Introduction

Breaking the Silence (BTS) is a non-profit, non-political, voluntary organization founded in 1994. The organization is working to establish child rights, prevent all forms of child rights violation, especially child sexual abuse, child marriage, prevent violence against women, accelerate the process of child-friendly governance, support improving the quality of education, and facilitate daycare and ECD centre. BTS has also been addressing the effects of climate change on children and women. BTS is also empowering adolescents, youths, and women for their economic engagement through skills support and facilitating their initiatives. BTS is contributing to achieving the SDGs.

Mission: To sensitizes and capacitate both supply and demand-side actors to protect children and women from all forms of abuse and violation of rights and fulfil the requirements for realization of their innate potentials.

Vision: A society that protects the rights of children and women and value their views.

Organizational structure and Management

General Assembly: BTS is led by a group of members and they give their overall guidance on different policy related issues and provide their voluntary services to function the organization. BTS has 33 members General Assembly and 22 members are women out of total members. The General Assembly is the final decision making authority platform of the organization. The General Assembly of the organization usually meets once a year in the annual meeting. But the General Assembly meeting may be convened at any time in case of emergency.

Executive Committee: The organization has 07 members governing body named Executive Committee (EC) and total 05 members are women out of them including Chairperson, General Secretary and Treasurer. The executive committee elected every two years through direct votes of its general members. It has an eleven member committee with a Chairperson, a Co-Chairperson, a General Secretary, a Treasurer and seven members. The governing body- EC ( entitled to take most important decisions in the organization) is independent and actively involved in the functioning of the organization, specifically on policy making, strategic development, monitoring and evaluation and advising the membership and staffs. Roles and responsibilities of the governing body for financial planning, reporting and related internal control, are formally defined and documented in organizational constitution, executive committee meeting minutes and financial manual of the organization. Besides executive committee arrange regular annual general meetings, quarterly meetings and need/issue based meetings to direct organization in strategic point of view. Member Secretary works as an Executive Director (ED) who is directly accountable to EC and who runs the organization according to EC’s directions and ultimate decisions. Staff members are employed by ED, and they are accountable to the Executive Director either directly or through the Director and Managers.