Project Name : APLE

Doner : Manusher Jonno Foundation

Sector : Khasland & saftinet

Area : Satkhira Sadar & Asasuni Upazila

Time Line : January 2019 to December 2021

Brief of activities :

Title of the Project:

Marginalized people’s agency and platform building for upholding their dignity, supporting their livelihood promotion, and enhancing their capacity to claim their right to public services and resources (APLE)

 

Project Costs:

Total Cost (BDT): 9,455,948.00

Amount requested from MJF (BDT): 9,084,874.00

Own Contribution (BDT): 371,074.00

 

Programmatic Areas:

Alignment with Programmatic areas of MJF: Tackling Marginalisation and Discrimination.

 

Sub Theme:    This will specific programming for Landless (more focus on destitute women), Fisher-folk, people with disabilities and Dalit (including Harijan), ethnic minority will be undertaken to address special needs of marginalised populations.

 

 

Executive Summary:

Rationale: Satkhira Sadar and Assasuni Upazila of Satkhira district are part of extreme poverty zones of Bangladesh, where 26% and17.6% people live in extreme poverty respectively. Therefore it can be inferred that poor people in these two Upazilas lack awareness and the voice to demand for their rights due to lack of their agency. As a result their dignity and rights are violated and they are deprived of accessing their right to public services and resources. The proposed project focuses on building marginalised people’s agency and platform for upholding their dignity, for supporting their livelihood promotion, and for enhancing their capacity to claim their right to public services and resources in the mentioned areas.

 

Goal: Rights, entitlements and dignity of marginalised and excluded landless people enhanced.

 

Outcomes:

• The marginalised landless and excluded people i.e. Fisher folks, widow, elderly persons, people belonging to the ethnic minority Rishi Community and persons with disabilities of Assasuni and Satkhira Sadar Upazila received public services, resources and facilities (e.g. safety-net, Income Generating Activities (IGA), land, water-bodies and legal service).

 

• The social status of the marginalised landless and excluded people i.e. Fisher folks, widow, elderly persons, people belonging to the ethnic minority Rishi Community and persons with disabilities of Assasuni and Satkhira Sadar Upazila advanced with specific focus on women and girls.

 

• The marginalised landless and excluded women and men i.e. Fisher folks, widow, elderly persons, people belonging to the ethnic minority Rishi Community and persons with disabilities of Assasuni and Satkhira Sadar Upazila have better livelihoods/income options.

 

• Pro-poor policies are evident and are properly implemented.

 

 

 

 

 

Output and Major activities:

Outputs:

1)         Marginalized landless people and Fisher folk are organised through their active agencies and are more capable of claiming their rights in accessing Khas land and Khas water bodies.

 

2)         Duty-bearers of public service institutions are more sensitised and responsive towards providing services (i.e. legal and safety net) and resources (i.e. Khasland and Khas Water bodies) to marginalized landless and ethnic minority communities (Rishi)

 

3)         The level of awareness and sensitisation of the members of the marginalised landless people and Fisher folk groups on gender equality and VAWG improved.

 

4)         The Leadership and wider participation capacity of the marginalised landless people and Fisher folk groups and members of the excluded ethnic minority community (men and women) developed.

 

5)         The skills of the marginalised landless people and Fisher folk groups and members of the excluded ethnic minority community developed on IGA.

 

6)         The marginalised landless people and Fisher folk groups and members of the excluded ethnic minority community receiving financial support from government and non-government financial Institutions.

 

7)         Evidences produced as best practices and resource materials developed to effectively facilitate awareness, policy advocacy and lobbying.

 

8)         People’s opinion at national and local levels on responsive public services built and steps taken for policy implementation/change

 

Major Activities:

1. Inception, Staff orientation and capacity Building

2. Formation, capacity building and mobilization of 64 Marginalized People's Groups (MPGs) and their Forum (6 Union People's Forum) at Union level and (2 Upazilla People's Forum) at Upazilla level involving 80% marginalized women for the advancement of their rights.

3. Facilitate the settlement of 400 acres of khasland and khaswater body among marginalized farmers BHHs families (80% women)

4. Advocacy, lobby and campaign initiative for sensitizing and rapport building with the LEBs and with the Local Administration and increased access of the marginalised people to quality public services to ensure their rights.

5. Provide livelihood support to 680 beneficiary families (100% women) and linking them with existing Micro Finance Institution.

