On last 18 December, 2011 ECDO organized a workshop on Leadership Development & Human Rights for College and University going indigenous students. About 45 indigenous students from different community in Sylhet region participated in that workshop. Mr. Laskshmikanta Singh, Executive Director of ECDO made an introductory speech about his organization and its activities through a multimedia presentation.

Professor Dr. Faisal Ahmmed from Social work department, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology was present in that workshop as a resource person. He made two presentations on human rights and leadership. He also described the present situation of indigenous community on the context of Bangladesh and justified why training on leadership and human rights are important for indigenous students. He suggested the students to know about his/her community so that they can take necessary initiative and make plan for the development of their own community. Mr. Lakshmikanta said working on indigenous peoples he found most of the mainstream community peoples are also very much concern about the problems of indigenous peoples. So the leaders of indigenous peoples and others who are working for the development of indigenous community should work together with mainstream civil society members for getting their valuable support & cooperation to establish the rights of indigenous peoples. Further he suggests the indigenous students for establish good relationship with mainstream community students so that indigenous peoples can get their valuable support on indigenous issue. The students thanked to ECDO for organizing like this valuable workshop on leadership development for indigenous students. The participant students were from Khasi, Manipuri, Garo, Hajong, Pangal and some other community. ECDO was organized this workshop with support from Oxfam GB under its Support to Indigenous Peoples in Plan Land-SIPPL project.

A women leadership training was organized by ECDO during 10th -12th December 2011 in Sylhet. Twenty five women representatives from different indigenous Community Based Organizations (CBO) for women participated in the training. The main objective of this training was to develop their capacity to ensure women empowerment in the society. Advocate Sayeda Shirin Akhter, Divisional head of Sylhet Bangladesh National Women Lawyers Association (BNWLA) was present as the chief facilitator in the training. Advocate Zakia Jalal lawyer of Sylhet district Judge Court was also present as a facilitator of this three day long training. In this training session topics on women’s leadership, concept of development, present status of women on the context of Bangladesh, a brief discussion on violence against women, CEDAW, negative impact of early marriage etc were widely discussed before the participants. Two video clips related to women’s rights & violence against women was also shown as part of training session. At the last day, as part of the closing session, S. Rina Devi, President, Bangladesh Manipuri Mahila Samity, shared her experience how indigenous people fight for their rights and as woman how much struggle is to ensure rights. In his concluding speech, Mr. Lakshmikanta Singh Executive Director of ECDO, requested all participants to ensure proper utilization of knowledge and skills what they have learnt in the training for establish women rights in their respective societies for stopping violence against women and for ensuring their rights. This training program was organized by ECDO under its Support to Indigenous Peoples in Plain Land- SIPPL project funded by Oxfam GB.

A workshop was organized by ECDO on the importance of bi-lingual education for indigenous children. The workshop was held in a hotel conference hall at Sylhet city chaired by Mr. Lakshmikanta Singh Executive Director of ECDO on 28th November 2011. Community leaders, and influential personalities of indigenous groups in Sylhet area was the key participants of the workshop. As well as members of civil society, teachers and NGO representatives were also present in the workshop. Mr. N M Ziaul Alam, Divisional Commissioner of Sylhet Division was present as Chief Guest in that workshop. Mr. Khan Md. Bilal, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Sylhet, Mr. Abdur Rahman, Divisional Deputy Director of Primary Education department was also present as special guest.

Professor Dr. Faisal Ahmmed of Social Work department, Shahjalal University of Science & Technology, Sylhet presented key paper through multimedia presentation on the importance of bilingual education for indigenous children especially at primary level.  At the beginning of the workshop a presentation was also delivered by Mr. Lakshmikanta Singh about some achievement of community teachers’ recruitment project in government primary schools by ECDO since 2008 at Goainghat Upozela under Sylhet district. In his presentation he showed the gradual progress of indigenous children in the respective schools after recruitment of local indigenous teachers.

