Fayez Ahmed

Fayez was working for an NGO focused on human rights education and advocacy in Bangladesh when he participated in DTP’s 24th Annual Regional Human Rights and Peoples’ Diplomacy Training Program in Nepal in 2014. The program proved to be a turning point for Fayez, as it provided him with a broader perspective on human rights mechanisms and advocacy strategies.

“In the DTP training, I gained valuable insights into the unique human rights challenges faced by activists. It provided me with a clearer understanding of how the United Nations has been working to protect human rights and prevent human rights violations worldwide. Moreover, it equipped me with knowledge about appropriate advocacy strategies that can be employed to effectively address the challenges faced by human rights advocates.”

Fayez was a Program Officer at the Center for Human Rights Studies, organising human rights education programs for young people across Bangladesh. He developed curriculum and workshops to build awareness about human rights, helping young people understand their rights and providing them with tools to access and protect them.

Fayez then shifted his focus to the challenge of unemployment in Bangladesh, and approaches to youth economic empowerment with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). For five years, he worked on programs and led projects on youth entrepreneurship and economic empowerment, fostering entrepreneurial skills, incubating start-ups, and connected young entrepreneurs with investors and capital opportunities. This led him to work with Startup Bangladesh Limited, the first and only venture sponsored by the Government of Bangladesh.

While Fayez’s professional career has taken him away from human rights advocacy, his commitment to work on issues of poverty and discrimination has continued. He co-founded a non-profit organisation called Asun Kichu Kori (Let’s Do Something), which aims towards neighborhood development through primary healthcare campaigns and advocacy services for under-served communities. Fayez sees that access to capital for women, particularly single mothers and older individuals, to establish small businesses is a pivotal strategy to combat poverty, improve economic conditions and enhance financial stability within this demographic.

Fayez’s experience and commitment was recognised with a scholarship to study for an MBA at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School in the US. Through these many years, Fayez has maintained his connection with DTP and the wider human rights community.

“In the DTP course there were participants from 15-16 countries. I developed a strong network of like-minded human rights advocates who continue to collaborate and share information on human rights issues.”

Fayez believes that DTP’s training widens perspectives and that when one has the personal commitment, there are many ways to advance respect for human rights and human rights values. This is a timely reflection for the 75th Anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.