Roots Bangladesh is a completely non-sectarian, non-political, non-profit, voluntary, social, democratic and
welfare oriented social organization.
Established In: 2001
Registered Year: 2004
Registered By: Social welfare Department.
MISSION & VISSION : In line with SDGs and priority of the Government, ROOTS BANGLADESH will work
on capacity building and skill development, information and information technology and
other necessary financial and non-financial services for the people in collaboration with
Governmental and Non- Governmental Institutions with an aim to improve livelihood
standards and a peaceful dynamic society practicing social values.
OUR GOALS: The goal of Roots Bangladesh is to establish a right based society through
sustainable socio-economic development of the target participants specially the children,
women and other disadvantaged groups and thus help them in attaining a dignified
livelihood in the family and the society.
OBJECTIVE
1. To improve socio economic status of disadvantaged people.
2. To organize women and build their capacity for empowerment.
3. To organize increased awareness of children, parents and community people to
reduce child labor, child abuse, child trafficking and violation of child rights.
4. To improve sexual reproductive health rights and climate-based health, nutrition
and hygiene for adolescent’s girls and women.
5. To mobilize community people including parents, children, community people &
duty bearers for playing positive role to establish human rights, child rights and
women rights.
6. To develop a society & economically vibrant and fit community through education
and skill development.
7. To enhance capacity of the children, youth, women, men, NGOs and other
stakeholders and develop different modules & guidelines for strengthening
cooperation & coordination among themselves for reducing socio economic
vulnerability of people.
8. To act as information center for sharing and exchanging information and services
among individuals, groups and institutions working on human rights and dignity.
9. To design training materials for working with the poor children, women and people
with special needs with a view to reduce exploitation, enhance recognition, improve
status and ensure safe working condition.
10.To work for ecologically balanced environment and response to climate.

Roots bangladesh started Project Onggona in 2021 to address the concerns of human rights abuse and denial of
sexual health rights and provide aa rights-based approach to health & social services for the
gender diverse population in Bangladesh. Over the years with support from donors Project
Onggona has scaled up essential program that include SRHR trainings, policy development
and advocacy with a special focus on the vital needs around targeted communities in terms
of ensuring their health care service and uplifting the human rights.

The Derivation of Project Ongonna (SRHR)

❖ To provide a venue for the young gender diversity population so that they can
socialize with their fellows in a safe and emphatic environment.
❖ To provide mental and psychosocial counseling, SRHR health care counseling.
❖ To create for the education, networking using social medias.
❖ Access to Roots Bangladesh resource center for learning SRHR and knowledge
generation.
❖ Distribute the health commodities considering their vulnerability.

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
➢ Introduce new counseling approach as motivational interviewing for SRHR.
➢ Develop master trainers on gender and SRHR programing.
➢ Introduce art work therapy with young diverse group.
➢ Train health workers on youth friendly service at local level.

Awareness And campaigns

SRSHR Education session with student of different Education Institution. Airing Community Voice through FM radio program.
❖ Film screening to advocate about the needs/ concerns.
❖ Essay Competition and art therapy.
❖ Dialogue session on role of creative medias and community accountability for social
Change.
❖ Cultural event to raise the voice the SRHR, vulnerabilities, human rights, climatebased health and neuration.
❖ Install coffee house campaign for public awareness at different public gathering
places such as restaurant, library, coffee shop premises.

Principles of SRHR
SRHR as part of human rights, have the following principles of human rights described in the
Universal Declaration and outlined by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA):
Universality: They apply equally to all persons, and they are the rights of every individual, there
are no exceptions. This means that SRHR apply to everyone, including all children, adolescents
and young people.
Interdependency and interrelation: The fulfillment of one right may depend in part or in whole
on the fulfillment of other rights. Indivisibility: No right is more important than another right,
they are all connected, you cannot have one without the other.
Inalienability: This means that you can never lose your rights. You have them, from the
moment you are born, because you are human.

What is SRHR?
Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights or SRHR is the concept of Human Rights applied
to sexuality and reproduction. It covers various issues related to the four separate
components:
1. Sexual Health,
2. Sexual Rights,
3.Reproductive Health and
4. Reproductive Rights.

Component of SRHR
Reproductive Health: Reproductive Health is a state of complete physical, mental and
social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, in all matters relating to
the reproductive system and to its functions and processes. Reproductive health therefore
implies that people are able to have a satisfying and safe sex life and that they have the
capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when and how often to do so.
Sexual Health: Sexual Health is a state of physical, emotional, mental and social wellbeing related to sexuality; not merely the absence of diseases, dysfunction or infirmity.
Sexual health requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual
relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences,
free of coercion. Components of SRHR
Sexual Rights: Sexual rights are an evolving set of entitlements related to sexuality that
allows you the ability to decide and express by our sexuality by making your own decisions
about partners, privacy and pleasure. Sexual rights are also of human rights which mean that
no one should be alienated from enjoying any of his/her human rights as a citizen of the country
because of his / her sexual orientation and gender identity. Moreover, the WAS, at 14th World
Congress of Sexology (Hong Kong, 1999): adopted the Universal Declaration of Sexual Rights,
which includes the following sexual rights directly:
The rights to:
• Sexual Freedom.
• Sexual Autonomy, Sexual integrity and Safety of the sexual body.
• Make free and responsible reproductive choices.
• Sexual Information based upon scientific inquiry.
• Sexual equity Sexual Pleasure.
• Emotional sexual expression.
• Sexual associate freely.
• Comprehensive Sexuality education.
Reproductive rights: Reproductive rights include the right to decide when to have
children. A couple should be able to plan and make a well-informed decision about having
children, yet that’s not the case in many nations due to limited education and access to family
planning tools. Reproductive rights also include freedom for discrimination, coercion and
violence when making family planning choices.