Just after this presentation Professor Faisal presented his key paper before the audience. He addressed the difficulties and challenges that are frequently encountered by indigenous children at the time of receiving primary education. Referring research findings he pointed out that mainly due to language barriers many of indigenous children can not continue education or can not learn school lesson properly.  In his presentation he shows why indigenous teacher is important for the better learning of indigenous student.

Mr. N M Ziaul Alam, Chief Guest of the workshop appreciated ECDO’s community teachers’ recruitment project. He ranked ECDO as an excellent organization which is doing very good job for ensuring primary education for indigenous children. Further he comments that the government should replicate ECDO’s model and can recruit indigenous teacher for ensuring quality education as well as to reduce drop-out rate among indigenous children. Mr. Khan Md. Bilal, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Sylhet assured ECDO for any kind of assistance in relation with their education project.  Mr. Abdur Rahaman Especial Guest also appreciated for the initiative taken by ECDO for better education of indigenous children. As a responsible person he showed his commitment to cooperate ECDO for continuing their project. This workshop was organized by ECDO with the support from Oxfam GB under Support to Indigenous Peoples in Plan Land – SIPPL project.

12 days long Skilled Development Training on Sewing, Block, Boutique was held on 19-30 November 2011 at Alaibahar & Bhararhat, Khadimnagar, Sylhet. The training session inaugurated by Mr. Abdul Mannan, Upozilla Youth Officer of Sylhet Sadar. The training session was inaugurated by Mr. Lakshmikanta Singh, Executive Director of ECDO with the Khadimnagor Union Member  Md. Nazim Uddin Imran as the special guest.

Chief Guest Mr. Abdul Mannan in his speech expressed his thanks to ECDO for this type of training session which will help to develop the adolescents skills . The training was a joint initiative of ECDO and Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) under Development Initiative to Promote Transforming Youth and Adolescents (DIPTYA) Project. A total number of 40 female adolescents took participate in these trainings.

Ethnic Community Development Organization – ECDO have launched Development Initiative to Promote Transforming Youth and Adolescents – DIPTYA project from 1st July 2011 with support from Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF).

Under this project 5 adolescent groups will be formed consisting 20 members each group and also a discussion session will be held with each adolescent group in every month.

In this monthly group meeting the facilitator will discuss on Human Rights, Women Rights, Child Rights & about Right to Information Act (RTI) to make aware about their rights among the adolescents.

Ethnic Community Development Organization-ECDO launched Development Initiative to Promote Transforming Youth and Adolescents – DIPTYA project from 1st July 2011 with support from Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF). It is a pilot project for ECDO with MJF. After one year capacity building trainings ECDO & MJF have an agreement for this pilot project. ECDO will arrange trainings on Income Generating Activities (IGA) for one hundred participants. All participants will be within the age limit of 15-24. The main objective of this project is 1. to develop skill for improving their socio economic status through income generating activities of young and adolescents, 2. to enhance the awareness on human rights and RTI of young and adolescents.

 Among these 100 participants 60 participants will select from women and 40 from men. They will also be ensuring about the awareness on the act of Right to Information and Women Rights as well as IGA training. ECDO will select most of the project participants from indigenous community. This project will be end on 31 March 2011 as per our agreement. It is extendable subject to our proper and quality implementation of the project.

Theme:

“Indigenous designs: celebrating stories and cultures, crafting our own future”

International Day of the World’s Indigenous People

In 1994, the General Assembly decided that the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People shall be observed on 9 August every year during the International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People (Resolution 49/214 of 23 December). The date marks the day of the first meeting, in 1982, of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations of the Subcommission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights.

The UN General Assembly had proclaimed 1993 the International Year of the World’s Indigenous People, and the same year, the Assembly proclaimed the International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People, starting on 10 December 1994 (Resolution 48/163). The goal of the First Decade was to strengthen international cooperation for solving problems faced by indigenous people in such areas as human rights, the environment, development, education and health.

