ActionAid (Bangladesh)

Certified organisation

ActionAid in Bangladesh

ActionAid Bangladesh (AAB) always had a distinctive approach be it from the early days of simplicity to today’s complex nature of issues. ActionAid Bangladesh starting its journey from a very small with a minimalist approach today has become a relatively important player of the vibrant NGO movement that seeks to fight poverty in the country.

ActionAid came to Bangladesh in 1983 to support an orphanage in Bhola named 'For Those Who Have Less' (locally known as 'Bittohin'). Today ActionAid is committed to changing the capacities of people and groups whose rights have been denied and violated in attaining justice and a life of dignity.

ActionAid Bangladesh also assists efforts and builds capacities of actors of civil society and partner communities’ whom we believe are engaged in safeguarding and promoting people’s rights.

Vision

A just, equitable and sustainable world in which every person enjoys the right to a life of dignity, freedom from poverty and all forms of oppression.

Mission

To achieve social justice, gender equality, and poverty eradication by working with people living in poverty and exclusion, their communities, people’s organisations, activities, social movements and supporters.

Values ActionAid International lives by the following values:

• Mutual respect, requiring us to recognise the innate worth of all people and the value of diversity
• Equity and justice, requiring us to work to ensure equal opportunity for everyone, irrespective of race, age, gender, sexual orientation, HIV status, colour, class, economic status, religion, ethnicity, or disabilit
•  Integrity, requiring us to be honest, transparent and accountable at all levels for the effectiveness of our actions, fairness of our judgements and open in our communications with all  
•  Solidarity with the poor, powerless and excluded, requiring us to be committed to fighting poverty, injustice and gender inequality
• Courage of conviction, requiring us to be creative, bold and innovative – without fear of failure – in pursuit of making a poverty free, just and equitable society
• Independence, requiring us to be free from any religious or party-political affiliation
• Humility, requiring us to recognise that we are part of a wider alliance against poverty and injustice

Our Approach

The primary goal of ActionAid is to strive for social justice whereby inequality is eradicated. Patriarchy is deeply entrenched in society and marginalises women across social spheres, depriving them of their rights and excluding them from services and governance processes. The widening economic inequality within the country, which further compounded by populist global trends makes the poorest of the poor even poorer.  Furthermore, the vulnerability of communities living in poverty and exclusion are further intensified due to natural disasters and structural causes of violence Due to climate induced vulnerabilities, the poor and excluded.

AAB has committed to applying a feminist lens and values in its work, which will guide its approach, interpreting and advancing intersecting inequalities. It addresses injustice and inequality caused by the power structures, both visible and invisible, in communities. To generate a broad community-wide understanding of the issue, AAIB will address the structural causes of injustice in terms of distribution of wealth, opportunities and privileges. Affirmative approaches are required at all levels to reconcile inequalities, and address the structural causes of inequality arising from unequal power relations.

People we work with

AAB engages with a diverse audience consisting of the poorest and most excluded women, men, young people, children, sponsors, donors, state and non-state actors and institutions, media and related stakeholders. AAB enters long terms partnerships with communities, local and national organisations.

AAB prioritises the rights of women, and young people at the centre of all initiatives, programmes, plans and processes undertaken by it. Women bear the brunt of poverty, injustice and exclusion, and must play a vital role to shift unequal gender power relations, practices and stereotypes.

Young people represent most the population, and experience high levels of unemployment and marginalisation. They are important innovators and drivers of change. AAIB will continue to invest in children and support their growth, skills and knowledge so as to become contributing citizens of the country.

How we work

The Human Rights Based Approach (HRBA) defines our work, and is rooted in the four broad and interconnected pillars – empowerment, solidarity, campaigning, and alternatives.