 

Direct beneficiaries: 1600 extreme poor landless day labourer, farmers and fisher-folk (80% women)

 

Major Stakeholders: Marginalised People’s Group, Marginalised People’s Forums (Union and Upazila), LG & LEB; Local Administration; Implementing organisation

 

Total Budget: BDT= 9,455,948.00  

Approximate budget (Administrative cost): BDT= 558,113.00

Approximate budget (Programme cost): BDT= 8,897,835.00

 

 

 

Project Description:

1. Background, rationale and problem analysis:

Poor people in Bangladesh are yet to receive adequate public services to lift them out of poverty. As a result almost 40 million people in the country are poor. Satkhira Sadar and Assasuni Upazila of Satkhira district are part of the extreme poverty zones of our country. Here the poverty head count is 43.1 (Sadar) and 48.4% (Assasuni) which is much higher the national poverty percentage. 97% of the population of Assasuni live in rural areas and the primary employment of 76.8% people are agriculture and 41.66% people are landless.In Sadar Upazilla the rural population is 75.7% and 51.8% people’s primary employment is Agriculture with 50.06 landless.So there is a big gap between the percentages of people whose employment depends on land and the percentage of people who are landless. Therefore, it is obvious that 26% and 17.6% of the people of Sadar and Assasuni Upazilas are living in extreme poverty respectively. This is much higher than the national average (12.9%). These are evidences that tell the fact that poor people in this Upazila are not getting adequate public services especially in social safety net and access to khasland and khaswater bodies. Also the learning of the applicant organisation having experience in working in the Upazilla and people is that the poor people of the Upazila lacks awareness and the voice to demand for their rights due to absence of their agency widely in the area. In some cases where there are people’s agencies, the quality of service has improved. Therefore, the dignity and rights of the poor people are violated and they are deprived of accessing their right to public services and resources. In order to address this, the proposed project focuses on building marginalised people’s agency and platform for upholding their dignity, for supporting their livelihood promotion, and for enhancing their capacity to claim their right to public services and resources.

 

2. Previous experience on proposed project issue:

The applicant organising is working with the poor and marginalised people and advocating for their rights through wide range of interventions since its inception. These interventions cover from strengthening local government, access to public services and resources, disaster response, education support, to water and sanitation programme. Organising poor people’s group as their rights bargaining unit, building their capacity and mobilise them to address social issues are part of core programme of the applicant organisation. Therefore the organisation has a long history of successful community engagement and in ensuring their right to public services and resources. 

From 2005 to 2008 successfully implemented the Strengthening Community Rights and Empowerment project supported by VSO. This project was on Local government strengthening, facilitating open budget sessions, and to lobby for poor people’s increased access to safety net programmes.

From 2005 – 2008 the organisation also successfully implemented the Strengthening Community Rights and Empowerment project supported by VSO. This project was also on Local government strengthening, facilitating open budget sessions, and to lobby for poor people’s increased access to safety net programmes

From 2004 to 2013 the organisation successfully implemented the Asserting Popular Access and Rights to Resources in Southwest Bangladesh -APAR project supported by UKAid-MJF. This project is also focused on ensuring access of landless and hard-core poor people to common resources; khasland distribution, cash support, skill and social development and training

Sustained and Expanded Effort to Make the Ultra Poor Out of Extreme Poverty by Transferring Assets, Cash and Skill in an Integrated Approach (SEMPTI) Project funded by DFID-EEP/SHIREE from 2009 to 2016. This project also undertaken by the applicant was focused on Khas Land and khaswater body distribution, Livelihood Support, IGA support, Cash and Asset support, Nutrition Support, skill and technical support especially to the poor women in Assasuni and Sadar Upazila of Satkhira district.

The above mentioned interventions that are integral part of the applicant’s experience are aligned with the proposed project issues.

 

3. Project Goal: Poor marginalised vulnerable people enjoy better quality of life in a well government institutional environment.

 

4. Outcomes:

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• The marginalised landless and excluded people i.e. Fisher folks, widow, elderly persons, people belonging to the ethnic minority Rishi Community and persons with disabilities of Assasuni and Satkhira Sadar Upazila received public services, resources and facilities (e.g. safety-net, Income Generating Activities (IGA), land, water-bodies and legal service).

 

• The social status of the marginalised landless and excluded people i.e. Fisher folks, widow, elderly persons, people belonging to the ethnic minority Rishi Community and persons with disabilities of Assasuni and Satkhira Sadar Upazila advanced with specific focus on women and girls.

 

• The marginalised landless and excluded women and men i.e. Fisher folks, widow, elderly persons, people belonging to the ethnic minority Rishi Community and persons with disabilities of Assasuni and Satkhira Sadar Upazila have better livelihoods/income options.

