Project- Ekota (Unity): From Invisible to Visible

In Bangladesh, about 20 million People Living with Disability (PLWD) are extremely vulnerable and discriminated against in terms of rights violations and access to all kinds of services. PLWD are marginalised socially, politically, culturally and economically, which consequently put them into severe privation and exclusion.

A Project ‘Ekota (Unity): From Invisible to Visible’ funded by USAID has been designed by Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) to create a space for PLWD for claiming their rights and justice and an accountability mechanism for relevant duty-bearing institutions to render better services to PLWD. The barriers that PLWD face are manifold – societal, institutional and infrastructural. Although there are multiple factors, it has appeared that inability to access basic services and resources by disabled people at large is a great obstacle to their overall development. These barriers to accessibility entail education, health, safety-nets, employment, development activities and legal justice.

The project aims to leave behind a score of self-managed Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs) to continue claiming and realising rights and legal justice in a sustainable and replicable manner. A more sensitised government service providers will be in place in public service delivery provisions. More opportunities will be created to engage PLWD with self-employment or paid work.

Project Objectives: To enhance all basic quality services for PLWD, particularly for women and girls.

Expected Outcomes
1.Four District Disability Rights and Protection Committees and Legal Aid Committees are activated and functional for People leaving with disability.
2.DPO members are capable as entrepreneurs or job doers and engaged in income generation activities.
3.Government and non-government stakeholders including DPOs are more proactive in preparing district level action plans to access basic services.
4.Gender integration and social Inclusion are addressed in the project locations.
5.National Action Plan in the light of the Disability Rights and Protection Act, 2013 and Legal Aid Services Act are being implemented.

Target Population: People leaving with disability

Direct Beneficiary Numbers: 4600

Geographical Locations: Chuadanga, Dhaka, Jamalpur and Manikganj Districts.

Implementing Organisations: Center for Disability in Development (CDD), Center for Rehabilitation of the Paralyzed (CRP) and Prattasha Samazik Unnayan Sangstha (PSUS).

Project Duration: November 2022- November 2027.

Budget (BDT): 103,000,000

Funding Agency: USAID

Aligns with SDGs: SDG 5, SDG 10 and SDG 16.

Aligns with MJF’s Focused Thematic Issue: Ensure rights and dignity of marginalised and excluded people.