20 22 ANNUAL
REPORT
Centre for Peace and Justice
Brac University
Table of Contents
Introduction 01
Executive Director's Message 02
Thematic Areas/Activities 03
Research 04
Completed Research 05
Research Continuing in 2022 and Academic 06
Advocacy 07
Training and Capacity Building 08
Refugee Studies Unit (RSU) and Peace Café 09
Blogs/Op-Eds, News Coverages and Policy Briefs and 10
Introduction
Centre for Peace and Justice (CPJ) is a multi-disciplinary academic institute which promotes global peace and social justice through education, research, training and advocacy. CPJ is committed to identifying and promoting sustainable and inclusive solutions to a wide range of global concerns and issues, including fragility, conflict and violence. The centre was established in March 2017 and joined the impressive cluster of other institutes and centres of Brac University.
Under the leadership of its Executive Director, Manzoor Hasan OBE, the centre has already achieved vast research, training and advocacy experiences under the three thematic areas (1) Peace and Fragility, (2) Social Justice, and (3) Open Society.
CPJ and UN Women promoted the establishment of five Peace Cafés in three public and two private universities in Bangladesh- Begum Rokeya University, Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University, University of Dhaka, Brac University and Asian University for Women in Chittagong.
CPJ facilitated Bangladesh Peacebuilders’ Network, a virtual learning and sharing platform for the young generation working to promote a just and inclusive society.
In 2019, CPJ established a Refugee Studies Unit and extended an office in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, to undertake research and other activities related to Rohingya and host communites. This facility is close to the camps, and serves as a workstation for CPJ’s researchers and trainers. CPJ has developed partnerships with community-based organisations and educational institutions in the camps and amongst host community of Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar.
Executive Director’s Message
Let me present the 2022 Annual Report of the Centre for Peace and Justice of Brac University. In 2022, CPJ transited to a post-Covid hybrid work arrangement. It was a challenging year but we nevertheless completed eleven major research projects and organised multiple advocacy events.
Our Refugee Studies Unit in Cox’s Bazar organised a series of training sessions, which involved participants from both the host and refugee communities. CPJ collaborated with the Asia Justice Coalition and Institute of Social Sciences in The Hague to edit a volume titled “The Rohingya Crisis – Humanitarian and Legal Approaches”, which was published in December 2022 by Routledge.
2022 was an active year as our social media footprint increased significantly and we now have thousands of CPJ followers across multiple platforms. We also aim to build on our significant research output and look forward to strengthening our network with research institutes globally.
In 2022 CPJ launched various educational activities under its partnership with the Open Society University Network (OSUN).
I take this opportunity to acknowledge the generous support from our partners and Brac University leadership and for their strong commitment and continued engagement with CPJ’s various programmes. None of the above would have been possible without the hardworking CPJ team members – I recognize their incredible dedication and comradeship during 2022.
Manzoor Hasan OBE Executive Director
Centre for Peace and Justice, BRAC University
Research
Academic
Capacity Building
Advocasy Advocacy
Thematic Areas
Peace and
Fragility Social Justice Open Society
Activities
Total Number of Research: 12 Completed Research
Awareness with Human Action (AHA )
The EU-funded AHA Project aimed to contribute to the response efforts of the COVID-19 pandemic by preventing conflict and building social cohesion in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and broader South Asia.
Duration of the project: July 2020- April 2022
Empowering Young Women for Promoting
Peaceful, Cohesive and Prosperous Bangladesh
The project aimed to empower young students to promote a just, peaceful, and inclusive society where every human being will be treated with equal dignity and rights.
Duration of the project: July 2018- March 2022
Voices from the Margins and Inclusive Policy Responses to Covid-19 Pandemic
The project aimed to create an information data-loop to inform and influence public policies and state responses on Covid-19 related relief, recovery, and resilience measures.
Duration of the project: February 2021 to February 2022
Reseach
Completed Research
Protection from Sexual Exploitation, Abuse & Harassment
This research aimed to address the aid sector’s accountability gap for survivors/victims of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (SEAH) in the Rohingya community.
Duration of the project: July 2021 – June 2022
Capacity Strengthening of Volunteers: Social Differences and Perceptions Analysis Project
This project aimed to support the WFP teams both in Cox’s Bazar (Social Cohesion Team, MEAL) and the Country Office (Project Delivery Unit) through a combined approach of capacity strengthening as well as providing high-level policy-making support to the senior management.
Duration of the project: Sep 2021 to Aug 2022
Context Analysis and Community Engagement in Cox’s Bazar
The aim of the project was to strengthen the measurement and community engagement which refers to context assessment, monitoring, and evaluation of the WFP Cox’s Bazar (CXB) office.
Duration of the project: Dec 2021 to April 2022
Bangladesh: Religious Dimensions of Development and Social Cohesion
This project aims to explore the faith dimensions in Bangladesh’s development process, leading to broad policy explorations that could help resolve lingering tensions and conflicting approaches, through specific research, operational encounters, and tailored training.
Duration of the project: Apr 2019 to Aug 2023
Short Courses
03 60
Graduates From Countries08 10
International FacultiesRounds of Short Course on Refugee Studies
This course was designed to help bridge the gaps between theory and practice in the realm of humanitarian advocacy and efforts.