 

• Pro-poor policies are evident and are properly implemented.

 

5. Outputs with specific activities:

Output	Activities
(a) Marginalized landless people and Fisher folk are organised through their active agencies and are more capable of claiming their rights in accessing Khas land and Khas water bodies.	Base line survey Project Inception Marginalized People’s Group (MPG) Training on of MPGs on Rights, Advocacy & Campaign, Leadership and Group Mgt; Khasland law and mgt. Rights protection and livelihood enhancement planning by the MPGs. Formation of Union People’s Forum (UNPF) Quarterly meeting of UNPF Formation of Upazila People’s Forum (UZPF) Quarterly meeting of UZPF Khasland and Khas Water bodies Settlement, Application and other processing (725 application 80% women). Legal support (Salish & land issues) to 80  beneficiary families (all women)
(b) Duty-bearers of public service institutions are more sensitised and responsive towards providing services (i.e. legal and safety net) and resources (i.e. Khasland and Khas Water bodies) to marginalized landless and ethnic minority communities (Rishi).	- Quarterly lobby meetings with LEBs and Local administration on responsive public services i.e. Safety Net and Khas Land and Khas water body's distribution. - Regular Coordination and communication with Union and Upazilla Land Office -Advocacy with Government office regular communication between UZPF and the DC office to lobby on poor people’s access to land
(c) The level of awareness and sensitisation of the members of the marginalised landless people and Fisher folk groups on gender equality and VAWG improved.	Orientation of UZPF on gender equality, VAWG Rights, Advocacy and Campaign. Gender Audit. Observance of International Women's Day.
(d) The Leadership and wider participation capacity of the marginalised landless people and Fisher folk groups and members of the excluded ethnic minority community (men and women) developed.	- Orientation of UNPF on leadership, gender equality and VAWG, Khasland law and Development. - Orientation and Capacity Development of UNPF and UZPF members on Social Auditing and Score Card development. - Undertaking Social Audit and Development of Score Card by the respective UNPF on Government Safety Net Service and on Khasland distribution to poor and marginalized people.
(e) The skills of the marginalised landless people and Fisher folk groups and members of the excluded ethnic minority community developed on IGA.	- Skill Training on IGA Management and Business plan development to 510 beneficiaries
(f) The marginalised landless people and Fisher folk groups and members of the excluded ethnic minority community receiving financial support from government and non-government financial Institutions.	- 20 Income Generating Activities (IGA) Support for women especially widow and person with Disability (PWD), etc. - Linking 510 skill training receiver with the existing Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs) for receiving capital support for initiating business.
(g) Evidences produced as best practices and resource materials developed to effectively facilitate awareness, policy advocacy and lobbying	- Development of IEC materials to sensitize people in the working areas on right to public services. (Flip Chart-5, Calender-300; Poster-500, 4 billboards on score card. - Writing Stories of Change-50 cases as part of Follow up on beneficiary progress through regular monitoring.
(h) People’s opinion at national and local levels on responsive public services built and steps taken for policy implementation/change.	- Upazilla level sharing, validation and collation of the findings of the social audit exercise on Safety Net Programme and the Khasland distribution services. - Yearly Dialogue (1st & 2nd year) with local authorities and CSO actors on findings of social audit and score card exercise to advocate and lobby on people’s demand for policy changes and pro-poor public services. - Folksong and street drama programmes based on Social Audit findings for raising mass awareness and building constituency to advocate for responsive and pro-poor public service delivery. - Bhumi mela/festival. - Day observation /Rally and Memorandum/ mass petition Submission to district administration and policy makers at District/Upazila level for effective and responsive public services for the poor.

 

6. Description of each major activities

1. Inception, Staff orientation and capacity Building

The applicant organisation will recruit relevant staff and provide basic training to the programme and finance staffs. During basic training a detailed implementation plan; a detailed monitoring and evaluation (M&E) plan and a baseline survey plan will be developed.

A baseline survey will be carried out to understand the poverty context and for beneficiary selection.

Project inception meetings will be organised at Upazila and District level to share project objectives with the LEBs, Government Officers and Civil Society members.

The project team will then receive trainings on Social Development Rights, Advocacy, Social Auditing and Campaign; on Leadership and Group Management; on Khas land law and management and on gender equality, VAWG and Development.

The project team will meet on monthly basis to review progress based on staff monthly reports, address challenges, update monthly plan and to discuss on way forward.

