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Active Citizens and Accountable Local Government in Bangladesh

15 December 2009

In Bangladesh, UNDEF funds a project to create conditions for more active civic engagement among rural and semi-urban poor citizens, and to build up the capacity of local goverment towards more accountable and effective governance.

The project, implemented by BRAC and titled "Active Citizens and Accountable Local Government", will develop local government capacity in the districts of Bogra and Jessore and strengthen interaction with the community by focusing on four key strategic elements:

1. Addressing both the demand and supply side of effective, accountable local governance
2. Developing information-sharing practices to make local governance more transparent and accessible
3. Demonstrating that stronger, more accountable local governance leads to gains in material welfare
4. Targeting local bureaucratic and political culture to make it more responsive towards the poor

In November 2009, UNDEF Executive Head Roland Rich visited Dhaka to sign the project document, and met with beneficiaries of existing BRAC projects in the village of Manikganj (pictured above). "UNDEF is delighted to be working with BRAC on strengthening democracy at the rural level," he told his hosts. "BRAC has demonstrated on many occasions its expertise in improving the lives of poor people. This new project will allow villagers living in the districts of Bogra and Jessore to strengthen their voice in their dealing with local government, and local government in those districts to be more responsive to citizen needs."

The project is undertaken by BRAC's Social Development Programme, drawing on its substantial experience of working with rural civil society and local goverment.Outputs will include training of some 2,000 local goverment representatives in financial and organizational management, gender in practice, rights of the poorest, accountability mechanisms and benefit distribution processes. There will also be 800 popular theatre shows on the themes of local government accountability and active citizenship.

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