Annual Report 2013
Upazila Governance Project (UZGP) Local Government Division (LGD), Ministry of LGRD & Cooperatives Annual Report 2013
Upazila Governance Project (UZGP) Local Government Division (LGD), Ministry of LGRD & Cooperatives Annual Report 2013 Upazila Governance Project (UZGP)
Published in June 2014
Editorial Board Md. Shah Kamal, Additional Secretary (Admin), LGD & National Project Director, UZGP Md. Akram Al-Hossain, Joint Secretary, LGD & Focal Person, UZGP Shaila Khan, Assistant Country Director, Local Governance Cluster, UNDP Mozammel Haque, Project Manager, UZGP Nazrul Islam, Programme Analyst, UNDP Ataul Gani Osmani, Communications Officer, UZGP Md. Mizanur Rahman, Monitoring & Evalution Officer, UZGP
This publication is formal publication of Upazila Governance Project (UZGP). The document has been produced with the financial assistance of the contributing donors of the UZGP i.e. the European Union (EU), Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), UNDP and UNCDF. The views expressed herein can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the supporting donors. Table of Contents
MESSAGES 04
LIST OF ACRONYMS 06
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 07
UZGP AT A GLANCE 08
Brief Introduction of UZGP 08
Implementation Modality 09
Geographical Coverage 10
Key Achievements of 2013 11
UZGP YEAR IN NUMBERS 12
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS AND RESULTS 14
Output 1: 14
Output 2: 21
Output 3: 27
Output 4: 31
CHALLENGES AND WAY FORWARD 32
Challenges 32
Sustainability 33
Way Forward 33
ANNEXES 34
Annex-1 Progress Made Against LFM Indicators 34
Annex-2 Statement of Expenditure 2013 37
Annex-3 IEC Materials and Knowledge Products 37
Annex-4 UZGP in News 40
UZGP in Photos 42 Message from Senior Secretary, LGD Decentralization and local governments are recognized as basic components of democratic governance for creating an enabling environment in which decision-making and service delivery can be brought closer to the people. There is growing evidence that improved local governance practices, such as the adoption of local-level participatory planning and budgeting, result in increased efficiency and effectiveness in promoting local infrastructure and delivering services. The Government of Bangladesh upholds its commitment to strong local government institutions at different levels through active participation of the people through elected representatives in the administration as well as initiating development activities targeting the poor and vulnerable. The Upazila Governance Project (UZGP) is an initiative on the part of the Government of Bangladesh to fulfill some of its commitments towards promoting devolution of authority as well as decentralized service delivery. The Government of Bangladesh, through the Local Government Division (LGD) in partnership with its development partners, including European Union (EU), Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), has been implementing UZGP since 2012 to further strengthen local level democracy and ensure transparent and accountable service delivery. The year 2013 is marked by some significant achievements by UZGP such as regular holding of monthly meeting and ensuring participatory planning and budgeting by majority of Upazila Parishads. The project has contributed in influencing and positively impacting institutional practices and attitudes towards qualitative changes that start from conduct of Upazila Parishad monthly meeting to annual planning and budgeting. It is providing opportunity to government and elected officials at local level to interact, dialogue and coordinate their mandates, which is consequently strengthening local demand driven development and service delivery. Mainstreaming elected women at the local level through project activities, and formation of Women Development Forum have provided them with an opportunity to have a collective voice. I take this opportunity to extend my gratitude to our development partners and would like to reaffirm that the Government will remain steadfast in strengthening local government systems, practices and institutions in Bangladesh.