An exposure visit is planned for the project team in order for them to learn from similar other intervention or to receive further capacity input for effective implementation of the project.

 

2. Formation, capacity building and mobilization of 64 Marginalized People's Groups (MPGs) and their Forum (4 Union People's Forum) at Union level and (2 Upazilla People's Forum) at Upazilla level involving 80% marginalized women for the advancement of their rights.

Marginalized People’s Group (MPG) Formation: 64 groups will be formed with 80% women participation and their capacity will be developed on Rights, Advocacy & Campaigning Leadership and Group Management on gender equality, VAWG and Development and on Khasland law and management.

 

Rights protection and livelihood enhancement planning by the MPGs: Each of the 64 MPGs will develop their group plans on claiming public service on Social Safety net and access to Khasland & Khas Water bodies.

 

Formation and orientation of UNPF and UZPF: In order to take forward the MPG interventions on a more organised way, their corresponding platforms at Union and Upazilla level will be formed. A total of 4 Union People's Forum and 2 Upazilla People's Forum will be formed. The Forums will receive orientation on Rights to public services, leadership, Advocacy & Campaign and on gender equality, VAWG and Development issues

 

Quarterly meeting of UNPF and UZPF: The Upazila and Union Forums will meet on quarterly basis to make advocacy and lobby plans in implementing the claims and demands of the MPG members with regards to their access to public services i.e. social safety net, khasland and khaswater bodies and IGA. Also addressing their social issues including Gender based violence and VAWG.

 

3. Facilitate the settlement of 400 acres of khasland and khaswater body among marginalized farmers’ families (80% women)

Khasland & Khas Water bodies Settlement initiative: The project aims at facilitating advocacy initiative for the settlement of 400 acres of khasland and khaswater body among marginalised people. The project will support 725 direct beneficiaries and members of MPG to file application and carry out other relevant procedure towards settlement.

The project team and the UNPF and UZDF will maintain regular Coordination and communication with the Union and Upazilla Land Office as part of the lobby effort

Advocacy with Government office through regular communication and meetings between UZPF and the DC office will be organised

80 beneficiary families (all women) will receive Legal support in the form of Shalish and on land settlement issues

 

4. Advocacy, lobby and campaign initiative for sensitizing and rapport building with the LEBs and with the Local Administration and increased access of the marginalised people to quality public services to ensure their rights.

Orientation and Capacity Development sessions will be organised for the UNPF and UZPF members on Social Auditing and Score Card development

The UNPF members will undertake Social Audit and Develop Score Card on Government Safety Net Service and on Khasland distribution to poor and marginalized people

The UZPF will support in anchoring the Upazilla level sharing, validation and collation of the findings of the social audit exercise on Safety Net Programme and the Khasland distribution services

The UNPF, the UZPF and the MPG members of will jointly participate in Human Chain programme in favour of responsive and pro-poor Safety Net Programme and Khasland distribution services based on social audit exercise.

Quarterly lobby meetings will be organised with LEBs and Local administration on responsive public services i.e. Safety Net and Khas Land distribution. The UZPF will participate and anchor these meetings.

With support from the MPGs and their platforms, Yearly Dialogue (1^st & 2^nd year) will be organised with local authorities and CSO actors on the findings of the social audit and score card exercise to advocate and lobby on people’s demand for policy changes and pro-poor public services

Advocacy events i.e. Day observation /Rally and Memorandum/ mass petition Submission to district administration and policy makers at District/Upazila level will be initiated for effective and responsive public services for the poor

In order to produce Knowledge based evidence for policy advocacy and lobbying IEC materials  i.e. Flip Chart-5, Poster-500, Calender-300 and  4 billboard on score card will be developed to sensitize people in the working areas on right to public services.

In order to raise mass awareness and building constituency to advocate for responsive and pro-poor public service delivery Folksong and street drama programmes will be organised based on Social Audit findings

The marginalised people and their platforms will participate in yearly Bhumi mela/festival where all information will be exchanged on land rights and availability of khasland and khaswater bodies. Also on sharing of best practices in terms of making optimum use of the land received through settlement.

 

5. Provide livelihood support to 680 beneficiary families (100% women) and linking them with existing Micro Finance Institution.

510 members of the MPGs will receive IGA skill training on IGA Management and Business plan development. The Skill Trainings will be organised on IGA Management and Business plan development on Multi culture training(linkage with Upazilla Agriculture Office); Goat Rearing training (linkage with Upazilla Livestock Office); Beef fattening training (linkage with Upazilla Livestock Office) and on Multi cultural training (linkage with Upazilla Livestock Office).

