensure safe drinking water and sanitation Provide easy access to justice, especially for women and the poor Awareness of climate change and disaster management Positional indicators: Participation in local development activities Active participation in the local arbitration process Participation in social functions Participation on local committees and in organisational bodies Access to the political process

Achievements of SUS’ Gender and Rights Perspective: Functional Community Based Organisations (CBO) from village to district level, where women and man are playing role actively. Women are now leading different community based activities. Women are now taking part in the arbitration process with confident. Women participated in the last local government elections and 25 % were elected. Increased participation of marginalized people especially women in different governmental or non-governmental committees, e.g. relating to law and order, school management, Union Parishad Standing Committee, Government Legal Aid Committee Women now involved in the implementation of local government and non-governmental services Change in people’s conceptions with regard to governmental and non-governmental services. The communication gap between service providers and receivers is decreasing Human rights workers are increasingly recognised by governmental and non-governmental agencies at national level Women are increasingly recognised as an important force in the family and in society Women are working for the improved rights and compensation of destitute and victimised women through arbitration and case studies Organisational achievements: Involvement in different governmental and non-governmental committees. Provision of training to the Police Department on gender and rights issues.

The challenges that SUS has faced Less practice of democracy in local government Political interference Marriage Act and Inheritance Act. Absence of a uniform family code. Less practice of RTI Act. The lessons SUS has learned That if likeminded people and organisations work together on rights, more people will benefit and the results will be long lasting That service providers` organisations need to be more oriented to the people they are intended to serve That rights and responsibility go together That society cannot be changed by law enforcement alone. People’s attitudes also need to change.

Recommendations Specific allocations for gender and rights issues at local government level in the national budget. School discussions, debates, lectures, study circles and essay competition on gender and rights in order to make people more aware of gender and rights issues. Raise awareness of gender and rights issues among political groups and student federations. Raise voice for Special government initiatives on women and welfare, local government etc. Development of activities that ensure the protection of women as a whole. More over it is important to strengthen the Community Based organization in different level. Limitations Lack of experienced local government representatives. Absence of gender awareness among political leaders as well as the member of political parties. Religious superstition and people’s lack of knowledge about prevailing laws. Preparing policy without the participation and consent of the general public.

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