Bangladesh Coalition for Child Rights (BCCR)

Introduction
Bangladesh Coalition for Child Rights is a national network of non-political, non-profit and like-minded non-governmental organizations dedicated to strengthening child rights. With sincere efforts and initiative of some social workers, the network was primarily formed in 1996 with 17 member organizations of the Jhenidah district. BCCR is the affiliated Bangladesh Chapter of the London based Coalition to Stop the use of Child-soldiers.
BCCR has membership with the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA), Child Rights Information Network (CRIN), Bangladesh Action Network on Small Arms (BANSA), Nari O Manbadhikar Foundation NAMAF), and the Coalition to Stop the use of Child soldiers (CSC).

Organization
BCCR is a non-profit, non-political, voluntary child rights and child welfare organization. It is a national level network committed to promote and protect child rights. BCCR is an equal rights organization and as such both national international organizations working for and with children in Bangladesh can join as members. Even individuals working for and with children can also join this network as member.

Legal Status
BCCR has applied for registration under the Societies Act 21 of 1860. the application is currently under process.

Vision
A child-friendly, exploitation and discrimination free, welfare oriented, environment and eco-friendly, just and democratic society that ensures fulfillment of rights and livelihood security of all children.

Mission
BCCR’s mission is to strengthen child rights in Bangladesh by building capacity of organizations that are working for/with children. BCCR intends to provide the capacity building support by way of network, advocacy, awareness raising, training, research, information-sharing and technical assistance. Specific focus of BCCR’s mission is to end child-soldiering, child prostitution, child-trafficking, child pornography, child abuse, acid throwing and hazardous child labor.

Membership and Participation
Currently the network has 63 members and more than one hundred (100) associates.

Structure
Day to day affairs BCCR is run on voluntary basis by a seven (7) member Executive Committee headed by the Chairperson while the Annual General Meeting (AGM) is the supreme forum for all important decision making. BCCR has no branch outside Dhaka. Secretarial support comes from the Bangladesh Development Partnership Centre (BDPC).
Activities of BCCR

BCCR activities include:
Campaign for rights promotion and protection, rights education, policy advocacy, prevention of child-soldiering and child participation in armed violence, arms control and violence prevention, trafficking prevention, fact finding, sending urgent appeals, alternative dispute resolution, legal support, research, etc.

Funding
BCCR has been operating fully based on voluntary subscriptions and contributions made by its members. For very limited activities, the organization receives small contributions from the Bangladesh Development Partnership Centre (BDPC) for implementation of very specific activities.

Contact address:
Chairperson
Bangladesh Coalition for Child Rights (BCCR)
138Ka, Pisciculture
Shyamoli, Dhaka 1207
Bangladesh.
Phone: 880-2-8110542
Email: bchr@agni.com / bccr@agnionline.com