In 2004, the UN General Assembly proclaimed a Second International Decade of the World’s Indigenous Peoples through Resolution 59/174. The goal of the Second Decade is to further the “strengthening of international cooperation for the solution of problems faced by indigenous people in such areas as culture, education, health, human rights, the environment, and social and economic development, by means of action-oriented programs and specific projects, increase technical assistance, and relevant standard-setting activities”.

Secretary-General’s Message for 2011

On the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, we reaffirm the rights of indigenous peoples and our shared commitment to advance the values of equity, justice and dignity for all.

Indigenous peoples represent remarkable diversity — 5,000 distinct groups in some 90 countries. They make up more than 5 per cent of the world’s population, some 370 million people. Together, they are custodians of a valuable and often fast-disappearing cultural heritage. We see their creativity and innovations in the arts, literature and the sciences. These contributions are highlighted by the theme of this year’s observance, “Indigenous designs: celebrating stories and cultures, crafting our own future”.

Indigenous peoples face many challenges in maintaining their identity, traditions and customs, and their cultural contributions are at times exploited and commercialized, with little or no recognition. We must work harder to recognize and strengthen their right to control their intellectual property, and help them to protect, develop and be compensated fairly for the cultural heritage and traditional knowledge that is ultimately of benefit to us all.

I encourage all Member States to take concrete steps to address the challenges facing indigenous peoples — including marginalization, extreme poverty and loss of lands, territories and resources. Countries should also commit to ending the grave human rights abuses that indigenous peoples encounter in many parts of the world.

As we look forward to the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples in 2014, I urge all Member States to work in full partnership with indigenous people to identify practical ideas and proposals for action at this important gathering.

Together, let us celebrate and recognize the stories, cultures and unique identities of indigenous peoples around the world. At the same time, let us work to strengthen their rights and support their aspirations.

                                                                                                                                                                          Ban Ki-Moon

A district level sharing meeting on Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation was organized by Ethnic Community Development Organization (ECDO) under the project of Capacity Strengthening on Community Managed Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation with support from Concern Universal Bangladesh (CUB) & Cordaid at Deputy Commissioner’s Conference Hall in Sylhet on 10th January 2011. Mr. Abu Sayed Mohammad Hashim, honorable Deputy Commissioner of Sylhet & Mr. Enamul Habib, Upozella Nirbahi Officer, Sylhet Sadar Upozella were present respectively as chief guest & special guest in that meeting. Mr. Lakshmikanta Singh, Executive Director of ECDO presided over the meeting. Besides of these there were present Environment activist, NGO activist, Lawyers, Human rights activists, Media personnel, students & other civil society members.
At the beginning of the meeting Mr. Masud Rana, Assistant Program Manager of CUB shared his experiences about different dimensions of disaster & how community peoples adopted after disaster through a multimedia presentation. After his presentation an open discussion was held with the active participation of the participants. Mr. Abu Sayed Mohammad Hashim honorable chief guest were emphasize to create proper awareness among the community peoples about the disaster and its management process.  He said any kinds of disaster are not possible to manage by only existing government mechanisms. Further he said to ensure  maximum risk reduction during disaster and climate change it needs proper coordination among government and non-government agencies. Mr. Enamul Habib special guest were also shared some of his experience about climate change and disaster. At the end of the meeting Mr. Singh said, ‘We should ensure awareness for every family about the different disaster and climate change adaptation strategy, so that every one can co-opt it easily with their lives’.  Ms. Konika Chakraborty, Project Officer of CUB was also present in the meeting. The whole meeting was conducted by Ms. Nongpoklai Sinha, Coordinator of ECDO.

The Human Rights Day is observed on the 10th December every year. On this day in 1948, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). To mark the Human Rights Day, Ethnic Community Development Organization (ECDO) organized a program on the 10th December, 2010 in Sylhet. This year the Human Rights Day is dedicated to the Human Rights Defenders who play a vital in the fight against discrimination. The theme of this year’s international celebration is Human Rights Defenders Taking Action to End Discrimination.