Community Engagement in Countering Violent Extremism in Chattogram Division (CEVEC)

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Name of the Project: Community Engagement in Countering Violent Extremism in Chattogram Division (CEVEC)

Principle Recipient:  YPSA (Young Power in Social Action)

Sub Recipients: YPSA, NONGOR & HELP Cox’s Bazar

Name of Consortium: YPSA CEVEC Consortium

Funded by: Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF)

Working Area: 5 Upazilas in Cox’s Bazar District and Sintakund Upazila in Chattogram District.

Duration of the Project: 

Round   2: November 2019 to June 2022.

Round   1: July 2016 to December 2018

Background justification of project:

Violent extremism is the beliefs and actions of people who support or use violence to achieve ideological, religious or political goals which includes terrorism and other forms of politically motivated and communal violence in a society. People in Bangladesh are peace loving but as part of the global phenomenon, terrorist activity is on its rise in Bangladesh which victimizes women, children, youth, marginalized groups and the common people. In Bangladesh, radicalization and institutional dysfunction are closely connected. Therefore, efforts to prevent political violence in Bangladesh must target its weak democratic institutions, which foster exclusion, radicalization, and extremism. After the reviews of different scholarly reports, journals, newspapers and magazines along with popular media, it has been observed that the region of Chattogram Division in Bangladesh is at more risk from violent extremism when compared to other areas. Multiple factors like its geographical location, ethnical diversities, communal difference, unemployment, political power practices etc. made it vulnerable to violent extremism.

After Rohingya influx in Bangladesh in last August 2017 violence risk became high especially in Cox’s Bazar. Rohingyas (FDMNs-Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals) are the victims and witness of brutality and they already have lost everything in their country and living now in Cox’s bazar camp as displaced people. They, particularly youth, are passing idle time in the camp and very potential to be involved in extremist activities as few extremist groups have presence in the FDMN’s present living place. As a result, they have already been involved in anti-social activities and having clash with host community.  FDMN are most potential to be radicalized if they are not properly sensitized on VE and its consequences. Moreover, Grievances increasing among the host community, and raising tension between the host community and FDMN. This situation may be worsening if there is not intervention to establish social cohesion.

Based on the part experiences, YPSA CEVEC consortium proposes to work with youths (aged 18-35), which includes existing local level youth Clubs/CBOs, Youth forums in 58 union/municipality of Cox’s Bazar and Chattogram (Sitakund) to further engaging local level youth in PVE interventions; the student of educational Institutes aged 14-21 (School, College and Madrasa) & teachers; women; religious leaders; journalist and local government bodies. In Rohingya Community YPSA consortium will work with Youth (aged 18 to 35), Women, Imam and Majhi of FDMN in the Rohingya Camp.

YPSA consortium, in the round-2, wants to address these drivers through building capacity of youth leaders existing youth Club/CBOs, Forum leaders in Union/Municipality and teachers by providing TOT for further conducting LSE session of youth and student followed by the community engagement events on PVE with community people by youth leaders and students, which includes human chain, rally, sports & debate competition, inter generation and interfaith dialogue, days observation; providing orientation to the religious leaders and Imam, journalist and local government bodies, teachers and Majhi for playing the positive role towards PVE; sensitization events/meeting with the FDMN youth and women as well as community engagement event for development of critical thinking skills; conducting courtyard meeting for women so that they become confident to protect themselves and their family members from violent extremism. All these interventions will contribute to have a strengthened communities’ resilience against the threat of violent extremism

Expected outcome of the project

• Outcome-1: Improved social cohesion and tolerance among communities in Cox’s Bazar and Chattogram
• Outcome-2: Increased sense of self-worth among teachers and students through their involvement in PVE initiatives
• Outcome-3: Strengthened capacity of Local Government institutions, journalists and religious leaders for ensuring meaningful engagement to prevent violent extremism.
• Outcome-4: Decreased vulnerability of Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals (FDMN)to recruitment by violent extremist groups

Categories of Target Population:

• 55 Youth Club/CBOs in Cox’s Bazar.
• Drop out and unemployed Youth aged 18 to 35 years in Cox’s Bazar and Sitakund.
• Students aged 15-21 years from educational institutes (School, Collage & Madrasa) in Cox’s Bazar and Sitakund.
• Teachers from educational institutes (School, Collage & Madrasa) in Cox’s Bazar and Sitakund.
• Women of Cox’s Bazar and Sitakund.
• Religious Leaders, Journalist and Local Government Bodies in Cox’s Bazar and Sitakund.
• FDMN (Rohingya) youth aged 18 to 35 years.
• FDMN (Rohingya) Woman, Imam and Majhi.

