Bangladesh Mahila Parishad - Norad

28training from the legal sub-committee. Training was received by executive committeemembers and by leaders of the primary committees, and included how to approachpotential members, finance, paralegal work; how to conduct mediation, andleadership strengthening. They found the training modules to be well adapted to localissues and context.As for impacts of the work of BMP, a reduction in domestic violence, child marriage,dowry and sexual harassment, higher mobility for girls and women, consciousnessabout girls’ right to education and about the right to inheritance were highlighted bythe community stakeholders. Due to the mediation efforts of BMP families weregiven an alternative to costly court cases as disputes were resolved through BMPfacilitated mediation. Moreover, while the boy’s/men’s family appreciate that thesettlement is reasonable in monetary terms, the girl’s/women’s family values thespeediness of the settlement. The return of dowry money was seen as an indicator ofthe success of BMP mediation efforts. In Belabo it was said that also religious andtraditional families came for settlement of disputes as BMP mediation wasconsidered neutral. Local stakeholders suggested that BMP should take up the issueof false birth certificates being issued by local authorities and used to illegally marrychildren below the official age.