Monzur Hossain Senior Secretary Local Government Division (LGD) Ministry of LGRD & Cooperatives Message from NPD, UZGP The Government of Bangladesh recognizes the need for strengthened and responsive local government institutions in order to serve the citizen with improved service delivery. The consolidation of local democracy and strengthening of local government move simultaneously that help ensure accountable and improved service delivery at the local level. The local government institutions can manage public resources and serve the people, and they also have the desire to do so. The Government, together with its development partners, is extending its support to materialize this desire of local government for providing efficient public service delivery and further strengthen local democracy. The Upazila Governance Project (UZGP), since its inception, has supported to build the capacity of elected and government officials to enable Upazila Parishad (UZP) to further strengthening democratic practices in serving their constituents. The project-supported capacity development initiative has resulted in MDG-oriented Planning, Budgeting and improved service delivery at Upazila level. The project also provides performance-based block grants to select Upazilas to implement development schemes that benefit tens of thousands of people in rural Bangladesh. I am pleased to share some of the achievements of the project. UZGP has contributed to ensure efficient functioning of Upazila Parishad as 70 per cent of the UZPs held mandatory monthly meetings in 2013 as compare to 30 per cent in 2012. Cent per cent of the UZPs formed Standing Committees as compare to 50 per cent in 2012, while 40 per cent of the UZP Standing Committees were operationalized. The project also contributed to enhance the effectiveness of Upazila Parishad through technical guidelines, dialogues and drafting of necessary Rules and Regulations. The project further strengthened institutional practices as 100 per cent UZPs prepared Annual Budget as compare to only 20 per cent in 2012. Fourteen select UZPs could prepare and publish their first ever Annual Plan Books with Five-year Development Vision. Seven select UZPs, under project-supported Upazila Fiscal Facility, completed 104 schemes, of which 62 per cent addressed MDGs, particularly primary education, health and poverty issues. It has 316,455 beneficiaries, of which 116,168 are female. The project also facilitated formation of 214 Women Development Forums to provide organized platform for elected women representatives to partner and network at Upazila and district level. I would like to thank our development partners--European Union (EU), Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for their continued support. Finally, I would like to thank all the project staff and relevant government officials for their efforts in making 2013 a successful year for UZGP!
Md. Shah Kamal Additional Secretary (Admin), LGD & National Project Director, UZGP List of Acronyms ADP Annual Development Plan AWM Alternate Work Modality AWP Annual Work Plan BARD Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development BIDS Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies BIM Bangladesh Institute of Management BMDF Bangladesh Municipality Development Fund CBOs Community-based Organizations CSOs Civil Society Organizations DC Deputy Commissioner DDLG Deputy Director, Local Government DF District Facilitator DLG Director, Local Government DVFs Divisional Facilitator EU European Union FP Focal Person LG Local Government LGD Local Government Division LGIs Local Government Institutions LGSP Local Government Support Programme LGSP-LIC Local Government Support Programme-Learning and Innovation Component MDGs Millennium Development Goals M&E Monitoring and Evaluation MI&E Monitoring, Inspection and Evaluation MIS Monitoring and Information System MLGRD& C Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives NAPD National Academy for Planning and Development NEX National Execution NILG National Institute of Local Government NGOs Non-government Organizations NPD National Project Director PAG Project Advisory Group PB Project Board PM Project Manager PMU Project Management Unit PSC Project Steering Committee RDA Rural Development Academy SDC Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SC Standing Committee ToR Terms of Reference UFF Upazila Fiscal Facility UNCDF United Nations Capital Development Fund UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNOs Upazila Nirbahi Officer UZGP Upazila Governance Project UZP Upazila Parishad UP Union Parishad UPGP Union Parishad Governance Project VC Vice-Chairman WDF Women Development Forum 06 Upazila Governance Project (UZGP) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
