Facilitating Economic Empowerment for Human Trafficking Survivors in Cox’s Bazar
Winrock International's Ashshash project organised a stakeholder engagement session with the National Association of Small Cottage Industries of Bangladesh (NASCIB) and the Bangla-German Sampreeti (BGS), with the intent to empower human trafficking survivors at Cox's Bazar on 4 November, 2021. The project is supported by Switzerland. The notion of empowering this vulnerable group in a sustainable manner was predominantly centered on economic and financial aspects. The session aimed to forge strategic win-win partnerships with the stakeholders by contributing to their core business interests, and by addressing the developmental objectives of the project and the relevant local industries. Through the session, various support areas within the private sector for skilled wage-based employment and enterprise development were explored, along with the potential for a shared value partnership to create opportunities of sustainable livelihood for the survivors of human trafficking. Additionally, emerging business opportunities at Cox's Bazar were identified with the intent to alleviate institutional and procedural challenges of collaboration; through which private sector partners can be viewed as thought leaders and innovators, who can successfully and sustainably drive growth at district levels.
The session was inaugurated by Ms. Dipta Rakshit, Team Leader, Winrock International – Ashshash project, Mr. Faruk Omar, Training and Employment Manager, and Mr. Ashraful Islam, Private Sector Engagement Manager. Following a brief introduction of the project and its activities across various vulnerable communities in Cox's Bazar, the project's key Social Protection Partner and Training Service Provider for the district; Bangladesh National Women Lawyers' Association (BNWLA) and Bangla-German Sampreeti (BGS), respectively, highlighted their specific roles. BNWLA earmarked considerable success in the reintegration process of a survivor via psychosocial counseling and the provision of additional services such as medical and legal support, in addition to the repatriation of survivors trafficked internationally or transnationally. BGS on the other hand, based its exceptional accomplishments via successful and sustainable wage-based employment and self-employment placements; as a direct result of the skill-based and entrepreneurial training facilitated by the organization. Next, direct accounts of two survivors trafficked across the border to India and transnationally to Malaysia, were disclosed to all in attendance. The trauma inflicted by their respective instances of exploitation and entrapment were highlighted, along with the factors that imparted their Trafficking in Persons (TIP) cases, and the subsequent processes of social reintegration and economic empowerment directly facilitated by the BNWLA and BGS. Next, Mr. Shafiqul Islam, President, Rotary Club of Cox's Bazar, earmarked his considerable experience in working with vulnerable communities across the district; subsequently pledging to support the Ashshash project in combatting TIP (of all forms) across Cox's Bazar. Mr. Naimul Haque Chowdhury, a representative of the Cox's Bazar Restaurant Owners' Association, highlighted contributing factors that eventually increase the risk of trafficking at Cox's Bazar, such as low access to education, shortage of skilled labour, increased smuggling of substances and weaponry, and cross-border unrest, and summarily, the significance of addressing these issues first and foremost to effectively combat human trafficking. He further noted that more than 5,000 underprivileged community members are presently employed in various restaurants, hotels, and guest-houses, and a pool of the project's skilled, trained, and certified beneficiaries can be placed in various employment opportunities (within the tourism and developmental sectors) with adequate financial support and decent wage (of up to BDT. 20, 000); working as front-desk operators or receptionists for example. Additionally, he also noted that the rapid progress of the developmental sector (of Cox's Bazar) also requires substantial skilled workforces – a potential opportunity for the project to explore. Exploring employment opportunities for women in non-conventional trades is also possible to a largely effective degree in Cox's Bazar. Next, Ms. Jahanara Islam, President, Cox's Bazar Women Chamber, also highlighted instances of smuggling (of substances) as precursors to human trafficking amongst vulnerable communities, and how it is vital to ensure employment and the subsequent provision of support for women from these communities. She pledged support from the Chamber based on the needs of the projects and/or other support-seekers, via sustainable employment and social protection of the survivors. She concluded her part by addressing how the people of Cox's Bazar must ensure the security and sustainability of this vulnerable populace, beyond