02
Short Course on Sociology, Identityand Social Justices
This course was designed to help sharpen their understanding of justice by exploring and using concepts based in sociology, identity and social justice.
03
Scoping Study: The Nexus of Migration, Fragility and Climate Change in
Bangladesh’s Borderlands Research Continuing from 2022
The scoping study explores the climate change, fragility and migration nexus along Bangladesh's borderlands and the need and potential for community-level research in the borderlands.
Duration of the project: Apr 2022 to Mar 2023
Academic
Advocacy
CPJ organised Peace Adda on “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”
CPJ Introduced Peace Café Initiative to Pharmacy Students of Brac University
CPJ organised online Webinar Series on
"Justice &
Accountability"
CPJ convened the Policy Clinic on
"Voices from the Margins and Inclusive Policy Responses to Covid19 Pandemic"
CPJ organised a virtual webinar on “power of education for better security” to observe the “world refugee day
Peace Café, Asian University for Women, supported by CPJ, organised a webinar on
“Gender Based Violence Against Women: How Can Young Girls Intervene?”
CPJ and Faculty of Law at University of Oslo jointly organised a research
seminar on the International Refugee Regime and Non-signatory States Total Number of Advocacy Events: 15
Barrister Manzoor Hasan delivered “The Barrister Syed Ishtiaq Ahmed Memorial Lecture 2022”
CPJ organised a national advocacy workshop on Protection from Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (PSEAH)
International
consultation on The Situation in Myanmar:
Regional Solutions
CPJ organised a National
Colloquium on "Learnings from the Women Peace Café Initiative in Bangladesh"
Peace Café launched as a club at BRAC University
CPJ and IID jointly organised national webinar on "Achieving CPJ and Student Life hold
Public Lecture on
Strengthening Social Cohesion and Resilience in Cox’s Bazar.
Refugee Access to Higher Education: Ethical Considerations, Barriers and Challenges.
Reflection and storytelling workshop at Cox’s Bazar.
CPJ organised a 5-day-long writing workshop for female madrasa students, held from 23-27 of November at Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Creating Inclusive Learning Environments: Working With Difficult Material-A Conversation.
CPJ organised five-day long staff team building workshop at Cumilla BLC
CPJ, World Faiths Development Dialogue, and the Madrasa Discourses Programme at the University of Notre Dame organised a 5-day-long workshop.
Women Entrepreneurship Training for Promoting Peace and Social Cohesion.
Training on ‘‘Positive Content Creation for online peacebuilding and social cohesion.
5 -day-long training of the trainers on social cohesion and resilience ‘TOT on Social
Cohesion and Resilience to C4D Partner Staff’
from 11 - 16 February, 2022 at Cox’s Bazar.
4 -day-long training on social cohesion and resilience titled ‘Training to different
Section/Sector Partners’ Staff on Social Cohesion and Resilience from 17-25 February, 2022 in Cox’s Bazar.
Training and Capacity Building
13 Training and
workshops conducted by CPJ
Workshop on Community-Based Research in an Emergency Context with BRAC University.
Creating Inclusive Learning Environments: Working through Tensions in Learning Communities.
10
Total numnerof learners
570
05 20 02
Peace Café
As an academic unit, the RSU team contributes to the sustainable resolution of refugee crises affecting Bangladesh and its neighbours in ways that uphold the dignity and rights of the affected population.
Number of Events organised by RSU
The Peace Café envisions empowering young students to promote a just, peaceful, and inclusive society where every human being is treated with equal dignity and rights.
Total members of events organised Number of Peace
Cafés Peace ambassador
initiatives launched
1,180 Audience ( in-
person) reached through Peace Cafés events
10,36,044 Audience
reached through social media platforms
09 Global connectivity
events organised through Peace Cafés SDG Priorities
Refugee Studies Unit (RSU)
Blogs/Op-Eds, News Coverage and Policy Briefs
Financial inclusion:
potential for Bangladesh amid recession-induced structural changes
ভাচয়াল জগেত িনপীড়ন ও সাইবার বুিলং সে
উইম ান িপস ক ােফ, শাি - স ীিত-সৗহাদ িত ায়
রাল মেডল
How to solve the skills gap dilemma among Bangladesh’s youth
How communication technology will shape our lives
Five years of Rohingya influx: Seeking sustainable solutions
The Rohingya
Humanitarian Crisis and Responses in Cox’s Bazar: Five Years On
Mediation: Lawyering in the post-Covid World
Protecting marginalized people from food inflation
Vaccinating the marginalised: Realities &
insights from research
10
Blogs andOp-Eds65
NewsCoverage05
Policy BriefsNetworks/MOU/Affiliations
Letter of Intent for Cooperation between CPJ and IIHL
Letter of intent for cooperation signed between CPJ and the Department of International Refugee Law and Migration Law of the International Institute of Humanitarian Law, Sanremo, Italy.
01
MOU signed between CPJ andBRAC Advocacy for Social Change 02
CPJ signed a Memorandum of understanding (MOU) with BRAC Advocacy for Social Change.
