Chittagong Social Development Forum (CSDF) was established in December 1996 to promote better understanding and coordination amongst the local indigenous NGOs working in this area under technical cooperation from Step Towards Development (STD). The network aims to provide a convergence point for those engaged in sustainable development work, particularly civil society organization, local elected bodies & development organizations. It has tried to strengthen the local social forces for promoting social development in greater Chittagong for the last 8 years in partnership with local indigenous NGOs, CBOs, services delivery institutions and local government councils for implementing a number of joint activities.
The CSDF’s working approach emphasizes the importance of promoting dialogue between civil society organizations, community-based organizations, and other social actors – local governments, international NGOs and the media, to name only a few. This will not only contribute towards strengthening and improving the responsiveness of the local NGO sector, it will also serve to promote the protection of human rights, gender equity and sustainable development at the local level.
CSDF was established with an aim to promote capacity development, coordination, sharing of local resources, develop good working relations and undertake joint programs for implementation amongst local indigenous NGOs, local government councils, services delivery institutions & civil society organizations. Besides that it’s trying to contribute towards developing a discrimination free and just society through giving its efforts to improve the human rights situation in greater Chittagong, promote good governance, increase women's participation in local elected bodies and reduce gender inequity. It developed Social Change Makers Groups who will facilitate the local community initiatives and civil society efforts and strengthen ongoing social structures in these regards. The students, youth, women activists, social entrepreneurs, representatives of various sections of civil society groups were included in Social Change Groups. About 63 partners and thematic partners are presently working with CSDF in VAW, reduction of torture of women and children, birth registration, marriage registration, anti-trafficking of women and children, reducing early marriage and polygamy, promoting children's and women's rights, consumer rights, human rights, good governance, and environmental protection etc.
From the inception CSDF has undertaken various activities related to women's rights, birth registration, ending violence against women and early marriage, etc. It is implementing a number of activities for developing a gender friendly and just society through developing a social change makers force and actors with a number of like minded partners and associates i.e. Steps Toward Development, Gender & Development Alliance, Bangladesh, ATSEC Bangladesh Chapter, Consumer Association of Bangladesh, ALRD, UNICEF, UNDP, Save the Children Alliance at Chittagong & Cox’s Bazar areas.
Contact Information
Our Focus
CSDF is implementing “Increase Responsiveness of Rural and Urban Governance to Promote & Protect Women's Human Rights & Increase Participation of Women in the Decision Making Process” with the help of Steps Towards Development and Gender & Development Alliance, Bangladesh in 9 Municipality wards and 6 unions through its 13 partner NGOs in Chittagong & Cox’s Bazar district. Currently it tries to create a social campaign for the reduction of violence against women & early marriage, promotion of birth registration, marriage registration, and enhancement of women's participation in local elected bodies, and active local service delivery institutions in 15 pilot areas. Besides it also undertakes dissemination of gender equity concepts at the grassroots level: Development of social activism through Social Actor Groups with the help of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and technical support from Steps Towards Development. The project activities are running in 10 pilot areas under the leadership of Integrated Social Development Effort (ISDE) Bangladesh.
Institute of Fuel Research and Development (IFRD) of Bangladesh has developed different types of improved cookstove models. In addition, CSDF and its partners also have promoted many improved cookstove models modifying the traditional ones with the participation of community people. In rural Bangladesh, traditional cookstoves are generally used for cooking. Conventional cookstoves used in the rural households have low thermal efficiency (around 8%). On the other hand, improved cook stoves (ICS) have efficiency of about 25%. Although ICS have been developed to improve boiling and evaporation efficiency, a chimney is attached to let out smoke from the kitchen. Thus ICS provides benefits to the households by providing a smoke-free environment inside and outside the house.
Our Experience And Interest In The Four PCIA Central Focus Areas
In Bangladesh, women are responsible for collecting and using fuel. So women play a key role in decision making about the type of fuel and how to use it. The decisions about type of fuel and energy use, however, are influenced by many factors such as tradition, convenience, availability of resources, accessibility to technologies, household income and the role of women in the decision-making process of household expenditures. Households having greater flexible family income use cleaner fuels such as kerosene as opposed to wood because it is a measure of affluence and prestige. Poorer households use biomass as the main fuel due to the cost of other fuels.
Marketing campaigns are rigorously being executed throughout the country through a network of partner organizations. The purpose of the campaign is to increase awareness about the benefits of using improved stoves and possible health risk of traditional cookstoves, and where to obtain them. CSDF also trains rural engineers, usually local women, in construction of improved cookstoves. These women then market their services to other households in their vicinity and make improved cookstoves for others.
CSDF lacks technology standardization for cooking, heating and ventilation. It is not well equipped to measure the stove efficiency and air quality in the kitchen. CSDF's interest in this area is to build the capacity of its staff in technology standardization for cooking, heating and ventilation.
In its improved cookstove program, CSDF mainly focuses on cookstove users especially in its Gender Equity Programme. Currently CSDF as part of its mandate is undertaking investigation and compliance monitoring of indoor air pollution exposure levels and women's health monitoring in vulnerable groups. The situation could be alarming since the majority of Bangladesh's rural and peri-urban inhabitants use poorly constructed stoves, firewood and agricultural residue as energy sources.
Relevant Publications or Studies
None noted
Our Contribution to the Partnership
CSDF wishes to contibute to the Partnership in the following ways: 1. To strengthen its present ICS network 2. To encourage local entrepreneurs to commercialize improved and reliable stoves in Bangladesh, which are adapted to local cooking conditions. 3. To collaborate with other organisations who are pioneers in the design of improved stoves to meet local needs. 4. Participate in inter-institutional/organisational training and research into improved stoves, health risk and exposure assessments using standardised equipment. 5. Provide expertise to needy organisations in the area of indoor air pollution management. 6. Exchange of information and sharing of research findings with Partners