2013 witnessed implementation of the Upazila development vision and submitted the same to LGD. Governance Project (UZGP) in full swing, despite The institutionalised skills and Fiscal Facility Support by frequent disruption. The project strategized to the project contributed to the attainment of local MDG implement its planned activities, and could do so targets. The project also demonstrated good practices of ensuring financial delivery and substantial results. local planning and financing as per local needs. A total The two-pronged approach of the project has of 316,455 beneficiaries, of which 116,168 are female, contributed significantly in enhancing the institutional received direct benefit from the schemes. The and individual capacity of the stakeholders that in turn institutional capacity development of Upazila Parishad impacted on institutional strengthening. UZGP has together with Fiscal Facility Support contributed to significantly contributed in augmenting the capacity of attaining of results MDG-focused pro-poor planning, elected and government officials for effective functioning budgeting and service delivery. of the Upazila Parishad (UZP) in compliance with the Fiscal Facility operational guidelines were approved and Upazila Act 1998 and amended in 2009 and 2011. distributed to UZPs. Following an independent The outreach of Generalised and Specialised training performance assessment, seven pilot UZPs programme to over 7,000 stakeholders together with implemented 104 schemes, of which 63 (62 percent of backstopping support by the project teams at the the total) were MDG focused, particularly in the area of Divisional and District level helped the elected and primary education, health and poverty. government officials in enhancing their understanding The UZGP, along with Union Parishad Governance of legal, administrative and institutional functions and Project (UPGP), facilitated the establishment of Women their corresponding roles which in turn, resulted in Development Forums (WDFs) as a platform for elected promoting pro-poor service delivery and strengthening women representatives at local government level. the local democracy. The project published an updated Project formed 214 WDFs of which 191 are at UZP level Upazila Parishad Manual, a compendium of Rules, and 23 at District level. The total number of WDF Circulars, and Government Orders (GOs) related to UZP member in 2013 stands at 7,311. Through Training of to facilitate effective functioning of UZP. Trainers (ToT), a pool of 278 master trainers were Significant results were achieved in democratic developed that in turn trained 1,717 WDF members in functioning and leadership in Upazila Parishads (UZPs) 65 UZPs. The WDFs has started contributing in raising as 70 per cent of the UZPs held mandatory Monthly community awareness on social and discriminatory Parishad meetings in 2013, as compared to 30 per cent issues i.e. violence against women, stopping early UZPs in 2012. Due to capacity building initiatives taken marriage, dowry, to allocate more development funds in by the project throughout the year, 100 per cent of UZPs women issues. were able to form their Standing Committees as In line with the project’s communication strategy, compare to 50 per cent in 2012 while 40 per cent of the community awareness was raised through installation of UZP Standing Committees conducted mandatory 551 UZP Information Billboards at 487 UZP offices and monthly meetings. 64 Deputy Commissioner’s office premises with detailed The democratic oversight, civic engagement, roles and responsibilities of Upazila Parishad. The Project transparency and accountability in local governance established a total of 23 knowledge-based Resource were improved through conduct of seven workshops at Corners (RCs) at the Divisional and District levels. It has Upazila levels with local administration, civil society, strengthened its resource base by completing Baseline NGOs and CBOs and associating with respective UZP Survey, Planning Manuals for UZP, M&E Strategy and Standing Committees and to providing assistance in tools for data collection. formulating Upazila Parishad Development Plan. Under a shared output with its sister project, UPGP, the In 2013 the project contributed to the preparation of UZGP held five Policy Dialogues at five Divisional Annual Development Plan and Budget at Upazila level in headquarters to dialogue, disseminate and gather compliance to the UZP Act. All 487 Upazila Parishads feedback on the state of LG in terms of its effectiveness, prepared the Annual Budget and submitted to Local need for reform, policy development, electoral system Government Division (LGD) as compared to 20 per cent in and service delivery. The policy advocacy with the 2012. Fourteen pilot UZPs were also able to prepare and Government has resulted in appointment of designated publish their first ever Annual Plan Book with five-year Information Officers (IOs) in 14 select UZPs. Annual Report-2013 07 UZGP AT A GLANCE
