The Centre for Community Development and Research (CCDR) was established in 2000 by educated and dedicated social workers in Bangladesh's Rangamati Hill District. It aims to establish a just and equitable society. CCDR’s mission is to alleviate poverty among target community peoples by undertaking feasible programs ensuring direct involvement of beneficiaries in the development process. CCDR mainly works through Rights-based and Livelihood-based approaches. These ensure empowerment, equality of entitlement, dignity, justice and respect for all peoples.

Main Programs:

Gender: CCDR’s development projects are mainly targeted at women and girls. The organisation actively participates in various forums aimed at reducing gender discrimination and violence against women. It is also engaged in advocacy for eliminating gender discriminatory laws, policies and practices . The projects have significantly raised awareness and levels of education, health, sanitation and nutrition in the entire community of the project areas.

Human Rights Preservation: CCDR believes that human rights deal with the human necessity for “expression”, “creativity” and conviviality about deciding one’s own density. CCDR’s Human Rights Preservation concept sees poverty and disadvantages as a result of unequal socio-economic and political power. An unequal participation in making decisions determines the direction of the society.

Children Rights: The Children Forum was established to implement ideas emanating from the movement for realization of children rights. The Advocacy Program was undertaken to prevent the employment of children in high-risk jobs. The children are provided with child education and technological training so as to enable them to earn a living through schooling. The Social Welfare Program also helps children who are in the jail without trial by providing them with legal aid.

Other Programs:

Disaster Management: In each year there are several incidences of violent disasters such as floods, cyclones and draughts that happen in our working area. Due to lack of prevention thousands of lives, millions of crops and assets are destroyed. Therefore CCDR includes a disaster management sector with its development activities.

Public Culture & Theatre:

• Build up women association among the organized groups to establish network with Govt. and other CCDR’s.
• Encourage the group to avoid Govt. resources.
• Introduce effective credit policy for ensuring financial sustainability.
• Develop managerial capacity among the group leaders.
• Youth Development Program: various trainings are given in order to meet the unemployment crisis with the youth stakeholders of the organization and after training they are allotted fund in the form of loan meant for IGAs. In this year Small-scale loan was given to 150 males and female youths after completion of training.

Advocacy: Awareness for prevention of Eve Teasing: In partnership with the youth society, to promote legal aid assistance and eve teasing awareness, a set of 10 Bill Boards have been installed at mass gatherings and important spots in Rangamati town.

Network and Donors:

Member of: Peoples Forum On MDGs (PFM)in Bangladesh, BROTEE Samatat Network, Voluntary health services society (VHSS), Bangladesh Manobadhikar samannoy Parishad (BMSP), Supro, National Forum of Organizations Working with the Disabled (NFOWD)

Donors: KFW-Germany, SNV- Netherland, BRAC, IDCOL- Bangladesh, Bangladesh NGO Foundation, Department of Woman Affairs, Department of Youth Development, National Social Service council