Overall Project Objective:

• To strengthen communities’ resilience against the threat of violent extremism in Chattogram division

The expected result of the Project

• Youth are aware of different types of VE issues and grow a sense of confidence that they can say ‘no’ to the components or situations acted as gateways to VE and their roles from their ends to take up actions to PVE in their community
• Teachers from different School, College and Madrasa will be trained on VE issues and grown their sense of confidence so that they could deliver the PVE messages among the students.
• Students from School, College and Madrasa become aware on different types of VE issues and can identify the signs of peaceful society free of violent extremism.They grow a sense of confidence that they could say ‘no’ to the components or situations acted as gateways to VE such as doing extreme activities to other religious, racial and/or class of people by being motivated by the extremist group or people,respect to other opinion, taking drugs, involving with anti-social behaviors etc.
• Religious leaders will demonstrate knowledge on identifying at least two characteristics of peaceful society and deliver PVE massages in their religious programs in Cox’s Bazar and Chattogram.
• Journalists pose positive reflections in their writing on PVE issues and demonstrate their roles and responsibilities on PVE issues.
• Local government representatives will identify at least two of their roles and responsibilities on PVE at community level.
• FDMN youths can identify at least two signs of social harmony (e.g. not to spread false messages, respecting others in the camps, not being motivated/fall in prey by any extremist groups etc.).
• FDMN women who can identify at least two signs of social harmony (e.g. not to spread false messages, respecting others in the camps, not being motivated/fall in prey by any extremist groups etc.).
• Majhi will able to identify at least two of their supporting roles, which they could play to PVE (e.g. being watchful in their respective camp, awareness raising, problem solving through mediation, discussion about PVE issues among the fellow Rohingyas).
• Imam can identify at least two signs of social harmony (promoting alternative dispute resolution, respecting others opinion, enhancing tolerance, not being motivated/fall in prey by any extremist groups etc.)

Initiative wise activities of the project

• Identify and select 55 formal and informal Youth Clubs/CBO in Cox’s Bazar District.
• Provide 3 days ToT on LSE to 220 (4 persons from each club).
• Provide 2 days ToT refreshers on LSE to 47 youth forum.
• Form 90 Youth Group in Sitakund (one group in each ward of Sitakund).
• Form 10 Youth Forums in Sitakund.
• Provide 3 days ToT on LSE to 10 Youth Forum Member of Sitakund.
• Organize 90 two days LSE session to be conducted by 10 youth forum in Sitakund.
• Provide 2 days LSE session to youth members of 55 Club/CBO in Cox’s Bazar District.
• Organize 235 meeting with 47 Youth Forum members.
• Organize 235 Community engagement events by 47 youth forum and in Cox’s Bazar.
• Organize 50 Community engagement events by 11 youth forum in Sitakund.
• Organize 110 Community engagement events with 55 clubs in Cox’s Bazar.
• Community Radio program on PVE issues with and for youth and Adolescent in Chattogram.
• Provide orientation to 480 teachers from 16 secondary school 14 madrasha and 2 colleges [15 participants from each institution Cox’s Bazar.
• Provide orientation to 300 teachers from 10 secondary school 6 madrasha and 4 colleges in Sitakund.
• Provide 2 days ToT on life skills education to 64 teachers from 32 educational institutions in Cox’s Bazar.
• Provide 2 days ToT on life skills education to 40 teachers from 20 educational institutions in Sitakund.
• Provide LSE session to 9600 students of education institutions by the 64 trained teachers in Cox’sbaar District.
• Provide LSE session to 6000 students of education institutions by the 40 trained teachers in Sitakund.
• Organize 32 student events in 32 institutions with 100 students in Cox’s Bazar District.
• Organize 20 student events in 20 institutions with 100 students in Sitakund.
• Organize 282 courtyard meetings with women in Cox’s Bazar.
• Organize 90 courtyard meetings with womenin Sitakund.
• Organize 4 orientation on PVE with Religious leaders for further disseminate the PVE message in the religious events in Cox’s Bazar District with 100 participants.
• Organize 1 orientation on PVE with Religious leaders for further disseminate the PVE message in the religious events in Sitakund with 25 participants.
• Organize 4 orientation on PVE with local journalists in Cox’sBazar District for general awareness on PVE issues and for positive reflections in their writings.
• Organize 1 orientation on PVE with local journalists in Sitakund for general awareness on PVE issues and for positive reflections in their writings.
• Organize 47 orientation on PVE with local government bodies in Cox’s Bazar.
• Organize 10 orientation on PVE with local government bodies in Sitakund.
• Conduct sensitization meeting to 10800 FDMN youths in 540 batches in 9 camps of Ukhiya.
• Organize 180 courtyard meetings with 3600 FDMN women participants at 9 camps in Ukhiya.
• Organize 8 Community engagement events by the youth in Ukhiya.
• Orientation to 180 Majhi on PVE issue in 9 Camps in Ukhiya.
• Orientation to 180 Imam (religious leader) in the Camp of Ukhiya

 

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