Food insecurity is the nationwide problem in Bangladesh. In the country there are some areas that are extremely food insecure which is situated beside the rivers and coastal belt. The people living in the area are extremely vulnerable especially in terms of food security. The causes of vulnerability are mainly disaster like flood, cyclone, tornado and river erosion. Every year different disaster affect the areas and huge number of household go under water and it damage property, assets, road, community, shelter, livestock’s, many lives and crops and adding new miseries and vulnerability in their lives. At that time most of the vulnerable people take shelter in different safe places and where they face many types insecurity and it disrupts their normal live. Considering this perspective it require to undertake Program that will help the people to mitigate the loses and reduce food insecurity.
There are many areas are extremely vulnerable areas, where integrated development types of programs need to be implemented. More than 50% people of the working area are poor and ultra poor and their essential requirements are to mitigate the basic needs only.
Every year large number of landless people and day laborers from these areas area go out for work. 75% people are completely landless and living in others shelter. They are leaving the in these type of areas due to food scarcity and monga. About 85% boys and 95-98% girls stop education after completion of classes five. Along with that there are a lot of drop out children and children out of school. Furthermore, in the areas their lack of facilities provided by the GO/NGO. Early marriage is very common this area. Most of the girls compel to get marriage by the age of 12- 16. Again, there exist provision of dowry and the guardians can not think to give the marriage without dowry. This provision making the guardians more vulnerable. Dowry, divorce and natural disaster, lack employment opportunity, monga, scarcity of fodder, river erosion, migration and advanced labor sale with minimum rate, receiving loan with high interest rate from the community money lenders is the common scenario of the area.
Most of the children and mother are malnourished. Therefore, the mothers and children suffer from different diseases and it loses huge amount of money and increasing the household vulnerability and deteriorating the food security situation. Furthermore, the rate of working children is very high. There lack of pre and post natal care.
Poverty is perennial problem of the area. The people of the area have lack of knowledge and skills for diversifying the income. It is also remarkable that among the poor and poverty stricken people of the area more then 30% people are extremely vulnerable and their access to resources and participation’s in the community development initiatives are very poor. Furthermore, every year monga / extreme scarcity of food occur in the area. At the time of monga or extreme poverty situation the poor and hard core generally fail to mitigate their food requirement for mere subsistence. Situations compel them to starve (having without food) as they fail to sale their labor. Therefore, as development actor, it should be our main responsibility to undertake programs that will directly ensure the food security. Considering this perspective, in designing the program, it should give highest priority on the program that will food security as a number one priority.
The poor and hard core people of the working area are not aware and skill. Due to lack of awareness on rights, sanitation and health, income opportunities, service facilities, agriculture, benefit of education and utilization of local and own resources they are depriving in the society and leading a very poor life style and not getting chance improve their socio-economic status. Therefore, to bring sustainable and visible change, it is crucial to provide them the skills and awareness services to bring them out from the existing status. Further, the programs must have to be community driven approach for ensuring the sustainable development.
It also been observed that the poor and hard core poor people including women have not access to, participation and decision making in the community based development activities. The family as well as society frequently denies their rights. The poor and hard core poor women have no assets, power and dignity and they are mainly disabled, beggar, isolated, separated, divorced, day laborer, family dependent on child labor, small ethnic/minorities, deprived and have nots as well. Therefore, the program will address the problems of women to improve the situation.
In the mentioned areas there exist only 30 % people is using the sanitary latrines. Again, the people using latrines for reasons of privacy instead of health. The designed program should address the issues to improve the situation.
Local Government representatives are not aware on their respective roles and responsibilities. They have lack of knowledge and skills on democratic principles and governance. Again, there exist 13 different inactive committee have not knowledge and skills.
It needs to add here the program is designed on the basis of the prevailing context related to problems and needs of the working area that we assessed through ensuring the community involvement. Again, during implementation stage the program identifies the needs and problems following the gathered and available information used in designing the project.
Most of the children and mother of the poor and hard core poor households are malnourished. Therefore, the mothers and children suffer from different diseases as well as they need pre and postnatal care. Considering this perspective the program will improve the health and nutritional status of the poor and vulnerable participants.
The poor and hard core women are the most vulnerable section in the society. They have no assets, power and dignity in the society. Again, the people of the areas are not gender insensitive. Women are discriminated in family and society as well. Therefore, the designed program empower the women and girls.
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