20142016

Education for Youth Empowerment (EYE) Program

Strategic Document

Contact: Shahida Begum,

Program Director-EYE
Save the Children
House CWN (A) 35,
Road # 43, Gulshan-2,
Dhaka-1212 Telephone:
+88 (0) 2 88 28 081

2014-2016

List of Content
1.

BASIC INFORMATION........................................................................................................................... 5

1.

PROGRAM SUMMARY (Maximum one page) ................................................................................... 6

2.

PROJECT JUSTIFICATION..................................................................................................................... 8

3.

BACKGROUND ..................................................................................................................................... 19

4.

THE PROJECT ......................................................................................................................................... 24

5.

STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS ................................................................................................................. 35

6.

PARTNERSHIP ......................................................................................................................................... 38

7.

TARGET GROUP.................................................................................................................................... 39

8.

RISKS ANALYSIS ..................................................................................................................................... 39

9.

M&E, LEARNING, ACCOUNTABILITY AND FEEDBACK ......................................................... 39

10.

RESULTS FRAMEWORK .................................................................................................................. 41

11.

ORGANISATION AND ADMINISTRATION ............................................................................ 46

12.

SUSTAINABILITY AND EXIT/PHASE OUT STRATEGY ........................................................ 47

13.

BUDGET ............................................................................................................................................... 48

ANNEX 1: PROJECT BRIEFING .................................................................................................................. 49

ANNEX 2: DESCRIPTION OF PARTNER ORGANISATIONS ........................................................... 53
ANNEX 3: S RISK ASSESSESMENT ANALYSIS ...................................................................................... 57

Abbreviations and Acronyms

BBS
BCC
BSAF
BTEB
CAMPE
CBO
CIDA
CMC
CoC
CSR
DAM
DPEO
EFA
EU
FGD
ILO
INGO
JSS
MDG
MICS
MIS
MOLE
MOPME
MoU
MOWCA
NCLEP
NCTB
NFPE
NGOAB
NPA
NTVQF
OHS
PMSC
PPE
PRSP
ROSC
SC
SFYP
SHARE
SIDA
SMC
SUSTAIN
TEO
TFD
ToR
TVET
TWC
UNCRC
UNESCO
UNHCR
UNICEF
UP
WFCL

Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics

Behavioral Change Communication
Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum
Bangladesh Technical Education Board
Campaign for Popular Education
Community Based Organization
Canadian International Development Agency
Compound Management Committee
Code of Conduct
Corporate Social responsibility
Dhaka Ahsania Mission
District Primary Education Officer
Education for All
European Union
Focus Group Discussion
International Labour Organization
International Non- Government Organization
Junior Secondary School
Millennium Development Goals
Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey
Management Information System
Ministry of Labour and Employment
Ministry of Primary and Mass Education
Memorandum of Understanding
Ministry of children and Womens Affairs
National Child Labour Elimination Policy
National Curriculum and Text book Board
Non Formal Primary Education
NGO Affairs Bureau
National Plan of Action
National Technical Vocational Qualification Framework
Occupational Health and Safety
Project Management Steering Committee
Pre Primary Education
Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper
Reaching Out of School Children
Save the Children
Sixth Five Years Plan
Supporting the Hardest-to-reach through basic Education
Swedish International Development Agency
School Managing Committee
Support Urban Slum Children to Access Inclusive Non-Formal Education
Thana Education Officer
Theatre for Development
Terms of Reference
Technical and Vocational Education and Training
Together with Working Children
United Nations Convention On the Rights of the Child
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
United Nations High Commissioners Of Refugees
United Nations Children Fund
Union Parishad (lowest administrative Body)
Worst Forms of Child Labour

WHO

World Health Organization

EYE Program Map

1.

BASIC INFORMATION

Project (Award) Title: Education For Youth Empowerment (EYE) Program in Bangladesh
SCI SoF:20800144

Member Reference:
SCD Project ID:
Save the Children Denmark 761 292
Project duration:
Start date:
End date:
2 years
January 1, 2014
December 31, 2016
Thematic area: (in case of more thematic areas please provide the %) Education
SCD thematic Objective(s) and outcome(s) to which this project contribute:
SCD thematic objective(s): To empower vulnerable youth in rural and urban areas through education
and training to become active economic, social and political citizens.
SCD thematic outcome-1: Successful expansion of high-quality Education for Youth Empowerment
programs globally is strongly supported by Save the Children Denmark.
SCD thematic outcome 2: Increased access of vulnerable young women and men in rural and urban
settings to decent work and self-employment through non-formal education, training, and employment
promotion.
SCD thematic outcome 3: Vulnerable young women and men (12-24 years) are empowered to
become active citizens accepted by their communities and respected in their country.
SCD Area Representative: Signature
Date:
SCI Approver:
Signature:
Date:
Project Manager:
Shahida Begum

Contact information: House # CWN (A) 35, Road # 43. Gulshan-2,

Dhaka 1212 Bangladesh,Tel +88-02-9861690, Fax +88-02-9886372,
Mob +88 0171 327 9587, Skype: shahida.scsd,
[email protected]

Location:
3 City Corporations: Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet
12 Districts and Upazila: Mymenshingh, Netrokona, Gazipur, Savar(Dhaka), Daudkandi, Bashkhali, Coxs
Bazar, Hobiganj, Kurigram, Shatkhira, Chittagong and Bandarban in the Chittagong Hill Tracts
DANIDA Frame: 2 City Corporations: Dhaka and Chittagong and 4 districts of Comilla, Coxs Bazar,
Bandarban and Chittagong.
Partner name(s):
Nari Matre, CPD, SUF, SEEP, INCIDIN Bangladesh, UDDIPAN, BITA, Child Brigade (strategic) , Ain O
Shalish Kendra (ASK), UCEP Bangladesh, OWDEB, SOLIDARITY, HUS, AS and the Ministry of Labor and
Employment (MoLE).
DANIDA Frame Partners: Nari Matre, CPD, SUF, SEEP, INCIDIN Bangladesh, UDDIPAN, BITA,
Child Brigade (strategic)
Networks: Together with Working Children (TWC) Child Brigade, Joint Child Labor Working Group
(JCLWG), Adult Domestic Worker Forum (ADWF)
Total project costs: USD 15:00 million for 3 years (2014-2016)
Total Danida framework funding : USD 1.04 million (DKK 6 million) for 2 years
Other funding sources:
Organization
Financial contribution
Secured/unsecured
DANIDA frame
USD 1,041,750
Secured through 2015
European Union-SUSTAIN
USD 3,917,103
Secured through 2017
European Union-CSR & CL
USD 513,773
Secured through 2014
FINIDA- CSSP
USD 750,000
Secured through 2016
Comic Relief
USD 165,726
Unsecured: No cost Extension
World Bank
USD 1 million
In the pipeline
IKEA(corporation)
USD 277,345
Secured through 2015
SOliver- Work 2Learn
USD 350,625
Secured through 2016
Bestseller, Dress man & Princes
USD 1,824,677
In the pipeline
Group, Primark & Loblos

SRG, Netherlands
1. PROGAM SUMMARY

USD 750,000

In the pipeline

Bangladesh is the eighth most populous country in the world, with more than 150 million inhabitants. Thirtythree percent of the population is aged 0-14 years, 18.8% is aged 15-24 years, and 37.6% is aged 25-54 years.
Statistics show that over 50% of the population is younger than 24 years old. The age structure of a population
affects a nation's investment choices. Countries with young populations (below 24 years) need to invest more
in schools and market relevant vocational skills training. The age structure can also be used to help predict
potential political issues. For example, the rapid growth of a young adult population unable to find employment
can lead to unrest. Different studies show that unemployment rate is 3.6% whereas underemployment rate is
36% in Bangladesh.
Bangladeshs Youth Policy defines youths to be those aged between 18 and 35 years old (BBS 2003), currently
over 38% of the population. Save the Childrens definition of youth is in line with the United Nations definition,
which considers those aged 15-24 years old to be youths. Using this definition, around 19% of Bangladeshs
population is considered to be youth. This large youth population presents immense opportunities and
challenges, both because it represents so many people and because so many youths are unemployed.
Unemployed youth account for more than 60% of the countrys total unemployed labor.
Due to rapid urbanization, child labor is an increasing problem in Bangladesh. About 7.4 million children aged 517 work for pay, many under hazardous conditions (source: BBS 2002-03). They have limited access to quality
basic education, and vocational skills training for underprivileged working children barely exists in Bangladeshs
current education system. Nearly 70% of working children are unable to take advantage of their basic right to
education. Only 8.2% of working children have access to mainstream schools. Over 60% of working children
are forced to drop out before completing their studies, mostly due to economic hardship.
Problems faced by working children and youth can be summarized as: i) inflexible and low quality formal basic
education, with high indirect basic education costs, and poor (but realistic) decision-making on the part of parents
who prioritize their childrens involvement in work over education; as a result, children often dont meet the
requirements to enroll in TVET or higher education; ii) poor quality vocational skills training which rarely lead
to employment opportunities due to the gaps between the training offered and the needs of the job sector; iii)
limited opportunities for soft skills training as children and youths have limited access to establish social networks
and develop themselves outside of the classroom and their families, and many TVET institutions prioritize hard
skills like vocational skills training, not soft skills, which professionals need as well for their career development;
and iv) lack of awareness among stakeholders as they dont understand the negative short-term impact of child
labor and dont value the long term benefits of education.
However, employers need skilled workers. A base line survey conducted by Save the Children in 24 factories
found that managers in all the factories reckoned their production would benefit from having trained workers.
Most factories (79%) do not have apprenticeship training systems, but over 80% of the respondents said that
there is a lack of sufficient skilled labor in their workplaces.
Taking into account this context and situation, Save the Children developed the Education for Youth
Empowerment (EYE) Program which aims to transform the life outcomes of working children and vulnerable
youth in urban and rural Bangladesh. EYE is a comprehensive education model for getting working children and
vulnerable youth into education or decent employment, enabling them to influence decisions that affect their
lives and advocate for their rights. The EYE Program is comprised of nine projects that each provides basic
education, vocational training, and life skills education to young people in distinct life circumstances across
Bangladesh. The EYE Program completed Phase-1(2011-2013) and is currently deep into the planning process
for EYE Phase-2 (2014-2016). EYE Phase-2 has a child-rights based approach and is in line with Save the
Childrens global EYE strategy. EYE is part of Save the Children Bangladeshs Education Program and was
instituted not only as a response to the challenges facing urban working children, but also in recognition of the
potential that they have to contribute to the countrys socio-economic development.

The goal of the EYE program is to empower and improve the economic, social and political lives of vulnerable
children and youth in urban and rural areas so that they can build better futures in Bangladesh. To achieve the
overall goal, the two objectives are: 1) Improved access to decent employment opportunities for working
children and vulnerable youth through quality basic education, market relevant vocational skills training and soft
skills training; 2) Children and youth are capable of becoming active citizens, and guardians are responsive to
and respectful of the rights of working children and vulnerable youth. The outcomes are i) Child laborers aged
6-14 years leave hazardous work and complete quality primary education (up to grades 5 and 8) relevant to
their present and future life; ii) Increased age appropriate and decent employment opportunities for vulnerable
youth aged 14-24 years through access to market responsive quality TVET and entrepreneurial education; iii)
Reduced vulnerability of targeted children and youth through receiving soft skills training to develop knowledge
and skills for survival in their jobs and society; iv) A responsive private sector towards fulfilling the rights of
working children and youth; and v) In civil society, vulnerable children and youth are recognized in national
policy formulation and implementation based on advocacy using research, documentation and effective practices.
The core program interventions strategies considered for Phase-2 are mainly i) Accelerated basic education for
96,578 working children and youth who will complete grades 1-8; ii) After completion of basic education, 33,185
children and youth will have access to decent employment opportunities through technical vocational education
and training (TVET) and will be placed in apprenticeships; iii) All targeted children and youth will gain life skills
and soft employability skills through children and youth clubs. Finally, at the end of Phase-2, 193,395 working
children and vulnerable youth will be empowered socially, politically and economically.
Partnership is the key foundation of the EYE Program. Building solid partnerships with a wide range of
stakeholders including local NGOs, the private sector, childrens clubs and networks, communities and the
government, allows Program staff to scale up interventions, to cover more beneficiaries, target additional
geographical areas, and allows the Program to adapt methodologies to deliver quality inputs and outputs. The
EYE thematic strategy is to increase the operational and advocacy capacity of civil society organizations
collectively. The Program will implement the different projects with 15 partner organizations who together have
formed a networking and advocacy organization called Together with Working Children (TWC) which is
working to harness the specialized capabilities of members to achieve the greatest impact and scale up the
Program. Child led organizations will serve as platforms for children where childrens issues will be discussed;
childrens views, ideas and opinions will receive particular attention during the whole of Phase-2. The Program
will continue its work with the Government, especially the Ministry of Labor and Employment to formulate a
National CSR Policy for Children as well as effective implementation of NPA on NCLEP and NVQF.
Danida frame funding is the foundation of the EYE Program in Bangladesh. Danida funding supports have for
many years include non formal education, TVET and soft components (organization of children/youth in clubs,
where they receive livelihood education including knowledge about their rights and how to advocate for their
rights. It has also included capacity support to partners and advocacy. This work has yielded best practices in
providing education to child laborers and vulnerable youth, and Danida funding has been vital for the past
success of the EYE Program. With the support of Danida, Save the Children along with its partner NGOs
piloted innovative initiatives which were later implemented in other projects. These have included an
accelerated basic education model following the government curriculum; partnerships with corporations to
promote corporate social responsibility; developing the childrens and youths soft employability skills,
including career counseling and life skills; and childrens and youth clubs. The EYE Program Phase-II (2014-) has
been developed taking into account past experience with Save the Childrens Danida-funded projects. During
phase II under basic education component, DANIDA frame funding will provide junior secondary education
(grades 6-8) for graduates of grade 5 from SUSTAIN and ROSC-II projects, and will work with the govt.
education authorities to mainstream urban working children as well as to ensure govt. services by establishing
linkages and building their capacity. As a part of TVET, the project will address the rural TVET, provide quality
TVET for urban working youth, and importantly will provide funding to advocate with the government,
especially the NVQF department, to include soft skills in Bangladeshs TVET system as they are also not
included at present. This funding will also support working children and vulnerable youth to establish social
networks through child and youth clubs. Finally, the DANIDA frame funding will serve as glue to pull the
work of the other projects together and will serve as the foundation for the EYE Program, while enhancing
the capacity of civil society and government agencies.

The total budget for EYE phase-II is USD 15 million for 3 years from January 2014-December 2016. Danida will
contribute USD 1.4 million (DKK 6 million) for two years, January 2014- December 2015.

2.

PROJECT JUSTIFICATION

2.1. Problems and Causality analysis

The following problems and their causes will be addressed through the implementation of the EYE Program
Phase-2.
2.1.1. Limited access to basic education for underprivileged urban working children and youth laborers,
low retention rate in completion of primary school certificate:
Child labor and education are directly linked. Nearly 50 percent of primary school students in Bangladesh
dropout before they complete grade five, and then gravitate towards work, increasing the number of child
laborers. The high dropout rates are correlated with the low quality of public primary education and low adult
literacy, less awareness on the part of parents about the importance of education, high teacher-student ratio
(which can be as high as 1 teacher per 100 students), and the high cost of education for many poor Bangladeshi
parents. Even though primary education is free as far as tuition fees and textbooks are concerned, there are
many indirect costs including transport, uniforms, pens, pencils, paper, and notebooks. As a result, poor
guardians find it hard to let their children continue their education. Furthermore, basic education is the prerequisite qualification for gaining access to vocational training and higher education. Nearly 70% of working
children and youth do not benefit from their basic right to education. Only 8.2% of child and youth laborers
have access to mainstream in both Govt. and non-govt. formal schools. The root causes of the problems are:
a) Insufficient access to education for working children and youth in urban and rural areas:
There is a significant gap between the provision of primary education (affecting children between 6 and 10 years
of age) to children residing in rural and urban non-slum areas and those residing in slum areas. Slum children,
especially working children, are extremely marginalized and lack sufficient access to basic education. With a net
enrollment for primary school aged children of 93.9% (GoB 2010), Bangladesh is on track to meet the target of
100% net enrollment in primary education set in MDG 2. However, only 54.9% of the children enrolled in grade
1 reach grade 5. The Multi Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS 2009) data suggests that only around 27% of the slum
areas in Bangladesh have a governmental school within their catchment area due to limited education services
by the Government. Primary net enrollment rates in formal schools in the urban slums were around 40%
(CREATE October 2010). In the 2009 MICS (UNICEF, 2010), the primary net attendance rate in slums of
Bangladeshs cities averaged 65%, compared to 81% nationally. Secondary attendance was only 18% in slums,
and dropout and repetition rates were higher than elsewhere.
In addition, private expenditure at primary and secondary levels is so high that it places the poor at a serious
disadvantage. Some of the major educational costs at government primary schools include stationary, uniforms
and lunch. Private expenditure at the primary level at government schools constitutes about 59% of the total
student expenditure and 67% at the secondary level (Ahmad et al, 2006).
b) Lack of preparedness and support for poor childrens education:
Most of the parents and employers of working children have little knowledge about the importance of education,
child development, the importance of a child friendly environment, positive discipline, child protection, childrens
rights and relevant governmental policies. The parents and guardians of working children are often ill-prepared
themselves to equip their children to become productive citizens, and, due to the familys need for money to
survive, poor parents often expect their children to be wage earners rather than students. The impact of work
under difficult conditions on a childs physical and mental well-being is often of little concern to their guardians,
and hazardous work conditions are often considered to be acceptable apprenticeships.
c) Inflexible and low quality formal basic education:
Most primary and secondary schools have a rigid and centralized timetable that makes it difficult for parents to
send their children to school during particular seasons. For example, urban working children need access to
flexible schooling, as some employers may allow children to attend school in the morning while others may
permit working children to attend only in the afternoon. Rural working children need flexible school hours
especially during the harvesting seasons when their parents need extra assistance. Learning provisions and
facilities at both the primary and secondary levels are inadequate. There are too few classrooms and teachers
at the primary level, which in turn creates a high pupil-teacher ratio (PTR). The national average PTR is 49:1 but
the average number of pupils per classroom is 63 in government primary schools and 60 in registered non8

