Organization for Women’s Development in Bangladesh (OWDEB)

1995	OWDEB established on February 01, 1995.
1996	Registered with Society Act Regulation Department of Bangladesh Government, Non Formal Education and Women Empowerment programs (research based – OWDEB initiatives)
1997	Hard to Reach (urban working children education) project starts as a Partner of DNFE, Govt. of Bangladesh up to 2001, Women Empowerment project started as a Partner of PROSHIKA up to 2001
1998	Improvement of Socio economic Condition of Slum Dwellers as a partner of UNDP-LIFE, Capacity Building of a small NGO through Local Govt. Intervention as a partner of PRIP-TRUST up to 2001, Gained Association of Development Agencies in Bangladesh (ADAB) membership and elected as Treasurer of Chittagong ADAB,
1999	Tree plantation programs in rural areas and STD/AIDS prevention training activities started for all stakeholders of OWDEB with the help of SMC group ( Multinational Medicine Supplier Company ), Adult Literacy project starts as a Partner of DNFE, Govt. of Bangladesh
2000	Gained BSAF ( Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum ) membership, CUP membership, NGO Alliance of Chittagong
2001	Registered with NGO Bureau (FD ) of Bangladesh Government,Socio-Cultural intervention with Chittagong Sweeper Community, OWDEB's Chief Executive attended (Paper Presentation ) International Drama Education Association (IDEA) Congress in Norway
2002	OWDEB's Chief Executive attended IHRTP by Canadian Human Rights Foundation, Canada, and meeting with PDHRE ( People’s Movement for HRE) New York, USA, Paper presentation on TfD in Researching Drama and Theatre in Education Conference-2002in University of Exeter, UK, A sharing meeting about Good Governance and Women in Bangladesh with EED, Bonn, GermanyOWDEB Initiated sustainable group formation of grass root people with women especially through Rights Based approach and a systematic DONOR searching for her works continue
2003	A systematic DONOR searching for her works continue, OWDEB's Chief Executive attended ESC Training program by Dignity International in Portugal, initiated a pilot project on Untold history of Sweeper Community ( Horizon Cast ) in Chittagong Bangladesh – Research Work as a Partner of Research Initiative for Bangladesh (RIB )
2004	Initiated project on Community Mobilization to End Violence against Women in Chittagong (17 wards ) as a Partner of OXFAM – GB, Bangladesh. OWDEB's Chief Executive presented a paper on Theater for Women’s Development in International Drama Education Association (IDEA) Congress in Ottawa University , CanadaGained IDEA Forum membership
2005	Initiated project on Gender Equality and Women Empowerment program at Family level in rural area of Chittagong as a Partner of Diakonia – Sweden , OWDEB attended in regional seminar on WTO and Trade in Jamshedpur , India. Beginning of Women Leadership Development and Awareness Program – a project of OXFAM – GB, Bangladesh (Livelihood program), Empowerment of Women Promoting Women Human Rights a pilot project in Chittagong city - 03 wards as a Partner of Action – aid ( Bangladesh),OWDEB`s Team (Change Maker - 06 persons) participated in WE CAN - Regional conference, Colombo, Sri Lanka. In 2006 Gained TIB ( Transparency International - Bangladesh ) membership, Second phase of both Oxfam – GB supported projects , Second phase of Diakonia supported project , Dialogue and in an appraisal procedure with Save the Children Australia, Banglades.

2006

A challenging year for OWDEB was in all sense for total duration of 2006 . For a small step towards a minimum sustainability , we searched for support though working with Oxfam-GB, Diakonia and Save the Children Australia in this year were continued. OWDEB initiated a good interaction through Reflective Dialogue mechanism to asses the attitude of Change Makers to work against DV Domestic Violence in 2006 in New Delhi, INDIA .

Six Representatives of OWDEB as Change Makers joined at Lanka Conference on Domestic Violence in 2006 at Colombo in Srilanka , Both program were supported by OXFAM-GB . OWDEB got chance to share development experience with 06 local NGOs of Jharkhand, India in 2006 by the support of Diakonia .OWDEB also make a good friendship with IDEX ( International Development Exchange)of California-USA .2006. It was an initiative for supporting women farmer's rights at rural Bangladesh

2007

OWDEB crossed a tough phase about funding resources as 1st phase of two projects already completed. OWDEB conducted a few short training course on Human Rights Education where participants were one hundred eight Community Team leader from different social strata of Chittagong . Total program was supported by EQUITAS ( the International Centre for Human Rights Education ) of Canada .

To improve the employment, working and living conditions of garment workers in Chittagong , Bangladesh, OWDEB started its work with GTZ in this year. It is a search for sustainable development where it promotes equal opportunity for women and men and also poor and rich .IDEX stayed beside OWDEB for total year to initiate a partnership about rural women agro-based life and rights development.In this year a research based work on the history of Sweeper Community of Chittagong supported by RIB is selected for publication as a Monograph by RIB also.Oxfam -GB supported two projects were phased out after three years project duration.Action Aid -Bangladesh continued their support to promote poor women empowerment activities through small Entrepreneurship development activities with OWDEB.Shyamoli Mazumder, Chief Executive of OWDEB participated in the 6th World Congress of the International Drama /Theatre and Education Association (IDEA 2007 ) to present a paper on Theatre for Development (TfD), which was held in HONGKONG. .Asian Evaluation Meeting to Review of Local HRE Activities in Asia conducted by EQUITAS in Bangkok, Thailand , CE also joined there with other Trainer from Bangladesh.

2008

OWDEB starts its new year by the support of Diakonia for next three years.
At the same time IDEX supported activities to promote rural women rights starts its new phase for one year. Action Aid started their work with OWDEB from 2006. After 2007, small entrepreneurship Development studies with two urban and rural group is a successful one , for 2008 it will be continued by Action Aid support. Save the Children Australia and GTZ support OWDEB like 2007 where project duration is

one year only .OWDEB is always in search of support to continue her core program for the promotion and protection of Human Rights in its working areas as well as in this World also.

The month April - 2008 is also another remarkable land mark for OWDEB that an Agreement is signed with ASK ( Ain O Salish Kendra ) to create an environment to provide legal aid to actual deprived women specially those are victim of violence . Executive Director of ASK , Advocate Sultana Kamal and Chief Executive of OWDEB Prof. Shyamoli Mazumder both signed the Deed to work against Human Rights violation here.

OWDEB is working in this way ensuring participation of both men and women for promoting Democracy, Human rights and try to establish a situation of socio-economic and cultural justice for achieving a sustainable democratic society and obviously a democratic Bangladesh