Mostofa Kamal, Project Coordinator, PROSPECT Project		01716963886		House# 167, Road#1,Dhap, kotkipara, Rangpur
Economic Empowerment, Livelihood & Food Security
Types of Program		: Right Based
Registration		: --
Network		: --
Donor		: NETZ Partnership for Development and Justice (NETZ):
Program Aim		: Human Rights Defenders and public authorities are strengthened to protect and promote rights of marginalised communities in 6 districts and on national level in Bangladesh.
Program Budget		: N/A
Program Area		: 01. Parbatipur & Phulbari Upazila under Dinajpur District. 02. Rangpur Sadar & Gangachara Upazila under Rangpur District.

1. 12,500 HRDs from local to national level are capaciated to protect and promote rights of marginalized communities in 12 sub-districts and to engage in conflict-sensitive democratic dialogue with public authorities
2. HRDs organized in 378 civil society organizations (CSOs) from local to national level and in 72 high schools in 12 sub-districts are visible and recognized as important civic actors for the protection and promotion of human rights of marginalized communities.
3. Effective cooperation mechanisms between CSOs and public authorities from local to national level exist for the promotion of inclusive development and the protection of the rights of marginalized communities Project finished on 2023

Civil society in Bangladesh is subject to massive repression; the Atlas of Civil Society (2019) classifies the country as "oppressed". This is accompanied by the fact that civil society networks for the protection of human rights are largely inactive. Human Rights Defenders (HRD) face a massive increase in threats, violence and repression. The programme districts show very high rates of violence against women (e.g. domestic violence, rape, child marriage), religious minorities and indigenous groups (e.g. land seizure, expulsion, destruction of houses and religious sites); local and regional authorities are characterised by corruption and lack of accountability. There is a significant deficit in HRD in terms of capacities, structures and networks for its work to protect the rights of marginalised groups and for conflict-sensitive dialogue with government public authorities