government primary schools. More than 90% of schools run double shifts (DPE & MOPME, 2008). High PTRs
make it difficult for classrooms to be inclusive and responsive to the different abilities of students. In the
government primary schools, teacher-pupil contact hours are very limited.
d) Limited support for working children to reach grade 5:
Most of the working children and youth who are enrolled in primary education either through formal or nonformal schools are unable to participate in the Primary School Certificate (PSC) examination due to insufficient
support from their families and the schools. This is a key indicator which is overlooked by most education
service providers. To pass this public examination, the students need extra support from their family, their
employers and schools. It is often difficult for the family to support their children to ensure they receive a high
quality education as most of these children are the first generation of students in their families. The employers
are also reluctant to provide extra support for the working children to pass the leaving examination and continue
further education.
e) Parents and guardians prioritize childrens involvement in work over education:
Working or slum children cannot continue their studies as their parents do not understand the long-term
importance of education in their childrens lives. Parents take into consideration the opportunity costs (foregone
benefits of child labor including the time spent going to, from and at school that could otherwise be spent
working) when deciding on their childs education. Parents often decide to withdraw their child, particularly
girls, if the distance and time spent going to and from school is too long, engaging them instead in household
economic activities. In particular seasons when the roads are in poor condition and unsafe, parents are reluctant
to send their children to school. A survey showed that approximately 5.2% of girls aged 6-14 never enrolled
because school was too far from their homes; 6.4% of children who had never enrolled said that the road to
school was too insecure (Ahmed et al, 2005). The main reasons given by parents for sending their children to
work was that children can supplement their family earnings and education costs are expensive. No significant
differences are seen between rural and urban areas. Hence, either the parents are making short term financial
decisions based on income needs or they do not think that there is much economic value in sending their
children to school. Poor parents are more inclined to engage their children in work because they will gain
income generating skills on the job rather than in an educational system which is far too academic.
f) Lack of community engagement in children education:
The community engagement in education is essential in order to ensure quality basic education for all school
aged children regardless of their socio-economic context. The local community, employers and parents play a
significant role in establishing and operating education centers/schools in their community. Community
participation is particularly significant at the primary level but community engagement is very low in both urban
and rural areas as communities are not aware of the importance of childrens education or childrens rights,
dont feel ownership of the school, and lack the ability as a community to mobilize local resources. The formation
of school management committees is an important way in which community involvement is being promoted,
but often appropriate persons are excluded from the committees due to local power dynamics and their heavy
engagement in own livelihood options.
g) Indirect education costs and absence of stipends for urban poor children:
The Government of Bangladesh has declared primary education (basic education) compulsory for all children
and has provided stipends to the children of poor and extremely poor families in rural areas as per
government social safety net program, which implies less prioritu to urban children. . However, hard-to-reach
urban slum children are not offered the stipend to offset the hidden costs of education. Moreover, in urban
areas, the formal school authority is requiring that all children enrolled in formal school after having
completed one year PPE and two or three years of non-formal primary education (NFPE) courses. In addition,
there are many costs including school uniforms and educational tools that must be paid alongside the hidden
tuition fees. In rural Bangladesh, hard to reach children can use the stipend they receive to cover these
education expenses. But since the urban poor do not benefit from this stipend, many parents of urban
working children cannot afford the cost of education and their children drop out before completing grade 5.
h) Lack of interest in education by children due to exhaustion from their workload and/or discrimination due to their low
socio-economic status:
The urban working children are street children, domestic workers and children working in the informal sector
mostly in hazardous conditions. They are forced to work from morning to evening; the working hours are
longer for full-time child domestic workers. Generally these children work 10-12 hours a day and almost seven
days a week (on an average 50% children). They become exhausted due to their workload and the often
9

hazardous tasks they are expected to perform. They do not have the opportunity to eat nutritious food, they
lack time and money for leisure, and endure difficult employers. Their familys need for income and their heavy
workload means they have little time or interest in education.
i) Poor quality and unskilled teachers:
Teachers are an important part of any education provision. The success or failures of non-formal education
depends largely on committed and well-trained teachers. In order to meet the needs of working, urban children,
it is important to provide them with teachers who are familiar with the needs and constraints of urban working
children, child rights, and child psychology, and can provide child-friendly teaching instruction. There are very
few teachers in Bangladesh who can meet their needs.
2.1.2. Limited access to market relevant quality vocational skills training for underprivileged working
children and youth:
The technical vocational education and training (TVET) system in Bangladesh is relatively small. After sitting the
grade eight Junior School Certificate Examination (JSC), students can choose to go into vocational streams. Of
about eight million students enrolled in secondary schools, only 250,000 are enrolled in vocational education
(3%). The technical-vocational education system in Bangladesh has been severely under-financed, receiving on
average 3% of the education budget during the past decades. As a result, the existing TVET system lacks quantity,
relevance and quality. Not only is its output minimal related to employers needs, the relevance of its programs
and the poor quality of its graduates is reflected in the meager employment opportunities offered graduates. A
Tracer Study involving more than 2,300 TVET graduates showed that only about 9% of the total respondents
were employed (7.5% wage-employed; 1.5% self-employed), 44% went on to further studies, and 47% were
unemployed (World Bank, 2006). The root causes of the problem are:
a) Limited access for child laborers:
There is limited access to vocational skills training for underprivileged working children and youth in the existing
education system. In Bangladesh, there are about 304 public and 2,400 private Technical-Vocational Training
Institutes but they often lack proper policies and guidelines on TVET. Child laborers do not have access to most
of these institutions, as they do not meet the pre-qualification requirements for enrollment.
b) Lack of quality TVET:
Youth employment could be a key driver of Bangladeshs economic development, but due to the scarcity of
quality TVET on offer, the youth lack key skills demanded by the workforce. Quality TVET is necessary to ensure
the countrys competitiveness in the global labor market, and ensure decent and dignified work for all. The
vocational training on offer is often of poor quality and rarely leads to employment opportunities. There are
huge gaps between the training offered and the demands of the job sector. A proper market survey or feasibility
study showing the actual situation of the labor market and employers needs doesnt exist. The lack of an upto-date curriculum and equipment to support TVET also hinders quality TVET. Employment opportunities are
extremely limited for TVET graduates as linkages between NGOs providing training and private sector
companies providing jobs have only been recently established.
c) Lack of awareness among parents and children regarding the importance of TVET:
Child and youth laborers and their parents will often not immediately see the benefit of vocational skills training
as it takes time away from working, thereby diminishing family incomes. There is no clear career development
pathway nor is there a way to ensure that training is based on each child and youths interest. Parents often
engage their children in apprenticeships in the informal market where they are exploited; apprentices in the
informal market receive low wages, little training and even less guidance from employers.
d) Absence of official recognition of TVET
Training centers provide the graduates with a certificate as proof of their training, but this certification is not
recognized by the Bangladesh Technical Education Board. Official recognition is important to raise the status of
vocational training in the eyes of child and youth laborers and their parents and also to make workers possessing
this certification more attractive to employers.
e) No proper linkage with training and job placement:
After training it is very important to link the trainees with jobs. But there is no proper system today that links
TVET institutions and industry.
2.1.3. Lack of opportunity to experience the benefits of corporate social responsibility (CSR) for children
in both the formal and informal sectors.
10

Quality vocational training can provide children and youth laborers with decent job opportunities. One way to
evaluate if a job is decent is to measure whether it meets CSR guidelines. CSR for children is important in that
it emphasizes the achievement of responsible behavior through voluntary means. Informal sector companies
where many children are employed are generally operating outside the law and have not adopted practices that
are in line with CSR. In the formal sector, Save the Children has refined a model for working with CSR for
children in the garments and textile industry in Bangladesh. But in a base line survey conducted by Save the
Children, only four of the surveyed factories noted that they have a corporate social responsibility policy. Of
these, 46% of the companies mentioned that they expected that the practice of CSR and compliance will increase
their business opportunities. Nearly 90% of local manufacturers depend on local suppliers, but over 90% of
factories are unaware whether their local suppliers employ underage or child laborers.
The major causes and consequences of the problems are:
a) Improper definition of CSR:
Due to the lack of an appropriate definition for CSR, it has been observed that different companies or sectors
define CSR from their own perspective. As a result, the ultimate benefits from these so called CSR practices do
not usually support the development of children and youth. However, internationally, consumers are demanding
that organizations be more socially responsible. Organizations in both the public and private sector need to
define CSR practices in a uniform fashion in order to receive the economic benefits from a socially responsible
policy.
b) Lack of a common understanding on the rights of child labor:
Most child laborers working under hazardous conditions are engaged mostly in the informal sector. There is a
direct link between the formal and informal sectors in their supply chain which the owners of formal sector
factories are reluctant to acknowledge. Child labor may not be observed in most of the formal sector
factories but few companies have information regarding their suppliers employment practices. Bangladesh is a
very populated country and according to UNICEF, 13 % of children in Bangladesh are still involved in child
labor.1 There is a close link between child labor and poverty and so it is not a straightforward task to abolish
child labor from all sectors in Bangladesh. Realistically, if child laborers are barred from one sector, they may
be compelled through necessity to go to another sector to earn a living without having proper solution. Most
parents earn a too low income to provide for the families is one of the key concerns to increase child labour
and there are limited opportunities to explore the possibilities of linking up to Local Government schemes.
Regarding child labor issues, company owners should be honest, transparent and accountable towards their
business and society. However in most cases they ignore the informal sector and dont acknowledge the child
laborers who work in the factories where they subcontract out business. Most company owners in the formal
sector refuse to engage youth of 15-18 years as apprentices as they believe that employing youths aged less
than 18 years old may hamper their business.
c) Limited knowledge about Bangladesh Labor Act 2006 (amendment in 2013) and relevant ILO conventions:
Quality vocational skills training depends on real on-the-job training experience in industry. Save the Children
has developed a TVET curriculum based on industry requirements with approved competences by the BTEB
with a clear division of courses: 70% of the total courses completed at the training institute and 30% of the total
courses completed while working as a trainee. However, many companies in the formal sector are reluctant to
engage youth as apprentices due to: i) age barrier (under 18 years of age), ii) too few working hours (the
production chain has been developed on an 8 hour schedule, so 5 hours a day slows down their whole
production chain), iii) there are no master craftsmen in the industry to guide and teach the apprenticeship.
These concerns are raised due to employers possessing insufficient information about Labor Act 2006
(amendment in 2013), ILO convention 182 and 138 as well as education policy 2010.
d) Industry does not offer employment to young people:
The industry does not offer employment to young people due to a weak understanding of child labor among
corporations, consumers and other major stakeholders. This reduces job opportunities in the formal sector for
youth, especially young girls. However, young people often do find employment opportunities in unsafe
environments in the informal sector, where their youth is not considered a problem by the employers. Due to
the textile and garment industrys general lack of knowledge and ability to handle child labor problems
responsibly and implement CSR in the formal sector, adolescents lack access to quality technical vocational

http://www.unicef.org/bangladesh/overview_4841.htm
11

education training and job placement under safe conditions.

d) No structured courses in the industry for skill development:
The Ready Made Garment Sector (RMG) or the textile and clothing (T&C) industry in Bangladesh has seen
tremendous growth over the last 20 years. Today, the sector is Bangladeshs most important manufacturing
sector in terms of export income generation and employment. Generally, in the ready-made garment factories,
un-skilled workers develop their skills through on-the-job experience. As few TVET institutes supply these onthe-job skills, it is very important to develop structured courses relevant to the RMG and T&C industry.
e) Apprenticeships are not institutionalized in the industry:
Bangladesh today has 50 million workers with 3-4 million people entering the labor market every year. There
are only around 600 formal apprentices in the labor market. Learning by doing is still the predominant method
by which new entrants gain skills. The value of formal apprenticeships has not yet been realized by employers.
2.1.4. Limited access for children and youth to have influence on decisions regarding their own lives
a) Limited scope for visibility in the family, schools and the society:
Many children and youth engaged in hazardous work lack visibility in their family, their community and in their
schools. Their work is controlled by the employers, and as such working children and youth become habituated
to obey the employers instructions; they are usually unable to express their feelings about work conditions to
their employers. Traditional family values and the political culture in Bangladesh mean that children are often
prevented from making decisions that impact their own lives. Different studies show that children are engaged
in work by force or as a result of decisions taken by their parents. Children do not have their own space in
society where they can become empowered and active citizens.
b) Limited access to establish social networks and develop themselves outside the classroom and their families:
Hazardous work can have a damaging effect on the lives and future development of the children and youth who
are engaged in it. These children and youth have limited access to establish social networks and develop
themselves outside the classroom and their families. Childrens and youth clubs can help working children make
friends, establish social networks and provide a space where they can maintain social connections. However,
underprivileged working children and youths are unable to take advantage of the activities and training offered
in childrens and youth clubs, the centerpiece of many development initiatives. While youth groups have been
an important part of childrens education development initiatives, they have not been central to projects
working the area of childrens rights. However, childrens and youth clubs could be important networking
centers for working children and youths. They can be important knowledge centers in the communities, which
in the longer term will support the children and youth as they work to equip themselves to take on jobs that
offer a decent and safe standard of living.
c) Limited opportunities of soft skills training for children and youth:
Soft skills can provide vulnerable children with confidence and self-reliance, life skills that are very important for
them to manage their lives and cope with the hazards that they face in the workplace. Knowledge regarding the
Child Rights Convention (CRC) can make them more effective communicators in regards to their rights and
increase their confidence to function in society. However, these soft skills are rarely taught in training facilities
and most children dont know their rights under the CRC. Many working children and youth experience
difficulties when they transition from the informal sector workplace to the formal sector because they do not
understand the importance of vital soft skills such as being on time for work, maintaining discipline, calling in
when they are ill, and getting along with co-workers. Many TVET institutions prioritize hard skills like vocational
skills training, rather than soft skills, which professionals need for their career development and, ultimately, to
succeed in the workplace. Both soft skills and hard skills are essential for a person to gain personal and
professional experiences, which are prerequisites to get a decent job as well as help them leadership
development, decision making and social networking. .
2.1.5. Lack of appropriate laws and policies and proper policy implementation towards empowerment
of working children and youth:
Though the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) has taken many initiatives to eliminate child labor, there is little

12

accountability in both the formal and informal sector economies and thus little incentive to implement the
initiatives. Initiatives include the National Child Labor Elimination Policy 2010 (NCLEP), National Plan of Action
to implement NCLEP, and a list of approved and worst forms of child labor. However, while Bangladesh has
very effective policies on paper, there is little political will and limited capacity for implementation.
In addition, the government-formulated National Education Policy and social safety net programs (Primary
School Stipend Program and Secondary School Stipend Program) aiming to increase enrollment and retention
rates but doing little to improve the quality of education are of great concern. The government-formulated
National Skills Development Policy as well as a national vocational education quality framework (NVEQF) is still
at the infant stage in terms of taking into account underprivileged working children and youth. It is also unclear
exactly how stakeholders will perceive and implement the NVEQF.
In 2012, Save the Children and the Ministry of Labor and Employment signed a letter of agreement (LOA) to
formulate a national CSR policy for children. A child-focused CSR policy is required to bring corporations,
development agencies, training institutions and the government under one common framework which is missing
now. Realizing this, the government has taken the lead with Save the Children providing technical support.
Corporations commitment is vital to formulate an effective CSR policy for children.
2.2. Relation to relevant government strategies
Policies developed as part of Save the Childrens EYE Program are reflected in government strategies. In the
Sixth Five Year Plan 2011-2015 (SFYP), the Government of Bangladesh adopted Vision 2021 in recognition of
long term development challenges. The government has also set a Perspective Plan 2010-2021 to transform
Bangladesh from a low income country to the first stage of a middle income country. To implement Vision 2021,
the government developed the Sixth Five Year Plan focusing on strategies, policies and institutions to guide the
private sector in helping Bangladesh achieve the goals set in Vision 2021. The SFYP includes the following
strategies which are relevant to the EYE Program.
Poverty and child labor: In recent times, poverty has been increasingly inhibiting children from going on to
higher education. Children from poor families have fewer chances to access schools especially at the secondary
level, as many of them are engaged in work and are struggling for survival. The Government of Bangladesh
considers the elimination of child labor to be one of its most important priorities to make Bangladesh more
prosperous and improve the living standards of its people. Effective measures should be taken to eliminate child
labor, especially its worst and hazardous forms, through the formulation and implementation of the National
Plan of Action for Implementation of the NCLEP 2010. Based on the priority areas set out in the NCLEP 2010,
the Ministry of Labor and Employment will coordinate and lead the National Plan of Action implementation
process.
Education Targets and Strategy: Vision 2021 and Education Policy 2010 provide the framework for
determining the objectives, priorities and strategies for the education sector in the Sixth Plan. Universal primary
education, extending this stage to grade 8; elimination of illiteracy; removing the education gap between the
poor and rich, creating a new generation equipped with technical skills and scientific knowledge; better
remunerations for teachers; and overall improvement of quality and equity in education are key education goals
set out in Vision 2021.
Access, dropout and equity issues: The Government recognizes that there are still many challenges to enhance
access at all levels in the secondary and higher education sector. The national secondary enrollment rate is 45%,
which means that 55% of all secondary school age children in Bangladesh do not make the transition to secondary
school.
Quantitative goal: The main objective is to increase the rate of enrollment of school age children by focusing on
both new enrollment and completion rates. Action will be taken to improve secondary and higher education.
To achieve this quantitative goal, the government will provide stipends and other financial support to the poor,
especially to female students to encourage enrollment, retention and completion and will establish technical
schools at the Upazila level.
Qualitative goal: The objective here is to improve the standard of education at secondary and higher levels. The

13

major strategic interventions will be: i) modernization of curricula, texts, pedagogy and examination techniques.
More importance will be given to science and mathematics at the secondary level; ii) introduction of information
and communication technology (ICT) and technical education at all secondary levels, while encouraging equal
participation of girls in technical education; iii) providing subsidies to create demand for education in favor of
the poor girls; iv) introduction of technical and vocational trades in madrasa education.
Higher labor force growth and ensuring labor quality: The government has recognized that, due to
demographic factors, the young will continue to enter the labor force. The strategy is to take advantage of this
demographic dividend through a well-articulated human development strategy. The quality of the labor force is
weak due to limited access and low quality of education. The Sixth Plan will seek to address these challenges by
developing and implementing a well thought out education and training strategy. The strategy will be to design
and implement a range of social protection programs that meet the needs of these underprivileged groups. In
this regard, existing programs will be reviewed and reformed with a view to ensuring that all underprivileged
groups including the disabled, the elderly, the tribal population, and children and women at risk are given priority
in the distribution of benefits. Particular attention will be given to strengthening the underlying institutions.
Job creation and rebalancing of employment: With the labor force growing by 3.2% per year and the very high
level of underemployment in the farm and informal services sectors, creation of new jobs in the productive,
formal sectors of the economy will be a major challenge under the plan. The growth strategy and the underlying
sectoral shift projected in the Plan aim to address the employment issue by creating new jobs in the nonfarm
sector and by rebalancing employment away from agriculture and into more productive sectors of the economy.
Education and training: In the SFYP the government has emphasized empowering people with skills and knowledge
and giving them access to productive employment in the future, focusing on youth development. Human
resources development is at the core of Bangladesh's development efforts and access to quality education is
critical to poverty reduction and economic development.
Technical Education: The government is looking to: i) increase the enrollment in technical education from
6% (currently) to 25% within the next 15 years; ii) introduce technical and vocational courses in secondary,
higher secondary and madrasa levels; iii) introduce SSC vocational courses; iv) introduce a double shift in the
existing technical schools, colleges and polytechnic institutes; v) undertake a skills development project;
vi)continue skills development projects and vii) establish one technical school in every Upazila.
To address concerns, the government has established the National Skill Development Council (NSDC) as the
body responsible for policy formulation on skills development with representation from the government,
employers, workers and civil society. A national skills development policy has been approved under the Council.
This policy attempts to address the issues raised above and proposes to strengthen the Bangladesh Technical
Education Board as a quality assurance mechanism. Informal and traditional apprenticeships and on-the-job
experience are the means for creating most of the skills that keep the economy running. A master craftsman,
himself having inherited skills from his father or another "master," trains his assistants in exchange for free labor
or a reduced wage, producing such skills as welding, turning, bricklaying, carpentry, furniture making, electrical
maintenance, plumbing, bicycle repair, motor repair and so on. Not enough is known about the system and its
strengths and weaknesses. An attempt to bring the system under official regulation may not be a good idea.
However, the Plan will suggest the need to maintain an overview of the system and consider how the
governments and private sectors more formal training programs can complement and supplement the informal
system and enhance the effectiveness of nationwide skill generation.
2.3. Relation to the Country Program Strategy
The Education for Youth Empowerment (EYE) Program is part of Save the Childrens Education Program and
was instituted not only as a response to the challenges facing urban working children, but also in recognition of
the potential that they have to contribute to the countrys socio-economic development. Save the Childrens
Education Program in Bangladesh is the largest program portfolio in the country and is recognized as a leader
in education globally. This portfolio is comprised of large-scale education programs as well as a number of
various pilot projects and research initiatives which are implemented by its three sub-thematic programs; Early
Childhood Care and Development (ECCD), Basic Education, and Education for Youth Empowerment (EYE) in
43 districts across the country. The EYE Program in Bangladesh is in line with Save the Childrens global EYE
strategy and is moreover one of the main sources for the development of Save the Childrens global EYE concept
and strategy.
14

