CARITAS BANGLADESH

ASIA - BANGLADESH

Caritas Bangladesh  was founded in 1967. Nearly 6,000 staff and volunteers work together on several actions at the national and diocesan levels. Caritas Bangladesh has the following six objectives/sectors:

• Improving the quality of life of people living in extreme poverty and vulnerable communities
• Promoting the right to education and inclusive quality education
• Improve health education, public health and care services.
• Strengthening disaster response and community resilience.
• Strengthening ecological sustainability
• Improvement in the quality of life of indigenous populations.

Caritas Bangladesh is responsible for three projects under the Multi-Year Partnership Agreement (CoRe):

1. Agroecology program in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) region

In addition to socio-political challenges, CHTs grapple with environmental concerns. Encroaching deforestation and land degradation amplify the fragility of the region’s ecosystem. As climate patterns evolve, people face increased vulnerability, requiring strategies for climate resilience and sustainable resource management. The program has two key activities:

• Strengthen the capacities of local populations through experimentation, capitalization and dissemination of environmentally friendly economic and productive systems to ensure their food sovereignty and resilience to climate change
• Support leaders and grassroots organizations in their civic engagement processes and community mobilization initiatives for: democratic governance of the territory and its resources; the recognition and effectiveness of individual and collective rights.

2. Land rights program for indigenous peoples and just ecological transition in Mymensingh

The aim of this program is to secure basic land rights and other essential rights of Indigenous Peoples (IPs) residing in the Greater Mymensingh region. The project adopts a multi-faceted approach encompassing various undertakings, including awareness raising initiatives on land rights, strategic advocacy campaigns at local, regional and national levels, provision of legal support to victims of bogus forestry cases, mapping comprehensive land tenure, a census of the IP population and the strengthening of traditional social organizations within the local IP community.

3. Program promoting sustainable, inclusive and safe cities for all in Dhaka and Gazipur

The program takes place in the cities of Dhaka and Gazipur. There are two main activities:

• Capacity building of slum populations through experimentation, capitalization and dissemination of sustainable and inclusive planning and measures to mitigate the impact of disasters and climate change, reduce disaster risks, prepare and livelihood options to ensure their food sovereignty and resilience to climate change
• Support leaders and grassroots organizations in their civic engagement processes and community mobilization initiatives for: democratic governance of the territory and its resources; the recognition and effectiveness of individual and collective rights.