The Upazila Governance Project (UZGP) is part of the The Upazila Nirhabi Officer (UNO) has been appointed overall programmatic framework for the UNDP and the to maintain vertical and horizontal administrative UNCDF support to the Government of Bangladesh in coordination i.e. with central government, UZP and local Local Governance reforms, assisted by the European administration. Union (EU) and Swiss Agency for Development and Local Government Institutions (LGIs) in general and Cooperation (SDC). Upazila Parishad (UZP) in particular are facing number of The Upazila as an administrative unit and elected body challenges affecting their efficiency and effectiveness. occupies a strategic, political and administrative position The broad range of challenges includes capacity in Bangladesh. The re-establishment of the Upazila constraints, limited institutional practice of process Parishad (UZP), after a gap of 18 years, created under law and non-availability of elaborative rules and democratically elected institutions at sub-national level regulations. Poor coordination between Upazila that act as a structural linkage between Union Parishads Parishads (councils) and the devolved departments (UPs) and service-delivery line agencies at Upazila level. further fiscal constraints in terms of their collective The Upazila Act of 1998 that was subsequently capacity to plan, budget and ensure service delivery as amended in 2009 and 2011 empowered Upazila per available resources to address local development. Parishad. The UZGP is positioned to assist the Government of The re-introduction of UZPs in 2009 resulted in elections Bangladesh in implementation of the local governance to 482 Upazilas. The number of Upazilas now stands at reforms and to contribute in addressing challenges 487. With an average population of 300,000, UZPs are including participatory decision making, planning, and entrusted to anchor local democracy, undertake local budgeting and improved service delivery. The project is development and ensure efficient public service designed to improve functional and institutional delivery within the realm citizen engagement, capacities of local government institutions for effective, accountability and transparency. The government has efficient and accountable delivery of pro-poor undertaken administrative decentralization as 17 infrastructure and services. designated departments have Upazila level presence.
UZGP Objectives and Purpose: The overall objective of the Upazila Governance Project (UZGP) is: “Government institutions at the national and sub-national levels are able to more effectively carry out their mandates, including delivery of public services, in a more accountable, transparent and inclusive manner.” The specific objective of the project is “to strengthen the capacities of local governments and other stakeholders to foster participatory local development services for the MDGs.” To achieve the goals and overall objectives, the project has four outputs: Upazila Governance Project Output Target Coverage Output 1: Strengthened Upazila Parishads as more functional, 487 Upazila Parishads transparent and accountable Output 2: Strengthened Planning and Budgetary system at UZP with 14 Upazila Parishads/Year on MDG orientation and pro-poor service delivery mechanism competition basis from 65 target UZP Output 3: Strengthened national capacity for effective policy review, Nationwide monitoring, lesson learning and capacity development of local government institutions (LGIs) for enhanced Local Governance. Output 4: Effective Project Management Arrangements Project Offices
08 Upazila Governance Project (UZGP) Implementation Modality