2.4. Relation to SCD thematic objectives/outcomes

How the Bangladesh EYE Program will contribute to achieve the SCD thematic objectives and outcomes: Save the
Childrens Bangladesh Education for Youth Empowerment (EYE) Program is directly linked and contributes to
the SCD EYE thematic objectives and outcomes due to its holistic, demand driven and sustainable approach.
The overall objective of Bangladesh EYE programs is that vulnerable children and youth in urban and rural areas
are economically, socially and politically empowered to build better futures which is very much in line with
SCD EYE thematic goals.
Many innovative initiatives like an accelerated education model for working children, partnerships with civil
society and corporations, and soft skills, including manuals, will be tested and piloted. The grass roots evidence
of Bangladeshs EYE Program will contribute to strengthen the global EYE strategy which is led by SCD. EYEPhase II will gather more in depth knowledge on urban programming, the provision of quality TVET based on
industry requirements and needs, the NVQF, rural TVET, national advocacy to formulate a National CSR Policy
for Children, and accreditation of the TVET curriculum. This will directly contribute to achieve Save the Children
Denmarks thematic outcome-1: successful expansion globally of high-quality Education for Youth
Empowerment Programs. Through the EYE Program, child laborers and vulnerable youth are getting access to
a comprehensive age-specific education that includes quality basic education, vocational education, and market
relevant training. This training ensures that at least 70% of the beneficiaries will be able to get a job that offers
a decent future within corporations that offer a safe work environment. The interventions, teaching both hard
and soft skills, will contribute to achieve SCDs thematic outcome-2: increased access of vulnerable young
women and men in rural and urban settings to decent work and self-employment through non-formal education,
training, and employment promotion. The children will learn how to organize themselves and advocate for
their rights. In addition, the vast majority of the children will enhance their social networks and life skills. The
soft skills, community engagement and national level advocacy component will contribute to achieve the SCD
thematic outcome-3 vulnerable young women and men (12-24 years) are empowered to become active citizens
accepted by their communities and nations.
How Danida framework funding will add value to the EYE Program: Taking into consideration the diversity among
working children and vulnerable youth, the context, and current situation of education and vocational education,
the EYE Program will use a number of different strategies to achieve the projects aims. The EYE Program will
address the insufficient provision of basic education for working children in urban areas and increase the quality
of TVET on offer for children and youth in both urban and rural areas. Through the Danida grant, the EYE
Program will provide a comprehensive education model for providing working children and vulnerable youth
with quality education or decent employment, enabling them to influence decisions that affect their lives and
advocate for their rights.
Danida funding supports have for many years include non formal education, TVET and soft components
(organization of children/youth in clubs, where they receive livelihood education including knowledge about
their rights and how to advocate for their rights. It has also included capacity support to partners and
advocacy.As described above, this work has yielded best practices in providing education to this specific target
group, and Danida funding has been vital for the past success of the EYE Program. With the support of Danida,
Save the Children along with its partner NGOs piloted innovative initiatives which were later implemented in
other projects. Different approaches and interventions were tested in order to provide quality comprehensive
education programs. These have included an accelerated basic education model following the government
curriculum; partnerships with corporations to promote corporate social responsibility; developing the childrens
and youths soft employability skills, including career counseling and life skills; and childrens and youth clubs.
The SUSTAIN project, supported by the European Union, was developed as a result of Save the Childrens
experience providing an accelerated education model for working children. Based on that experience, the World
Bank came forward to replicate an urban childrens education model through the Governments ROSC II pilot
initiatives. Based on Save the Childrens previous program experience and with support from Danida, education
program model was developed to benefit child domestic workers. This was later funded by Comic Relief and is

15

also going to be replicated by the World Banks ROSC II pilot initiatives.

The EYE Program Phase-II 2014-2016 has been developed taking into account past experience with Save the
Childrens DANIDA-funded projects. As part of Save the Childrens EYE Program development for phase-II, the
different program components were critically evaluated. This included evaluating the provision of basic
education, TVET, and soft skills in consultation with children, youths, and partner NGOs. Save the Children
found a number of areas where new aspects and innovative ideas can be tested. DANIDA framework funding
will contribute to the overall EYE Program in Bangladesh as a glue to help piloting these new ideas, in
combination with other funding sources, including the EU and corporations. Other funds are very restricted
with very little latitude given to pilot and test different innovative ideas as well as to address the needs and
constraints of the working children and youth education to provide decent employment opportunities.
Moreover, most of the other donors focus on building programs taking into account previous experience and
evidence. Under the basic education component, DANIDA frame funding will address the gap in junior
secondary education (grades 6-8) for graduates of grade five from the SUSTAIN and ROSC-II projects, and will
work with government education authorities to mainstream urban working children as well as to ensure
government services by establishing linkages and building their capacity. As part of TVET, DANIDA frame funding
will address the gaps in rural TVET, which are missing from all development agendas, provide quality TVET for
urban working children and youth, and importantly will provide funding to advocate with the government,
especially the NVQF department, to include soft skills in Bangladeshs TVET system as they are also not included
at present. This funding will also support working children and vulnerable youth to establish social networks
through childrens and youth clubs. These opportunities dont exist today but are very important for the
childrens and youth social, political and economic empowerment. Finally, the DANIDA frame funding will serve
as glue to pull the work of the other projects together and will serve as the foundation for the EYE Program,
while enhancing the capacity of civil society and government agencies. As a result, more children and youth who
are deprived of their rights to education and decent employment will be reached.
2.5. Justification for the continuation of Phase-2:
The second phase of the Education for Youth Empowerment Program aims to transform the life outcomes of
working children and vulnerable youth in urban and rural Bangladesh. The EYE Program phase-1 was designed
based on 15 years of working experience on child labor issues in Bangladesh. During the implementation of
phase-1, the EYE Program tested and piloted many initiatives including an accelerated education model for urban
working children, apprenticeships, safe jobs for vulnerable youths with vocational skills, and partnerships with
corporations. The concept of technical vocational education and training was also developed along with manuals
to teach soft skills. Together, these interventions have functioned as a proven model to help children and
vulnerable youth out of hazardous work and into either education or decent employment, enabling them to
have influence on decisions regarding their own lives. The EYE Program in Bangladesh has gradually expanded
by including a number of innovative approaches. Today the EYE Program is implemented by 15 partner NGOs
organized in a joint partners network named Together with Working Children. As such, the EYE Program has
the ability to scale up to meet the needs of more underprivileged children and adolescents in urban and rural
areas. The work begun in the last phase of the EYE Program to empower working children and youth will be
scaled up in phase-2 through many new initiatives in the context of urban programming as well as rural TVET.
2.6. Rationale for partner engagement:
Strong partnerships are a key strength on which the success of the EYE Program is built. Save the Children has
built solid partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders including local NGOs, the private sector, childrens
clubs and networks, communities and the government. Building on these strong partnerships is part of the EYE
Programs strategy as it scales up the Programs interventions, to cover more beneficiaries, target additional
geographical areas, and allows the program to adapt methodologies to deliver quality inputs and outputs.
2.7. Key reasons to implement programs jointly with partners and SC:
Joint program development and monitoring is one the key drivers of success of the EYE Program. The EYE
Program is developed and monitored jointly by diverse partners and Save the Children, engaging multiple
stakeholders and ensuring that the program goals are achieved and are beneficial from their perspective. Partner
16

NGOs represent civil society at the local and national levels. They have solid and long working experience in
terms of local context and offer quality delivery of education and TVET for the most marginalized children and
children laborers. They also have a strong platform based on grass root evidence to support advocacy at the
national level. A wide range of partnerships are being considered, including children and youth, their parents,
corporations and government. Partnering with diverse stakeholders has played a significant role in the success
of the EYE Program. Corporations, for example, can identify the existing gap between industry requirements
and the TVET provided, and provide monitoring to indicate when that gap is closed. Civil society can coordinate
and facilitate the cooperation between the partners, implement the program based on local realities, and choose
existing NGO partners that have the capacity to deliver quality services to the children. The community is
engaged in advocating for children, against harmful child labor practices, and monitoring workplaces to ensure
they are safe. Finally, children and youths are engaged to advocate for their rights in the workplace.
Save the Children's role is equally important to the success of the EYE Program. A number of projects are
implemented as part of the EYE Program to help the Program achieve its goals. The EYE Program has developed
a common log frame with one vision and common indicators to measure the objectives and outcomes of the
program. Partners implement a single project with very specific targets and outcomes that are ultimately
contributing to the achievement of the EYE Program's goals. Save the Children is playing a strategic role to bring
all lessons learned, challenges, and achievements under one umbrella to measure the success of the EYE
Program. NGOs do not provide an equal level of service and the level of understanding the EYE Program differs
among partners. Save the Children is working to build partners' capacity on institutional development, helping
them deliver quality programming and providing management support in order to maintain the same high
standard of delivery across the Program. Save the Children provides technical assistance to the partners to
improve program quality and serves as a bridge between local partners and the government so that local partners
have easy access to government and share their grass-roots evidence at the national level.
A number of management initiatives have been taken to create common understanding about the program.
These include a project management steering committee where representatives from partners and Save the
Children are the members and take joint decisions. Partner networks like TWC plays a vital role with Save the
Children and partners sharing the best practices, challenges, mitigation strategy and action plan for national level
advocacy. Taking into account the current situation as explained above, it is important to implement the EYE
Program jointly by the partners and Save the Children.
2.8. Key Stakeholders
The partner NGOs (PNGOs) are implementing all interventions related to the provision of education, TVET,
children and youth clubs, soft skills and involvement of local stakeholders based on their existing work
experience with the stakeholders and their geographical focus. Save the Children will coordinate the overall
implementation process, including quality assurance, technical support to PNGOs and progress monitoring, and
will furthermore take the lead on national level advocacy, based on the local level experience of the PNGOs.
Children and youth who are currently engaged in hazardous work as well as children at risk of becoming child
laborers are the target group and long-term beneficiaries of the EYE Program. They are the recipients of the
EYE Programs different services and will be actively engaged in child-led advocacy actions and sensitization
sessions and in other project activities. The active involvement of the children will increase their ownership
towards the EYE Program activities and will increase their motivation to continue their education and acquire
the TVET and soft skills needed for social and political empowerment. Through childrens and youth clubs,
children and youth are involved in the full project cycle from the design to implementation of the program,
individual career plans, child-led advocacy as well as monitoring and evaluation through project steering
committee consultations with children's club members. Parents and employers are instrumental in the childrens
education and development. Their capacity will be increased as they participate in parenting education and
through their engagement in the implementation of the project through participation in the compound
management committees (CMCs), which have a key role in monitoring the quality of education and TVET on
offer. By involving the parents and employers, the EYE Program staff aim to create a supportive mindset among

17

parents and employers so that they understand the value and need for education and will allow the children
and youth to attend the classes and vocational training.
The NFPE teachers, child club facilitators, TVET instructors and project staff are also key stakeholders. All
assigned teachers, instructors and facilitators will improve their teaching and their management skills through
participating in various relevant training on teaching learning methods, pedagogy, industry-based training, and
institution-based technical training. Members of the community, including local government (Union, ward)
representatives, NGO staff, religious leaders and businesspeople will play an important role in influencing the
employers, formal schools' and local education authorities to remove obstacles for child and youth laborers to
attend formal education and other alternative education like TVET. They will be invited as part of the child-led
advocacy campaigns to increase their awareness about the needs and constraints of working children and youths.
Community based groups, including the Community Watch Group (CWG), Community CSR Group, CMC, and
TVET center management committee are generally interested in joining interventions which affect children
within their communities. Save the Children and its PNGOs have already established several community groups
in the project area through other ongoing projects, and these groups are consulted on a regular basis.
Representatives from these groups will be involved in the different dialogue sessions during implementation and
they will be actively engaged in monitoring the Program.
Formal schools namely headmasters, teachers, SMC members and students are key actors in mainstreaming
students involved in the EYE Program. They are targeted in the areas of capacity building, sensitization and
awareness-raising. The child-led advocacy sensitization actions will increase their awareness about the needs
and constraints of child and youth laborers and will increase their support for mainstreamed students. Their
inclusion in training and other activities will ensure their understanding of issues surrounding quality education.
The informal private sector, with 93% of the children and youth engaged in hazardous work, is generally reluctant
to improve their workplaces if they cannot see benefits. The EYE Program targets private companies in the
informal sector that are suppliers to formal sector companies. The Program will provide training to staff in
private companies, outlining the benefits of workplace improvements. The training will also increase their
awareness of children's rights, the importance of a code of conduct, occupational health and safety, and CSR.
They will also learn how to apply CSR for Children effectively. Workplace improvement plans (WPIPs) will be
put in place in each workplace. Exchange of information and best practices about CSR for Children between the
formal and informal sector will be increased, using the pressure on the formal sector to provide safe workplaces
for workers to motivate informal sector companies to get involved. Private companies in the formal sector will
be selected to provide child laborers who have received skills training with decent employment opportunities
through apprenticeships and job placement. Orientation and regular meetings with companies in the formal and
informal sectors will make them aware of CSR for Children. They will be engaged in upgrading the vocational
skills training curriculum and instructors' training to ensure its relevance, as well as in developing CSR guidelines.
The EYE Program will organize these private companies through the Multi-stakeholder CSR Forum which will
contribute to the national level advocacy on creating a policy on CSR for Children. Business associations and
international corporations will be engaged in the Multi-Stakeholder CSR Forum to influence other companies in
their sector as will experience CSR lobby organizations.
State officials are generally not motivated to address child laborer and vulnerable youth and CSR issues in a
sustainable way due to lack of understanding as well as limited opportunity to work beyond their regular tasks.
Nevertheless, Save the Children has a good relationship with the relevant ministries and state organizations, and
is in regular contact with different officials related to child labor issues, CSR issues, education and TVET issues.
Apart from this, the EYE Program aims to engage strongly with local and national level education and TVET
authorities to increase their awareness on the needs and constraints of working children and youth education,
quality TVET and opportunities for decent employment. They will ensure their support for generating change
to remove obstacles for these students. At the local level, the main focus will be on the Thana Education Officer
(TEOs) and ward education committees, which can influence the formal schools directly to enroll working
children. They will be targeted in the child-led advocacy and will be part of the national level events. At the

18

national level, the key stakeholders are representatives from MOPME, NCTB (National Curriculum and
Textbook Board), BTEB, and NVQF as they can generate change at the policy level and directly influence the
local level education and TVET authorities. The representatives will be invited to the national level workshops
and conventions, and their concerns will be addressed through bilateral meetings. Although not directly
responsible for education and TVET issues, representatives of the Ministry for Woman and Children Affairs
(MOWCA) will also be invited to these events, as MOWCA is the nodal ministry for all child-related issues.
Media are important stakeholders in the Program in terms of awareness-raising and advocacy interventions at
the local and national level to generate mass awareness on the issues and put public pressure on decisionmakers. Media will be invited to all advocacy events. To multiply the lobbying effects of the advocacy initiatives
as well as to increase the potential for replication and multiplication of the actions outcomes, the project will
also address other actors such as UNICEF, ILO, national and international NGOs by inviting them to the national
level events.
2.9. Consequences of inaction by the partners and SC:
Urban issues are of great concern in the development field. At present, a large number of the most marginalized
people live in slums, maintaining a very sub-standard life; this population is steadily increasing with a current
urbanization rate of 5-6% per annum. More than fifty percent of Bangladesh's population is expected to be living
in urban areas by 2030. Dhaka alone accounts for 75% of the countrys urban population (UNFPA 2001). Due
to rapid unregulated industrialization and a weak rural economy, a large spike in urbanization has been occurring
over the last decade. However, urban development has not taken place at the same rate as urban growth. This
rapid expansion, combined with a strain on resources has serious implications for the physical and
socioeconomic conditions of the urban population. Children pay the highest price as they are particularly
vulnerable. Their needs are often unmet and their rights are routinely violated; they become child laborers to
meet the urban familys needs.
Urban slum children who are mostly engaged in hazardous work do not benefit from government services. For
example, two important government social safety net programs, the Primary School Stipend Program and the
Secondary School Stipend Program provide support to the poorest rural children enrolled in primary school
and to the poorest, rural girls enrolled in secondary schools, but excludes urban children. Other social safety
net programs that support working children support only those living in rural areas as the government is using
these instruments to discourage rural to urban migration. In reality, a large number of Bangladesh's poorest
people are based in urban slums. Moreover, only a small number of NGOs are working to meet the needs of
urban slum children. Alongside the urban programming, rural TVET is also a priority of the EYE Phase-2 Program.
Considering these gaps, if there were to be no interventions by Save the Children and its partners, a large
number of Bangladesh's most marginalized children would continue to be excluded from education that could
provide immense benefit.

3.

