In 2023, Bangladesh’s economy has recovered from the economic damage caused by the impact of COVID-19 and the Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, although the recent slowdown in the global economy has adversely affected the country’s economic growth. The extreme vulnerabilities of 969,719 Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char were exacerbated in 2023 because of the decline in funding, which impacted access to basic services.
Every child deserves a safe and nurturing environment.
We work to protect vulnerable children and ensure their well-being, leaving no child behind, even in the most fragile and conflict-affected areas.
Thematic Priorities
Child protection programming aims to enhance the protective environment for the most vulnerable children, adolescents,
family units, and communities, including those affected by the
Rohingya refugee crisis and,
climate-induced displacement,
through the provision of comprehensive community-based activities, psychological support, case management, and formal systems strengthening.
Health
programmes seek to strengthen access to quality healthcare
services and facilities, including mother and child health, for both
host and refugee communities by providing direct services, systems
strengthening and increasing the skills of healthcare workers.
WASH
programming aims to increase access to quality water, sanitation, and hygiene services while strengthening the inclusiveness of facilities through community empowerment and awareness raising.
Our social cohesion programming aims to increase access to quality water, sanitation, and hygiene services while strengthening the inclusiveness of facilities through community empowerment and awareness raising.
Health
health program is working to bring about a significant and lasting decrease in maternal, neonatal, and infant mortality
Child Protection
Our mission is to bring lasting change to vulnerable children and young people by improving their wellbeing and upholding
Migration
The increasing number of crises brought about by natural disasters, armed conflicts, and violence, together with the
Access To Justice
Over 6 billion people live in countries where the rule of law is declining, including 22 of the countries where Tdh
Ongoing Projects
Context
Intervention Map
Key Strategic Priorities
Tdh focuses on three core programmes—health, migration, and access to justice—supported by child protection, WASH, climate change and ICT4D expertise. Moreover, it focuses on strengthening basic services in terms of skills and capacities development and innovative approaches, including digitisation, to support the full realisation of human rights. It proposes a multi-level, holistic, and impact- and expertise-based framework for action to foster and accelerate child-centred justice worldwide.
Global Advocacy Initiatives, Partnerships and Collaborations
Tdh plays an active role in close collaboration with Terre des Hommes International Federation – in global child rights advocacy, pushing for positive and sustainable change in policy and practice. Tdh supported the drafting and the launch of the General Comment no. 26 on Children’s Rights and the Environment (childrightsenvironment.org) in 2023. Furthermore, the Global Initiative on Justice With Children was undertaken with more than 120 civil society organisations and human rights and child rights networks endorsed by Ministries of Justice all over the world. With the initiative and in collaboration with several partners, Tdh organised the World Congresses on Justice with Children in 2021. In addition, Tdh collaborated in the work of several platforms such as the Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action, Alliance Sud, and the Child Rights Network Switzerland. Tdh is a core member of INGOs groups such as the Child Justice Advocacy Group (CJGA), the Justice Action Coalition, and the Pathfinder SDG 16 Justice, among others. Tdh has a well-articulated Climate In-justice Advocacy Strategy and has a significant track record of developing the capacity of key actors and partners in child protection through it’s Child Protection Hub (Childhub).
Together with its partners, and applying the Leave No One Behind (LNOB) approach, Tdh has been very active on advocacy with projects such as the #CovidUnder19 campaign- built with and for children- that enabled the voices of more than 26,000 children to be heard. The organisation also disseminated relevant practices and shared lessons learned through advocacy by holding the 3rd Congress on Justice for Children in Paris in 2018. Tdh co-leads the Initiative for Child Rights in the Global Compacts and is an active member of the Global Forum on Migration and Development, co-led by the International Federation of Tdh. Tdh has also established partnerships with law firms such as DLA Piper, Baker Mckenzie and Dentons, as well as with social corporate responsibility departments of worldwide companies such as Amazon, Vodafone and Google.
International and National Alliances/ Coalitions/ Platforms
Tdh is an active member of several coalitions, alliances, networks, and platforms at both national and international levels. Tdh serves on the Steering Committee of the Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Aid, engaging in working groups to enhance child protection standards. As a member of the Civil Society Organisations Forum within the Global Partnership to End Violence against Children, Tdh collaborates with other organizations to combat violence against children. Tdh is part of the INSPIRE working group, promoting evidence-based interventions to address violence against children. Joining Forces is a coalition of six major child-focused agencies, including Tdh, working together to advocate for child rights. Tdh contributes to the IASC MHPSS Reference Group, supporting best practices in mental health and psychosocial support in emergency settings. Tdh is on the Board of Primero, facilitating the deployment of CPIMS+ software for managing humanitarian and development protection cases. Additionally, Tdh is an active member of Child Rights Connect, contributing to global advocacy on child rights mainstreaming, SDGs, and access to justice for children.
