Building a Stronger Evidence Base:

A Gender Sensitive Approach to Empowering Women for Peaceful Communities

A Report on FGDs :

Focus Group Discussion Report’s Outline:

I. Summary of Project

II. Introduction with list of outcomes

III. Participant demographics

IV. Summary of findings with each outcome, including representative quotes, results of yes or no

questions, and quantitative data

V. Recommendations

I. Summary of Project:

Oxfam in Bangladesh along with some renowned researchers held a series of focus group discussion in
October 2018 involving various youth, father, mother, community action members and student

populations represented at two districts of UN Women project areas along with two universities that are
non-project areas, including: Joypurhat, Satkhira, Independent University Bangladesh and Islamic
University of Bangladesh.

Through the focus group discussions, the organization gathered information to provide summative
evaluation of the UN Women programme sites and their activities and to explore key research questions
on women’s roles in supporting and countering or preventing violent extremism, and on how gender
identities and relations may be used to garner support for intolerant social attitudes and groups,
including in the most serious cases for recruitment to extremist and violent extremist groups.
II. Introduction

Oxfam in Bangladesh along with some renowned researchers held total 38 focus group discussion with
[in each FGD there were approximately 10 persons] students, mothers, fathers ,community action group
members from 15 to 30 October 2018. The research focused on the role that that women can and do
play in promoting or preventing violent extremism, as well as the role that men – or more specifically,
fathers, can and do play in promoting or preventing violent extremism. The research team conducted an
innovative research project to investigate how notions of masculinity and femininity are used by violent
extremist groups to radicalize and recruit men and women in Bangladesh.

By observing and analyzing sites in Bangladesh comparing those sites that received supports from UN
Women project with sites that have not received any or similar programming, the researchers tried to
better understand how programs are helping communities to be more cohesive and resilient and less
vulnerable to fundamentalist and violent ideologies.

The discussion was designed to gather information from the participants in regard to the following

outcomes:

1. To highlight the most successful cases and explain how that success was achieved;

2. To examine specific interventions or programme sites where expected outcomes were not achieved
and identify barriers to impact

3. To collate insights from programme staff and beneficiaries/participants about the effects of the
programme;
4. To assess the logic of the causal relationship between programme activities and outputs with
intended outcomes and ultimate impact;

5. To assess the relevance of the programme design in varying contexts;

6. To assess the efficiency and sustainability of the programme.

7. To know how and why are societal gender identities and relations potential drivers, both enabling and
countering ideological fundamentalism and political violence?

8. To know how are notions of masculinity and femininity used by violent extremist groups to radicalise
and recruit men and women, specific to the Asia and Pacific region?

9. To understand in what ways – through what initiatives – and why do women support, counter and/or
prevent fundamentalist ideologies and practices?

III. Participant Demographics

Number of participants took part in the focus group discussion:

District/University Male Female FGDs

Joypurhat* 52 54 10
Independent University 34 30 09
Islamic University 41 58 10
Satkhira* 68 25 09
Total 195 167 38
Grand Total : 362 38

In project areas participants were mainly from the project beneficiaries along with other young male-
female and students.

(*Star marked districts are of UN Women Project areas)

IV. Summary of Findings

FGDs conducted by the researchers got some notifying points through the discussions. Researchers
looked for the drivers of fundamentalism, extremism and violent extremism. Almost in every area got
similar points although there are some conceptual differences between urban and rural areas, among
the educated people and the uneducated people. The outcomes are as follows:

Outcome 1 from Joypurhat and Satkhira(the project areas):

a) People join in VE groups because of poverty.

B) Family’s education and socialization process are liable for fundamentalist ideology.

c) People join in this type of activities because of misinterpretation of religious rules.

d) The movement of female community are still restricted in rural areas.

e) Dowry is a big problem here in rural areas.

f) They think there are strong relationship between drug and Violence.

g) Though women all less physically tortured they are still mentally tortured in a big number.

i) They almost think care work is only for female and its created by society.They even don’t think there
should be any payment for it.

Findings from the focus groups

In the working area Joypurhat (Kalai and Khetlal sub-district) and Satkhira (Kaliganj sub-district) district
total 19 FGDs are conducted, here there are a good conceptual knowledge among the project
beneficiaries about fundamentalism, extremism and violent extremism, but who are not directly
involved with project have a little knowledge about the issues. Participants confessed that there
occurred some extremist activities in their areas, they also know how people are being targeted by the
extremist groups. They are conscious to protect their child from these kinds of activities. Dowry is a big
problem there in Joypurhat, Even almost no marriages are occurred without dowry . The number of
child marriage is almost zero there in Kaliganj Sub-district, Satkhir although the confessed sometimes
child marriages are happened secretly. Women are mentally tortured in family, there movement outside
home are too restricted still. Drug has an inter-relationship with violent extremism. In Satkhira there is a
strong presence and activity of Jamat-Al-Islami an Islamist political party and a number of violent
activities are occured by the supporters of that party. At the time of FGDs it was seen that everyone
tried to create a good image of their respective areas. And as Brac’s beneficiaries get microfinance
from the organization they sometimes unwilling to inform us any negative news about the respective
areas. They said that Technology has both good and bad side, children are being detached because of
using various devices a lot of time.

Outcome 2 from IUB and IUK (non-project area):

a) Students think because of misinterpretation of religious rules youths join in Violent activities

b) They found a link between drug and extremism activities.

c) Technology detaching people from their family as they used it too much.

d) Girls in Dhaka have more freedom than the other areas Bangladesh.

e) Almost every female in IUK wants to do job after finishing their studies. But almost every male from
IUK don’t want to let their wife do job if the get good job with handsome salary.

f) Some male students introduced themselves as they are too much progressive but later on the
discussion their statement about dress sense like “girls are banana,boys are like sugar” pointed their
view about women right.

g) Female Students from IUB confessed their parents give them sufficient time,they have less chance to
pass quality time with family.

h) They don’t trust about what media say

i) They think militancy activities like “Holy Artisan” in Bangladesh are the conspiracy of International
Politics.

j) The university students distinguished dowry and gift, they said gifts are given by the bride’s family
willingly and dowry is demanded.

Findings from the focus groups

In the working areas Independent University Bangladesh(IUB) and Islamic University Kushtia(IUK) total
19 FGDs are conducted, Students were from 1st year to 4th year along with some post graduate students,
there are a good conceptual knowledge about fundamentalism, extremism and violent extremism
among the students. Although there are distinctive differences between the two mentioned university
students in their ideology but there are similarities also. They pointed that, university going students
who don’t have proper religious knowledge try to find shortcut way of getting Jannah (Heaven) what
influence them join militant activities. They said drug and extremism activities are inter-related. They
also said more uses of electronic devices like cell phones,video games detaching children from their
parents and relatives, parents are also too busy that they could make time for their child. The students
don’t believe media, they think recent militant activities in Bangladesh are the conspiracy of
International community.

V. Recommendations

After conducting the FGDs we come to reach in the decision that society should initiate some measures
to check fundamentalism, extremism and violent extremism.

1. Ethical education should be initiated in education system.

2. Children should be taught about the disadvantages of fundamentalism, extremism, violent extremism.

3. Financial stability should be assured to the poor and ultra-poor family.

4. Drug should be controlled.

5. We are still working on the drivers of Violent Extremism, but it’s high time we should start working on
the targeting process by the extremist group.*

6. We should accept the chance , utilize the advantages of technology.

7. Parents should give more quality time to their children.

8. Should use social media consciously, stop making viral false news related to religion or other issues.

Prepared by:

Md. Yousuf

+8801750733111

Yousuf7ud@gmail.com

16-nov-2018