Why SRHR is Essential for Sexual Minority Populations?
The sexual minority populations are socially discriminated due to their sexual and gender roles
and desires for which they often experience greater vulnerability to SRHR related health
services than other people. In most of the hospitals or health complexes, there is a very limited
or no environment and facility where the sexual minority people can access SRHR services.
In most cases, health service providers and related people are also found not to provide them
a friendly and reliable space where these people can share their health issues and seek solution
or treatment confidentially. But these people are also human beings and therefore, in need of
health services and as the citizen of the country they should also have Sexual and Reproductive
Health and Rights and access to related services.
Moreover, the majority percentage of the sexual minority population must carry various risk
factors because of their professional pattern, unhealthy accommodation and way of living for
which they require significant unmet needs for SRHR.
Reproductive Rights Related Concepts need to know.
To know the SRHR, we need to know the concepts on Sex, Safer Sex, Sexuality, Sexual Diversity,
Gender, Gender Diversity, Masculinity and Femininity, Gender Equality, Gender Equity etc. Sex:
Sex is either of the two major forms of individuals that are distinguished respectively as female
or male especially based on their reproductive organs and the structural, functional, and
behavioral characteristics of organisms that are involved in reproduction. In a word, Sex could
be defined as the biological identity of a person.
➢ Safer sex: Safer sex is taking precautions to reduce the risk of acquiring sexually
transmitted diseases, including HIV, during sexual activities. To have safer sex it is
important to either use a condom or to make sure you and your partner are not infected
with an STD.
➢ Sexual Diversity: Human sexuality, especially sexual orientation and gender identity
are not static. Sexual orientation is changing with the growth and development of human
being. So, it can be expressed as person’s sexuality is not one hundred percent
Heterosexual (interest to the opposite sex) and not one hundred percent Homosexual
(interest to the same sex). Today, someone can be interested to the opposite sex, but
the next few years he/she could be interested to the same sex. Sexual diversity is not a
disease or disorder!
➢ Sexuality: Sexuality is a central aspect of being human throughout:
❖ Life and encompasses sex |
❖ Gender identities and roles |
❖ Sexual orientation | Eroticism |
❖ Pleasure |
❖ Intimacy and reproduction |
❖ Fantasies |
❖ Desires |Beliefs | Attitudes | Values | Behaviors| Roles and relationships | sexuality is
experienced and expressed in thoughts.

While sexuality can include all of these dimensions, not all of them are always experienced
or expressed. Sexuality is influenced by (World Health Organization, Draft Working
Definition and October-2002).
Interaction of biological | Psychological | Social | Economic | Political | Cultural | Ethical |
Legal | Historical and religious and | Spiritual factors.
Gender
Gender can be defined as the behavioral differences between men and women that are socially
constructed. These differences are not biological but human creation. Gender is not
permanent; it can be changed or switched. Gender identity is different from the biological or
sexual identity. If the biological identity is physically visible externally, gender identity is an
internal emotional or psychological or individual taste. A person who is born male or female
are biologically could identify themselves. Otherwise, the evidence shows that gender identity
now is no longer limited to women and men only. There are now other gender identities all
over the world but those are indicated with different names in different countries.
Gender Diversity
Gender is grown historically and is socially constructed and can, therefore, be changed. Gender
refers to socially and culturally dominated gender roles. Gender Diversity includes the further
differentiation including age, ethnicity, physical ability, sexual orientation, class, etc. which
are also social constructs and therefore changeable. It also means to consider and to promote
different skills, different resources and potentials of women and men in their diversity as
equivalent.
Masculinity (also called manliness or manhood) is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles
generally associated with boys and men. Masculinity is made up of both socially defined and
biologically created factors. This makes it distinct from the definition of the biological male
sex as both men and women can exhibit masculine traits and behaviors. Traits traditionally
cited as masculine include courage, independence, and assertiveness.
Femininity (also called femininity, girlishness, womanliness or womanhood) is a set of attributes,
behaviors, and roles generally associated with girls and women. Femininity is socially
constructed but made up of both socially defined and biologically created factors. This makes
it distinct from the definition of the biological female sex, as both men and women can exhibit
feminine traits. Females are expected to be more passive, sensitive, and supportive.
Gender Equality
Gender equality, also known as sex equality, gender egalitarianism, sexual equality or equality
of the genders, is the view that men and women should receive equal treatment, and should
not be discriminated against based on gender, unless there is a sound biological reason for
different treatment. Gender equity is a set of actions, attitudes, and assumptions that provide
opportunities and create expectations about individuals.