d)Awareness and Training:  NHRC Patronized Biggest Ever Public Gathering on Preventing Violence Against Women JAMAKON Chair Professor Dr. Mizanur Rahman and Secretary Md. Amjad Hossain Khan delivering their Speech at the public gathering On December 22, 2015 NHRC Chairman Professor Dr. Mizanur Rahman attends a public gathering on “Preventing Violence against Women” held at Girls’ High School Premises, Bharatkhali, Saghata, Gaibandha. The “Public Gathering” at Bharatkhali Girls School premises was the biggest ever public gathering where 2100 women and 900 men participated. Considering the fact that, consisting of a group of villages, the UPs are the most remote tier of local administration in Bangladesh and an easy gateway to access people in rural areas, it was decided by NHRC to collaborate with at least two UPs as a pilot initiative. Through this, the NHRC will establish a standard modality of working with UPs. It was envisaged that the community strength of UPs can be utilized as a hub between the NHRC and the vulnerable population. Squeezing the vast area of its jurisdiction into specific issues, NHRC decided to develop a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with at least two UPs on a pilot basis and start promoting women rights as a whole and eradicating VAW in particular. The primary objectives of collaborative efforts between the NHRC and the UPs were to: • Enhance overall understanding of human rights principles and practice at community level regarding VAW and its detrimental social and legal affects; • To inform and educate UP Chairmen, Members, community leaders about the power and function of the NHRC in dealing with complaints and mediating and conciliating thereto; • To develop standard complaint referral and investigation methodology in order to practice them in the daily works of UPs and to replicate it in other UPs when needed. Under the MoU the following results have been achieved: • Two trainings for Chairmen, Members and community leaders were done to educate the participants about the rights of the women and girls, roles and mandate of the NHRC, complaints management of the NHRC and to motivate the participants to provide visible evidences of their knowledge gained 31 JAMAKON

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