Turning a blind eye, remaining silent or suppressing are typical behaviors that enable human rights violations. Whether it is corruption and nepotism in local politics, exploitation or abuse and child marriages.

In the focus area "Defending Human Rights", project participants found human rights groups. Their members are trained in legal issues, learn how to obtain information from the authorities and take action against injustice in the community. They act as confidants for all people in the area and advise them. Over the course of a project, the human rights groups grow into important local institutions that keep a watchful eye on the powerful and help disadvantaged villagers living in poverty to obtain justice.

What does this look like in concrete terms? The groups act when alcohol, drugs or gambling become a problem in the village. They intervene in cases of domestic violence and the marriage of girls and boys. The members form strong networks and establish contacts with authorities, administrations and the police. This enables them to raise the concerns of people who would otherwise not be heard by government agencies. Victim protection also plays an important role. The human rights activists help victims of injustice and violence by accompanying them to the police and supporting them. They also establish contact with lawyers. In role plays, they practice with people how to make inquiries and requests or how to make statements. The network extends from the community level to the district level and the National Platform for Conflict Transformation. In this way, the groups strengthen democracy - incidentally also by organizing events and demonstrations on important days such as International Women's Day or to protect indigenous minorities.

Dealing with conflict - securing peace

An important part of human rights work is dealing with conflicts, understanding their causes and transforming them in a nonviolent way. This active conflict management can make valuable contributions to social peace. Whether the issue is the use of land or natural resources such as fish ponds, the aim is to analyze the needs of all parties to the conflict and seek approaches that can prevent escalation and violence. As part of NETZ projects, villagers as well as civil society and state actors - for example from the police, local government and local councils - take part in training sessions. In the course of one project, a land conflict in Dinajpur that had been going on for decades was monitored. There, an influential family claimed cultivation land that had been used for generations by members of the indigenous Santal group. The project participants analyzed the causes of the conflict and worked with the conflicting parties to develop proposals for a peaceful settlement. This resulted in a training manual that now serves as the basis for future training courses.

What we plan to do in 2022

Rights violations - especially against women and girls - are on the rise. NETZ continues to closely monitor the human rights situation and support those affected. We would like to support 802 human rights committees and 152 human rights aggro groups in schools. We would also like to further strengthen the work of the national platform for conflict transformation in Bangladesh.