Research Reports (1997): Social Studies, Vol – XV

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10361/13261

Browse

Now showing 1 - 9 of 9

Impact assessment of BRAC's human rights and legal education training
(BRAC Research and Evaluation Division (RED), 1997) Rafi, Mohammad; Hulme, David; Ahmed, Shah Asad; Amin, Md. Nurul
The huge training investment of BRAC calls for an answers to the questions -- what is the impact of the training on BRAC programs and on its recipient? This study endeavors to answer these questions. As a part of this effort an impact assessment research methodology for training was developed. The methodology was then applied to the training under Human Rights and Legal Education (HRLE) program. (pp. 1-2) The HRLE training has been introduced to disseminate practically relevant legal knowledge to BRAC members. In order to reach a large number of Village Organization (VO) members at low cost a training 'cascade' has been established. Training is offered al three levels. First comes the Training of Trainers (TOT) for HRLE. Next is Teachers Training (TT) for HRLE Shebok/Shebikas. Finally there is Legal Education (LE) provided by Shebok/Shebikas to the VO members. The laws that the training covers arc Citizen's Right Protection Law, Muslim Family Law, Muslim Inheritence Law, and Land Law. (pp. 3-7)
Effects of BRAC's development inputs on women's lives
(BRAC Research and Evaluation Division (RED), 1996-10) Huda, Samiha; Khan, Mahmuda Rahman; Mahmud, Simeen; Khan, Shahriar Reza; Chowdhury, Mushtaque; Bhuiya, Abbas; Khan, Munirul Islam
The BRAC-ICDDR,B Joint Research Project consists of two phases of research, analysis and interpretation over a 6-year project cycle. Initiated in 1992, research in Phase I (1992- 1995) involved a large cross-sectional survey and a series of exploratory studies to assess existing differences in the population prior to BRAC's RDP intervention. These studies sought to elucidate the socioeconomic and environmental context within which BRAC's programmes would operate. Informed by the baseline and exploratory studies referred to above, the Currently operating Phase n of this project (1995-1998) involves both in-depth and longitudinal investigations of the hypotheses generated during Phase I. This report documents the health component of the first of the three rounds of longitudinal data collected during summer, rainy and dry seasons respectively beginning the middle of April 1995.
Small groups and performance of village organizations in rural development programme of BRAC
(BRAC Research and Evaluation Division (RED), 1997-09) Rafi, Mohammad; Ahmed, Shah Asad; Hossain, S. M. Alamgir; Haque, Md. Fazlul; Dus, Tapon Kumar
BRAC's Rural Development Programme (RDP) fonns the village organizations (VO) by formulating their objectives precisely and by laying out explicitly the activities within it that the members comprising it need to carry out These activities are designed as such to make these supportive to the achievement of the VO objectives. On the other hand, small groups by helping the VO members in carrying out their responsibilities indirectly contribute to the achievement of the same. Based on these observations it was assumed that if the small groups were serious in enacting its responsibilities the VO activities would be well carried out and thus their objectives would be achieved. The objectives of this study were to (1) investigate the status of small groups in RDP VOs; (2) investigate the extent to which the small groups contribute to the performance of the V Os; and (3) investigate the causal mechanisms that helped/hindered the performance of the VOs. Altogether 239 VOs were randomly selected for observation in this study. The selection was made from those presently functioning and formed in between 1986 and 1996. The performance of these VOs were assessed in terms of certain activities supposed to be conducted by its members in the weekly VO meetings, i.e., (1) ringing the bell before meeting starts, (2) attending the meeting, (3) starting the meeting on time, (4) reciting the 18 promises in the beginning of the meeting, ( 5) sitting by small groups, ( 6) depositing savings, (7) repaying the weekly loan installment, (8) following the repayment procedure, and (9) preparing resolution of the loan verbally requested for from the RDP office.
Initial Environmental Examination (IEEE) of BRAC dairy and food project
(BRAC Research and Evaluation Division (RED), 1997-02) Jakariya, Md.; Akter, Nasima
Household violence against women in rural Bangladesh
(BRAC Research and Evaluation Division (RED), 1997-03) Hadi, Abdullahel
The prevalence of household violence against women is high in Bangladesh. Poverty, illiteracy and religious values are usually blamed for such violence. This report assesses the prevalence and determinants of violence against women within marriage and the role of credit program in reducing violence in rural Bangladesh. Three forms of marital violence such as verbal abuse, mental torture and physical assault were focused by using case study method. The report concludes that the risk of marital violence can be significantly reduced by expanding women's participation in credit-based development programs for the poor.
Gender and environment framework/ agenda