BACKGROUND

3.1. Background of the program:

19

EYE

History of the EYE Program: Save the Children has been implementing the EYE Program to address the root
causes of child labor for more than 15 years.
Child Laborers and
Initially, the program emphasized child protection,
but from 2011 the program focus turned towards
Non
Child
Empo
education realizing that a holistic program
wered
approach that combines child protection with
For
Vocat
Dece
Childr
ional
nt
education and access to decent employment
en
Appre
opportunities are required to improve the child
labor situation in Bangladesh. A comprehensive
education program Education for Youth
Joint
Joint
Civi
Rese
Cap
Youth
Empowerment was put in place in 2011. The
progr
natio
l
arch
acit
and
Program offers basic education, TVET and soft
Drivers of
skills through children's and youth clubs. The basic
education component targets those children engaged in hazardous labor or children at risk of becoming child
laborers and provides them with access to basic education. Basic education is a prerequisite qualification to
access TVET. To empower working children and youth, both soft and hard skills are required and are provided
through the EYE TVET. EYE TVET also includes training on market relevant vocational skills, provides educators
with curriculum updates based on industry requirements and occupational health and safety (OHS) training,
government competency, upgrades vocational training centers with modern equipment, and provides
apprenticeships and job placements by encouraging the involvement of corporations in the Program. Providing
soft skills, the EYE Program empowers children and youth socially and politically through children's and youth
clubs, capacity building initiatives and child-led advocacy. To implement the Program, key strategies include joint
program development and monitoring by partner NGOs and Save the Children, engaging civil society, joint
national advocacy and research and learning, capacity support to children, parents and the community, NGOs
and the government along with the active participation of youth and children.
Taken together, these interventions function as a proven model to help children and vulnerable youth get out
of hazardous work and into either education or decent employment, enabling them to influence decisions
regarding their own lives. The EYE Program in Bangladesh has gradually expanded with a number of innovative
approaches. Today the EYE Program is implemented by 15 partner NGOs organized in a joint partners network
called Together with Working Children. EYE currently reaches over 180,000 children in three city corporations
and 17 districts.
3.2. Lessons learned from EYE Phase-1:
Accelerated Education: Since poor parents of child laborers do not support long-term education, EYE developed
a 3-4 year basic education course, which condenses the government curriculum for Grades 1-5. The syllabus
has been accelerated by reducing overlaps in the subject material. The students complete each grade in six
months, which is achievable for child laborers, since they are generally older and more mature than regular
school going children.
Advantages/Strength: Critical analysis has shown that the accelerated education model is efficient and cost
effective; most of the vulnerable children completed 29 government competencies up to grade five within three
years. Alongside their education, children can work and earn money. The model also created a path for children
and adolescents to access formal school. As the education offered by the accelerated model is of shorter
duration than that offered by formal schools, over a period of time, the age of the formal school children and
the NFE graduated children (those who have completed grade 5) converge. This makes it much easier to enroll
children who are participating in the accelerated education offered by the EYE Program in formal schools. The
model is accepted by children, parents and employers since they see concrete results quickly. As a result, parents
and employers allow these children to pursue education. Moreover, in the accelerated model, the dropout rate
is very low. More than 95% of students complete grade five; in government schools, 55% of children drop out
before they complete grade five. The student attendance rate is also high. The EYE Program maintains a quality
education without compromising the standard of education on offer. All children (100%) participate in grade

20

five leaving examinations as well as midterms and final exams in each grade, based on the government exams.
Due to good relations with the education department and local government accreditation, children enrolled in
Save the Children NFPE get two sets of government books each year.
Challenges and responses to challenges:
It is difficult to achieve the minimum competency for slow learners, who then tend to drop out. A number
of initiatives will need to be taken to mitigate the problem. This could include extra coaching, health and
nutrition through a referral system, and social protection interventions such as a voucher system or midday
meals.
The low level of teachers quality can hamper the success of the accelerated model. Capacity development
for teachers, along with proper monitoring and ongoing pedagogical and subject based training can mitigate
this problem.
Classes which are taught in a monotonous manner can hamper success. During teacher recruitment, it is
important to consider teachers competency on extracurricular activities. Special training that supports
making classrooms more interactive would be a mitigation strategy.
Lack of discipline and adjustment in classrooms can be a challenge for the working children. A culture of
discipline needs to be developed and integrated into the whole process of schooling. More space could be
allocated for the children's clubs, so that during transition of one shift to another the students can wait and
participate in activities in the children's clubs.
Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET): After they graduate from basic education, children
and youth are enrolled in a 6-12 month vocational skills training course, which provides technical skills for
specific trades. One fourth of the training course consists of an apprenticeship within the respective industry,
through which children can acclimatize with the industry environment and gain the speed required to work in
the industry. After completion of training, graduates are placed in decent jobs through self or wage employment.
Advantages/strengths: Access of working children and youth to TVET changes social and economic status and
reduces hazardous child labor. A number of manuals have been developed, concentrating on career counseling,
trade based training, OHS with a focus on children in the workplace, industry needs and requirements and
government approved competency. The EYE Programs partnerships with 67 private companies in the formal
sector is another significant achievement and provides TVET graduates with access to apprenticeship and decent
jobs in the upper tier of the supply chain. Introduction of soft skills as part of the TVET component helps youth
to gather both hard and soft skills. Today, around 21 trades/professions are offered and the course duration is
responsive to the market needs.
Challenges and responses to the challenges:
Retain all the participants throughout the entire TVET course, as they need the wages from their jobs;
wage compensation for the learners can help to retain them in training courses.
Inadequate information to access decent jobs is a key challenge; an information area in the youth clubs
could help.
Corporations are less interested and motivated to undertake apprenticeships due to lack of information.
Awareness, training and motivation with proper agencies can help to mitigate the problem.
There is misunderstanding and indifference in implementing the relevant acts, laws, policies and
standards among the different stakeholders. Local and national level advocacy and capacity building
initiatives may address these issues.
Staff and students drop out during the TVET course. An inclusive selection criterion especially for the
outside youth (beyond SC NFE graduates) as well as a follow-up and monitoring system needs to be
introduced.
All vocational centers (VT) are not in line with standard OHS guidelines. Action should be taken to
update all VTs as per standard OHS guidelines.
Lack of educational competence (TVET requires a grade 8 level) on the part of the most marginalized
children and youth to receive vocational training. A new pre-TVET course for youths with a competence
at lower grades (grade 3) needs to be designed.
21

Courses of short duration cannot contribute to empowerment. Course duration should be similar to
that offered in all projects/trades under EYE Program.
All partner NGOs do not maintain quality TVET equally; minimum standards for TVET is required for
all partners.
Soft skills: The children learn how to organize and run children's clubs. In the clubs, they receive market
relevant training (including interview techniques, CV preparation and communications skills) and acquire
personal skills that empower them to overcome violence, exploitation and discrimination. Furthermore, they
learn about their rights and how to advocate for them. Parents, members of the community, employers and
other stakeholders receive information about the needs of working children and vulnerable youth needs, the
obstacles they face and how they can support these vulnerable children.
Advantages/strengths: The soft skills taught by the EYE Program make it more unique and innovative. By participating
in children's and youth clubs, children and youths build capacity in the areas of socialization and adaptation, how
to be more analytical, advocacy, leadership development, organizing and management skills. Career counseling
helps them to make informed decisions about their future professions. Furthermore, the soft skills component
helps the children and youth to increase their self-esteem, enhances their creativity, and sharpens their
negotiation skills and communication skills. Manuals or guidelines, which cover topics including OHS, parenting,
career counseling, life skills, CRC have been developed and many initiatives undertaken to strengthen social
networking through children's clubs and as part of child-led advocacy. Youth groups provide capacity building
support and training through peer to peer groups.
Challenges and responses to the challenges:
A specific package for soft skills is yet to be developed; however manuals have been developed and are
being used to build the capacity of children, parents and members of the community.
Soft skills are not reflected in different national policies; it is important to bring the issue onto the
national agenda as both soft and hard skills are need for a successful career.
Trainer groups are not yet capable of dealing with the soft skills component professionally. A designated
position and common orientation package need to be developed to create common understanding
among staff and trainer groups.
It is difficult to interest children and youth in acquiring soft skills as they are conditioned to only want
to spend time in the classroom and then in their workplaces. The presentation of soft skills needs to be
developed to make the sessions interesting.
3.3. Description of the project location:
Urban programming: Bangladesh is racing towards a tipping point into disaster as a result of its ever-increasing
urban population, which has been expanding since the late eighties. Trends show that the urban growth rate is
currently 5-6% per annum; if this trend continues, more than 50% of Bangladesh's population will be urbanbased by 2030 (BURT). The major causes of urbanization in the last three decades include rural to urban
migration, territorial expansion of existing urban centers and natural growth of the population in urban centers.
City dwellers are an integral part of the large and flourishing formal economy. But unfortunately, urban
development has not kept pace with urban growth. This has serious implications for the on-the-ground and
socioeconomic conditions of the urban population. Under such conditions, children usually suffer the most; their
needs are unmet, their rights are routinely violated, and they often become child laborers to help contribute to
their familys livelihoods.
Bangladesh is committed to protecting its children and ensuring their well-being. The needs of the urban poor
appear not to be a government priority. The relevant ministries and the local government institutions seemingly
lack the political will to improve the lives of urban poor children. There is a need for organized social pressure
on the government to push them to undertake plans and initiatives to advance the urban poor, especially
children. There are two categories of vulnerabilities where childrens rights are routinely violated due to
urbanization.

22

The government census excludes children laborers who are part of the floating population. This group is
extremely vulnerable since the floating population generally includes extremely poor children who need to work
for survival as their families are dependent on their income. Children commonly contribute around 20-25 % to
family income. There are about 400,000 child domestic workers (CDW) 6-17 years old. They are almost entirely
girls (80%); 132,000 of them work in Dhaka. Nearly 450,000 street-based children (445,226) are engaged in
work, 334,807 are working in Dhaka. Working children with disabilities are not included in the "National Sample
Survey of Child Labor in Bangladesh but statistics show that only 20.33% of these children are engaged in
education (source CSID). Furthermore, 1.2 million children engaged in the urban informal sector economy are
the most vulnerable with regard to rights violations. They are deprived of their childhood and they often work
very long hours under hazardous conditions.
As part of the slum children or community based children category, there are about 3,000 slums and squatter
settlements which house about 1.3 million poor people. The population densities vary from 700 persons to a
high of 4,210 persons per acre of land. It is predicted that by 2025, 50% of the total population of Dhaka will
live in urban slums and suburban areas (Urban studies). The average size of a familys living quarters is 8x9 feet,
and most families do their cooking, sleeping and studying in the same room. In slums, adolescent girls and boys
are often denied education, security, and enjoyment. The education enrollment rate of children in urban slums
is estimated to be 40% in formal schools, with approximately 35% more enrolled in non-formal education
services. For some sub-populations such as the Bihari, the problem is particularly acute: it is estimated that only
1% of Bihari children attend school. Adolescents are potential carriers for sexually transmitted diseases. Children
and adolescents in urban slums are engaged in drug selling, addiction and anti-social activities and are often used
for political crimes such as picketing and demonstrations.
Rural programming: At least 45 million people in Bangladesh, almost one third of the population, live below
the poverty line, and a significant proportion of them live in extreme poverty. The poverty rate is highest in
rural areas; 36% as compared with 28% in urban centers. Most of Bangladesh's laborers are engaged in informal,
low-income jobs with limited productivity. Although agriculture now accounts for less than 20% of GDP, the
farm sector still employs about 44% of the labor force. However, with urbanization, the amount of farmland is
shrinking, and most rural households have very little, if any, cultivable land (Source: IFAD).
According to the National Child Labor Survey (NCLS) 2002-2003, conducted by the Bangladesh Bureau of
Statistics (BBS), 81% of children work in rural areas. Childrens school performance in rural Bangladesh is
astoundingly poor; about 40% of children never show up at school, and among those who enter primary school,
only 40% complete it. Of those, only 7% manage to complete secondary school. A study on Hazardous Child
Labor in Rural Areas of Bangladesh (2007) conducted by SC showed that the quality of primary education is
decreasing. There are substantial variations among activities performed by children in rural areas of Bangladesh.
Such activities may range from household activities to migratory labor, unpaid labor and wage labor.
Subsistence agriculture offers the best livelihood possibility for most of the people living in rural areas. All family
members including children are usually involved in different phases of the agricultural production process; many
tasks performed by children are hazardous. Children operate thresher machines to thresh rice, pump water for
irrigation, and some families use their children as if they were bullocks to plow. Indigenous children and youth
in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) are engaged in slash and burn (Jum) cultivation. These children are unable
to attend school regularly as they spend around three to four months at a time preparing the land for Jum
cultivation.
Unemployment problems have become a great concern all over the country, especially in rural areas. From
2000-2006, the rural labor force grew by 6.3 million (from 31.5 million to 37.8 million), while the urban labor
force grew by 2.5 million. The expansion of low-productivity self-employment has been the major contributing
factor in the sectoral transformation of the rural labor force. There is a need for public action to improve the
quality and capability of the labor force. This can be done by helping children acquire education and marketrelevant skills and providing better terms and conditions of employment to increase incomes and enhance
workplace safety.

23

3.4. Child related key statistics relevant for the theme:

Bangladesh is the eighth most populous country in the world, with more than 150 million inhabitants (BBS census
2011). Thirty-three percent of the population is aged 0-14 years (male 27,393,912 and female 26,601,199); 18.8%
is aged 15-24 years (male 14,337,930 and female 16,377,785); 37.6% is aged 25-54 years (male 29,091,046 and
female 32,455,670); 5.7% is aged 55-64 years (male 4,775,062 and female 4,625,192); and 4.9% of the population
is 65 years and over (male 3,918,341 and female 4,078,723) (2013 est.) Source: (CIA World Factbook, February
21, 2013). Statistics show that over 50% of the population is younger than 24 years old. The age structure of a
population affects a nation's investment choices. Countries with young populations (below 24 years) need to
invest more in schools and market relevant vocational skills training. The age structure can also be used to help
predict potential political issues. For example, the rapid growth of a young adult population unable to find
employment can lead to unrest.
Child labor is a reality in Bangladesh where over 30% of its total population is still living below the poverty
line and around 18% are extremely poor. In a recent US Labor Department Survey, Bangladesh ranked second
in the world after India among 140 nations in employing child labor. The issue is a key challenge towards achieving
the MDG of ensuring universal primary education for all. Child labor not only harms the welfare of the individual
child, but also slows down broader development work. In Bangladesh about 7.4 million children aged 5-17 work
for pay, many under hazardous conditions. On average these children work 10-12 hours per day, six or seven
days a week. Nearly 70% of working children are unable to take advantage of their basic right to education. Only
8.2% of working children have access to mainstream schools. Over 60% of working children are forced to drop
out before completing their studies, mostly due to economic hardship.
Bangladeshs Youth Policy defines youths to be those aged between 18 and 35 years old (BBS 2003), currently
over 38% of the population. Save the Childrens definition of youth is in line with the United Nations definition,
which considers those aged 15-24 years old to be youths. Using this definition, around 19% of Bangladeshs
population is considered to be youth. This includes 16 million females and 14 million males (source: CIA
World Fact book 2012). This large youth population presents immense challenges and opportunities, both
because it represents so many people and because so many youths are unemployed.
A Labor Force Survey (2005-6) estimates that there are about 54 million people of working age in Bangladesh
(age 15 years and over). About half of this population has not received any formal education, either at the
primary level or lower, and women mostly fall within this category. A little over half of the workforce has postprimary education. For those workers who wish to enroll in vocational training, the vocational training on offer
is often poor and rarely leads to employment. Formal apprenticeships are still not part of the culture in the
industrial sector. In a country with over 50 million people in the work force, there are only around 600 formal
apprenticeships available in the current labor market. Learning by doing is still the principal way new entrants
in the labor market gain skills.
The informal sector provides some 78% of total employment, of which 48% is in agriculture. Overseas
employment of poorly skilled workers has also become a significant source of employment. Every year, about
500,000 Bangladeshis migrate abroad. Some 10 million people of Bangladeshi origin are living and working abroad
presently.
In a baseline survey conducted by Save the Children covering 24 factories, staff in 24 factories stated that their
production would benefit from having trained workers. Most factories (79%) do not have any apprenticeship
management systems, but around 83% of the respondents said that there is a lack of sufficient skilled labor in
their workplaces, with the shortage of skilled workers acute during peak production cycles. Only four of the
surveyed factories have a corporate social responsibility policy. Of these, 46% of the companies mentioned that
they expected that the practice of CSR and compliance would increase their business opportunities. Nearly 90%
(87%) of local manufacturers depend on local suppliers, but over 90% (92%) of factories are unaware whether
their local suppliers employ underage or child laborers.

4.

THE PROJECT
24

4.1. Program goal

The Program's goal is for vulnerable children and youth in urban and rural areas to be economically, socially and
politically empowered to build better futures in Bangladesh
4.2. Program Objectives
1. Improved access to decent employment opportunities for working children and vulnerable youth
through quality basic education, market relevant vocational skills training and soft skills training.
2. Children and youth are capable of becoming active citizens, and guardians are responsive to and
respectful of the rights of working children and vulnerable youth.
4.3. Program Outcomes/ Results
The following are the outcomes and indicators related to SO1:
Outcome 1: Child laborers aged 6-14 years leave hazardous work and complete quality primary education (up
to grades 5 and 8) relevant to their present and future life.:
Outcome 2: Increased age appropriate and decent employment opportunities for vulnerable youth aged 14-24
years through access to market responsive quality TVET and entrepreneurial education.
Outcome 3: Reduced vulnerability of targeted children and youth through receiving soft skills training to
develop knowledge and skills for survival in their jobs and society.
Outcome 4: The private sector is more responsive towards fulfilling the rights of working children and youth.
Outcome 5: In civil society, vulnerable children and youth are recognized in national policy formulation and
implementation using research, documentation and effective practices.
4.4. Program Activities
Under Outcome-1: Basic Education
1.1. Working children aged 5 to 6 years have completed 1-year PPE course:
Children aged 5-6 years old are often at a high risk of becoming child laborers as their parents and siblings
started working at this age. Secondary information and lessons learned from the EYE Program show that due
to the socio-economic condition of their parents, children in this age group are often about to drop out or will
never enroll in mainstream schools. The project will provide one year of pre-primary education (PPE) to 8,550
children (5-6 years) who are at risk of becoming working children and not enrolling in primary education. To
select these children, a participatory process will be followed which includes household surveys and focus group
discussions (FGDs) with parents and members of the community. As part of the selection process, the guardians
will receive information about the projects, the student selection criteria and the importance of education. The
PNGOs will operate 47 PPE centers consisting of one classroom each, in which the project will provide a oneyear PPE course in two daily shifts. Each shift will last 2.5 hours and covers 25 students. One (1) full time PPE
teacher will be assigned to each center. The students will attend classes 5 times in a week. The PPE courses will
follow the curriculum developed by the National Curriculum and Textbook Board and PROTEEVA to establish
further linkages with the government education system. It is envisaged that at least 8,400 students will be
mainstreamed into grade one in the formal primary schools after having completed the one-year PPE course.
1.2. Children at risk of become child laborers aged 6-14 years old have completed grades five and eight following the
NFPE course.
As basic education is a prerequisite qualification for children and youth to enroll in TVET, the provision of basic
education is a key component of the EYE Program. 75,780 children targeted have either never enrolled in
primary education or have dropped out and are working to contribute to their families income or to ensure
their own livelihood. The NFPE compound will include four NFPE classrooms, one PPE classroom and one
childrens club (if possible). The NFPE centers will provide the two or three year NFPE accelerated government
curriculum and NCTB books to 90 students per center divided into three shifts. One (1) full time NFPE teacher
will be assigned to two shifts/classes. Each shift will last three hours and will offer a maximum of 30 students
with flexible timing for schooling. The students will attend their classes five times a week. The children will be
identified through focus group discussions with parents and community representatives in the catchment areas,
and will be enrolled in grades 15. Each student will be provided with the necessary education materials. The