The UZGP is Nationally Implemented (NIM) project, in The Project Board (PB), chaired by the NPD, is responsible accordance with the National Implementation Manual, to oversee the implementation of project activities. The adopted in December 2004 by the Economic Relations PB is responsible for preparing and endorsing the annual Division (ERD), Ministry of Finance and UNDP. Under NIM and quarterly work plans and progress reports. It modality project has following structure: supervises the overall project implementation and day-to-day management of the project. In comprises of The National Project Director (NPD), the Additional representatives from UP and UZP, UNOs, the UNDP and Secretary of Local Government Division (LGD), leads the the UNCDF. Project Coordination and Management project. The NPD is assisted by a Joint Secretary, who is meeting are held regularly to aide the PB. the project’s Focal Person from the LGD and by the National Project Manager provided by UNDP. The Project Assurance (PA) role is vested with the UNDP and the UNCDF. The Local Governance Cluster of UNDP The Project Steering Committee (PSC) is chaired by the has overall responsibility for quality assurance, with the Secretary, LGD, and serves as strategic guidance provider technical support of the UNCDF, for the project. The PA is and oversight body for the project. The PSC is the key to ensure that the project deliver planned outputs as per decision-making body for the project and provides the annual work plan, project document and results on policy guidelines, review project progress against the basis of monthly, quarterly and annual progress targeted results and tracks financial delivery. The PSC reports. members include representatives from relevant ministries and departments of the Government of Bangladesh and respective development partners. Geographical Coverage of the Project
The UZGP intervention areas comprise of seven (7) technical policy support extended its outreach to 487 districts, one under each Division, and corresponding 65 UZPs; whereas Upazila Fiscal Facility (UFF) is targeted for UZPs. The target districts are --- Kishoreganj, intensive support to 14 Upazilas. This support will be Brahmanbaria, Sunamganj, Sirajganj, Khulna, Barguna, extended to 65 UZPs under 7 districts from 2014. Rangpur. The project through its capacity building and
Division District Upazila Dhaka Kishoreganj • Kishoreganj Sadar • Mithamoin Chittagong Brahmanbaria • Brahmanbaria Sadar • Bancharampur Rajshahi Sirajganj • Kazipur • Ullapara Khulna Khulna • Dumuria • Dacope Barisal Barguna • Betagi • Barguna Sadar Sylhet Sunajganj • Jagannathpur • Salla Rangpur Rangpur • Pirganj • Pirgacha
Annual Report-2013 09 Map of the Intervention Area
PANCHGARH
THAKURGAON NILPHAMARI LALMONIRHAT
KURIGRAM DINAJPUR RANGPUR
GAIBANDHA
SHERPUR SUNAMGANJ SYLHET NETROKONA JAMALPUR MYMENSINGH NAOGAON BOGRA NAWABGANJ
RAJSHAHI MOULVIBAZAR NATORE SIRAJGANJ KISHOREGANJ BRAHMANBARIA TANGAIL
PABNA GAZIPUR NARSHINDI BRAHMANBARIA KUSHTIA MANIKGANJ MEHERPUR DHAKA RAJBARI NARAYANGANJ CHUADANGA JHENAIDAH FARIDPUR MUNSHIGANJ COMILLA MAGURA
CHANDPUR KHAGRACHARI NARAIL SHARIATPUR MADARIPUR JESSORE GOPALGONJ FENI LAKSHMIPUR BARISAL NOAKHALI SATKHIRA PIROJPUR BHOLA KHULNA BAGERHAT JHALAKATI RANGAMATI KHAGRACHARI
NAWAKHALI
SUNDARBAN FOREST BARGUNA BANDARBAN
COXBBAZAR
UZGP Districts
Barguna, Brahmanbaria, Khulna, Kishoreganj, 7Districts Rangpur, Sirajganj and Sunamganj.
Kishoreganj Sadar, Mithamoin, Brahmanbaria Sadar, UZPs Bancharampur, Kazipur, Ullapara, Dumuria, Dacope, Betagi, 14 Barguna Sadar, Jagannathpur, Salla, Pirganj and Pirgacha.
10 Upazila Governance Project (UZGP) Key achievements of 2013
Capacity building of approx 7000 elected and government stakeholders 100% timely submission of UZP budget to LGD as compared to 4% in 2009-10 70% UZPs are holding Monthly Meeting and preparing minutes as compared to 30% in 2012 Formation of 17 Standing/ UZP Committees in all UZP completed 7,311 women members organized under 214 WDFs and started raising voice to LGIs for inclusion of women issues in planning and budgeting Baseline on Upazila Parishad completed, initiation of Citizen Perception Survey, 9 Rules and Regulations drafted 14 pilot Upazilas prepared, printed & submitted first ever Annual Plan Book 104 schemes approved for 7 UZPs of which 63 were MDG focused with a value of BDT 35 million 25,000 copies of UZP Manual published & being distributed 5 Divisional Dialogues held where 960 participants from different section of society took part 551 Billboards with charter of duties of UZPs displayed at all 487 UZP premises and in 64 Deputy Commissioners’ office Gender Strategy, Gender Brochure and WDF: Concept to Implementation published and disseminated to stakeholders 23 Resource Corners established in dists & divisions.
