Mid-Term Review Report of Core projects of Ain o Salish Kendra (2007-2010)

The Project

Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) is a legal aid and human rights organization, its aims and activities have developed over twenty-two years to create mass awareness on human rights, provides free legal aid for the disenfranchised, protection of child workers, training on legal and human rights for NGO staff and group members, facilitates community activism against human rights violation, conducts action research, investigation and documentation, and launches advocacy and media campaigns. ASK’s vision/goal is to establish rule of law based on principles of equality, democracy, human rights, justice and gender equality. Its objective is to create an enabling environment for demanding good governance, non-discrimination and social justice. Supported by many donors, including Norway, ASK is implementing its program through different units and projects, through direct implementation, partnership and networking with other organizations.

Interesting Findings

• The review team finds that there is significant lacking persisting in linkages between efforts by different units, and at different levels of program implementation. Efforts of different units are making significant contribution in achieving goals and purpose. But more integrated approach by different units can help increase both effectiveness and efficiency of the program at field and national level.

• ASK should identify its long term objective and strategy to reach the objectives. Regarding the catalytic role of ASK, the team states that ASK plays an active role in addressing human rights violation cases. However, they find that if more human rights organizations can be involved in the program, the goal can be achieved in a more efficient and effective manner. ASKs strategy in this regard can be defined.

• Although program document contains sufficient output and process indicators to measure program activities, it is noticed that there are lacking indicators that can help measure program effect and impacts. It may help in monitoring program progress if indicators given in logical framework matrix is revised and more indicators are added regarding short and long term effect and impact measurement.

• Holistic monitoring system is not yet established, every units are monitoring output wise activities. Overall monitoring of the program may require analysis of (MIS) information from program purpose and goal perspective. Proper and systematic information flow from field can help preparing analytical monitoring reports. It is also required to develop process documentation to see the changes and will help follow-up activities.

• ASK organizes regular sharing meeting with local level service providers (police, local government representatives, court). As a result, attitude of the service providers towards client has been changed and victim getting service in short time with minimum expenditure and getting very supportive environment in police station. These services contribute to establish women rights in their private lives as well as they are getting financial support against “den mohar and children’s’

bharon poshan” (dower and child maintenance). It will also contribute to implement existing law in favor of women.

• in Dhaka city pre-primary education and extra-curricular activities are helping working children’s proper development. Afterwards, many children are admitted to regular education system in different schools, impacting positively for changing their future. They are now aware about their rights and they are claiming for it. Family members’ interest for continuing their education is also created. Aims of drop-in centre education need, however, to be fixed and more focused. How the drop-in centre education and other extra-curricular activities will link in protecting working children from abuse and exploitation needs more clarity.

• ASK is playing the key role on national human rights concern areas through Universal Periodic Review process and using effectively its international linkages. ASKs initiatives are internationally recognized by different international human rights groups. The Human Rights country report prepared by ASK is appraised internationally. Different international groups are using it as advocacy tool as well as ASK also using it as tool for international advocacy. Investigation and documentation of different cases also being used for international advocacy. As a result of these advocacy initiatives, human rights commission in Bangladesh is formed by the government. ASK played lead role and they did continuous advocacy for the last couple of years nationally and internationally.