International Peacemaking and Human Rights Programs - Bangladesh

Bangladesh

In 2001, The Carter Center hosted talks between rival political parties that contributed to a peaceful and democratic parliamentary election.

Building Hope

In Bangladesh, The Carter Center has built hope among mothers and infants plagued by a painful and often deadly disease, lobbied on behalf of an innocent young woman abducted into the Pakistani slave trade, and promoted a freer and more peaceful democracy.

Fighting Disease

Reducing Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus

Until 1992, The Carter Center and the Task Force for Child Survival and Development worked together to reduce the incidence of neonatal tetanus, or lockjaw, in Pakistan and Bangladesh. The disease, contracted during birthing procedures, is caused by a toxin called Clostridium tetani and is a primary cause of infant death during the first seven days of life in those countries. About 1 percent of rural babies die from the disease, with symptoms including muscle spasms, clenched fists, and rigidity.

Mothers and mothers-to-be usually entrust their care and child delivery to traditional birth attendants, or midwives, who rarely advise their clients to be vaccinated against tetanus. Global 2000, in collaboration with government and local health professionals, studied midwives' beliefs and practices to better educate mothers about the need for immunization. Studies also evaluated unsterile birthing techniques that might affect the risks of neonatal tetanus, such as unclean surgical instruments or the failure of midwives to wash their hands before performing a delivery.

Global 2000 helped improve collaboration among midwives and local Ministry of Health child survival staff to avoid or eliminate unsafe birthing and neonatal care practices, to establish antiseptic delivery methods, and to refer pregnant women and mothers with past histories of neonatal tetanus for immunizations.

Waging Peace

An August 2001 mission to Bangladesh by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter on behalf of The Carter Center and the Washington, D.C.-based National Democratic Institute resulted in the first serious meeting in years between rivals in upcoming parliamentary elections, during which they made commitments to ensure a democratic and peaceful election.

Following the Sept. 11 terrorist attack on the United States, The Carter Center and NDI canceled a mission to observe the Oct. 1 election. However, when international and domestic observers reported the election met international standards, President Carter issued a public statement urging the losing Awami League to cease inflammatory charges of massive rigging and "accept the results of the election in order to strengthen Bangladesh's democratic institutions for the long term" and continue its leadership role in opposition. "This is the essence of democracy," he said.

Advocating Human Rights

In the early 1990s, President Carter became involved with the effort to free a young Bangladeshi girl who had been abducted - a victim of a notorious Pakistani slave trade. President Carter acted individually, as a renowned human rights advocate, in cooperation with the international effort on her behalf.

Election Reports

Postelection Statement by Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter on Bangladesh Elections, Oct. 5, 2001

When I visited Bangladesh in August, I was impressed with the evenhanded, impartial preparations for the election being made by the caretaker government and the electoral authorities, laying the foundation for free and fair elections. [Read the Article...]

Pre-election Statement on Bangladesh Elections, Aug. 1, 2001

This statement is offered by the joint National Democratic Institute /Carter Center pre-election delegation to Bangladesh's 2001 parliamentary elections. [Read the Article...]

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