25

teaching methodology will include child to child facilitation, group work, discussions and game exercises. It is
envisaged that at least 95% of the children receiving NFPE will sit the primary school certificate exam. Of these,
at least 80% are expected to pass grade 5 and at least 3,060 graduated students will complete three years of
non-formal junior secondary school up to grade 8. Of the enrolled students, at least 90% of the children will sit
the JSC exam, and of these at least 70% will pass grade 8. Additional coaching support will be provided for the
students sitting grades 5 and 8 final examinations.
1.3. Graduated PPE students and NFPE children are mainstreamed in formal schools or linked to alternative education
opportunities.
It is anticipated that 100% of the students graduating from pre-primary will be enrolled into grade 1 of nearby
formal primary schools. Over the course of this three year project, 8,400 PPE students will be mainstreamed to
continue their higher education. The project will mainstream 20% of graduated NFPE students into formal
secondary schools and 3,060 will be enrolled into non-formal junior schools and TVET. To strengthen the
retention of PPE and NFPE students enrollment into formal schools, the teachers will provide after school
tutorial support on the project's school premises. To further reduce the risk of graduates dropping out in their
first year in the formal schools, the PNGOs will conduct sensitization sessions for students in the formal primary
and secondary schools about the obstacles facing NFPE graduates.
1.4. Building the capacity of teachers, supervisors and education professionals on inclusive, participatory, interactive and
innovative teaching and learning methods.
PPE and NFPE teachers will be provided with a six day basic training and two day refresher training annually.
Teachers will receive training on the curriculum, lesson plan development, child-friendly teaching, orientation
on children's rights and the needs and constraints of the hardest to reach urban children. For each basic teacher
training and refresher training, the NFPE supervisors will invite one representative from the TEO to participate.
This will promote the exchange of knowledge between the non-formal and formal education systems, as the
TEOs are responsible for both systems. Teachers will also receive a daylong meeting or refresher training
monthly to address the challenges they have faced during the classroom teaching, and to explore innovations
that will support an integrated teaching and learning approach. In addition, the half-yearly group meetings
between parents/guardians and the teachers will support the guardians' engagement in their childrens education
and will strengthen their relationship with the schools and teachers, which will increase the guardians' ownership
in the education program. As each teacher is responsible for two shifts/classes, he/she will organize two meetings
every six months, four per year.
1.5. Material development
EYE Program staff together with the PNGOs will organize workshops where teaching and learning materials will
be developed to ensure a child-friendly learning environment in each PPE and NFPE center. GoB officials from
the Directorate of Primary Education, NCTB, the Bureau of Non-Formal Education (BNFPE), and education
experts from other NFPE service providers will be invited to attend these workshops. The EYE Program will
also organize a workshop to develop a support strategy for NFPE students as they prepare to take the PSC and
JSC examinations.
Under Outcome 2: TVET
2.1. Development of career development plan for xx working children and vulnerable youth:
In order to create interest in vocational training and raise awareness of the possibilities available, career
development plans will be developed for the child and youth laborers who are offered vocational training. Child
and youth laborers and their parents will often not immediately see the importance of vocational training as it
takes time away from working, thereby diminishing incomes. The career development plan ensures that children,
youth and their parents see the value of the vocational training as well as ensuring that the training is based on
each child and youth's interest. The career development plan consists of 14 sessions that includes three parts:
Who am I?, Where am I Going? and My Destination, to help children and youth identify their future jobs from
the beginning. Career counseling sessions will be conducted with 33,185 youth during the project period. A
facilitator guideline for conducting the career plan will be updated, following this, the children and youths will
receive support as they develop their plan. Staff in the NFPE centers will maintain the student's job profile
developed during career counseling.
2.2. Training vocational training center instructors
Instructors must also be trained to use centers that have been upgraded with equipment to teach specialized
trades and to use the up-dated curriculum. Both newly hired and already employed instructors will require

26

training. Partner NGOs will first arrange workshops to identify the training needs of instructors, followed by
basic training. The training sessions will be carried out by project staff and will include sessions on teaching skills,
development of lesson plans, occupational health and safety, and quality control. The sessions will also cover
childrens rights as well as any additional needs identified in workshops. Three 3-day training sessions will take
place in the first year. The initial training sessions will be followed up by two 3-day refresher training sessions
in the second and third years to ensure that the skills and knowledge of the instructors are up to date.
Companies based in the formal sector will provide instructors with 'real world' training. Until recently, TVET
has been hampered by the limited cooperation between NGOs providing training and private sector companies
providing jobs and apprenticeships. Only recently has cooperation been formalized. One week of in-house
training will give instructors knowledge of the procedures on the production floor, how the industry is set up,
and the working environment. This training will be followed by additional training sessions for instructors
provided by industry experts in the vocational training centers. Project staff will also use audiovisual training
tools to provide instructors and the students with more information about the industrial environment, OHS
and introduce the machinery being used in the workplaces.
2.3. Development of a sector specific training module for child and youth laborers
An up to date and relevant curriculum is important in providing quality vocational training. The TVET training
modules will be built using market surveys and situation analysis, and will be planned in consultation with formal
and informal sector companies, to ensure that the training offered is compatible with industry requirements.
The curriculum will be updated periodically in workshops with representatives from informal sector companies
and technical experts from formal sector companies as well as NGO representatives and members of the BTEB.
Including BTEB will ensure that the curriculum fulfills the requirements of the GoB, thereby increasing the
chances of achieving official recognition of the certificates in the longer term. Based on these workshops, the
curriculum will be updated with the help of an external curriculum specialist if required.
In the 1st phase EYE program that piloted rural TVET for child and youth laborers using traditional approaches
to teach rural trades such as technology-based agriculture, agricultural nurseries, food processing, and tailoring.
Job market analysis and feedback from recent graduates have highlighted that there should be more specialized
market analysis of trades and economic linkages between rural and urban area. Hence, TVET curriculum on
specific trade for rural area will be updated based on market survey findings.
2.4. Provision of market relevant skills training for child and youth laborers
33,185 child and youth laborers will be selected according to Save the Children's standard selection criteria;
participants will be selected based on meeting certain age, gender, and socio-economic requirements and having
completed non-formal primary education. They will be offered skills training in the vocational training centers
after selection. Following the basic education course, the children will begin vocational training. Their vocational
training will last six to nine months, and will include theoretical and practical training in the training centers for
three to five hours per day, five days a week. The training will be provided in different shifts to allow children
and youth to maintain their work while following the training. Project staff will talk to the children's and youth's
employers as well as to their parents to ensure that they will be allowed sufficient time to follow the training.
The training centers will provide the graduates with a certificate as proof of their training. The government does
not currently officially recognize informal vocational training, but SCI is advocating for this as part of the broader
EYE Program advocacy. Official recognition is important to raise the status of vocational training.
2.5. Facilitate apprenticeships for child and youth laborers
Global experience shows that if a young person does not make a successful transition from education or training
and into the labor market, this affects not only his/her future job and career pattern as adults, but also negatively
influences other personal and social transitions from youth to adulthood. Apprenticeships or job placements
are often the most efficient way to develop employability skills and open doors to future employment. The EYE
Program therefore, aims to offer apprenticeships for a period of three months in private companies to at least
12,240 youth that have received vocational training. Apprenticeships will last three months; apprentices will
work for five hours a day in accordance with the Bangladesh Labor Law 2006. Youth who are not offered
apprenticeships will be offered job placements to ensure that all trainees in the vocational training centers
experience a positive transition into the labor market. Mid-level managers and supervisors in businesses will be
trained to manage the apprentices and will also receive training in child labor policies and the relevant laws
applicable to child and youth labor in Bangladesh.

27

2.6. Capacity building and training on entrepreneurship

Given that many children and youth may choose to be self-employed and that there may be too few appropriate
employment opportunities, the vocational training centers will also offer entrepreneurship training. Ten threeday training sessions will be offered and facilitated by project staff, with 30 participants in each training session.
The training will include motivation, behavioral aspects, creativity, management, marketing, creation of a business
plan and how to link with micro credit and other financial institutions. Project staff will arrange meetings with
local business associations to increase the chances of successful self-employment and will follow-up regularly
with those involved in self-employment to ensure that they are successful. This will be applicable both in urban
and rural areas but it would be more applicable for rural areas where there are limited opportunities for wage
employment. Rural EYE program will move to a stronger focus on self employment and facilitating access to
start up capital through rural micro finance institutions.
2.7. Facilitation of job placement for youth in companies with decent and age appropriate work
Project staff will ensure that the targeted children and youth are supported in getting access to decent jobs after
graduating from the vocational training centers and will regularly meet with local companies to advocate for
decent employment opportunities for young people. In order to make sure that project staff is capable of
organizing the placements and advocating for the working children, staff will receive training on issues specific
to job placement, including how to negotiate with employers, working hours, codes of conduct and the
requirements of a youth friendly work environment. Through regular meetings with graduates and companies,
the Program staff will follow up on all those offered job placements to make sure that problems related to their
work situation are discovered and discussed with employers.
To facilitate job placement, workshops will be held for graduates, providing them with the soft skills that will
help them confidently navigate the job market. Skills taught in the workshops will include how to update a CV,
how to prepare for job interviews and how to negotiate with employers. Job fairs will also be organized to
which the TVET graduates as well as formal and informal private companies and business associations will be
invited.
Lack of information about decent job opportunities is one reason children and youths are employed in hazardous
jobs or are unemployed. A website will be developed which will provide updated information on graduates
profiles in order to link employers and job seekers. The children and youths will receive instructions on using
the website, and the site will be linked with other relevant sites.
2.8 Establish and upgrade vocational training centers
Based on the situation analysis and market survey, the state of the vocational training centers will be assessed.
The value of the vocational training depends on training centers having equipment and being able to provide
training in a space that resembles the actual working conditions in the companies where the youths will work.
Companies may be included in the process, to ensure that upgrades are relevant to the industry needs. If
necessary they will also be involved in purchasing specialized equipment by giving specifications and by ensuring
quality control. The vocational training centers will also be upgraded to meet OHS requirements and include
basic safety equipment such as fire extinguishers and first aid supplies. Evacuation plans in case of fire with
training given by the local firefighting department will also be drawn up. An OHS manual for the training centers
will be followed and safety training will be included in the curriculum.
Under Outcome 3: Soft skills
3.1 Working children and vulnerable youth are capable of organizing and running their club activities
Children and youth clubs are safe spaces where working children and vulnerable youth find social support
while learning soft employability skills and life skills. Many working children have not belonged to a group of
peers since leaving school, which can lead to feelings of isolation and hopelessness. Children's clubs give them
an encouraging environment and practical support as they seek better futures together with their peers. 133
childrens clubs and youth clubs will be a multi-functional space equipped with child-friendly playing and
teaching materials and organized by a fulltime childrens/youth club facilitator hired by the PNGOs. The main
function of the children's clubs is to allow children to come together, interact and learn with each other
outside the classroom , club management, democracy and advocacy. In addition, youth club staff will provide
extra coaching support for the slow learners and for the students who will participate in the grade 5 final
examination. The childrens and youth club facilitation and management manual will be updated to provide
better guidance to the facilitators and children. The students will be actively involved in the internal children's
28

club management in terms of planning and executing events and activities. Different child-led committees will
be formed, including advocacy, research, monitoring, and cultural committees. These committees will be
strengthened through capacity support. A training manual on soft skills will be updated in consultation with all
PNGOs. Every year, each children's club will organize study tours, annual sports, a cultural program, debate
competitions, children's gatherings and special days to create awareness in their communities about children's
rights, OHS, codes of conduct and a safe working environment. Childrens and youth club members will
participate in different networks and children's organizations meetings to exchange learning and experience.
3.2. Building the capacity of children and youth on their presentation, readiness for jobs, OHS, life skills and effective
communication
To ensure the high quality of the child-to-child teaching/learning conducted in the children's clubs, as well as to
ensure a child-friendly environment, the PNGOs will conduct 3-day basic training at the beginning of the project
year for the children's club facilitators on the United Nations Convention for the Rights of the Child (UNCRC),
child-to-child teaching/learning facilitation, and child-led advocacy. During the project period, the facilitators
will receive one day of refresher training each year. Each children's and youth club will have annual training
plans; club staff will provide training on soft employability skills including basic interviewing skills, resume writing,
and communication skills. To strengthen the interpersonal skills and self-confidence of the children, children's
club facilitators will provide three days of life skills training to 195,886 children and youth on the children's club
premises. Training will include modules on leadership, negotiation, participation, and problem solving. Through
these trainings, the children will learn about their rights as children and as employees and how to effectively
ensure that those rights are respected.
3.3. Establish a children's and youth platform and develop networking
The formation and strengthening of children and youth networks that engage in advocacy is an essential part of
the activities aimed at helping the children and youth acquire soft skills. EYE Program staff have learned that,
provided the proper training is given, children can run effective advocacy campaigns to support societal change.
Innovative tools like Theater for Development (TfD) shows, photo exhibitions showing hazardous work and
video productions have in many cases created a positive dialogue between employers and children, and have
helped convince employers to improve working conditions. The EYE Program currently supports 117 children's
clubs; representatives of all clubs have developed a Working Children Platform (WCP) comprised of
experienced members from existing childrens clubs and childrens organizations and students from the
vocational training centers. The new phase of the Program will strengthen this platform through organizing 133
child-led initiatives, school campaigns, TfD festivals, cultural sessions, and inspirational discussions about jobs
and the job market. Program staff will facilitate children and youth groups as they organize a National Youth
Convention to create social awareness on decent employment. The objective of the youth convention will be
to focus on decent employment and the right to education for youth as well as CSR towards children and the
youth. To promote youth participation, 8 community youth volunteer groups will be formed comprised of
graduates, middle class children, peer to peer groups, and vulnerable youth from the community. The EYE
Program will facilitate 794 sessions for youth groups where they can share job opportunities and experiences
and strengthen their networks. This network will further strengthen their opportunities for engaging with
employers to identify decent job opportunities, as well as sharing the experiences from workplaces.
3.4. Introduce child and youth-led advocacy to establish childrens rights
Child-led advocacy strategies will be developed in a series of workshops and will support the work of peer to
peer groups to create awareness on child rights among stakeholders. Children will identify issues which they
believe negatively impact their lives and with the support of adults, will develop strategies to solve the problems.
Areas for advocacy could include flexible school hours, reduced working hours, the possibility to participate in
education and introduction of codes of conducts in the informal sector. Advocacy activities will be facilitated by
PNGOs' staff and will include informal meetings, dialogue, debates and art competitions. Children and youth
club members will conduct a survey on "hidden" tuition fees in 267 formal primary and secondary schools in the
project catchment areas. By doing so, the children will assess the impact of the actions they believe are harmful
and generate further advocacy evidence to carry forward the agenda to the national level. To facilitate child-led
advocacy, trainers will bring together a group of children's clubs and provide entertaining and informative
sessions on advocacy. Advocacy tools will include drama, art, debate competitions, photo exhibitions, folk
songs, recitations, videos and documentaries and will be developed through extensive group workshops and a
series of trainings. For example, the children's groups will be encouraged to organize Theatre for Development
shows in their communities to raise awareness about child labor issues and at the national level (for example
during a TfD festival or youth convention) to influence policy makers, guardians and members of the wider

29

community.
3.4 Ownership among children, parents, members of the community, and employers by improving the environment and
building relationships centered around Program activities
Experience has shown that building an amicable atmosphere while carrying out project activities where
everyone feels free and comfortable to share opinions, suggestions, and ideas, and has freedom of expression
is more effective than developing a more formal culture . Through different activities, interaction among major
stakeholders within the community, including children, parents, members of the community and employers, will
be increased. Frequent home visits and meetings in informal settings will help encourage understanding among
them. The program will also arrange a number of information sessions to update the major stakeholders about
the progress of the project. From past EYE projects, staff have learned that working to create a solid relationship
built on mutual trust and respect between the community and the project will help generate quality results.
Under Outcome 4: CSR
4.1 Increased capacity and accountability of private sector companies and government agencies to implement and
monitor CSR-policies focusing on the needs of child laborers.
The project is adopting an innovative approach by using CSR experiences from the formal sector to improve
working conditions and opportunities for young people in the informal sector, which is where the overwhelming
number of children and youth work. A number of the 400 informal sector companies targeted will be subsuppliers to formal sector manufacturers in the garments and electronics sectors. Children and youth in
Bangladesh are working under hazardous conditions in both informal and formal sector companies. The reason
for this in most cases is a lack of understanding of the particular needs of children and youth, and a lack of
appreciation of the benefits of better working conditions and standards in the workplace. By increasing the
knowledge and capacity of companies to implement a high standard of workplace conditions, children and youth
will have increased access to decent job opportunities. Program staff will assess 400 workplaces in the informal
sector and introduce workplace improvement plan (WPIPs) in line with CoC and NCLEP. As mentioned above,
employers generally do not have adequate knowledge of workers rights or relevant policies. In order to remedy
this situation, project staff will arrange 15 training sessions with 376 mid-level managers or staff of private sector
companies to disseminate information on child labor policy and the Bangladesh Labor Law 2006. It is expected
that through training and orientation, companies will have an interest in engaging in CSR for children both to
improve the conditions for young workers and to improve their opportunities to get new business opportunities
through engagement with international buyers. A network will be established among different companies to
promote child centered CSR in their organization through 546 meetings and dialogue sessions.
4.2 Develop a framework of cooperation among child rights organization and business associations and institutions
In order to develop a framework of cooperation, the project will establish peer to peer groups, local CSR
groups and a national level forum working on CSR for children. An essential part of the project will be to link
the local and national levels in order to connect the work on CSR and child rights in the formal and informal
sector. These two platforms will also serve to discuss and monitor the overall child rights situation related to
child labor. The project will establish 16 community CSR groups comprised of informal sector employers,
local government representatives, parents, children and other relevant stakeholders, and will develop terms of
reference for the groups. By raising awareness of CSR for children among informal sector companies and
monitoring child rights violations, the groups will create a supportive community environment that helps to
prevent children and youth entering into hazardous work and encourage workplace improvements. The
groups will be strengthened through 6 training sessions on child rights, CoC, and CSR guidelines. Project staff
will also arrange 12 meetings between community CSR groups, local government officials and local business
associations, to build linkages between them. A multi stakeholder CSR Forum will serve as an expert platform,
providing a space for dialogue with government policy makers, awareness raising and sharing ideas and best
practice about CSR for children. The forum will involve multiple stakeholders, such as representatives from
the formal and informal sectors and business associations, representatives from local and international NGOs,
international companies as well as children and youth. The CSR Forum will meet quarterly to take action on
CSR for children, such as policy dialogues, meetings with government representatives and visits to companies
in the formal and informal sector. Sector specific CSR guidelines focusing on children and youth with practical
advice on how to improve working conditions for formal sector companies will be developed and
implemented. Existing codes of conduct or standards that are presently followed by companies will be
assessed. Two workshops will be arranged with representatives from 20 formal sector companies and
business associations to analyze the findings of the assessment. 12 meetings will be held with private
companies and business associations to draft CSR guidelines focusing on children and youth, followed by
30