(BRAC Research and Evaluation Division (RED), 1997-10) Zaman, Faria
Environmental awareness in rural Bangladesh: levels and differentials
(BRAC Research and Evaluation Division (RED), 1997-01) Hadi, Abdullahel
This report assesses the level of environmental awareness in the rural communities of Bangladesh. Findings reveal that nearly half of the people were aware about the change of environment and its implications although the knowledge about the specific aspects of environmental change is poor. Regional as well as socioeconomic differentials in environmental awareness were very high. NGOs played an important role in raising the awareness level. The study suggests that a concerted effort should be initiated including both the public and private development organizations to routinely disseminate the consequences of environmental disaster.
Beneath the shadows of the BRAC Centre slums of Mohakhali
(BRAC Research and Evaluation Division (RED), 1997-07) Khan, Suhaila H; Chowdhury, AMR; Karim, Fazlul
This exploratory slum study looked at the demographic, socio-economic, health related, educational, and political characteristics of the slum dwellers living around the BRAC Centre. The study was conducted from April to June 199.7. Data was collected primarily by the lead researcher with an open ended semi-structured questionnaire, and information was collected from the key informants living in the slums. The slums could be distinguished by their size. The smaller slums were used by the inhabitants to eat, sleep and reside in, but the larger ones had shops, bazaars, schools, madrasas, mosques, playgrounds, and even graveyards. The physical structure of the huts was worse in the smaller than in the larger slums. For example, huts in the smaller slums were made of chatai, sack, and plastic sheets. In the larger slums the huts were made of tin roofs and bamboo walls. All huts had earthen floors irrespective of their size. In general the socio-economic conditions of the smaller slum dwellers were worse than of the larger slum dwellers. Although located within municipal limits, the slums had limited access to important urban services, such as, water, electricity and gas, but some slum dwellers managed to get supply/tap water from various sources and some illegal electricity. The environmental conditions of the slums were very poor due to high population density, poor housing and pollution of the area by human and factory wastes. Most slums were established outside the legal framework of the city management. The possibility of eviction of slum dwellers by land owners was quite high but the slum dwellers were not overtly anxious over the issue.
Backlash against posters of BRAC's human rights & legal education program
(BRAC Research and Evaluation Division (RED), 1997-09) Rafi, Mohammad; Ahmed, Shah Asad
The Human Rights and Legal Education program of BRAC was initiated with the assumption that if the legal awareness of its clients was raised they would be able to protect themselves· from illegal, unfair or discriminatory practices in the villages. But it was observed that the rights of these clients were in occasions infringed because those who infringed the rights were themselves not legally aware. Thus, BRAC was convinced to believe that the rights of its clients would be better protected by raising the legal knowledge of the non-clients. As a result, the HRLE program added a poster component to its activities. In April 1997 the HRLE program took up a policy of fixing a 7-set poster in the villages and in the towns within the BRAC activity areas. The posters pictographically and in writing presented some of the legal rights and duties of the citizens of Bangladesh and indicated what could be the consequences of 'Violating those rights. Some 700,000 posters were posted so far. This venture was not without a hitch. Some in the community reacted against the posters. These backlashes have encouraged us to conduct this study. The objectives of this study were to: (1) investigate nature of backlashes; (2) find out how the Rural Development Programme (RDP) field staff handled the backlashes; and (3) investigate the causes for backlashes. A qualitative approach was adopted in conducting this study. The study was conducted in the catchment of RDP areas in Kuliarchar, Sharail, Kachikaia and Puthia. Data were collected based on checklists through individual and group interviews. The interviewees included RDP, RDP's village organization (VO) members, people working living at the 'Vicinity of the spot where posters were fixed, and local influential. The backlashes included verbal condemnation against the posters, tearing down the posters, teasing and rebuking BRAC staff for fixing posters and organizing demonstration against the poster program. The reaction of RDP offices against the backlashes varied from area to area. Its staff did not make any effort to prevent the ripping off the posters. In the case of organized and not severe backlash BRAC tried to convince those who reacted against the posters but where the backlash was severe BRAC compromised with them. The RDP staff took a pragmatic step against the backlashes in order to avoid any has done to the smooth functioning of the Program and for the success of postering in the long run.

Browse

Recent Submissions