 

IGA Support: 20 extreme poor women and women with disability will receive BDT-10,000 Taka each as IGA Support to take forward their skill based business plan.

 

Linking beneficiaries with Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs): The remaining 510 skill training receivers will be linked with the existing Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs) for receiving capital support for initiating business

 

Writing Stories of Change:50 case stories will be developed part of Follow up on beneficiary progress through regular monitoring. This will also act as reference and Knowledge based evidence for future small entrepreneurs to learn and replicate.

 

7. Project implementation strategies. (project approach should specify how it will address the gender inequalities based on needs and strategic interests)

The project is focused on ensuring poor and marginalised people’s rights to public services and resources. The approaches adhered by the project in attain the goal are marginalised people’s agency and platform building; supporting their economic development; supporting awareness and advocacy efforts on access to public services and resources through assessment of quality delivery of public services and resources especially i.e. social safety net and khas land and khas water body distribution.

The project is focused on women empowerment and their economic development. Around 80% of the direct beneficiaries are women. It is perceived that in an extreme poverty stricken area, the women will be more marginalised, discriminated and excluded from service than men. Therefore, the project focused on more providing more support to women in order to bring forth a balance society.

 

8. Linkages with relevant national and international instruments including specific goals and targets of SDGs

The project will work with poor people and their agencies and platform in order to facilitate them to take steps to overcome their poverty through economic empowerment and through their increased access public services and resources. Also there will be attempts to make the services i.e. Social Safety Net and khasland and khaswater body more accountable and responsive through social auditing. This refers to the importance of proper implementation of the Right to Information Act in improving the quality of government services.

As far as international instruments are concerned, the project is linked to the Universal Human Rights Declaration.  The project is also strongly linked to SDG 1 (End poverty in all its forms everywhere).  Also there is partial link with SDG 5 (Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls) as is focuses on women’s empowerment. In addition the project has distant linkage with SDG 8 and 10 as it will focus on reducing income inequality and promote dignity.

 

9. Types of stakeholders and justification of involvement with the project

Primary Stakeholders: The primary stakeholders are poor and marginalised people (80% women) and their organisation (MPG) and their platforms (UNPF and UZPF). In the project area 44.8% people are living below the poverty line. 76.8% people’s income depend agriculture but 41.66% people are landless. Therefore, the proposed action is planned to build people’s agency and platform, ensure their capacity development so that they may work as a cohesive group and claim for their rights together. Also number of beneficiary will require direct support to help them improve their life and livelihood. Therefore plans are made to make sure that they get access to services and resources and input for economic development.  

Secondary Stakeholders: Secondary stakeholders are the members of civil society and other community members who will be benefited through the awareness and knowledge sharing components of the project.

 

10. Identification of gender dimension in proposed project

The project plans to build the capacity of the beneficiaries on gender equality, VAWG. The MPGs will address the violation of women’s rights and gender based violence issues in their Rights protection and livelihood enhancement planning so that there are lesser incidences of gender discrimination. 80% of the MPG members will be women. In short the total project is planned to promote women empowerment in terms of awareness, mobilisation and livelihood promotion. This action in the end would contribute in promoting gender sensitivity and bringing gender equality in the intervening communities.

 

11. Inclusion and diversity aspects considered in the project

The project is entirely focused on ensuring the rights and dignity of the poor and marginalised people. This could be termed as addressing inclusion. Also 80% of the direct beneficiaries of the project are women and will receive special training for their livelihood promotion and increased income. All beneficiaries who will receive direct IGA support are extreme poor women and women with disability. This is how the inclusion and diversity aspects are inbuilt in the project.

 

12. Affiliation with other networks/alliances/platforms

Name of the networks/alliances/platforms	Types of representation	Duration
Upazilla NGO Coordination Committee	Secretary	4 years
ADAB District Committee	Secretary	2 years
Upazilla Agricultural Committee	Member	3 years
Upazilla disaster committee	Member	3 years

 

 

 

 

13. Geographic locations with direct beneficiaries:-

Name of district	Name of  Upazila	No of Unions	No of Ward/ villages	Type of Beneficiaries	Number of Direct Beneficiaries
					Male	Female	Boy	Girl
Satkhira	Satkhira Sadar	1	14	Extreme poor landless farmer, day labour,  fish-folk BHHs (80% Women)	75	250	-	-
	Assasuni	5	52	Extreme poor landless farmer, day labour,  fish-folk BHHs (80% Women)	325	950	-	-