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A smile of
satisfaction spreads over the faces. “The Social Assistance
Program (SAP) legal clinic has changed my life” Shahana Begam
(wife of Abu Sayed) said, with high satisfaction. She is the
member of hardcore poor group Togor of Paschim Surjanogor
village of Bokshigonj union under Bokshigonj Upazilla.
10
years ago, Shahana got married to Abu Sayed of an adjacent
village named Malirchar. Like other women, Shahana was hopeful
of a happy conjugal life with her husband and children. However,
a few days into her marriage, Shahana’s hope had been broken,
due to continuous criticism from her husband and his family
members. Shahana Said, ``my husband works in Dhaka and I was
living in my father-in-law’s house, but a few days after my
marriage, I realize that my husband shows stoical asceticism
towards me. He did not bear the cost of any food, clothes, or
other expenditure to meet my basic needs. He only visited the
house occasionally. He physically abused me when I asked him to
provide for my basic needs. Many times, I passed my days without
any food. In spite of this, I spent 5 years in my husband’s
family, hoping that he might change, and that we could live
together happily. Meanwhile, I became a mother of two girls.
Day-by-day my suffering increased; my husband did not take any
care of daughters. It was difficult for me to meet the daily
needs of my daughters. Faced with no alternative, I returned to
my father’s family”.
Shana’s mother
Momeala said ``after hearing about the suffering of my daughter
I requested the intervention of local elites and UP members
several times but nobody paid any attention to my pleas. When
all my efforts failed, I took my daughter home”. Shahana has
been living in her (separately) father’s house for last five
years. Now, she works in others houses as a maidservant, with
some support from her poor parents to get by. In last five years
her husband has met with Shana at times, but he did not provide
any maintenance for Shahana.
SIPP launched
their Social Assistance Program (SAP) in Paschim Surjonagor
village in 2005. Shahana was selected as a hardcore poor under
this program and consequently she attended various SAP
activities. “Through participating in various training and
awareness program of SDF I have gathered knowledge and learnt a
lot of things. However, among all the activities of SDF, the
legal clinic service had been a blessing for my life. From this
program I learnt that women have a legal right to claim basic
maintenance from their husband are if he is absent ” said
Shahana.
In October ‘05,
the selected lawyer of ESDO conducted a legal clinic program in
Paschim Surjanagor village. Shahana learned details about the
legal clinic program from the respective Social Mobilizer of
ESDO. On the day of the clinic, Shahana presented her story in
detail before the lawyer. After hearing everything lawyer
suggested that since Shahana’s husband did not provide any
maintenance for her and her daughters, she could take the matter
to court, to get basic support. After that, Shahana discussed
the matter with her parents and they decided that they would go
to court to claim maintenance from Shahan’s husband. The lawyer
of ESDO also assured Shahana that he would give all required
support for processing the case.
The message that
Shahan’s family was preparing to take legal action against her
husband was passed on to Abu Sayed’s (Shahana’s husband)
relatives in Malirchar village. Abu Sayed heard about the
initiative from his relatives and quickly returned to the
village from Dhaka.
Abu Sayed met
with Sha Jamal, Program Supervisor of ESDO. He asked Jamal to
convince Shahana for not taking any legal action against him.
Sha Jamal said, `` when Sayed came to me, I got the opportunity
to aware him. Firstly, I presented to him the injustice he had
committed against his wife and her family, the legal rights of
women and the responsibilities of a husband. The discussion
helped him to realize the injustices that he had committed”. The
fear of legal action, and that realization helped Abu Sayed go
back to his family. Now, Shahana is very happy. She said, ``now,
my husband visits frequently and provides me with all necessary
maintenance costs. Moreover, he also takes care of my daughters
and me cordially. He also suggested that we might start living
together in Dhaka very soon”.
Shahana’s mother,
Momeala Bugum said, “its beyond my expectation, what the legal
clinic has done for my family. To resolve my daughter’s
sufferings I had requested the help of many local elites but
nobody did anything for me. The legal clinic, and the support of
SDF appeared as a blessing for us, particularly my daughter, and
has changed her life”.
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