In Bangladesh, Tdh is a member of the Climate Justice Alliance-Bangladesh (CJA-B), ISCG Cox’s Bazar PSEA Network, Safeguarding Support and Resource Hub (RSH), Protection Sector, Child Protection Sub-Sector, MHPSS Working Group, WASH Sector, Area Focal Agency (AFA), INGO HR Network, Child Labour Elimination Platform (CLEP), Joining Forces Bangladesh, Child Labour Central Monitoring Committee, Health Sector in Cox’s Bazar, and the SRH Working Group. Notably, Tdh co-chairs the ISCG Cox’s Bazar PSEA Network, actively implementing and leading key initiatives such as organizing workshops, translating materials, developing child-friendly mechanisms, and supporting the network’s action plans. Tdh is an active member of the strategic advisory group of the Child Protection Sub-Sector (CPSS) and actively contributed to the JRP 2024 (Health, Child Protection, and WASH). Through its partnerships, Tdh works closely with the NGO Affairs Bureau (NGOAB), ministries, and departments, the Inter-Sector Coordination Group (ISCG), as well as the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC). Tdh is also part of the Case Management Task Force and has played a significant role in the Interagency CP Assessment.
Some Flagship Projects
Name of the project: Kalyana: Ensure access to lifesaving integrated and sustainable services to the Rohingya population and host communities in Cox’s Bazar District, Bangladesh
Tdh is implementing this comprehensive, multi-sectorial humanitarian project funded by BPRM in Cox’s Bazar (Teknaf and Ukhiya Upazila) to enhance the safety and dignity of both refugees and host communities. The project focuses on three key objectives: improving access to essential health and nutrition services for women and children under five through integrated clinic- and community-based services; increasing access to quality WASH facilities by expanding infrastructure and bolstering community participation and awareness; and enhancing child protection services to prevent and respond to child abuse, empowering children to protect themselves. With a total grant of $3,936,006, the project directly benefits 46,614 individuals and indirectly supports an additional 24,128, impacting a total of 70,742 beneficiaries.
- The two Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs) are collectively serving an average of 655 patients per day, resulting in a total of 239,075 consultations in a year.
- 18,200 project participants are getting benefits from fecal sludge management (FSM) and solid waste management (SWM) interventions at the two PHCs and one Multi-Purpose Community Center (MPCC) in Camps 26 and 27 and the surrounding host communities.
- The lives of 23,266 project participants are changing through child protection services.
Name of the project: Sports for Protection, Resilience, and Transformation (SPIRIT)
The SPiRIT Project, funded by the Olympic Refugee Foundation with a grant size of $1.5 million, is empowering 10,800 young people in Bangladesh. Targeting vulnerable parts of Kurigram and Dhaka, the project seeks to promote the inclusion and empowerment of children and youth who are displaced or at risk of climate-induced displacement.
- Enhancing the physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being of 10800 displaced children and youth, or those at risk of displacement, by promoting their access to safe sports.
- Engaging children and youth in advancing their knowledge of coping strategies to address migration and displacement-linked risks and other climate-induced vulnerabilities, while promoting sustainable local solutions through youth-led initiatives.
- Increasing the knowledge of sports coaches and other stakeholders on gender-friendly safe sports and garners their support for implementing sports for protection initiatives in Bangladesh.
Name of the project: Strengthening protection environment for Rohingya refugee children
Supported by UNHCR, this project is providing comprehensive child protection services to 43,820 Rohingya refugee children, adolescents, parents, and caregivers across various camps and local communities in Cox’s Bazar with a funding of 1,096,683 USD. Tdh emphasizes sustained support through child case management and mental health services to mitigate protection concerns effectively.
The intervention includes-
- Identifying vulnerabilities through thorough analysis and case identification with community groups
- Offering tailored case management services addressing child protection risks and gender-based violence
- Enhancing community resilience through capacity building and safe environments at Multi-Purpose Community Centres.