BANGLADESH NATIONAL WOMEN LAWYERS' ASSOCIATION(BNWLA).

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BANGLADESH NATIONAL WOMEN LAWYERS' ASSOCIATION(BNWLA).
« on: October 19, 2010, 02:38:01 AM »
BANGLADESH NATIONAL WOMEN LAWYERS’ ASSOCIATION
Bangladesh National Women Lawyers Association (BNWLA) is one of the pioneer organisations working for the establishment of human rights in Bangladesh. The Association was formed in 1979 at the initiative of some prominent women lawyers of Bangladesh, and subsequently registered as a legal aid body in 1981. The Association works for the uplift of women by providing legal aid, conducting training on rights of women, lobbying for necessary reforms of the existing laws, lobbying the authorities on women’s rights, issues and laws, investigating reports on violence against women and carrying out different activities for the rehabilitation of the survivors of different types of violence. To achieve their objectives, BNWLA has formed a number of cells and taken up the following programmes: The Legal Aid Cell provides assistance to the abused women with legal counselling, mediation and litigation services voluntarily. This cell has 18 legal aid clinics in different parts of the country. The Research and Communication Cell mainly conducts research, collects data and undertakes survey on women issues. The Investigation Wing undertakes investigations into incidents as rape, torture, murder, land rights, terrorism, deception, abduction, harassment etc. The Communication and Publication Wing publishes books and booklets on family, marriage divorce, dowry, and inheritance laws. The Training Cell organises training programmes for law enforcing agencies, government functionaries and NGOs dealing with issues relating to violence against women and children. A Shelter home, ‘Proshanti’, was established in 1993. The home provides shelter to women and children rescued from different jails, brothels and trafficking. BNWLA has been working on trafficking issues since 1991. The main purpose of this programme is to prevent trafficking of women and children from Bangladesh. The organisation provided legal aid to recoup unpaid salary to 18 female migrant workers. These 18 female workers went to Maldives in 1993 as garment workers. They were forced to work in an inhumane situation for more than 18 hours every day. They stayed in Maldives for four years, but received salary for only 1.3 years. When these workers came back to Bangladesh, they sought Bangladesh government’s intervention on this issue. But not being satisfied with the government’s role, the workers approached BNWLA. BNWLA has taken up the case of these 18 returnees from Maldives. It served a demand notice on the government in this regard. BNWLA has learnt that though efforts were made by the Bangladesh authorities to contact those concerned in Maldives, not much of a progress has been made. So far the workers have not got their outstanding salaries. The owner of the garment factory is currently absconding. BNWLA was one of the co-organisers of a two-day international conference on Temporary Migrant Workers of Bangladesh: Towards Developing a National Plan of Action held in April 2000 this year. Legislators, officials from different ministries and BMET, NGO representatives, human rights and legal aid organisations, academics and researchers participated in the conference. The future plans of BNWLA includes lobbying for law reform, providing more legal aid to the distressed migrant workers, providing informative support to the women at district level.
 Address: Bangladesh National Women Lawyers’ Association (BNWLA) Road # 27, House # 60/A Dhanmondi R/A Dhaka-1209 Tel: 880-2-8125866, 880-2-8123060, 0189 226212 E-mail: bnwla@bdonline.com

SOURCE
http://www.samren.org/Civil_Society_Initiatives/bangladesh/Bangladesh-5.htm
JAFAR IQBAL
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