the limited interventions of NGOs and/or other government organizations (GOs). Next, Mr. Abu Murshed Chowdhury (Khoka), President, Cox's Bazar Chamber of Commerce & Industry, noted his organization's focus primarily centered on closely working to ensure entrepreneurship development of vulnerable populaces – a key point of potential collaboration with the project's TSP at Cox's Bazar. Thus, he aims to promptly integrate TIP survivors with the programming. However, he also earmarked the need for the effective provision of training via the Bureau of Manpower, Employment, and Training (BMET)-certified trainers only, and the need for a value-chain analysis prior to job placements. He proposed to conduct a study to forecast which sectors are specifically in need of manpower and the actual projection (of the numbers); i.e. the tourism sector, electrical/power, etc. He also highlighted that his organization, in collaboration with International Labour Organization (ILO), government service providers, and Access to Education (A2I), will create a platform to facilitate employment via various databases of vulnerable communities. Certified, skilled workers will be linked to employers from various industries for sustainable employment whilst entrepreneurs will be linked to various local markets and service providers. The project assured to submit their respective database promptly. Conversely, the project's intention to organize a job fair at Cox's Bazar in December will be done in collaboration with Cox's Bazar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as verbally decreed over the session. Next, via an open discussion, Redwanul Rashid from the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) also pledged support vi employment and industry linkages or training to Ashshash's beneficiaries, via about 40 training centers listed under the organization. Md. Akram Mostafiz from the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) proposed the provision of training on seaweed crop-farming to Ashshash's beneficiaries – a booming and profitable trade in Cox's Bazar. Mahbub Kamal Khaled of the 'Kormoshongsthan Bank' pledged the facilitation of low-interest loans (of up to 2 lacs) for Ashshash's entrepreneurs and micro-entrepreneurs. Hassan Mohammad Tarek, the owner of two shrimp farms pledged the facilitation of employment to Ashshash's beneficiaries, whilst Mr. Arafat Hossain, President of the local Electric and Electronics Trade Union, ensured the facilitation of Mentor-Mentee/Apprenticeship programs at his establishments. Ms. Monowara – who works actively with vulnerable women pledged to facilitate training and job placements for the project's female beneficiaries. Additional key points centered on how skill-trades specific to the tourism industry of Cox's Bazar (i.e. tour guides, tour operators, etc.) should be included and integrated into training programs, whilst the need for electricians and plumbers at hotels and restaurants must also be addressed promptly via adequate and proper training. Conclusively, Mr. Mirza Nurul Ghani Shovon, President, NASCIB Central Board of Directors, and Mr. Mohammad Mujibur Rahman, Senior Vice President, NASCIB Central Board of Directors pledged NASCIB's solidarity with the Ashshash project in the collective effort to combat and eventually eradicate TIP across the country. Mr. Shovon further noted that it is crucial to learn soft and technical/hard skills to ensure sustainable employment. He proposed to further boost Ashshash's awareness programming across various mediums/channels and to integrate skills development via the 'Asset Project' which will be introduced in Bangladesh, courtesy of the World Bank. The session ended on a high note as Mr. Shovon pledged to ensure membership for 50 beneficiaries of the project from Cox's Bazar under the banner of NASCIB; subsequently ensuring their entitlement to all forms of government support through NASCIB.
The chief guest in attendance was Mr. Mirza Nurul Ghani Shovon, President, NASCIB Central Board of Directors. Mr. Mohammad Mujibur Rahman, Senior Vice President, NASCIB Central Board of Directors, was also a special guest in attendance. The session was chaired by Mohammad Nurul Zaman, President (In-Charge), NASCIB, Cox's Bazar District. The session was moderated by Md. Omar Faruk, Training and Employment Manager, Ashshash, Winrock International; and Ashraful Islam, Private Sector Engagement Manager, Ashshash, Winrock International; with a panel-based discussion headed by Mr. Abu Murshed Chowdhury (Khoka), President, Cox's Bazar Chamber of Commerce & Industry; Md. Shafiqul Islam, President, Rotary Club Cox's Bazar; Ms. Jahanara Islam, President, Cox's Bazar Women Chamber; Mr. Naimul Haque Chowdhury, Cox's Bazar Restaurant Owners' Association. Representatives from government organizations, banks and financial institutions, district-trade associations, BSCIC, private sector employers, and NGOs were also in attendance, alongside the Ashshash project's survivors.
Comments