Final Evaluation: Safe School Safe Community Bangladesh

Authors/editor(s):Julaikha Bente Hossain & Galam Rabbani

Location: Bangladesh

Grantee: Bangladesh Nari Progati Sangha (BNPS)

Grant period: January 2014 – December 2016

Grant amount: $604,708

Publication year: 2017

The project “Safe Schools Safe Communities”, implemented by Bangladesh Nari Progati Sangha, aimed to empower the girl students of 80 schools in four districts and allow them to experience a violence-free environment in their schools. The initiative sought to:

(1) improve the knowledge, capacity, attitude and outlook of teachers and students in schools; and

(2) help community members and government officials create safe and violence-free environments.

Main findings of the evaluation:

• Decision-makers committed to taking policy steps to ensure the continuation of the project’s activities.
• Capacity development activities and “behaviour change communication” materials were crucial in identifying and dealing with gender-based violence.
• Project strategies around knowledge, attitude and practices included active involvement of primary target groups (students and teachers) and other stakeholders of the project (school management committee members, government officers, parents, members of the community, and media).
• The project introduced a self-defence martial art to girl students, which was noted as a participatory and holistic approach to challenge gender norms.
• Education professionals and community service providers in the target schools increased their capacity to prevent and respond adequately to sexual and gender-based violence.

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