national level workshops with companies, business associations and government officials to finalize the
guidelines with inputs from all stakeholders. Finally, a website will be developed linking the private sector and
TVET centers. In addition, EYE program will strengthen its present work with trade unions, market
association and farmers association to make them accountable to improve working conditions in terms of low
salaries and bad working conditions in urban areas as well as low income from the products and bad working
conditions in rural areas.
4.3 Formulation of a National CSR Policy for Children
Save the Children has extensive experience with national level advocacy from working with the Ministry of
Labor and Employment on the National Child Labor Elimination Policy. The policy was finally approved in 2010.
The activities undertaken in the project period should therefore be seen as the first steps towards a CSR policy
focused on children in Bangladesh and building on the experience and the network created previously. On 17th
July 2013, the Ministry of Labor and Employment and Save the Children signed a letter of agreement to
formulate the National CSR Policy for Children. Areas of cooperation agreed under the letter of agreement are
to initiate national level dialogues and discussions with relevant stakeholders which includes children, youth,
corporations, employers federations, trade unions, civil society organizations, NGOs, INGOs, and development
agencies with a view to understand and create a workable National CSR Policy for Children and finally, for the
GoB to formulate and approve the National CSR Policy for Children. To formulate the CSR policy, a 12-member
working group has been formed by the Ministry of Labor and Employment headed by a Joint Secretary and with
representatives from SC, employers' federations, trade unions, civil society networks and representatives from
the MoLE and MOWCA. An external consultant will be engaged to conduct a review of existing CSR
policies/guidelines in Bangladesh and other Asian countries. Nineteen pre-dialogue sessions will be held with
children, youth, and private sector companies in the formal and informal sector, civil society organizations and
networking, different relevant ministries, employers federation and trade unions. It is expected that the draft
policy will be finalized by incorporating feedback from different forums and ministries. The working group will
submit the final draft to the MoLE by the end of 2014 for final approval.
Under Outcome 5: Capacity building, advocacy, research and documentation
5.1 Build capacity among parents, employers, and the community on the rights of working children and vulnerable
youth and their roles and responsibility
Capacity building at the community level is key to sustain the project's impact beyond the life of the project.
To support this effort, engagement with parents, employers, and various levels of civil society and community
groups is envisaged throughout the project cycle. By the end of this project, 111,824 parents, 21,235 employers
in both the formal and informal sector and 356,820 members of the community will have increased their
awareness about the worst forms of child labor and how to effect change through participatory awarenessraising sessions, meetings and training sessions. To increase the parenting skills of the parents and guardians of
child laborers, the EYE Program will provide 24 parenting education sessions to each of the targeted parents
and guardians. Parenting education will provide parents and guardians with tools to support the child laborers
under their care, allowing the children to not only survive but to succeed in life by obtaining a basic education
and dignified and decent work. The project will provide social parenting training to the employers which will
make them aware of their social responsibilities towards the children working for them. The training sessions
will cover children's rights, code of conduct, effective communication, the negative consequences of child labor
and their responsibilities to respect the children's and youths human rights. 148 Community Watch Groups
will be established, comprised of employers, parents, local government representatives, children, local elites,
social workers and other relevant stakeholders. Terms of reference will be updated for each of the CWGs
through a participatory process in consultation with major stakeholders; the CWGs will meet on a quarterly
basis. A key function of the CWGs will be community based monitoring of the project outcomes. Training
sessions will provide the CWG members with information on children's rights, their roles as CWG members,
the application of the monitoring and supervision guidelines, and codes of conduct. Throughout the project
period, a mass awareness program will provide members of the community with information about children's
rights and the community's responsibilities. The awareness program will include organizing meetings,
workshops, social gatherings, and the dissemination of communication and visibility materials.
5.2 Best practices, lessons learned and materials are documented and disseminated to the relevant stakeholders
Best practice and process documentation as well as reflective learning techniques will contribute to the quality
of services provided to the children and their families and will enhance knowledge about child labor issues. Best

31

practices on programming with working children and vulnerable youth will be documented. The project staff
will also develop a process for knowledge dissemination to influence and raise awareness to the stakeholders
by initiating new studies and research on specific child labor issues. BCC/ICC materials will be developed and
disseminated. Three handbooks, one examining the accelerated education model, the second covering CSR and
child labor, and the third discussing CDWs education issues will be developed and disseminated through 3
seminars.
5.3 Gaps and challenges on comprehensive education for the working children and vulnerable youth are identified and
analyzed.
Studies will be carried out to identify and analyze gaps and challenges, and evaluate if the program does facilitate
working children and vulnerable youth to become economically, socially and politically empowered. A midterm
and final evaluation of the CDW project and the CSR and Child Labor project will assess the impact of the
projects in the lives of the targeted children and identify lessons learned and challenges. External consultants
will be engaged to conduct an EYE Program impact study. The impact study will pull data from many different
sources to examine outcomes in relation to improvements in the lives of the child and youth laborers. The
study will also provide recommendations to support the EYE Program's further expansion and leverage the
Program's impact across government agencies, the private sector, national and international NGOs and society
at large. PNGOs, EYE Program staff and other key stakeholders from the government and the private sector
will provide assistance to those conducting the impact study.
5.4 The GoB, education and TVET practitioners, are actively engaged in a dialogue to create access to a quality and
relevant comprehensive basic education for working children and vulnerable youth and recommendations are reflected
in the national policy
The advocacy component will increase awareness, capacity and commitment to protecting the rights of child
laborers and vulnerable youth at the community level, particularly among state officials, education and TVET
professionals, and civil society representatives. This will be achieved by providing information on childrens and
workers rights to those who are affected and their parents and guardians through training, consultations,
dialogue, bilateral meetings, and round table discussions. A total of 12 meetings and workshops will engage 240
civil society representatives, focusing on child rights, OHS, compliance standards, institutional learning and
knowledge management. 8 meeting/consultations with 225 state officials will be organized, targeting officials
from the MoLE and other relevant ministries to ensure the effective implementation of the NPA on NCLEP.
Furthermore, in order to increase awareness regarding roles and responsibilities, bi-annual meetings will be
organized with TVET professionals to disseminate information on TVET policy, updating TVET curriculums and
accreditation. The Program will advocate with BTEB through 6 meetings and discussions for accreditation of
TVET to ensure that quality certificates are recognized by all levels. 3 advocacy initiatives will be taken to finalize
the Domestic Worker Welfare and Registration Act 2012. These initiatives include the CDW convention,
supplementary pages in publications, online voting support, and round table discussions. An initiative will also
be taken to finalize apprenticeship procedures 2008. The Program will also work with Local Government
Institutions to ease access to different services at the local level, including access to social protection schemes,
activation of the Women and Child Welfare standing committee and the establishment of a registration system
to protect unsafe rural-urban migration. 47 meetings and training sessions will be offered to LG representatives
on childrens rights, roles and responsibility of UP, social protection schemes, and the registration system.
5.5 Established networking among GO and NGOs and other like-minded organizations through institutionalization of
TWC at local and national level
The EYE Program will collect, analyze, consult and document evidence on the working conditions of children
and youth to be used for evidence-based advocacy, aiming at increasing the accountability of parents and
guardians so that they understand their responsibilities towards children. Together with Working Children is
an informal civil society network comprised of national organizations working on establishing child laborers
rights; this organization will be the primary networking organization. TWC will be more institutionalized so that
it can be linked to local and national government. TWC will organize and participate in 12 meetings to create
access to quality education and TVET for working children and vulnerable youth. A joint monitoring mechanism
will be established between SCI and partners to ensure quality program delivery and monitoring. A TWC
strategy paper to support national advocacy efforts will be reviewed and updated in 3 workshops.
5.6 Established result based monitoring (RBM) framework for EYE Program
In Phase II, the EYE Program will establish a results based monitoring framework for the quality monitoring of
outcomes and outputs. A baseline study will be conducted to understand the current situation of child labor

32

and vulnerable youth in the project areas. Based on this information, a program benchmark will be developed
and a comprehensive monitoring framework for EYE will be established to measure changes. With a view to
strengthening the monitoring system, a monitoring team will be formed comprised of staff from the PNGOs
and SCI. They will provide day to day monitoring and review for effective implementation of project outcomes.
Process and progress monitoring tools will be developed for each grant including minimum standards for basic
education and TVET. A tracer management database will support the result based monitoring (RBM) framework.
Regular capacity building support in the form of meetings, training sessions, and on-the-job training will be
organized for SCI and PNGO staff.

4.5. Key interventions strategy

The EYE Program aims to transform the life outcomes of working children and vulnerable youth in urban and
rural Bangladesh. EYE is a comprehensive education model for getting working children and vulnerable youth
into education or decent employment, enabling them to influence decisions that affect their lives and advocate
for their rights. The EYE Program is comprised of nine projects that each provides basic education, vocational
training, and life skills education to young people in distinct life circumstances across the country.
Accelerated Basic Education
Since poor parents of child laborers do not support long-term education, EYE developed a 3-4 year basic
education course, which condenses the government curriculum for Grades 1-5. The syllabus has been
accelerated by reducing overlaps in the subject material. Under the program, the students complete each grade
in six months, which is achievable for child laborers, since they are generally older and more mature than regular
school going children. Provision is made for students who pass the grade five leaving examination to attend a
full three year NFE course covering grades 6-8.
Technical and Vocational Education and Training
Children and young people who have completed grades 5-8 or the equivalent are eligible to enroll in a 6-12
month vocational skills training course. One fourth of the training course consists of an apprenticeship within
the respective industry, through which children can learn about the industry environment and gain the skill
needed to work in the industry. Training courses provide technical skills for specific trades such as electronics,
industrial sewing and apparel, and screen-printing. Each training course is operated by an industry professional
with a child-friendly, and engaging, hands-on approach.
Apprenticeships and Entrepreneurship Training
Three months of the year-long EYE vocational training course consists of an apprenticeship within the industry,
through which children gain practical skills and the valuable experience they need to become competitive
employees. Apprenticeship managers must provide uniforms, keep a logbook of specific learning targets, and
dedicate a trained supervisor for the trainees. In addition, young people who prefer to launch their own
businesses are provided with entrepreneurship training. After completion of either an apprenticeship or an
entrepreneurship training course, graduated youth are placed in decent jobs through self or wage employment.
Childrens and Youth Clubs
Children and youth clubs are safe spaces where working children and vulnerable youth find social support while
learning soft employability skills and life skills. Many working children have not belonged to a group of peers
since leaving school, which can lead to feelings of isolation and hopelessness. Children's clubs give them an
encouraging environment and practical support as they seek better futures together. Childrens club trainings
include basic interviewing skills, resume writing, and communication skills, as well as important life skills, such
as problem solving and techniques to overcome violence, exploitation and discrimination. Finally, they learn
about their rights as children and as employees, and how to effectively ensure that those rights are respected.
Private Sector Engagement
Since child laborers are working for corporations, corporate social responsibility provides a framework through
which EYE can engage meaningfully with the corporate sector. In the context of EYE, CSR is an efficient tool to
persuade corporations to participate and contribute to the child rights agenda by combating the most harmful
child labor practices. By supporting vocational training and learning about existing labor laws, employers and
corporations move away from harmful child labor to providing safe and decent work. Employers in the formal
sector increase their competitive advantage by gaining access to skilled labor through apprenticeships and job
placements. Trainees receive high-quality market relevant vocational training and job experience through
apprenticeships, after which more than 70% are able to secure decent jobs in the formal private sector.
33

Corporations add value to their brands by ensuring that suppliers comply with international child rights
standards and conventions.
Advocacy and Networking:
A key element of the EYE program will be raising the voice of civil society, children and youth themselves. This
will be promoted by working closely with civil society organisations which are strongly rooted in the targeted
communities. Save the Children will support to strengthen a common platform for these organisations, the
TWC. The strategy for the platform will be to increase partners individual and joint capacities to influence
government policies, corporations and civil society institutions. Capacity-building among civil society, private
sector and duty bearers will feed into advocacy initiatives at local and national level that aims at making them
accountable on fulfilling and respecting child rights. Advocacy focus will be on evidence derived from
interventions, research, consultations and analysis. The advocacy activities will include demonstration, round
table discussions, and dialogues with policy makers and with implementation agencies, lobbying campaigning,
mobilization, networking and constituency building. It will be carried out for influencing policies, practices, plans,
positions and political commitment of key duty bearers. Efforts will be made to strengthen child and youth led
advocacy, promoting children as advocates and strengthening platforms for/of children to assert their rights.
There will be national level advocacy initiatives focusing on implementation of National Plan of Action (NPA)
relating National Child labour Eradication Policy 2010 (NCLEP) through increasing resource allocation, different
implementation initiatives taken by government. Implementation of National Skills Development Policy through
building partnerships with BTEB, DTB and NSDC will be carried out to increase allocation by the government.
Provide technical support to the ministry of labour and employment to formulate national CSR policy for
children. For local level advocacy Save the Children will work closely with PNGOs, private sector, child and
youth clubs, CBOs to conduct local advocacy measures in their respective geographical areas improving work
places through introducing code of conduct, occupational health and safety, apprenticeship, linkage with different
service providers like micro credit organizations, health etc. The EYE programme is keen to develop networking
co-operations with like minded organizations, trade unions, employers federation, association (farmers
association, market associations and others), clubs to provide better and more efficient services to the target
groups.
Joint Program Development and Monitoring
Each EYE project has been developed and monitored jointly by all stakeholders, including Save the Children,
partner NGOs, employers, working children, families, local NGOS, and the government, to ensure interventions
are mutually beneficial to all and are sustainable outside of the project's intervention. Corporations, for example,
can identify the existing gap between industry requirements and the TVET provided and provide monitoring to
indicate when that gap is closed. Civil society can coordinate and facilitate the cooperation between the partners,
implement the program based on local realities, and choose existing NGO partners that have the capacity to
deliver quality services to the children. The community is engaged in advocating for children, against harmful
child labor practices, and monitoring work places to ensure they are safe. Finally, children and youths are engaged
to advocate for their rights in the workplace.
Refer to Annexure-1: projects briefing by target group

4.7. Program approaches:

Rights-based approach: A rights-based approach will be considered based on the principle of non-discrimination,
accountability, transparency, child participation and best interest of the child during the development and
implementation of the EYE Programs Phase-2. Save the Children is using a rights-based approach with partners,
girls and boys from various backgrounds, communities and collaborators. The aim is to support girls and boys
from various backgrounds as they claim their rights and look to their guardians and employers to fulfill their
responsibilities towards them. Save the Children, at the same time, will work with the boys and girls guardians
and parents to provide them with information about their obligations towards the children.
Save the Childrens Theory of Change: To achieve the desired results, Save the Children will use the theory of
change which has four dimensions including innovation, advocacy, achieving at scale and partnership. During
the development of the program design and implementation, all these four dimensions will be considered.

4.8. Program Development Process

34

In May 2013, the EYE Program Phase-2 development process began with a TWC meeting. In the TWC meeting,
the program development process included ensuring that the views from different stakeholders were included,
findings from various studies and research were reviewed and finally a detailed action plan was agreed to carry
out the EYE Phase-2 development process. The plan described in detail the responsibilities of partner NGOs,
the EYE Program team and the TWC staff. The EYE Program development team was formed comprised of SC
and TWC representatives who carried out the entire process. Feedback, concerns, challenges, and lessons
learned from the previous phase were taken into consideration and analyzed through 70 focus group discussions
with 300 children, 250 parents, 250 employers, 300 members of the community and 30 local government and
government representatives. Study and research findings from EYE Phase I were analyzed and documented as
lessons learned and challenges. Lessons learned and challenges were gathered and disseminated among all the
partner NGOs at a day-long workshop. A three-day workshop was also held in which Save the Childrens
Education Director, all EYE team members, the Executive Director, the Project Coordinator, one field staff and
one finance staff from each partner NGO participated. In the three-day workshop, urban challenges and
dynamics, partnership challenges and opportunities, as well as a critical review of all EYE components (basic
education, TVET, soft skills) were discussed and reviewed. Based on the findings of the critical review of the
EYE Program Phase I, a logical frame work, implementation strategy, monitoring and budget framework were
developed for EYE Phase-2. Bilateral dialogues were held with each PNGO about changes in strategy. An
additional one day workshop was held to finalize the EYE Program Phase-II concept with inputs from the
partners. A concept note along with a budget was shared with Save the Children and was approved by SC
management. Feedback on the concept note was received from Save the Children Denmark and a daylong
workshop with partner NGOs was organized; consensus was realized on strategic issues such as a sustainability
plan, geographical locations and how the Danida frame project can contribute to the broader framework of the
EYE Program. The EYE team in Bangladesh wrote the full EYE Program document which was submitted to
country management and SCD for final approval.

5.

STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS

5.1. Right Holders Analysis

Child Laborers: At this stage it is difficult to provide hard data to support the statement that child labor is
increasing or decreasing in Bangladesh as the most recent child labor census dates from 2003 (BBS); a new child
labor census is planned for 2014. However, while implementing projects in different geographical locations, staff
have observed that child labor appears to be increasing due to lack of awareness about the negative impact of
child labor. In fact, culturally, most Bangladeshis see it as an act of welfare to employ a child in their own firm
or as part of their household staff. Recently, in the GoB's approved list of the worst forms of child labor, child
domestic work was excluded. Child laborers face myriad challenges. They are deprived of their childhood and
they often work very long hours under hazardous working conditions, which threatens their physical and mental
development. The vast majority of child laborers are denied their rights to education. For this project, they have
been consulted through focus group discussions to get their views, ideas and analysis of their rights violations.
Children are key stakeholders in the EYE Program and as such their active participation is crucial during the
implementation of the project.
Vulnerable youth: The youth are the harbinger of any change. Bangladesh has a large youth population; one third
of the country's total population is young. Youth employment is of particular interest for economic development
in Bangladesh for several reasons. This large population presents an immense opportunity, both because it
represents so many people and because so many youths are unemployed. Youth aspirations and demands are
important to the demand side of governance. Simultaneously, how government policies and initiatives bear upon
the country's youth should be an important consideration. However, issues of concern to the youth are not
given as much importance as warranted. Working and vulnerable youth are generally not inclined to advocate
for themselves in forums and don't look to place their concerns on the national agenda. In many contexts, youth
are likely to experience poverty because of age-based discrimination and the uncertainties surrounding their
transition from childhood to adulthood. Bangladesh's youth are key stakeholders in the EYE Program and as
such their active participation is key during the implementation of the project.

