Dignity Kit Distribution Leading of Women at LRP-52 Areas

Udayankur Seba Sangstha (USS) & Action Aid Bangladesh are committed to ensure the women rights & their protection and development. From this commitment USS is implementing the various types of activities; women lead dignity kit distribution to their right holders is one of these.

Objectives of the dignity kit distribution event:

• To decrease the traditional practices on health and hygiene of rural adolescents girls and women through using the dignity kit.
• To increase the critical awareness on sexual reproductive health rights (SRHR) among the women living in poverty.

Description of the Event:  Project Coordinator of Women Initiative for Community Development (W4CD) project of LRP 52 areas under USS organized orientation and meeting with staffs and right holders after getting the final commitment from Action Aid Bangladesh. W4CD project team agreed to discuss some issues like right holder selection process, dignity kit distribution planning and communication with government official.

 Right holder selection criteria are below to:

• Age will be of women up to 16 to 45 years.
•  Divorcé, women headed and mostly vulnerable.
• Flood effected household.
• Person with disability women and youth.
•  Sponsor child mothers are preferable.
• Avoided duplication with others organization such as solidarity and others.

W4CD team took decision to select right holder through participatory selection process following above set selection criteria. The team formed two type of committee one is union committee and another is distribution centre committee. The project team formed two union committee and six centre committee. Committee members were fully responsible to distribution process and USS was playing the role as a facilitator. They had planned to distribution the dignity kit on 24^th August’2019 at Shimulbari union and 25^th August’2019 at Borovita union under Phulbari upazila of Kurigram district. Women lead Committee members were distributed 420 dignity kit at Shimulbari union and 630 dignity kit at Borovita union to selected right holders with the facilitation of W4CD project team members and USS head office representatives as per plan.     

 They have developed some measure during distribution the kit which are bellow to;

• Conduct orientation session regarding use of dignity materials.
• Arrange breast feeding corner facility for lactation mothers.
• Available emergency health services for right holder and children.
• Develop the complain response mechanism.
• Providing drinking water and toilet facility for participants.

Role of local government organization for distribution the dignity kit:

Md. Golam Rabbani Sarker, Upazila chaiman of Phulbari Upazila of Kurigram district was present as a chief guest at Borovita union. He thanks to USS and Action Aid Bangladesh for extension their helping hand for the poor people of Shimulbari and Borovita unions and he will be providing support to AAB and USS. Respective union parisad chairmen Md. Khaybor Ali Mia, and Md Ezeher Ali were present and overseas the distribution process.  

Some expressions after getting dignity kit:

• I am happy to receive the dignity kit, it was very important as a women but I have no ability to purchase the dignity kit. USS and AAB has provided to the dignity kit to us. Thanks to USS and AAB.---- Radha Rani Ray- Darar par Borovita.
•  Previously we used the traditional material during ministration period, we participate the orientation session, we learn more regarding what initiative will be taken during ministration period and practices health hygiene as per learning from here.... Arifa Khatun- Ramprasrd , Shimulbari union.
•  I am very happy to played the role as a union convener and playing active role to distribution process, it was great opportunity of mine to free and fare right holder selection process.---- Nurzahan Khatun- Borovita union.     

Reflection on difnity kit distribution event.

• 1050 women young girls are committed to practice the health and hygiene in their family level.
•  Print media published the news on the event.
• Democratic space & linkage between women and local government has created on their development issues.

Challenge & Limitations:

• Don’t coverage the whole communities that’s why we tackle the pressure from local government and others communities.

Future direction:

• Whole vulnerable eligible household should include as right holder for emergency support.