Annual Report-2013 11 UZGP Year in Numbers
12 Upazila Governance Project (UZGP) 4401 1735 Stakeholders UZP Chairs, Vice-Chairs and UNOs provided 3-day General Training received generalized trainings/ workshops/orientaƟons 442 Stakeholders
from 65 UZPs received specialized traning
35 104 Schemes
Million BDT taken by seven select UZPs disbursed to seven select UZPs as fiscal facility 14
UZP InformaƟon, Plan and Budget Books prepared 214 WDFs formed at UZP and distric levels 551 1717 InformaƟon Billboards on WDF members UZP charter of duƟes installed
received field level training
Annual Report-2013 13 KEY ACHIEVEMENTS AND RESULTS
Output 1: Strengthened Upazila Parishads as more functional, transparent and accountable
Basic Functions of the Upazila Parishads Operationalised Capacity of the Upazila Parishads (UZPs) to perform basic functions has been improved through intensive general and specialized trainings. The technical assistance provided by the project helped UZPs hold its monthly and standing committee meetings regularly and ensured participation of appropriate officials including the elected representatives in line with the law that has enhanced effectiveness of such meetings.
General Training The UZGP has provided a 3-day General Training to 1,735 It has also improved their understanding of accounting, UZP Chairs, Vice-Chairs and UNOs in 483 UZPs. Of the auditing and other requirements for financial participants 503 were female. The training was aimed at management of public resources at UZP. Additionally, it providing them with necessary knowledge and skills to has enhanced their capacity to develop and implement effectively play their designated role as provided in the development plan and budget. The training was held in Act in making UZP a pro-poor service provider. The 52 batches and during the period of January and July training has deepened their knowledge and 2013. understanding of the legal and administrative structures The capacity of the three national training institutions of UZP. that provided the training---National Institute of Local They have also learned how to properly implement UZP Government (NILG), Dhaka; Bangladesh Academy for 2009 Act, Rules and Regulations. It has also enabled Rural Development (BARD), Comilla; and Rural them to hold monthly meetings and standing Development Academy (RDA), Bogra—has also been committee meetings as required by the law. improved through upgrading relevant training curriculum/module.
General Training by UZGP in 2013 SL Designation Female Male Total 1 Upazila Chair 0 418 418 2 Upazila Vice-Chair 426 417 843 3 Upazila Nirbahi Officer 77 397 474 Total 503 1,232 1,735
Specialised Training The project has provided a 9-day specialized training to Public Procurement Rules. National Academy for 442 stakeholders from 65 UZPs of seven select districts. Planning and Development (NAPD) and Bangladesh Of them, 77 are female while rest 365 are male. The Institute of Management (BIM) in Dhaka have provided training focused on Planning and Budgeting; Leadership the training in 17 batches. and Management; and Financial Management and
UZP Chairs, Vice-Chairs stakeholders from 65 stakeholders received 1735 and UNOs received 3-day 442 UZPs received 9-day 4401 generaised trainings/ General Traning Specialised Training workshops/orientation
14 Upazila Governance Project (UZGP) Specialized Training by UZGP in 2013 SL Designation Female Male Total 1 UZP Chair 5* 49 54 2 Vice-Chair 48 47 95 3 Upazila Nirbahi Officer 5 40 45 4 Family Planning Officer 7 49 56 5 Upazila Education Officer 6 46 52 6 Upazila Agriculture Officer 1 57 58 7 Upazila Engineer/Assisstant Engineer/Sub-Assistant Engineer 0 56 56 8 UZGP Official 5 21 26 Total 77 365 442 * 2 elected and 3 Acting female UZP Chair Source: Training reports from NAPD & BIM
Capacity Building by UZGP
General Training Specilalized Training 2000 1932 600 1735 520 500 442 1500 1232 400 365
1000 300
503 200 500 77 100
0 0 Target Achievement Male Female Target Achievement Male Female
The trainings carried out by the project have contributed to capacitating 1,410 elected public representatives and 1,516 government officials that established community of practice for effective functioning and institutional strength of 487 Upazilas. This positively impacted on behavioural change and contributed to improve, both individualistic and institutional, coordination and clarity of institutional functions i.e. reduction in conflicting attitude between and among UZP Chairs, Vice-Chairs and UNOs. It has also helped improve coordination among them in discharging their respective institutional duties and responsibilities. The enhanced capacity of the UZP functionaries, thus, in turn, resulted in: • 70 per cent UZPs held mandatory monthly meetings of Upazila Parishad and its (Standing) Committee meetings as compared to 30 per cent in 2012 • 100 UZPs prepared and submitted Annual Development Plan and Budget to LGD as compared to 20 per cent in 2012.