35

5.2. Caregivers Analysis

Parents and Employers: In Bangladesh, children work is a common phenomenon and it is accepted socially and
culturally. The widespread social acceptance of child labor creates obstacles to addressing the issues and creates
a sense of disempowerment and traps children in a vicious cycle of poverty. It is presumed that parents and
employers are reluctant to enroll their children in educational courses as it means the children will have less
time to generate income (for parents) or to work (employers). Many parents are not aware that education can
help secure a better future for their children. They prefer that their children start working at an early age to
contribute to the family income. Since school fees and other education costs are high and the quality of education
does not guarantee better employment in the future, parents tend to prefer the immediate benefit of the childs
income. As a result, children are not achieving necessary qualifications for vocational training and higher
education. It is therefore crucial to highlight for the parents and employers during the selection process that the
project design allows the children to work. It is also important to emphasize that it is the parents responsibility
to help their children obtain education and also increase employers sense of responsibility towards the children
working for them so that they support their education.
School Teachers: Formal school headmasters and teachers are normally reluctant to provide information and
support working childrens education as it competes with the education service they offer. Consequently, it is
crucial to establish links and build relationships with stakeholders (including students and SMCs) in the formal
schools by including them in capacity building measures, knowledge-sharing and sensitization efforts to generate
behavior changes in this target group.
Members of the community: Prominent members of the community including local elites, religious leaders and
businesspeople have limited knowledge about children's rights, occupational health and safety standards, secure
and enabling working conditions and environment. The fact that there is no strong community advocacy group,
supporting children's rights also contributes to the problem of child labor. Members of the community are less
organized to protect the rights of adolescents and youth laborers. Members of the community and civil society
members do not understand the hazards in the workplaces and how to balance the power relationship.
Community groups are influential, and their active engagement and cooperation is needed to ensure quality
education and its continuation.
5.3. Duty Bearers Analysis:
Government institution or state officials: The overall responsibility to ensure that children's rights are respected in
relation to the UNCRC is with the government. Though the Government of Bangladesh has taken many
initiatives to eliminate child labor, there is little political will and limited capacity for implementation. The youth
population is not yet on Bangladesh's political agenda even though one third of the population is young which
will be addressed by Ministry of Youth and Sports and MOLE. The GoB needs to work harder to help transform
this large youth population into productive citizens with the qualifications to benefit from the national skills
development policy and NVQF. A CSR policy for children should be the highest priority for the government
which will be developed by MoLE. Though the government and its ministries and authorities have the overall
responsibility to ensure that childrens and youth rights are respected, they have limited knowledge on how the
laws and policies operate that will be addressed by the MOPME, MOE, MOWCA and MoLE and MOC. State
officials are/will be consulted and will participate in the project cycle.
Local and national level education authorities: MoPME, NCTB officials, district and thana level education officials do
not understand the needs of working children nor how difficult it is to enroll and stay in school. They also lack
the tools to monitor the quality of education. It is expected that local and national level education authorities
will support the provision of skills and educational development for working children and vulnerable youth as
the provision of education and skills to all children is an important goal of the GoB which is yet to be achieved.
Private Sector: Bangladeshs private sector has seen tremendous growth over the last 20 years. Today, the private
sector, including the ready-made garment (RMG) electronic and information technology (IT) sectors are the
most important manufacturing sectors in terms of export income generation and employment, but they lack
36

skilled workers and generally develop workers skills through on-the-job experience. Mid-level managers in the
RMG sector have limited knowledge about children's rights, occupational health and safety standards, and the
importance of secure and enabling working conditions. Over 90% (93%) of economically active children are
engaged in the more hazardous informal sector. In addition, formal apprenticeship is still not part of the industrial
sectors culture. The values of formal apprenticeship are yet to be explored by the industrial sector in
Bangladesh.
5.4 Relevant government policy:
Bangladesh Education Policy 2010: Pre- primary and primary education prepares the children mentally and
physically for school education. The government has introduced a one-year pre-primary schooling targeting 5+
children, but including 4+ children as well. The curriculum is activity-based, aimed at inspiring children to learn
and go to school. Primary education is universal, compulsory, free and of uniform quality for all. The duration
of primary education is being extended from Class V [now in practice] to Class VIII. Admission at 6+ is
compulsory. Non-formal education is a complementary stream to the formal primary education system. Those
children who cannot attend formal schools or drop out of primary education are supposed to receive some
basic education or vocational training through the non-formal schooling system. The strategy for non-formal
education includes a) the age limit for enrollment in the non-formal education will be from 8 to 14 years; b) the
course materials of non-formal education program will be prepared in keeping with the national primary
education curriculum; c) the non-government voluntary organizations will be encouraged to conduct non-formal
education programs following the curriculum of national primary education. TVET is given priority to turn the
students into competent workers. Pre-vocational and ICT education is being introduced in every stream of
primary education. In the vocational and technical educational institutions, the teacher-student ratio will be 1:
12. On completion of Class VIII, some students may opt out of mainstream education, but they can take up a
6 months' vocational training program. Then they will be considered to have acquired National Standard of
Skills-1. By completing Classes IX, X and XII in vocational and technical education, they can attain respectively
National Standard of Skills 2, 3 and 4. An apprenticeship program needs to be introduced nation-wide. The
Apprenticeship Act 1962 will be updated and revised. The private sector will be encouraged to establish quality
vocational and technical institutions.
National Skills Development Policy 2011: Skills development in Bangladesh is recognized and supported
by the government and industry as a coordinated and well planned strategy for national and enterprise
development. The reformed skills development system empowers all individuals to access decent employment
and ensure Bangladeshs competitiveness in the global market through improved skills, knowledge and
qualifications that are recognized for quality across the globe. The Skills Development Policy will contribute to
the implementation of other national economic, employment, and social policies so that Bangladesh can achieve
its goal of attaining middle income status by 2021. Skills development is defined as the full range of formal and
non-formal vocational, technical and skills based education and training for employment and or self-employment.
In keeping with international trends, skills development includes: a) pre-employment and livelihood skills training,
including TVET, apprenticeships and school based TVET; b) education and training for employed workers,
including workplace training; and c) employment oriented and job-related short courses not currently affiliated
with BTEB serving both domestic and international markets.
ILO Convention No. 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labor Article 3 of this convention defines the
worst forms of child labor as all forms of slavery and forced labor. The worst forms of child labor include sex
work or illicit activities; workplaces with a harmful environment are also classified as offering the worst form of
child labor. The Convention also states that the worst forms of child labor include the following: situations
where the children are abused while working, physically, psychologically or sexually; a workspace that is
underground, underwater, in a confined space, at a dangerous height or in an unhealthy environment; work that
must be performed at night; and work that requires that children handle dangerous machinery, equipment and
tools.
The Bangladesh Labor Act 2006 has a specific section regarding the employment of young persons. The Labor
Act includes a definition of a child and a young person, outlines prohibited child labor, and sets out the
minimum age and working hours for children.
Bangladesh ratified both the Minimum Age Convention (C138) of the International Labor Organization (ILO) in
2011, and the ILO Worst Forms of Child Labor Convention (C182) on March 12th, 2001. In addition, the
country also ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child 21 on August 3rd, 1990. Based on these
37

rules and regulations, the National Child Labor Elimination Policy 2010 was published with a five year (20102015) plan to eradicate child labor. The policy sets out clear guidelines for children laborers; their workplace is
expected to be secure and offer no physical or mental health hazards. The Policy also states that children should
not work more than five hours per day and should be given at least 30 minutes to one hour break. More
importantly the Policy states that children should not work during school time.
The Bangladesh Labor and Employment Ministry published a list of 22 of worst forms of child labor on 10th
March 2013 in the official gazette identifying 38 risky occupations. The types of hazardous activities and probable
impact on physical and mental health are also explained under each occupation.
5.5. Complementary work:
EYE is part of Save the Childrens comprehensive education program and is comprised of three major
components including basic education, TVET and soft skills. Under the broader framework of EYE, a number of
grants have been designed and implemented by the partner NGOs in different geographical locations. A few
grants (such as SUSTAIN, ROSC-II) provide basic education from grades 1 to 5. After successfully completing
the grade 5 leaving examination, these graduates will be mainstreamed either through formal school or nonformal junior school (grades 6-8); or they will be placed in TVET. This Danida project will provide non-formal
junior school from grades 6 to 8. Youths with basic education will receive vocational education, and benefits
from apprenticeships and entrepreneurship training from Work 2 Learn Projects, the EU supported CSR project
and the TVET component of the Danida project. Soft skills, research and advocacy will be carried out through
all grants. The different projects envisaged as part of EYE phase-II will supplement and complement each other.
There is very little possibility that this project will overlap with those administered by other institutions as very
few organizations are working on TVET in the both rural and urban context.

6.

PARTNERSHIP

The EYE Program will implement the different projects together with 15 partner organizations and various
associations like trade unions, employers federation, farmers association and market association. All of the
selected partners have longstanding experience in delivering quality services to vulnerable children and youth.
They have strong reputations in the field of education and TVET, and have developed robust partnerships with
corporations both locally and nationally. The partner NGOs were selected based on a capacity assessment
jointly carried out by Save the Childrens program and finance teams. Partners who are involved with EYE
Program implementation as well as dealing with issues around child labor have formed a civil society network
called Together with Working Children. In the last few years, TWC played a strong role at the national level
in formulating the National Child Labor Elimination Policy and has had recent success in formulating the
National CSR policy for Children. A few strategic and technical partners (JCLWG, MoLE, multi-stakeholder
CSR forum) will provide technical support to specific projects. All projects will provide the same service
packages through a variety of strategies which may change slightly based on the needs of the working children.
Child participation and community and private sector engagement are at the heart of the implementation
strategies. To ensure the childrens participation in all steps of the project cycle, childrens and youth clubs,
childrens networks and community based organizations will be strengthened. Each project will be implemented
by partner organizations according to their own dynamics and local contexts. Key partnership strategies are:
Partnership with Civil Society Organizations: The EYE thematic strategy is to increase the operational
and advocacy capacity of civil society organizations collectively. Since a long-term engagement is required in
order to bring about positive change to the lives of the hardest to reach and most marginalized children, the
EYE Program is aiming generally at long-term programmatic partnerships. Partners will support the program in
designing, implementing and monitoring the activities. Institutional capacity building of the partners will be a key
focus for the next phase, and will include work on strategic planning, updating partners organizational manuals,
strengthening organizational HR, the administration and financial systems.
Partnership with child led organizations: Child led organizations will be considered as common platforms
for children where childrens issues will be discussed; childrens views, ideas and opinions will receive particular
attention during the whole program cycle. The EYE Program will make a strategic partnership with Child Brigade
to strengthen child led advocacy, with child representatives from different childrens and youth clubs who are
members of the Child Brigade. The partnerships with child organizations will promote ownership on the part
of the children, youth and PNGOs by ensuring their involvement in joint program monitoring and
implementation.

38

Partnership with Government: The Government of Bangladesh has initiated a number of measures to
reduce child labor; EYE Program staff has established a good relationship with the relevant ministries and state
organizations, and is in regular contact with government officials on issues related to child labor. The EYE team
also facilitated the entire formulation process of NCLEP. The program will continue its work with the
Government, especially the Ministry of Labor and Employment to formulate a National CSR Policy for Children
as well as effective implementation of NPA on NCLEP.
Together with Working Children: Bangladesh has an innovative and diverse civil society to which Save the
Children, with its mission of being one of the worlds leading child rights organizations, has provided significant
contributions in terms of new ideas, capacity building, technical expertise and platform building. The partners
working on child labor issues have developed a strong network called Together with Working Children, an
informal civil society network comprised of national organizations working on establishing child laborers rights.
TWC is working to harness the specialized capabilities of members to achieve greater impact and scale up the
EYE Program. In Phase II, TWC will become more institutionalized through stronger linkage to local and national
government.
Establishing intelligent partnerships with private corporations: EYE has established intelligent
partnerships between corporations and training partners (skills providers), where each group can benefit from
the best practices, competencies and knowhow of the other. The goal of the intelligent partnerships is to identify
common problems, solutions and benefits for all involved in order to ensure sustainability. The private
companies will help improve technical training, and will provide young workers with jobs. EYE Program staff will
provide capacity support to the companies mid-level management, sharing how the companies can participate
and contribute to combat harmful child work.
Refer to Annexure-2: details partnership strategy
TARGET GROUP
Vulnerable children aged between 5-18 years in rural and urban areas who are engaged in hazardous work or
are at risk of being involved in hazardous work are the beneficiaries of the EYE thematic Program. Vulnerable
youth with a basic education, aged from 15-24 years who have limited scope for future opportunities are also
included as beneficiaries of the program.

7.

Parents of underprivileged working children and vulnerable youth are also among the target group as they are
the primary caregivers and as such their support for their childrens education, TVET, safety and security in the
work place and in the community is key to the projects success. Employers who employ children are also
considered to bear responsibility towards the working children. Therefore, it is very important to sensitize them
about child workers rights and their responsibilities in the area of the rights of working children and youth.
Members of the community, including those with direct responsibilities towards working children and youth,
and stakeholders, including local elites and community leaders, local NGO representatives and political party
members at the ward and union level will be targeted to ensure non-hazardous working conditions for children
and youth workers. Formal school students and middle class children, as well as change makers in society, will
be sensitized. The program will also work with private companies in the formal and informal sectors, trade
unions and business associations to establish a strong network to promote CSR. The respective ministries and
departments including MoLE, MoC, MoWCA and BTEB will be targeted by the Program based on the relevance
of their roles and responsibilities for formulating compliance standards and reviewing existing policies and laws
related to TVET. Depending on the availability of grants, the Program may expand and the number of
beneficiaries may change.
RISKS ANALYSIS
This document is built upon the assumption that the political situation remains stable in urban and rural areas
throughout the country. It is also assumed that fundamentalist and anti-social groups will not interfere negatively
in the project implementation. Other preconditions are that no natural or man-made major disaster will affect
the implementation of the project and that the donor commitment to address the issues may not be rapidly
changed. Since budget allocation for provision of formal education plays a crucial role to mainstream the students
through the action, it is important that the macro as well as micro economy doesnt deteriorate and remains
stable to ensure sufficient governmental funding for formal education.

8.

Refer to Annexure-3: risk assessment grid

39

9.

MONITORING AND EVALUATION, LEARNING, ACCOUNTABILITY AND FEEDBACK

Central level monitoring: Save the Children will ensure the quality of inputs and outputs through quarterly
TWC meetings where program progress and challenges will be discussed and possible solutions will be
suggested. Save the Childrens program team will provide technical and management guidance to the
implementing partner organizations and ensure timely submission of reports to the respective donors and
members. Bi-monthly TWC meetings will be held where partners will have the authority to take decisions on
budget management, work plan review and modification, regular monitoring of the project activities, and
reporting.
Project level monitoring: As part of project planning, all partner NGOs will develop an individual, detailed
work plan based on approved project outputs and outcome indicators. Save the Childrens monitoring and
evaluation personnel will be assigned to measure the project progress using common monitoring tools and
techniques. The project will also establish a participatory monitoring system at the community level and develop
participatory monitoring and supervision guidelines for CMC members by which the community will be engaged
to monitor the field activities. Student profiles will be introduced to support the monitoring and follow up of
the students educational development and progress. The project will also introduce an information box for
each school compound so that all students have the opportunity to provide feedback to the CMCs.
Mid-term evaluation and final project evaluation: An in-house mid-term evaluation will be carried out at
the midpoint of the project to gauge the programs progress and determine next action steps to achieve the
projects goal and objectives. An independent final evaluation will be conducted at the end of the project to
measure progress against results.

40

10.RESULTS FRAMEWORK

The EYE program has developed a common results based framework taking into account all individual
projects and Danida framework.

SCI Objective
Goal:

Vulnerable children and youth in urban and rural areas of Bangladesh have improved their
economic, social and political conditions to build better futures. .
Purpose:
1 More working children and vulnerable youth have decent employment.
2. Children and youth are active citizens and those responsible for them are responsive to the rights of
working children and vulnerable youth.

Project Outcomes:
Project
Outcome
Outcome 1:
Children engaged in
hazardous work aged 614 years get out of
hazardous work and
complete a quality
primary education (up to
grade 5 and 8) relevant
to their present and
future life.

Indicator
Target

Outcome 2:
Increased age
appropriate and decent
employment
opportunities for
vulnerable youth aged
14-24 years through
marketing and access to
market- responsive,
quality TVET and
entrepreneurial
education.
Outcome 3:
Reduced vulnerability
relating hindrance of
mental and psychical
growth of targeted
children and youth
through receiving soft
skills training to develop
knowledge and skills for
survival in their job and
society.
Outcome 4:
The private sector is

At least 8,550 children at risk of becoming working children have

completed a one year pre-primary education course.
At least 75,780 child laborers have completed 2/3 years nonformal primary education course.
At least 95% enrolled children have appeared in the primary
school certificate exam; of which 80% have passed grade 5.
At least 3,060 children have completed 3 years non-formal Junior
Secondary School (up to grade 8) schooling.
At least 80% enrolled children have appeared in the Junior School
Certificate exam; 70% of enrolled children have passed grade 8.
At least 30,744 of the children have been mainstreamed to
continue their education either through enrollment into formal
schools or through TVET.
At least 33,185 youth have completed career counseling sessions.
At least 80% of graduated youth from basic education and 20% of
vulnerable youth with basic education have completed 6-12 months
trade specific vocational training.
At least 5,520 youth have received entrepreneurial training.
At least 12,240 youth have been placed in apprenticeship and safe
jobs in the companies.
Of the graduates, at least 90% youth have been engaged in self and
wage employment.

Means of
verification
Project progress
reports
Mid-term and final
evaluation report
Students' profile
Terminal exam result

Project progress
reports
Students' profile
Tracer management
database

At least 133 childrens club facilitators have been trained to

provide training in soft employability skills.
At least 25,680 children and youth have been trained on soft
employability skills.
133 child-led advocacy groups are capable of carrying out child-led
advocacy initiatives in the project area.

Event reports
Project progress
report

Sector specific CSR guidelines are in place and in use.

CSR guideline
Monitoring reports

41

increasingly fulfilling the

rights of working
children and youth.
Outcome 5:
Vulnerable children and
youth rights are
recognized in national
policy formulation and
implementation using
research, documentation
and effective practices to
support advocacy efforts.

Promote
sustainability by
Diversifying
partnerships

At least 82 private companies in the formal sector are engaged and

introduced safe job provision and apprenticeship for youth.
At least 400 private companies in the informal sector are engaged
to improve workplaces.
Multi stakeholder CSR forum is functioning.
At least 42,174 parents have completed parenting education cycle.
At least 21,235 employers can understand and practice CRC, CoC,
OHS and the importance of education.
At least 356,820 members of the community have been sensitized
on CRC and are taking actions to improve children and youths
wellbeing.
At least 1,340 government and local government officials, TVET
professionals, NGO leaders and practitioners have received
training on their roles and responsibilities towards the rights of
working children.
Approved national CSR policy for children.
National Plan of Action on NCLEP has been implemented.
TVET accreditation by national vocational qualification framework
(NVQF) has been carried out.
EYE program impact study is in place.
Partnerships with corporations through promoting CSR for
children
Attracting new donors like World Bank, DFID, FINIDA, and EU in
order to diversify income.
Strengthening civil society organizations to enhance their Financial,
institutional and programmatic sustainability.

Output
Under Outcome 1
Output:
Established and running
of pre-primary education
and NFE centers through
building capacity of
teachers, materials
development.
Under Outcome 2
Outputs:
Strengthen TVET by
training instructors and
developing curriculums,
learning materials,
guidelines and modules.

