She Power Project

Bangladesh is a small post-conflict country in South Asia, which became independent in 1971 after being a British colony. The road to independence was long and bloody, and the country is today considered among the least developed countries in the world.
It is harder for girls than for boys to enjoy their basic rights. Girls are often expected to do domestic work instead of going to school, and many girls are forced to marry and have children while they are still children themselves.
– In Bangladesh, men are traditionally the power-holders and decision makers, both at home and at community level. Girls are the least powerful family members and their concerns are less likely to be heard. In times of financial constraints, boys will be prioritized.
SDVP aims to increase girls' and women's participation in local decision-making. Since gender-based violence is one of the biggest challenges to the participation of girls and women, the project also works to reduce gender-based violence in Bangladesh
Domestic violence is another huge issue. Some parents see corporal punishment as an acceptable way of disciplining their children. Girls' responsibilities are traditionally within the house, and their ‘work days’ start earlier and finish later than the boys' days. The tasks are often hard and sometimes dangerous, as fetching water and collecting firewood, which increases the likelihood to get punished in case they don’t manage the heavy workload.
Changing attitudes and traditional beliefs is sensitive, takes time and requires cultural understanding. SDVP uses an inclusive process where men, women, boys and girls are involved and together with local and religious leaders discuss social and traditional norms.
But how can girls' ability to influence local decision-making be increased in practise? SDVP creates forums at village and district level, where girls and women from different villages, government agencies, religious groups and the private sector are included. The forums are arenas for exchange of experience and networking, but also for education. The participants are trained in issues such as leadership, speech writing, advocacy, and how to run an election campaign.
The results have not been long in coming; some of the women who participated in the programmes are now part of decision-making bodies at different levels, and there is already an increase in the number of women nominated to become village leaders. In addition, the government recently announced that the SDVP model will be used in all of Bangladesh 21 Major Districts.
– The project has already achieved a remarkable success. There were already organizations in Bangladesh working on women's rights and gender equality, but until now there haven’t been initiatives that prepare girls to take leadership roles in the society. We believe that change for the coming generation starts with empowering the girls who will be tomorrow's women.
For this purpose we are going to start She Power Project to empower our girls.