Community Training Guide & Facilitator’s Toolkit Building Local Human Rights Committees and Organizing Village Dialogues

📍 Bangladesh | ✊ Grassroots Empowerment | 🕊 Community Justice

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1. Purpose of the Toolkit

This toolkit provides practical steps and tools to help rural communities and grassroots organizations:

• Build local human rights committees.

• Organize community dialogues and forums.

• Strengthen solidarity among diverse groups.

• Create early response systems to prevent violence and discrimination.

• Turn ordinary citizens into local defenders of justice.

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2. Guiding Principles

• 🕊 Human Rights Start Locally — People have the right to safety, dignity, and equality in their everyday lives.

• ✊ Community Power Matters — Local action is often faster, more trusted, and more effective than distant bureaucracy.

• 🤝 Solidarity Protects Everyone — An attack on one group is an attack on all.

• ⚖ Inclusion Is Essential — Ensure participation of minorities, women, youth, elders, and marginalized voices.

• 🔔 Prevention Is Better Than Reaction — Communities can prevent injustice before it escalates.

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3. Step-by-Step Guide to Forming a Local Human Rights Committee (LHRC)

Step 1: Community Sensitization

• Organize an informal village meeting or courtyard session (uthan boithok).

• Discuss what “human rights” mean at a local level (land, education, safety, dignity, equality).

• Use storytelling and real-life local examples to make concepts accessible.

• Identify local challenges (e.g., land grabbing, harassment, discrimination, violence).

Step 2: Identifying Leaders and Volunteers

• Encourage inclusive participation — not just village elites.

• Ensure representation from:

  • Minority or indigenous groups

  • Women and youth

  • Religious/community leaders

  • Teachers, farmers, workers

• Nominate or elect 7–15 committee members through open discussion.

Step 3: Defining Roles and Responsibilities

Suggested committee structure:

• Chairperson: Leads meetings and public engagements.

• Secretary: Keeps records, meeting minutes, and reports.

• Volunteer Coordinator: Manages early warning & community mobilization.

• Communications Focal: Liaises with CSOs, authorities, and media.

• Youth/Minority Representative: Ensures inclusivity.

The LHRC should:

• Document incidents of rights violations.

• Respond quickly to protect vulnerable groups.

• Facilitate community mediation (nonviolent, rights-based).

• Refer serious cases to legal aid or authorities.

• Mobilize solidarity actions when needed.

Step 4: Capacity Building

• Conduct basic human rights awareness training (2–3 sessions):

  • Rights & responsibilities under national law and international standards.

  • Practical protection measures for vulnerable groups.

  • Nonviolent communication and conflict resolution.

• Partner with local NGOs or human rights defenders to co-facilitate.

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4. Organizing Village-Level Dialogues & Forums

Why Dialogue Matters:

• Builds trust and solidarity.

• Helps identify shared problems and practical solutions.

• Strengthens collective responsibility.

How to Organize:

Step 1: Planning

• Set a clear topic: e.g., “Protecting Minority Rights in Our Village”, “Land Justice”, “Youth Against Violence”.

• Choose a neutral and accessible location (school yard, community center, courtyard).

• Announce date and time at least 7–10 days in advance.

Step 2: Inclusive Invitations

• Ensure invitations reach all groups — minorities, women, youth, elders.

• Use multiple methods: posters, mosque/mondir/madrasa announcements, word of mouth.

Step 3: Facilitation Tips

• Begin with a circle of trust — people seated in a round formation.

• Use local language and storytelling.

• Set ground rules: no interruptions, no hate speech, respectful engagement.

• Allow marginalized voices to speak first or with protection.

Step 4: Documentation & Follow-Up

• Assign a note taker.

• Identify action points and who will follow up.

• Share key outcomes with the LHRC and wider community.

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5. Tools & Templates

✅ Sample Agenda for First Dialogue Session

1. Welcome & Introduction (10 min)

2. What Are Human Rights in Our Village? (20 min)

3. Storytelling & Open Sharing (30 min)

4. Identifying Issues & Priorities (30 min)

5. Forming/Strengthening LHRC (20 min)

6. Next Steps & Commitments (15 min)

✅ Sample Early Warning Sign Checklist

• Rising local tensions between groups.

• Hate speech, rumors, or targeted threats.

• Sudden visits or mobilization by outside actors.

• Land disputes or resource conflicts.

• Visible signs of intimidation.

✅ Sample Quick Response Plan

• Immediate call to LHRC members.

• Alert legal aid contacts/partner CSOs.

• Document incident (time, place, witnesses).

• Convene urgent community meeting.

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6. Safety and Protection Guidelines

• Protect victims and vulnerable witnesses — confidentiality matters.

• Avoid confrontations with armed or violent actors.

• Build alliances with trusted local journalists and rights groups.

• Keep emergency contact lists (police, legal aid, NGOs).

• Use mobile phones or messaging apps for secure alerts.

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7. Partnerships and Support

Potential Allies & Partners:

• Local NGOs and legal aid organisations

• Human rights defenders networks

• Faith-based and cultural leaders

• Journalists and community media

• Youth clubs and women’s groups

• International partners (for training/resources)

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8. Sustainability Strategies

• Rotate leadership roles to avoid elite capture.

• Encourage youth participation to keep the committee active.

• Organise monthly meetings and public forums.

• Build linkages with national networks for protection and advocacy.

• Document success stories to inspire other villages.

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9. Closing Message

“When people stand together, they become stronger than fear.
Human rights do not arrive from above — they rise from the ground.”

Building local human rights committees and organising village dialogues is a powerful, peaceful strategy to protect communities, strengthen democracy, and ensure no one is left behind.

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✊ Prepared by: Minhaz Samad Chowdhury
Independent Human Rights Defender, Bangladesh
🌐 www.hr-defender.blogspot.com | www.bds.vision
📅 October 2025

#HumanRights #CommunityJustice #GrassrootsAction #Bangladesh #Solidarity #MinorityRights #Inclusion #JusticeBeginsAtHome #PeoplePower