Institute of Development Studies

Celebrating Citizenship and Rights in Bangladesh

4 February 2010 - Citizenship Development Research Centre

Research from the Citizenship Development Research Centre, based at IDS, is shedding new light on the gap between the theory and realities of citizenship in Bangladesh.

When researchers from the BRAC Development Institute asked people the meaning of rights, they were surprised to find that more than a fifth of female respondents referred to their right to shongshar - a word often translated from Bengali as family, though with wider implications.

‘That's not something we were prepared to hear,' said Kabita Chowdhury, a researcher at the BRAC Development Institute. ‘Why is it so important to have a right to your household? Because they are so vulnerable to being kicked out - your property, your house, your life, your family.'

The research - carried out for the Development Research Centre on Citizenship, Participation and Accountability, based at IDS, - was intended to explore how the practices of mobilisation and mediation of eight grassroots development organisations were cultivating an awareness of rights and a sense of citizenship among beneficiaries.

The findings shed light on the ways that certain practices of mobilisation and mediation shape people's perceptions, conclusions that have been useful to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) involved in the research. But the research has also underscored how important it is to have a conversation about the contradictions of citizenship - a term that legalistically implies equality, but in practice is rife with disparities, such as those in the household.

Citizen Rights Fair

To bring attention to the ways that NGOs contribute to grassroots political empowerment, and to raise awareness of the gap between the theory and reality of citizenship, BRAC Development Institute hosted a Nagorik Adhikar Mela (Citizens Rights Fair): a colourful two-day event that used a traditional form of sharing and celebrating.

Nearly 600 grassroots members performed songs, dances and dramas during the programme. Hundreds of photographs and poster on the theme of rights and citizenship were displayed at the gallery, and 57 organisations showcased their efforts to raise awareness of citizen rights at their stalls: covering issues from human rights, labour rights, child rights, rights of ethnic groups, environmental rights and women's rights. The fair ended with a panel discussion of high-profile speakers on 'Fulfilling the promise of equal citizenship.'

Participants included NGOs such as BRAC and Nijera Kori, human rights agencies such as Ain-O-Shalish Kendra, organisations promoting workers' rights such as BLAST, organisations raising awareness through cultural activities such as Rupantar, organisations working on child rights such as Aparajeyo-Bangladesh, those carrying forward the land rights movement for the landless like Samata, and associations fighting for the rights of indigenous groups. Nearly a quarter of the cost of the fair was covered through in-kind and small donations from the participating organisations themselves.

‘It's an important opportunity for regional organisations to showcase their work at the national level,' said Sohela Nazneen, a former IDS Dphil and Research Fellow with the Pathways of Women's Empowerment Research Programme Consortium. ‘The photos and videos and cultural events have really been energising.'

Most NGOs Per Capita

With approximately 22,000 NGOs, Bangladesh has the highest number per capita of all developing countries. These NGOs are partly credited with the country's recent progress on the Millennium Development Goals, yet their presence has not created similar improvements in governance indicators. Indeed, it was declared the world's most corrupt country for five years running by Transparency International's index. The research sought insight into this scenario by looking at different NGO models.

Following the country's independence from Pakistan in 1971, many organisations in Bangladesh adopted a radical approach to social change, influenced strongly by the work of Paolo Freire. Over time, that focus has shifted to an emphasis on micro-credit and basic services. A recent World Bank study found that over 80 per cent of NGOs surveyed were engaged in the delivery of micro-finance while around 50 per cent provided social services. Few organisations remain that solely work to raise awareness of rights and mobilise the poor.

Strategies and Outcomes

The research was motivated by a notion that different organisational models have different outcomes and that the kinds of organisations that were better suited to deal with the problems of governance have been slowly transformed into, or displaced by, the kinds of organisations that may be better at dealing with development. A combination of studies have been conducted using both qualitative and quantitative methods.

It reflects the findings of an earlier qualitative study of citizenship narratives among the working poor in Bangladesh which suggested that such outcomes than those narrowly tailored to the provision of microfinance.

Nuanced Findings

Findings from the research indicate that organisations that were purposively designed to promote the identity and practice of citizenship among the working poor and that utilised methods of social mobilisation do contribute to political empowerment and voice, which in turn raises peoples' expectations from the government. The expectations lead to a demand for accountability and thus provide an opportunity for collaboration between the government and the grassroots organisations to enable an effective mechanism for accountability and transparency of local institutions.

But the picture is also quite nuanced and complex, with quantitative studies demonstrating that the relationship between strategy and outcome is not always straightforward. Organisations concerned with rights have had unexpected impacts on developmental indicators such as food security and diversity of diet, while Grameen Bank, one of the organisations considered to be a minimalist micro-credit lender, appeared to have a larger range of positive impacts (including on the likelihood that members vote) than organisations with broader missions.

The findings are now helping to promote a wider dialogue on these issues among stakeholders in Bangladesh.

Photo: Nick Benequista.

Related Publications

• Kabeer, N., Haq Kabir, A. and Yasmin Huq, T. (2009) 'Quantifying the Impact of Social Mobilisation in Rural Bangladesh: Donors, Civil Society and ‘The Road not Taken’', IDS Working Paper 333, Brighton: IDS
• Kabeer, N. and Haq Kabir, A. (2009) 'Citizenship Narratives in the Absence of Good Governance: Voices of the Working Poor in Bangladesh', Research Summary of IDS Working Paper 331, Brighton: IDS
• Kabeer, N. (2003) 'Making Rights Work for the Poor: Nijera Kori and the Construction of Collective Capabilities in Rural Bangladesh', IDS Working Paper 200, Brighton: IDS

Related Projects

• Development Research Centre on Citizenship, Participation and Accountability - Exploring approaches that work to strengthen rights and meaningful citizenship for poor people (Ongoing)