Our Life Our Health Our Future (OLHF)

Project Background

Traditional patriarchal social structures in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) severely disadvantage women and girls, and restrict their social empowerment, their bodily integrity and sexual autonomy. High rates of violence against women persist here. Women and girls in CHT communities are exposed to sexual violence, harassment and assault. Besides, young women and girls are affected by the lack of information, means and support to manage their menstruation with dignity and fulfill their Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights.

Project Duration

5 Years (January 2019 to December 2023)

Project objective

1. Local Community Service Organization (CSO)’s have strengthened their technical, methodological, financial and administrative capacity to effectively respond to the SRHR needs of young women and adolescent girls and foster their rights to five free from violence, coercion and discrimination;
2. Young women and adolescent girls from CHT are empowered to make free and informed decisions about their SRHR (and are supported to do so), free of violence, coercion and discrimination.

Technical and Financial Support by: European Union

Program Lead: Simavi, and INGO that strives for a world in which all women and girls are socially and economically empowered and able to pursue these rights to a healthy life, free from discrimination and violence.

Lead in Bangladesh:

Bangladesh Nari Progati Sangha (BNPS) , a women activist organization working for gender equality based on the principles of non-discrimination, diversity and secularism.

Expected Result:

OLHF projects expected result is to have increased effectiveness and responsiveness to:

• 1200 young women and adolescent girls (age 10 – 25 years) in the CHT are empowered and supported to raise their voices and priorities on MH, SRHR and fulfill their rights without violence;
• 1200 mothers are engaged to support their daughters;
• 24000 men and boys are engaged to support young women and adolescent girls priorities;
• Service providers of SRHR and focal points for GBV are trained to respond to women’s needs and priorities;
• Traditional and community leaders, local and regional authorities are engaged to support young women and girls priorities and needs.

Project Impact

Enable and support young women and adolescent girls in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) of Bangladesh to transition into adult womanhood with dignity, and bodily and sexual autonomy, without violence, coercion and /or discrimination. 

Project Area

• Union: Six Unions-
• Under Sadar Upazila: Jibtoli Union, Mogban Union, Sapchari Union, Kutukchari Union
• Under Jurachari Upazila: 1 No Jurachari Union, 2 No bonjugichara Union
• Upazila: Jurachari and Rangamati Sadar Upazila
• District: Rangamati

Project Activities:

1. Project Inception Meeting: In the beginning of the project PROGESSIVE Organized a project inception meeting by engaging the important stakeholders in Rangamati. The Chairman-CHT-RC, Circle Chief, DC, CS,UNO, Upazila and Union Parishad Chairman, traditional leaders, women leaders, human activists, NGO’s participated in the meeting. The inception meeting objective was to introduce project goals and involve relevant stakeholders with the project implementation.
   1. District level inception meeting:
   2. Upazila level inception meeting
2. Community entry meeting: Progressive organized community level project entry meeting where the community leaders, parents of girl’s club members were attended. The meeting objective was to inform the community people about girl’s club activity and how it benefit their girls and how the community people can be a part of girls club activities.
3. Community Engagement meeting:
   1. Sensitization meeting with men and boys: To sensitize the men and young boys about girls SRHR, how they can support to ensure SRHR and how to reduce violence against women and girls.
   2. Sensitization meeting with women and young girls: To sensitize the women and girls about SRHR and how they can act to ensure SRHR and can get access to different support services.
   3. Sensitization meeting with social traditional and religious leader: To motivate and make sensitize the community traditional leaders and religious leaders about the importance of SRHR and how the social taboo is making suffering for the girls and young women.
4. Girls Club Session: Under the OLHF project PROGRESSIVE is operating 30 girls club where 40 club member girls enrolled in each club. The total numbers of 1200 girls are getting thematic education on SRHR and MHM.
5. National and International Day Observations: To make mass sensitization on women rights Progressive observes different days as below-
   1. International Women’s Day
   2. International Youth Day
   3. 16 Days Activism (Rokeya Day, Intl. Day of Elimination of Violence Against Women, Intl. Women Hunan Defenders Day)
   4. Menstrual Hygiene Day
6. Staff development: Progressive provides different support session to develop staffs thematic skills and program facilitations
   1. Basic training for staff
   2. On job coaching for club mentors