Adolescent Development Programme, BRAC

Bangladesh

Presentation BY Rashida Parveen

Sector Specialist, BRAC

Presentation Outline:

• BRAC an overview

• Adolescent in Bangladesh: Basic Facts

• Adolescent Development Program of BRAC

• Achievements

• Lesson learned

• Future Plan

BRAC An Overview

BRAC has founded by

Mr.Fazle Hasan Abed in 1972

It’s outreach covers all

64 districts of the country

It has been called upon to assist a number of countries including Afghanistan and Sri Lanka.

Four core components:

Economic Development Program Social Development Program Education Program Health Program

Adolescents in Bangladesh:

Basic Facts

Basic Facts:

22% of the population of Bangladesh are adolescents, amongst which 13.8million are girls

63% of girls, in the age group of 15-19 suffer from early marriage, compared to only 3.7% of boys in the same age group.

31% of these girls get pregnant within a year of marriage

Basic Facts: Con......

Lack of girls mobility - Because of Reputation & Security

Lack of A.Friendly Health Services/Lack of sensitivity among the service providers

Lack of appropriate Knowledge on Sexuality and reproductive Health

In rural areas, there is very limited opportunity for paid employment, especially for girls

Adolescent Development Programme

An overview:

In 1992 BRAC started Reading Centres for rural adolescent girls.

The initial purpose was:

to retain literacy,

a safe place to socialize and

to enhance girls’ participation.

Activities of the Reading Centers:

Exchanging Books

Reading Newspaper, Magazine

Playing indoor games

Performing Cultural Program

Evolution from Reading Centers to Adolescent Development Program:

In 1998 BRAC started working on specific issues through Adolescent Peer Organized Network (APON).

In 2000 the Adolescent Development Programme (ADP) was launched under BRAC Education Programme.

Objectives of ADP:

To empower adolescents, especially girls, to participate meaningfully in decisions that affect their lives and to become active agents of social change.

To create and sustain a supportive environment for adolescent girls’

To reduce child marriage and dowry.

The main components are:

1. Adolescent Centres

2.  Issue based life skills course (*APON)

3. Livelihood training

4. Community Participation

*A - Adolescent

P - Peer

O - Organized

N - Network

1. Adolescents center:

Exchanging Books

Reading Newspaper, Magazine

Playing indoor games

Performing Cultural Program

2. Issue based Life Skills Course (APON):

Objectives of the course:

• To prepare them about aware issues related to their lives and practice those in their day to day life.

• To enhance their capacity on different life skills.

• To develop leadership skill of the adolescents.

• To help the adolescents to practice their rights

2. Issue based Life Skills Course: Con...

The course content includes:

Social, Family and Community Issues

Sexual and Reproductive Health Issues

(20 books and 1 peer

educator guide has been

developed for the course.)

2. Issue based Life Skills Course: Con...

Cross-cutting issues

• Child Rights

• Negotiation skills

• Gender sensitive

• Inclusiveness

• Effective Communications

3. Livelihood Training

The livelihood training includes:

• Poultry and livestock

• Sewing and embroidery

• Photography

• Computer

• Journalism etc.

This activities are helping to reduce early marriage from the intervention areas.

4. Community Participation:

The activities includes:

• Forum with mothers

• Forum with fathers

• Forum with community leaders

• There is a child marriage and dowry prevention committee, who are working to reduce the child marriage and dowry from their community.

Achievements: There are 17 thousand of

Adolescent Leaders under this project and most of them are continuing their education.

According to the Population Council Report, (2003-2004) the marriage age has increased by 1-2 years in the intervention areas.

Achievements at a glance

Activities Beneficiaries

Adolescent Centres (8500) 221100 Girls

APON course for girls 178225 Girls

APON course for Boys 35356 Boys

Sewing and embroidery 8000 Girls

Photography Training 723 Girls

Computer Training 1581 Girls

Journalism 145 Girls

Poultry & livestock 90 Girls

Lessons learnt:

Adolescents are capable of doing a lot more provided if they are given the opportunities

Active participation of Community Leaders and Religious Leaders are essential to prevent early marriage and dowry

Livelihood program, aside from economic independence , has been able to change the attitudes of their family and community towards adolescent girls.

Future PlanFuture Plan

Providing APON course to adolescent girls and boys together

Including married adolescents, indigenous group and adolescents with disability

New Initiatives will include practical program for the slum dweller and adolescent garment workers

Providing livelihood training and creating job opportunities through liaison with different employers

Anna Afroz is a cheerful, confident adolescent girl, who saved herself from early marriage with the help of APON course and ADP.