Using PLA in human rights assessment: the experience in Bangladesh

This brief paper is concerned with using Participatory Learning and Action (PLAs) in assessing poor peoples understanding of human rights and the law and in exploring options for building mechanisms to provide support and protection of their rights. The study took place in 42 villages in Bangladesh and was commissioned by the Bangladeshi Government channeled through the project, "Action Research for Institutionalizing Development of Human Rights in Bangladesh". The paper describes the methods used to explore issues such as people's knowledge of human rights abuse and the law, of coping strategies, of preferences for settling disputes and reliable information sources. The PLA outputs were then shared with other stakeholders. The second part summarizes the outcomes of the PLA, confirming that participants had very low knowledge of human rights, and details some recommendations for the future. A final warning of remaining non-judgmental completes the document.