UZPs prepared & UZPs held mandatory UZP standing submitted annual 70% monthly meetings 100% 40% committees conducted plan & budget to LGD mandatory meetings
Annual Report-2013 15 Success Story-UZGP Trainings Upazila Now Have Skilled Human Resources As soon as he was elected as Chairman of Dacope Upazila Parishad under Khulna district, S.M. Abul Hossain began to ponder on how to conduct the Parishad meetings that has not been practiced properly for a while. ‘I found it difficult to grapple with the never-ending list of questions: How the meetings will be conducted? What will happen after the meetings? What are the meeting documents? etc.,’ he recalls. ‘But today, I can say with utmost confidence that I have successfully managed and operationalized my individual and Parishad’s mandate and responsibilities with support from Upazila Governance Project (UZGP),’ Abul Hossain was explaining in this way with a sense of satisfaction in his face. He maintained, ‘The Upazila Governance Project (UZGP) training programmes immensely contributed to orient me with Local Government (LG) concepts, improved understanding and practice to apply the Upazila Act and conduct Parishad’s work.’ Hossain was among the 7,000 select stakeholders--UZP Chairs, Vice-Chairs, Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs) and relevant officials from devolved government departments at UZP level---who received a series of orientation workshops, generalized and specialized trainings focusing on UZP Act and efficacy of local government system. ‘Conducting the UZP meetings was not the only issue for me,’ says Md. Abdur Rouf, Chairman of Adarsha Sadar Upazila, Comilla. ‘Understanding of the UZP Act to form, activate and conduct 17 UZP committees require higher level of legislative and institutional understanding, especially in absence of the operational rules and regulations which also required me to coordinate with government officials,’ he adds. ‘The UZGP-supported trainings answered all my queries to clear my understanding. The manual and notes of the training became handy guides for me in case of clarification,’ he informs. The challenge for these stakeholders at operational level was the absence of practice and knowledge set, especially administrative, functional and policy that can support them in immediate functioning and performance in their new roles. These stakeholders were expected to pick up their respective institutional mandate and work in a coordinated manner to deliver a locally prioritized and MDG responsive development and corresponding service delivery mechanism, with scarce to scattered financial resources. Without these skills, the institutional mandates and coordination mechanism would be stalled. One of the major outcomes of the General training was that for the first four key functionaries of UZP—Chairs, Vice-Chairs and UNOs—were placed together on the same table leading to a positive behavioural change that helped reduce the juxtaposed attitude both between and among them. This resulted in improved coordination of their respective institutional duties. ‘The training gave us an opportunity to understand each other’s role and conflicting issues from each other’s perspectives and institutional mandate. This helped us a lot in revitalizing the UZPs to become functional and collectively solve many issues which were pending over the years,’ says Md. Shafiul Islam, UNO of Kazipur UZP under Sirajganj district. The trainings, together with technical and institutional backstopping from the project, have resulted in effective institutional performance of the Upazila Parishad as 70 per cent held its mandatory monthly meetings; 100 per cent UZPs established its all 17 committees; 100 per cent UZPs prepared and submitted Annual budget to Local Government Division (LGD) and 14 select UZPs prepared 14 UZP Information, Plan and Budget Books which will soon be replicated by select 65 UZPs under select seven districts of UZGP.
