After student protests in Bangladesh sparked a violent response from security forces and led to political upheaval this summer, Malala Fund partners are working to minimise disruptions to girls’ learning.
In July, students in Bangladesh launched the “Students Against Discrimination” movement to protest the government’s decision to reserve 30% of civil service jobs for descendants of veterans of Bangladesh's war of independence. More than 600 people died in clashes from excessive use of force by security forces against students in July and August and from violence that ensued after the fall of Prime Minister Sheik Hasina’s government on August 5. Schools had to shut down for a month because of the conflict. Girls already struggling to access education — in a country where 55% of students who dropped out of school after the COVID-19 pandemic were girls — now faced the added hurdle of not being able to go to school.
Though schools reopened shortly after Hasina’s departure and the announcement of an interim government, attendance was low. Parents were afraid to send their children to school. To address these interruptions, Malala Fund grantee partners Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE) and Disabled Rehabilitation and Research Association (DRRA) have been helping girls navigate these new challenges and continue pursuing their education.
“We were able to cover the learning gaps after the COVID pandemic, but the political unrest created another learning gap. This has affected girls, especially girls in secondary schools. They are not regularly going to school,” says Mostafizur Rahaman, CAMPE Deputy Director.
CAMPE is a coalition of more than 900 education non-profits, scholars, education rights advocates and individuals committed to improving access to education, especially for girls who are most vulnerable due to inequalities exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The organisation has been working to assess the exact impact of the political unrest on the education sector to better provide additional resources and support to their coalition members in addressing these learning losses.
“In [Bangladesh], one doesn’t really continue education because of poverty, stigma and lack of awareness that education is important for girls. More than 50% of girls are getting married before their 18th birthday,” says Farida Yesmin, Founder and Executive Director of DRRA. “With the education system interrupted because of political pressure, climate change, COVID and [change in] curriculums, families have a lack of motivation to help their girls continue their education. This is really going to create a long-term negative impact [on] girls’ education.”
Founded by Farida in 1996, DRRA focuses on improving access to education for children with disabilities. In the last year, DRRA has reached more than 1,870 girls in Khulna division, a coastal area prone to climate disasters. The organisation has strived to increase awareness of the challenges of early marriage, gender-based violence and disability rights and improve girls' access to sexual and reproductive health, life skills, leadership training and assistive technologies.
Due to the violence in the streets, civil society organisations in Bangladesh encountered hurdles that made their work difficult. Because DRRA’s offices are located near India’s border in Satkhira, Farida’s team saw a lot of violence, and the unrest affected many of CAMPE’s partners. Despite these interruptions to their work, DRRA and CAMPE continue to support girls in need.
“If there are any families, schools or communities in crisis, we try to address them,” says Farida.
With support from their wider community, partner organisations and volunteers, DRRA and CAMPE are also better equipped to navigate the challenges of prioritising girls’ needs during uncertainty. With the new interim government, Mostafizur and Farida are eager to raise more awareness for girls’ education and support the most vulnerable girls in accessing and completing their education.
