Four programme areas

As alcohol and drug prevention is the core value of FORUT, this area is integrated in all of FORUT’s activities. Reduced Harm from Alcohol and Substance Use is the overarching goal/strategic objective for this programme.

The ADD programme, which was launched in 2003 and is a global programme funded by NORAD, is doing alcohol and drug prevention activities on three levels: (i) Local action: alcohol and drug prevention at local/community level through the work of FORUT’s partners and programmes, and increasingly also by other development NGOs. (ii) National level: Advocating and influencing national alcohol and drug policies and other ADD related work - often through the work of FORUT’s partners; and (iii) International level: e.g. participation at international forums to influence national, sub-regional and international alcohol and drug policies. (See also the ADD web site)

 

FORUT’s Child Rights Programme will address child rights in a holistic sense. The International Child Rights Convention (CRC) is the basis for FORUT and FORUT’s partners when we address children’s right to protection, survival, development and participation.

 

Improvements in the fulfilment of the rights of the child is the overarching goal/ strategic objective for this programme. This objective and these rights are addressed in various ways through institutional programmes by providing education and vocational training, rescue and protection from dangerous situations and rehabilitation, nutritious food and medical assistance, and psychological help, to name a few of the most important institutional programmes.

 

Their rights are also addressed through a great variety of advocacy programmes, raising issues such as keeping schools as a zone of peace (out of harms way from violence and political strife), campaigning against child labour, protection of children through children’s participation in government institutions (juvenile homes), for children’s participation in local democracy, protect children from risk situations involving drugs, tobacco and alcohol. Empowerment of children is a central advocacy issue.

 

FORUT’s Gender Equality and Women’s Rights Programme will address Gender and Women’s Rights in all programmes, either directly or as a cross cutting theme. In order to achieve equal opportunities and rights for men and women in FORUT’s development interventions it is necessary to realise the need for a specific approach that ascertains that women’s rights will be secured.

 

Advancement in the status of women and gender equality is the overarching goal/ strategic objective for this programme. This objective and women’s rights are addressed in various ways throughout each partner country. There will be a systematic approach to reduce gender based violence. Gender based violence is usually considered to be a private matter and it is very often linked to the use of alcohol, which has be shown by our research and experience from ongoing development interventions. To prevent and reduce gender based violence will be strongly lined with planned ADD activities.

 

Microfinance combined with training in entrepreneurship is an effective way to improve women’s command of economic resources. Experiences gained from micro finance activities with bringing groups together in federations have proved to be a good way to see women leaders emerge as spokespersons for their neighbourhoods. It has also proven to be an effective way to raise “credit plus” issues such as HIV/ AIDS and other health issues, right to participation in local democracy, reducing child labour and persuade women to let their children have education, helping women exposed to violence, and right to water, basic amenities and housing. To increase the number and power of women leaders able to initiate or influence development policy will be a way to sustain women’s interests and rights will be protected. 

 

A Handbook on Gender Policy and Strategic Guidelines developed by the Gender Advisor in FORUT Sri Lanka, together with Gender and Empowerment Impact Assessment Manual for NGO’s (based on NORAD’s Handbook in Gender and Empowerment Assessment) are central tools for implementing the Gender Equality and Women’s Rights Programme.

 

Where necessary, and in accordance with the general principle of the right to assistance, FORUT undertakes crisis response and recovery work in its countries of operation. Reduction in suffering associated with conflict, disaster and development induced displacement, and increase in conditions necessary for sustainable recovery for crisis-affected populations is the overarching goal/strategic objective for this programme.

 

FORUT’s definition of crisis relates to a situation where the effect of conflict, natural disaster or development policy outstrips the capabilities of a population or segments of a population (i.e. the economically poor and socially excluded, children, etc.), with or without state assistance, to meet their basic needs and rights unassisted, and to recover effectively from the crisis unassisted.

 

FORUT makes a programmatic distinction between crisis response and post-crisis recovery.

 

The crisis response work of FORUT is typically concerned with providing immediate emergency relief and long-term basic assistance to maintain the stability of the affected population to meet its basic needs and rights, prior to circumstances being conducive to support a safe and dignified recovery. Such work is particularly relevant in Sri Lanka where the on-going conflict has caused mass internal displacement as people flee from the fighting. Crisis response also includes work on preventing crisis wherever possible. In the case of India this work typically means advocating on behalf of the target population to prevent the enactment of development policies that in effect would cause a crisis for the target population.

 

The post-crisis recovery work of FORUT refers to the activities aimed at supporting a crisis-affected population to exist in a condition where they can effectively meet their basic needs and rights unassisted in the medium to long-term, and engage in further development. The type and effect of the crisis will largely determine FORUT’s work in this area. Typically this can mean the resettling or relocation of internally displaced persons and the reconstruction of private, and community infrastructure necessary to meet basic needs (i.e. houses, schools, wells, health posts, roads, etc), the replacement of essential household assets, and the rehabilitation of population’s livelihood activities and links to markets. This can also mean promoting reconciliation between previously divided communities.

 

An essential component of all FORUT’s crisis response and recovery work is capacity development to enable more effective participation of the population in planning and managing the programmes, with an emphasis on women and youth, and ensuring that FORUT’s work is conflict sensitive; that FORUT’s work does not support or make worse the causes and consequences of conflict, and preferably supports removing or mitigating these causes.

 

Wherever possible FORUT also seeks to combine its development work (ADD, Child Rights, Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment) with its crisis response and recovery work.