The National Change Makers Assembly in Bangladesh, organized by We Can Alliance to End Domestic Violence at Dhaka in Bangladesh-China Friendship Convention Centre on 11-12 November 2007, was attended by representatives of 236 Campaign Partners and allies and by 2500 Change Makers from 44 Districts of the country.

Inauguration Session (11 November 2007)

2 days long Assembly inaugurated by Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed, Honourable Chief Advisor of Peoples Republic of Bangladesh as a chief guest. Expressing solidarity with the assembly to establish a Bangladesh free from Domestic Violence, Chief Advisor urged the sensible persons of the society to build up an environment of protest against violence on Women. He called for building up a Bangladesh where women would attain new and higher seat of dignity in the society. He said “ We’ll have to keep up the efforts to establish equal rights and equal dignity for women in all spheres of the society”.

Geetiara Safiya Chowdhury, Honourable Advisor also there as a special guest. Sultana Kamal, Chairperson of We Can Alliance in Bangladesh and former advisor of Caretaker Government of Bangladesh presided over the Inauguration. M B AKhter, Co-Chairperson of We Can Alliance welcoming all and briefed the context and background of We Can Campaign.

Heather Blackwell, Country Programme Representative of Oxfam GB – Bangladesh, Hubert Staberhoffer, Prgramme Manger, Police Reform Project of UNDP, Bangladesh, Farah Kabir, Country Director, Action Aid Bangladesh, Shaheen Anam, Team Leader, Manusher Jonno Foundation also spoke in the inauguration.

Speaking on the occasion change maker Momeja Begum narrated her painful life due to repression by her husband since her early marriage life and how she changed the attitude and behaviour of her husband after becoming a change maker of We Can campaign.

Another Change Maker Hajra Shahidul Islum Bablu shared his experience on how they induced behavioural change in his personal life and organised a group of people as change makers.

Cultural evening (11 November 2007)
Cultural event spilt into two parts. In the first part, Udichi, one of the biggest cultural organisations in Bangladesh and Allies of We Can performed Drama focusing the day-to-day life scenario of women in Bangladesh and how the change makers played their role in challenging the situation and bring behavioural change in family as well as community.

In the second part of cultural evening, eminent singers of Bangladesh made the assembly more joyful with their melodious tone and expressing their solidarity with We Can.

People’s Parliament (12 November 2007)
It was a Mawk parliament where change makers played the role of parliament member and eminent personalities from different service sector were as ministers. Ranjan Karmaker, Executive Director of Steps Towards Deelopment and Member of We Can National Steering Committee as a Speaker chaired the session. In the session change makers raise different question and share challenges they faced to act as a change makers from family to state level. Personalities from different agency answered to their queries. The personalities were Dr Abul Hossain and Ganesh Chandra Roy, Directors of Department of Women and Children affairs of Bangladesh Government, Director Dr. Mahmuda Islum, Professor of Dhaka University and President of Women for Women, Hamida Hossain, Eminent Human Rights Activist and President of Ain –O – Salish Kendra, Monira Rahman, Executive Director of Acid Survivors Foundation, Ali Imam, Producer, ATN Bangla Channel.

Solidarity Express (12 November 2007)
Different national celebrities like Drama Artist, Drama Director, Singer, Football player joined in the event to express their solidarity with We Can. Beside Marjolinj Verhoog, Programme Officer for South Asia from Oxfam-NOVIB expressed her solidarity with we Can and shared that Oxfam NOVIB will replicate the experience of We Can in Bangladesh in Netherlands and through NOVIB Partners in different region. Hussain Riznad, Usha and Sofia Khan, 3 change Makers from Srilanka and India attend and shared the regional views of We Can also.

Concluding Session (12 November 2007)
The chief guest of the session was Dr. Akbar Ali Khan, Regulatory Reform Commission of Bangladesh and Former Advisor of Caretaker Government. Mahfuz Anam, Editor of The Daily Star, the national Daily and Dr Mahbub Hossain, Executive Director of BRAC were attending as special guest. Speaking as a chief guest at the concluding session Dr Akbar Ali Khan said, “Domestic Violence is a social disease and long-term campaign is needed to eliminate it”. Mahfuz Anam and Dr. Mahbub Hossain emphasis their role to be a change maker and promised to reflect the issue of domestic violence and We Can Campaign into their work in future.

Rally and Oath Taking (12 November 2007)
The assembly ended by a colourful rally with procession that paraded different city roads and ended at the front of National Parliament House by Declaration read out by Sultana Kamal, Chairperson of We Can Alliance. Before declaration thousands of Change Maker took oath, flown balloons, lighten candles. The oath was taken by Hena Das, President of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad and eminent activist of Democratic Movement in Bangladesh particularly to establish women human rights.

Major Achievements:

• Bangladesh is now under Emergency where any public gathering/mobilization is restricted by state. In this condition the approval of such big social gathering with procession was tough. And this is the first time in last nine months caretaker government in Bangladesh that the Chief Advisor attends in such programme initiated by development partners. Both examples prove that our work under We Can Campaign for last three years create attention in Government level. The Expressing solidarity by Chief of government with this campaign makes `We Can’ as an acceptable national entity.
• The event considered by Government as an important national event, that’s why all National TV channel with other private channel telecasted the inauguration. All media took it very seriously and for last one-week Domestic violence issue not only becoming the priority issue of the editorial, reporting, news, talk show etc, but it is recognized and acknowledged nationally by all that `We Can’ is a such campaign which turn into social movement. It becoming the news headline. Most of the channel produced special programme on 11-12 November. The experience of Momeja, who gave speech in the inauguration, were so inspiring that one popular TV Channel NTV will telecast live programme where she explained the role of change maker.
• The participation of all sectors from grassroots to higher level of state like, advisor, parliament member, person from legislative, judiciary, Human Rights organization and activist, representatives of Donors, INGOs, Journalist, Different Profession was remarkable which inspired change makers.
• The presence of renowned personalities and celebrities of different sectors, media felt that small action taken by change makers spread out across the country for big change to establish gender equality from family to state where they can be a part by their involvement, initiative and contribution. As well as our change maker came to realize that their efforts can set example for big change and they are not alone in their journey, which triggered their confidence high.
• The whole programme was totally organized. We could able to assure full security in well manner. All programme were ended within time frame. It only happens because of our change makers and all We Can Partners and Allies were organized in their plan and management. Through this event change makers are now very confident how to organize big mobilization
• The total event was very festive and colorful. Change makers from different districts organized separate cultural performance of their own heritage during breaking time, which is enjoyed by all.

Finally through this assembly we could attain the recognition and acknowledgement of We Can Campaign in Bangladesh and as well as reach the voices and initiatives of change makers to State and Government so that they can treat We Can as a National Campaign through their different steps and measures infuture to combat Domestic Violence.