Citizen’s Platform for SDGs, Bangladesh
Being encouraged by the two features of The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) i.e. transformative and inclusive and remaining committed to implementing 2030 Agenda, a group of individuals has taken an initiative to set up the Citizen’s Platform for SDGs, Bangladesh with the objective to contribute to the delivery of the SDGs and enhance accountability in its implementation process.
The Platform was formally launched on 18 June 2016. Apart from the Core Group of individual members, the Platform also include 104 organisations from across the country working on SDGs as Partners. The overall guidance is provided by an Advisory Group, who are eminent citizens of the country. Initially the activities of the Platform has been planned for five years (2016-2021). The Secretariat of the Platform is being hosted by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD). The Platform will provide an opportunity to track the progress of SDG delivery; sensitise policymakers towards challenges in implementation; bring transparency in the implementation process; and, facilitate exchange of information and coordination among all those working on the SDGs in Bangladesh. The Platform will also facilitate relevant stakeholders to work for the poor and marginalised e.g. ethnic groups, physically challenged etc., particularly for achieving SDG 16.
https://bdplatform4sdgs.net/about-the-initiative/
Equity and Justice Working Group (EJWG)
Equity and Justice Working Group (EJWG) which is better known now as EquityBD as is an alliance of several NGO and CSOs, in addition to many individual or groups activists in Bangladesh. Its members are having long experiences on policy advocacy and campaign activism down from grass roots to national and international levels for last three decades in many cases. Its members work on issues relating to trade and economic justice, human rights, democracy, public education, information and communication networking, climate change, disaster risk reduction, local governance, promotion of rural popular culture and such other aspects of social life. Human rights protection and people’s empowerment stand at the center of the activism of its member groups and we use various public awareness and advocacy campaign at all levels to make people proactive in knowing what rights they have in society and what they are missing and how they can protect their rights. This is how we seek to contribute to building an exploitation free society in Bangladesh and at regional and global level. https://www.equitybd.net/
To set up the body, EJWG activists carried out intensive consultations from August 2007 to December of the same year with like minded individuals and organizations to prepare the ground work for building a proactive nationwide network.