1.
2.
3.
4.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Under Outcome 3
Outputs:
Childrens and youth
clubs are running to train
children, youth, parents
and employers
Under Outcome 4
Outputs:
Partnering with private
sector companies to
improve workplaces

1.
2.

Project progress
reports

Event reports
Attendance sheet
Field visit /Project
administrative records
Tracer management
database
Policy reports
Research reports
Best practice
documentation
Impact study report

Indicator
Target

Means of
verification

47 PPE centers are established and functioning based on SCI

minimum standard.
6 curriculums and modules developed
31 training sessions conducted for teachers and supervisors
86,929 members of SMCs, PTAs, formal school teachers,
students and education officials are sensitized regarding the
educational needs and constraints of working children.

List of PPE and NFE

centers
Agreement with house
owner
Participant lists
Attendance sheet

At least 41 TVET centers are established and upgraded following

OHS standards.
At least six TVET curriculum have been developed and updated
based on industry requirements and NVQF.
At least 123 TVET instructors have been trained as per the
updated curriculum.
Modules on entrepreneurial education, apprenticeship, OHS, and
safe jobs are updated and in practice.
Labor market survey has been produced.
133 childrens and youth clubs are formed and functional.
3 manuals on childrens and youth club management, soft skills,
parenting, employers education developed.

List of TVET centers

Agreement with house
owner
Updated curriculum
and modules
Market survey report

1. Multi Stakeholder CSR Forum is functioning.

2. Training provision of 376 mid-level managers or staff in private
companies in the formal sector.

Progress report
Training report
Updated manuals

Event reports
List of private
companies

3. 16 community CSR groups are functional and taking actions to

monitor workplace improvements.

4. At least 400 private companies in informal sectors are following

the work place improvement plan.

42

Under Outcome 5Outputs:

Capacity building of
stakeholders, approved
policy, guidelines,
handbook, best practices
in place and
disseminated.

1. Strengthen Together with Working Children and effective

2.
3.
4.

engagement in policy dialogues.

Produce three handbooks: 1) accelerated education model 2) CSR
and child labor; and 3) child domestic worker empowerment
Web page on CSR practice is in operation.
148 community based groups (CWG, CMC, CCSR Forum) formed
and strengthened.

Activities

Sub activities and target

TWC meeting minutes

Web page
Event reports
MOU with
government
Handbooks

Means of
verification

Activities under Output 1

Activity 1.1: Children
at risk of become child
laborers 5-6 years old
have completed a 1-year
PPE course
Activity 1.2: Working
children 6-14 years old
have completed grades 5
- 8 following NFPE
course.

Activity 1.3: Graduated

PPE and NFPE children
are mainstreamed in
formal schools or linked
to alternative education
opportunities.
Activity 1.4: Building
capacity of teachers,
supervisors and
education professionals
on inclusive,
participatory, interactive
and innovative teaching
and learning methods.
Activity 1.5: Materials
development

5.1.1 Selection of 8,550 pre-primary children and orientation for

their guardians.
5.1.2 Running of 47 pre-primary education centers and provision
of pre-primary education.

Students profile
FGD

1.2.1 Selection of 75,780 NFPE children and orientation for their

guardians.
1.2.2 Running of 445 NFPE centers and provision of NFPE
through compound.
1.2.3 Coaching support for 20,000 students who participate in
grade 5 final examination.
1.2.4 Provision of co-curricular activities for 193,395 children.
1.3.1 Sensitization for 38,800 formal school students regarding
the needs and constraints of graduated students.
1.3.2 After school tutorial support for 40% graduated students or
mainstreamed children.
1.3.3 Sensitization sessions for 86,929 formal school headmasters,
teachers and SMCs.
1.3.4 Conduct 6 workshops on development and review strategy
for PSC and JSC.
1.4.1 Basic training and refresher sessions for 47 pre-primary
teachers and 47 NFPE teachers.
1.4.2 Conduct 36 monthly staff and teachers meetings.
1.4.3 Organization of 6 bi-annual parent pre-primary/NFPE
teacher meetings.

1.5.1 Conduct 3 workshops to develop teaching-learning materials

for PPE and NFPE (MDW).
1.5.2 Organize 3 training for supervisors and education specialists
on supportive supervision and monitoring.

List of learning materials

Attendance sheet
Progress report

Students profile
FGD
Event reports
Monitoring reports

Monitoring reports
Attendance sheet
List of mainstreamed
children

Training module and

reports
Meeting minutes
Attendance sheet

Activities under Output 2

Activity 2.1.
Development of career
development plan for
working children and
vulnerable youth.

2.1.1 Update career counseling guidelines

2.1.2 Conduct 14 career counseling sessions with 33,185 children
and youth.
2.1.3 Update student profiles

Activity 2.2 Training

TVET instructors

2.2.1 Organize 2 workshops for training need assessment (TNA)

of instructors.
2.2.2 Conduct basic and refresher trainings for 123 instructors on
teaching skill, lesson plan, OHS, child centered CSR.
2.2.3 6 training sessions for instructors by industry supervisors
and experts on production floor, industry set up and working
environment.
2.3.1 Conduct labor market survey to identify market driven

Activity 2.3

Updated guidelines
Attendance sheet
Event reports
Student profile
Tracer management
database
Attendance sheet
Progress report
Event report

Survey report

43

Development of sector
specific TVET training
module for child and
youth laborers
Activity 2.4. Provision
of market relevant skills
training for child and
youth laborers
Activity 2.5. Facilitate
apprenticeships for child
and youth laborers
Activity 2.6. Capacity
building and training on
entrepreneurship
Activity 2.7 Facilitation
of job placement for
youth in companies with
decent and age
appropriate work
Activity 2.8 Establish
and upgrade vocational
training centers

trades and contents in the both urban and rural areas.

2.3.2 Develop and update six curricula with representatives from
informal sector and technical experts from formal sector
companies
2.4.1 Select children and youth following selection guideline
2.4.2 Provide skills training to 25,860 adolescent and youth
laborers
2.4.3 Evaluation and certificates distributed among 25,860
adolescents and youth
2.5.1 Introduce apprenticeship training for 8,725 students.
2.5.2 Management of apprenticeships with 82 companies
2.5.3 Conduct 3 training for company supervisors
2.5.4 Signed MoU with 10 formal companies
2.6.1 138 training in marketing, communications and business.
2.6.2 Develop networking with 30 local business associations
2.7.1 Facilitate 6 meetings with different companies to develop
networks among formal and informal sector companies.
2.7.2 Organize 492 meetings with host corporations on job
placement.
2.7.3 Organize 18 job fairs in collaboration with formal and
informal private companies.
2.8.1 Conduct gap analysis study of existing training facilities.
2.8.2 Upgrade 41 VTC with modern equipment and in line with
OHS standards.
2.8.3 Maintenance of equipment/machineries.

Updated curricula
Progress report

Student profiles
Tracer database
Progress report
Attendance sheet
Certificates
Attendance sheets
Monitoring report
MoU

Attendance sheets
Progress report

Meeting minutes
Attendance sheets
Progress report
Event report

Study report
Field visit report

Activities under Output 3

Activity 3.1 Organizing
and running childrens
and youth club activities
Activity 3.2 Building
the capacity of children
and youth on selfpresentation, jobreadiness for job, OHS,
life skills and are able to
use these skills in their
daily life.
Activity 3.3 Establish
child and youth platform
and develop networking
Activity 3.4 Introduce
child-led advocacy for
establishing childrens
rights.

1.1.1
1.1.2
1.1.3
1.1.4
3.2.1
3.2.2
3.2.3

Running of 133 childrens and youth clubs

Update club facilitation and management manual.
Strengthen 133 child-led committees.
Update soft skills training manual.
Conduct 15 training sessions for childrens club facilitators
on life skills and soft skills.
Provision of life skills and soft skills training for 221,546
childrens club members.
Conduct 3,619 training sessions for 195,886 children and
youth on UNCRC, facilitation, OHS standards, effective
communication and child-led advocacy.

3.3.1 Develop and strengthen a working childrens platform for

effective advocacy.
3.3.2 Organize 3 youth conventions.
3.3.3 Form 8 functional community youth volunteer groups.
3.4.1 Conduct child-led research on hidden tuition fees and other
issues related to the childrens lives.
3.4.2 Facilitate child advocacy group to create awareness among
stakeholders at community levels.

Meeting minutes
Monitoring report
Event report
Monitoring report
Tracer management
database

Meeting minutes
Event report
Research report
Progress report

Activities under Output 4

Activity 4.1Capacity
building of private sector
companies and
government agencies to
implement and monitor
CSR policies for children.
Activity 4.2 Develop
framework of
cooperation among child
rights organization and
business associations and

4.1.1 Provide orientation and awareness training to 376 midlevel managers or staff of private sector companies on laws
and policies.
4.1.2 Establish networks and communication with 82 companies
to promote EYE centered CSR.

List of companies
Meeting minutes

4.2.1 Strengthen 16 community based CSR groups.

4.2.2 Strengthen multi stakeholder CSR forum.
4.2.3 Developing methodology on CSR through collecting and
analyzing the present practices of the private sector.
4.2.4 Website development linking the private sector and TVET

Meeting minutes
Monitoring report
Website

44

institutions
Activity 4.3 Formulate
National CSR policy for
children

centers.
4.3.1
4.3.2
4.3.3
4.3.4

Signing MoU with government on national CSR policy.

Formation of working group at MoLE.
Organize 4 round table, consultations, and seminar.
Hire consultant and conduct study on relevant policy
within Asia.
4.3.5 Drafting CSR policy for approval.

MoU with Govt.

Meeting minutes

Activities under Output 5

Activity 5.1 Build
awareness among
stakeholders

4.1.1
4.1.2

4.1.3
Activity 5.2
Documentation and
dissemination of best
practices, lessons
learned and materials to
the relevant stakeholders

5.2.1

Activity 5.3 Conduct

research by identifying
and analyzing gaps and
challenges
on
comprehensive
education.
Activity 5.4 Advocacy
initiatives with active
engagement of GoB,
education and TVET
practitioners, to create
quality and relevant
comprehensive
education for working
children and vulnerable
youth
Activity 5.5 Establish
networking among GO
and NGOs and other
like-minded organizations
at the local and national
level.
Activity 5.6 Establish
quality-monitoring
framework
for
EYE
Program.

5.3.1

5.2.2
5.2.3

5.3.2
5.3.3
5.3.4

Conduct parenting education sessions for 42,174

parents/guardians
Organize awareness session for 21,235 employers 356,820
community people on CRC, COC, importance of
education, negative effects of child labor and their roles and
responsibility.
Form and strengthen 359 community based organizations
like CWG, CMC.
Development of BCC/ICC materials for advocacy to be used
to create awareness.
Develop and disseminate three handbooks on the
accelerated education model and CSR and child labor and
empowering CSWs issues.
Organize three national level seminars to disseminate all
hand books.
Conduct one study on identifying challenges in education,
TVET and soft skills as well as target groups.
Conduct final evaluation CDW project.
Conduct final evaluation EU-CSR project.
Conduct impact study on EYE program.

Progress report
Monitoring report
Meeting minutes

Progress report
Handbooks
Event report
Monitoring report

Study report
Evaluation report
Progress report

5.4.1 Organize 4 national level seminars, meetings, round table

discussion and dialogues with relevant ministries to garner
their acceptance of the accelerated education model and
TVET for working children and vulnerable youth.
5.4.2 Accreditation of non-formal TVET by NQF and BTEB.
5.4.3 Implementation of Child Labor Policy and NPA and
Domestic Workers Welfare and Registration Act.
5.4.4 Ability to enact policies provided for as part of the
Vulnerable Youth Apprenticeship Procedures 2008.

Event report
Progress report
Meeting minutes
Media clippings

5.5.1

Progress report
Monitoring report
TWC strategy paper
Media clippings

5.5.2
5.5.3
5.6.1
5.6.2
5.6.3
5.6.4
5.6.5
5.6.6
5.6.7

Organize and participate in 6 networking meetings to create

quality education and TVET.
Establish joint monitoring mechanism within TWC member
organizations to monitor quality aspects of the program.
Implementation of national level advocacy agenda following
TWC strategy paper.
Assess existing monitoring practices of the EYE Program.
Conduct EYE Program baseline and impact study.
Develop comprehensive monitoring framework for EYE .
Formation of EYE monitoring team consisting of PNGOs and
SCI.
Develop and introduce tools for all grants.
Functional Tracer Management Data base online system and
introduce DAP.
Capacity building on M&E framework and tools.

Baseline study report

Progress report
Tracer management
database

ACTION PLAN

45

Project outcomes

Key milestones

Outcome: 1
Child laborers aged 6-14 years
old get out of hazardous work
and have completed quality
primary education (up to grades
5 and 8) relevant to their
present and future life.

8,550children will complete one year PPE course and be enrolled in

government, formal schools
75,000 children will complete a three year NFPE course and sit the PSC
examination
63,750 children (80% ) will pass the grade 5 PSC exam.

(Q5,Q9)

3 060 children will complete three years Junior Secondary Education

course and appear in the JSC examination
At least 60% of students who appear will pass the JSC exam.

(Q12)

Outcome:2
Increased age appropriate and
decent employment
opportunities for vulnerable
youth aged 14-24 years through
access to market responsive
quality TVET and
entrepreneurial education.

41 TVET centers will be upgraded following OHS standards

(Q1,Q5,Q9))

33,185 children have received vocational training

(Q1-Q12)

6 sector specific training module have been updated

(Q1, Q5, Q(

26,548 children and youth are placed in decent employment

(Q2, Q4, Q6, Q8,

Q10 and Q12)
(Q3,Q6, Q9, Q12)

Outcome:3
Reduced vulnerability of
targeted children and youth
through receiving soft skills
training to develop knowledge
and skills for survival in their job
and society.
Outcome:4
Private sector is responsive
towards fulfilling the rights of
working children and youth.
Outcome:5
Vulnerable children and youth
are recognized in national policy
formulation and implementation
using research, documentation
and effective practices to
support advocacy.

Facilitate apprenticeships for 12,240 child and youth laborers; 5,520

children and youth are provided with entrepreneurial education.

Period

(Q4, Q8, Q12)

(Q4, Q8, Q12)

(Q12)

25,680 children received training on soft skills

(Q1-Q12)

Childrens club facilitation and management guidelines have been

developed

(Q2)

82 private companies in formal sector are engaged and safe job

provisions and apprenticeships for youth introduced.
400 private companies in the informal sector are engaged to improve
workplaces.

(Q4,Q8, Q12)

EYE baseline study conducted

(Q2-Q3)

Approved national CSR policy for children.

Q4

Implementation of National Plan of Action on NCLEP

Q3-Q12)

TWC is institutionalized through engagement in local and national level

advocacy.
EYE Impact study conducted

(Q3-Q12)

Minimum standards for basic education and TVET developed and

practiced.

(Q1-Q12

(Q1-Q12)

(Q4,8,12)

11.ORGANISATION AND ADMINISTRATION

The EYE team, Save the Children, and partner NGOs are responsible for the regular management of
the program as well as all projects. The EYE team will provide technical guidance to the implementing
partner organizations and ensure that there is a linkage with Save the Childrens vision, mission and
development strategy. The EYE team will also ensure assistance from SCDs global EYE program and
global education initiatives technical support team and other thematic teams. The EYE team will be
responsible for submitting all project related requirements to all partners in a timely fashion. To ensure
the smooth running of the project activities, the individual partners will prepare workplans. Activities
will follow the workplan and partners will monitor the day to day activities. The EYE team and TWC
will monitor the project activities on a regular basis and ensure capacity building of each partner.
EYE Technical group: Save the Childrens EYE team comprising of 12 members will facilitate the
partners technical teams. This will include technical education groups comprising of one or two EYE
46

members who have solid experience on education and one education specialist from each partner
NGO. TVET and CSR groups are formed similarly, comprised of key experts within the EYE team and
TVET specialists from each partner. The teams meet regularly and discuss technical aspects of the
program in terms of ensuring quality. Teams also provide capacity support to the partner NGOs staff.
Project Management Steering Committee (PMSC): A project management steering
committee has been formed for the projects which are implemented by more than one partner NGO.
The aim of the PMSC is to create common understanding about project goals, objectives, outcomes
and key strategies and support joint decision making among the partners. Representatives from
partner NGOs such as the Executive Director, Project Managers, Finance Managers as well as
representatives from the EYE team, including the Program Director and respective Program Managers
are key members. Periodically members from the grants and finance department will also participate
in the meeting. The PMSC is considered to be a high-level joint decision-making forum where partner
NGOs share field progress, challenges, lessons learned, and take further action. The committees
function based on approved ToR and meet quarterly.
EYE Thematic Partners Networks: All implementing partner NGOs are part of the solidarity
network Together with Working Children. TWC operations are governed by a member-approved
ToR. TWC is also considered to be a common platform where all partners share their projects
progress, seek technical assistance, and support the projects national and local level advocacy agenda.
Recently they agreed that TWC would also play a vital role in joint monitoring of the program. It
meets once in a quarter.
All partner organizations will operate separate bank account for the projects. The accounts process
will be carried out in accordance with Save the Children financial and administrative guidelines. The
finance and grants department of SC in close cooperation with the responsible person on the EYE
team will coordinate all financial budgeting and reporting. An NGO Bureau listed firm of chartered
accountants will audit the financial statement for the project at the end of each year. A thematic audit
report will be prepared and sent to all the partners.

12. SUSTAINABILITY AND EXIT/PHASE OUT STRATEGY

What will happen at the end of the project: The projects sustainability will be ensured by
empowering children and youth socially, politically and economically. Child laborers will become
productive citizens through the implementation of the National Child Labor Eradication Policy,
promotion of CSR, and improved working conditions by putting a Code of Conduct into place by the
employers that will protect children from rights violations.
Sustainable project achievements: All national level advocacy initiatives will be sustained and
support child and youth laborers as they become productive citizens aware of their human rights.
Advocacy initiatives including a national CSR policy for children, National Child Labor Elimination
Policy, and quality TVET through accreditation will continue. Civil society networks like Together
With Working Children will be sustained along with a number of capacity building initiatives that will
continue to strengthen the networks. Knowledge gleaned on child labor, comprehensive education
and urban development and documented through different studies will continue to be used.
Handbooks on CSR and private sector engagement, the projects accelerated education model, and
empowerment of child domestic workers will continue to be key references for stakeholders.
Specific initiatives to ensure the continuation of the program after the current funding
is phased out: Institutional sustainability will be achieved by strengthening the partners capacity to
manage their own development initiatives as well as to work with local networks, institutions and
government. By doing so, civil society organizations will more efficiently deliver quality services in the
47

specific geographical location by mobilizing resources. A study on sustainability will be carried out to
assess the institutional suitability of each partner NGO and program in terms service delivery to the
vulnerable target group. Partnership with research institutions will be developed to conduct the
impact study for the overall EYE program.

13. BUDGET

The total budget for EYE phase-II is USD 15 million for 3 years from January 2014-December 2016.
Danida will contribute USD 1.4 million (DKK 6 million) for two years, January 2014- December 2015.

48