Building Teenagers as Good Citizen
Supported by: The Royal Danish Embassy
Period: December 2006 to February 2010
In two phases News Network implemented the project in 72 secondary schools in 18 districts of the country. More than 12 thousand students aged between 14 and 15 participated in the programme. Objectives of the project were to increase the level of awareness of school students on human rights issues, including child and woman rights, and motivating them for promoting peace and tolerance in the society. The project also advocated for incorporating human rights in school curricula. Key activities of project included motivational lectures to the students and participating in an essay completion on How to be a Good Citizen.
The Danish Ambassador to Bangladesh Einar H Jensen distributed certificates and prize money to 52 winners (students) of the essay completion. Functions were held on February 26, 2008 and February 17, 2010 in Dhaka.
Ambassador appreciated the News Network’s programme for the school student and said, “Children are considered as a long-term resource in the development process of Danish development cooperation policy. The obligation in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is a direct point of departure for Denmark’s development efforts. Denmark’s development policy promotes for the rights of children and young people and ensures them the opportunity for democratic influence”.
He said, “Assistance to the efforts designed to promote respect for human rights and governance is a central and integrated element of Danish development cooperation policy. The promotion of human rights and good governance is an essential part to the advancement of democracy and human rights. Thus the awareness of democratic and governance principles in improving the human rights situation and the overall democratization process is essential”.