SEHD is involved in direct and indirect lobbying and advocacy at different levels. The first level of its lobby is the international financial institutions (Asian Development Bank and World Bank in particular) and people across the world. The second level targeted are the government institutions that formulate the policies and the implementation mechanisms. The third level is the general public of the country since it is very important to have an informed public opinion in order to oppose wrong government decisions. The fourth level targeted are the victims of the wrong policies and development aggression.
The major areas and targets of attention in lobby and advocacy work relate to investments and investment strategy of the international financial institutions; corporate; abuses on forestland; plantation economy and its effects on local communities and ecology; self-rule and access of the indigenous peoples to local resources; shrimp aquaculture; ecological farming; peoples’ struggle relating to energy; rights of the tea plantation workers; sex workers; climate change issues; etc.
SEHD has significantly researched in all these areas; the outcomes are strategic advocacy materials (books, survey reports, investigative reports, monographs, documentary films, etc.) widely used by SEHD and other groups. SEHD’s network among the communities, journalists and professional groups play an important role in its direct and indirect advocacy.
The SEHD information bases and experiences on the Chittagong Hill Tracts, forestry, and indigenous peoples’ issues and concerns are unavoidable advocacy materials for the organization’s direct advocacy on the international financial institutions (IFIs), environment, forestry, and indigenous peoples’ issues. The SEHD materials are also regularly accessed by many other groups for advocacy and lobby. Lobby and advocacy work done by SEHD on the issue of indigenous peoples concentrates mainly on the Asian Development Bank, the Government of Bangladesh’s policy on forests, indigenous peoples’ land, open-pit mining [in the North Bengal], and more recently on tea plantation workers.
The outcome of SEHD’s research and reporting—books, reports, images and photography exhibitions, and documentary films—are much acclaimed for their objectivity and precision. These draw attention of diverse groups of people including the policy planners to critical issues concerning the forests and forest-dwelling people.
With reports, analyses and documentary films on export-oriented shrimp cultivation, SEHD participates in advocacy on the effects of shrimp industry. In its advocacy on shrimp, it pays special attention on the role played by the ADB, World Bank, and other factors (local and international). The SEHD materials on shrimp are widely accessed by the media and others interested. For example, its 25-minute documentary film on the destruction of mangroves primarily due to shrimp aquaculture was telecast three times by a popular private television channel that had an audience of some 40 millions.
SEHD’s research and lobby work on sex workers through research and participation in local and international events strengthens the organizing capacity of the sex workers. SEHD's books and some visual materials (images) on the sex workers are widely used by the sex workers’ organizations and civil society organizations that care about the rights of the sex workers.
SEHD has been deeply engaged in lobby and advocacy on proposed open-cut mining in the north of the country. SEHD remains careful not to give its opinions about the critical issues relating to this specific mining project but its investigation has exposed stark realities about the open-cut mining. SEHD’s investigation also finds out that even simple facts regarding the local peoples’ complaints and discontents and possible impacts of the open-cut mining for coal were not being reported before the grassroots revolt is Phulbari mine area in Dinajpur District. The SEHD reports and documentary film made public aware about the community interest and environmental issues. SEHD actively participated in advocacy in this particular area with international groups. Greater attention was paid to ground realities as a result of SEHD’s lobby and advocacy. SEHD has continued to monitor the issue of open-cut mining.
The socio-economic and rights concerns of the tea workers have been a major area of lobby and advocacy for SEHD during the years. With a documentary film, two books and reports it has engaged different stakeholders in the tea industry in dialogue for better pay of the workers and other benefits that they get. SEHD's research outcome and lobby had a clear influence on the Minimum Wage Board of the government that had been working on the wage structure of the tea plantation workers; Bangladesh Tea Association (owners); and different government agencies. It was a big achievement for SEHD to train the union and community leaders from among the tea communities, strengthen their bargaining capacity and bring different actors together. In 2009 the minimum wages of a tea worker was raised significantly in comparison to the past and SEHD played a clear role in this.
Climate change is an obvious area of the SEHD lobby. However, while the civil society groups, environmentalists, government agencies and the donors have taken an active role in this area, one critical observation that SEHD has developed is that global warming or climate change is basically an effect. The actions at the global scale and national/local levels that have led to this effect affecting people living in the fringes and in harsh environment are inadequately spelled out in actions. In thinking and addressing climate change, position of the government, donors and key civil society groups (that control and access resources) is that Bangladesh is generally an "innocent victim" of climate change and needs external support or benevolence in combating the challenge of climate change effects and for adaptation. Surprisingly, the Bangladesh Government and many civil society groups are almost silent about the ill-effects of mangrove destruction, prawn aquaculture and the weakening natural protection against cyclones and tidal surges in the coast caused by human actions. Similarly, the government, international financial institutions and corporate interest groups have generally supported monoculture plantations and other actions that contribute to global warming. Those who take the lead for Bangladesh in negotiations on climate change are the ones who had been associated and remain associated with oil, gas and energy companies. This situation makes the study and investigation that SEHD plans to objectively analyze actions on ground difficult. SEHD's access to resources is also very limited because many actors who control resources are fearful of the reports on facts dealing with ground realities. However, SEHD goes ahead with little resources but strong morale.
SEHD reports, books and films are strategic materials used by others for lobby and advocacy.
