Advocacy and Networking
 
ACT (Action by Churches Together) AZEECON IFAD (International Fund for Agriculture Development) SAGA (South Asia Gender Alliance)
 
The RDRS Strategic Plan 2001-2005 commits the organisation to advancing its development agenda through Advocacy & Networking in support of development issues and themes arising from its grassroots work in the northwest. The 2005 Strategy gives priority to ‘programme outreach’ - working with other actors in order to achieve jointly and collectively desired progress and changes by, with and for its programme constituents that may well be beyond RDRS capability acting in isolation.
Thus RDRS participates in advocacy and networking at different levels collaborating with like-minded civil society organizations, government institutions and development partners at regional, national and international level. RDRS is an active member of around 35 NGO coalitions or association (regional 7, international 6 and national 22 networks) devoted to different sectors, and issues. RDRS plays a vital role in policy advocacy to influence government policies at different levels.
a. Regional Level Networking :

Within its regional working area in northwest Bangladesh , RDRS is involved in a range of external links and networking, some of which are listed below:
#
Network/Association/Committee
Thematic Interest
1.
District Co-ordination Committee – GoB.
NGO issues, women & child trafficking etc.
2.
District Technical Sub-Committee – GoB.
MCH, PHC, ESP.
3.
District Development and Coordination Committee-GoB.
Development issues.
4.
District Agricultural Extension Committee.
Agriculture.
5.
Agro-related Focal Areas.
Rights related technology and knowledge dissemination.
6.
Lalmonirhat District Health Services Development Committee/Civil Surgeon’s Offices.
Health matters (Service, supplies logistics, clients).
7.
NGO Forum for Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation.
WATSAN.
b. National Level Networking :
#
Network/Association/Committee
Thematic Interest
Human Rights
1.
Association of Land Reform & Development - ALRD.
Land reform.
2.
Bangladesh Human Rights Commission – BHRC.
Human Rights.
3.
Gender Trainers' Core Group (TCG).
Gender and Women's Group.
4.
Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum - BSAF (child rights).
Child rights.
5.
Bangladesh Garments Workers Protection Alliance.
Garments workers’ rights.
6.
Campaign for Popular Education - CAMPE.
Education.
Livelihoods/ Food Security
7.
Fisheries Coordination Forum.
Fisheries.
8. Fisheries Forum. Fisheries.
9. GO/NGO Partners’ Forum. Agriculture related Issues.
10. Bangladesh Silk Foundation. Sericulture.
11. Credit Development Forum – CDF. Microfinance.
Health, Water and Sanitation
12.
Leprosy & TB Coordinating Committee of Bangladesh (LTCC).
TB & Leprosy Issues.
13.
Leprosy Control Committee /Govt of Bangladesh.
Leprosy.
14.
National Organizations Working for the Disabled – NOWFD.
Disabled.
15.
National STD/AIDS Network.
STD/HIV/AIDS.
16.
NGO Forum for Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation.
Water & sanitation.
17.
TB Expert Committee.
Tuberculosis.
18.
Voluntary Health Services Society.
Health.
Disaster Preparedness and Response
19.
Network for Information, Response & Preparedness Activities on Disaster- NIRAPAD/CARE.
Disaster preparedness and response.
20.
Disaster Forum.
Disaster preparedness and response.
General Co-ordination, Representation
21.
Federation of NGOs in Bangladesh (FNB).
NGO Issues.
22.
Organizational Development/Human & Institutional Development Forum.
OD/HID.
23.
Danish NGO Forum.
Danish Partner NGOs.
RDRS serves on the Executive Board of several of the networks listed above.

c. International Networks
Action by Churches Together (ACT) International.
IFAD-NGO Consultation Steering Committee.
Asian Zone Emergency and Environment Cooperation - AZEECON.
Global Communicators Network - GCN.
South Asian Gender Alliance – SAGA.
South Asian Peace and Reconciliation Alliance - SAPRA.
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