Rajshahi: Speakers at a meeting today called for strengthening local advocacy platforms to ensure citizens’ rights, improve access to public services, and address challenges faced by marginalized communities. They emphasized the importance of robust advocacy platforms in promoting women’s and children’s rights, preventing child marriage, and ensuring transparency and accountability in local service delivery institutions.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, these observations were made during the annual conference of the Rajshahi Divisional Advocacy Platform held at Historic Bodhho Bihar in Badalgachhi Upazila of Naogaon district. The event was organized by DASCOH Foundation under its “Thriving through Equity, Economic Empowerment and Climate Resilience (THRIVE) project” with support from HEKS/EPER Bangladesh.
Dewan Muhammad Badiuzzaman chaired the conference, which featured addresses by Bimal Chandra Rajwad, Ganesh Mardi, Yeasmin Sultana, Azadul Islam, Farhana Parveen, and THRIVE project focal person Modon Das. Platform leaders and workers from Rajshahi, Naogaon, Natore, Joypurhat, and Chapai Nawabganj participated in the event.
The THRIVE project seeks to empower marginalized communities, particularly Dalits and Adivashis, by improving access to rights, socio-economic opportunities, and climate resilience. It aims to create an enabling environment for their social, cultural, and economic well-being, promote inclusive governance, and expand access to entitlements.
Additionally, the project focuses on improving livelihoods through climate-adaptive agriculture, alternative income sources, and market linkages, while strengthening communities’ resilience to climate change and disasters, especially in the areas of water, environment, health, nutrition, and sanitation.