Shamim Ferdous, Jason Mckey, Qazi Afroza Sultana, Rabiul Islam Bangladesh Prothibondhi Foundation and Job Placement Ltd Australia Empowerment of Disabled Adolescent Girls in Rural Bangladesh 1

Population : 162,221,000 million (July 2009) Growth rate : 1.47% per year Population density: 1165 peopleper sq. km. Population density: 1165 people per sq. km. Adolescent : 23% of the total Population Adolescent girl : 13.8 million Total Female Aged 5 yrs and Above : 48% Male : 52% Facts of Bangladesh 2

Contd. Per Capita Income :US $ 695 Rural Population : 87 % Rural Poverty decline: 53% from 44% Below poverty line : 40% (around) Total Health Expenditures per capita : US $ 58 Source: South Asia.one world.net Nov 10,

Women: >70% Lives in rural areas 92.05% are illiterate, poor, ill-fed and socially repressed :50% work in rice cultivation Children (below 18yrs) :61.75 million (45 %) Child Labor: 17.5% (7.4 million >5-17 yrs) : 52.6% ( 5-14 yrs) Children work in rural :77% (BBS,ILO estimates ) 4

Disability Scenario Prevalence rate : 10% (14 million) (WHO Estimated) of any disability Some form of impairment : 14.04% (Action Aid Bangladesh, 1996) Women with Disabilities : 6.9 million of total population Source: South Asia.one world.net Nov 10,

Education Enrolment of Young Women with a Disability Primary School 36% Secondary School 13% University Education 3.7% 6

The Government of Bangladesh signed and ratified the optional protocol to the CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of All form of Discrimination Against Women) making it the first country in South Asia on 6 September, 2000 to do so. 10% quota reserved for people with a disability in the gazetted positions (source : Ministry of establishment August 2004) Actual Outcome 2% disabled people are involved in employment at a Government level. Government policy on employment 7

Source: Bangladesh Perspective: State of human rights & women with disabilities Women and girls with disabilities in Employment 8

Source: Bangladesh Perspective: State of human rights & women with disabilities Social Participation : Women and Girls with disabilities 53.5% expressed an interest to participate in games, sports and social activities. Among them only 7.1% actually participate in games and sports and, only 23% participate in social activities. 9

Source: Bangladesh Perspective: State of human rights & women with disabilities Marriage: 63 % of young women are married by age 19. Only 2% of young women with a disability are married by the same age. Arranged marriages are common and young women with a disability are discriminated against because they are seen as a liability. Large dowries are often required. 10

Source: Bangladesh Perspective: State of human rights & women with disabilities Abuse: Prevalence of any Abuse (women & girls disability) 92% Emotional abuse (women) 78% Emotional abuse (girl) 75% Physical abuse (both) 82% Sexual abuse (women) 32% Sexual abuse (girls) 37% 11

Health Situation Growth rate1.6 Daily death rate due to malnutrition 600 Chronic malnutrition50% of the women population Anemia50% of the women population Getting equal food35% women with disability Source: Bangladesh Perspective: State of human rights & women with disabilities 12

Strategies to empower the disabled Adolescent Girls Educational empowerment Health Social empowerment Economic empowerment Life skill training 13

Educational Empowerment Video Clip 14

Life Skill Training Video Clip 15

Social Empowerment Video Clip 16

Social Empowerment 17

Video Clip School Lunch 18

Health Screening Video Clip 19

Annual cost for assisting 170 students at the school $10,000AU $ 8,900 US 7,000 Eur 20

Economical Empowerment Video Clip 21

In 2008 the Bangladesh Protibondhi Foundation and Job Placement Ltd commenced a zero interest micro-credit project. The project focused on providing cattle for milk production for the most marginalised families. One prime difference is that the cattle would belong to the children with a disability and their mothers. The extended family would benefit from the additional income. Repayment of loan over 3 years with the first 6 months repayment free. The prime objective of the project was to empower young people with a disability thus overcoming dependency and poverty. 22

Impact of microfinance on living standards, empowerment and poverty alleviation of children with disabilities and their families 23

Video Clip Parul ‘What a difference a cow makes’ 24

Video Clip Asma “Beyond the Success” 25

Video Clip Marzia “Cattle rearing to dig out of poverty” 26

Video Clip Tanni ‘Moving Forward' 27

28 Mother and Daughter

A Comparison between Present and Previous Monthly in come of 5 Adolescent Girls and their families Marzia 29

30 Fish Farming

Cost of Micro-Credit Program $400 AU per Family $380 US per Family 290 EUR per Family 31

Conclusion 32