16 Upazila Governance Project (UZGP) Holding of monthly and standing committee Support LGD in drafting of legislation framework meetings effectively (laws, rules, regulation and guidelines) The technical support provided through the District and The project has prepared six draft Rules and three draft Divisional Facilitators have helped UZPs in conducting Regulations. The drafts are now in the process of field the monthly and standing committee meetings in validations through structured Focus Group Discussion. compliance with legal requirements that include It is expected that once approved by the Government, assistance in preparation of meeting agenda, working these Rules and Regulations will further streamline the paper and meeting minutes, etc. It helped the Parishads functioning of UZP as pro-poor service provider. in holding the monthly and standing committee meeting regularly and effectively. Mapping/Orientation of Local Level Administration, CSOs, NGOs, and CBOs for Mass Awareness of UZP Activities Capacity Development at 7 UZPs In pursuit of raising public awareness and as a part of To further the policy advocacy and participatory advocacy on 21 activities mandated to UZP, the UZGP consultation, the project held seven (7) workshops at has supported the LGD in designing, developing and UZP level with local administration and local civil society. installing UZP Information Billboard to all UZPs across the These workshops identified areas of common interest country. With the support from the project, the LGD and opportunities between CSO and UZP. These installed a total of 551 UZP Information Billboards in 487 workshops promoted participation of NGOs and CBOs in UZP and 64 district offices premises. The billboard entails relevant standing committees of UZP and in providing 21 roles and responsibilities of the UZP that will assistance in formulation of development plan for contribute to accountability through dissemination of Upazila Parishad. These workshops were held at information to the larger public. Brahmanbaria Sadar, Kishoreganj Sadar, Dumuria, Betagi, Pirganj, Kazipur and Jagannathpur Upazilas where 238 participants attended, of which 38 were women. Dialogue Between Local Administration and CSOs Division UZP Male Female Total Participants Chittagong B. Baria Sadar 18 7 25 Dhaka Kishoregonj Sadar 33 7 40 Khulna Dumuria 18 7 25 Barisal Betagi 20 1 21 Rangpur Pirgonj 22 1 23 Rajshahi Kazipur 20 4 24 Sylhet Jagannathpur 69 11 80 Total 200 38 238
“Information Officers” at 14 pilot UZPs appointed and received orientation as per RTI Act 2009
The policy advocacy with the government resulted in organized at National Institute of Local Government appointment of Information Officer in each of the 14 (NILG), Dhaka which was structured in six sessions pilot UZPs. The project has trained the designated focusing on a) importance and function of RTI Act, b) information officers to effectively enforce the provision identification of challenges in scope of work on RTI of the Right to Information (RTI) Act 2009 at UZP level. Act-2009, and c) Way Forward. Twelve out of 14 officers attended a day-long training
UZP Information, Plan designated UZP 7,000 stakeholders trained 14 and Budget Books 14 Information Officers Prepared appointed
Annual Report-2013 17 14 UZP Information, Plan and Budget Books published
One of the biggest successes the UZGP achieved in 2013 Budget Book the 14 UZPs has prepared and published was the publication of 14 UZP Information, Plan and and submitted to the LGD. The UZP Plan Book is the Budget Books for 14 select UZPs in seven pilot districts public document of UZP that contains UZP under seven divisions. This was the cumulative results of geographical information, five-year sectoral vision, 3-day General Training, 9-day Specialised Training, annual plan and budget. The project has extended all One-day “Planning and Budgeting Exercise” workshop, the technical and financial assistance to the UZP to technical guidelines and manuals provided to the UZPs. prepare and print the plan books. This was the first-ever Annual Information, Plan and
18 Upazila Governance Project (UZGP) WOMEN DEVELOPMENT FORUM (WDF) 214 WDFs formed collection, forum office selection, increase women’s participation in local development activities, building The Upazila Governance Project (UZGP) and Union awareness on social issues through WDF at ward level, Parishad Governance Project (UPGP) have jointly facilitated address violence against women (VAW), early marriage, the formation of Women Development Forums (WDFs) at dowry, identify case against VAW, raise voice at UP, list Upazila and district levels with the elected women local resources and plan to utilize for poor women, representatives from UZPs, UPs and Municipalities. communicate with line departments for solving Led by Local Government Division (LGD), a total of 214 problems at UP level, list ultra-poor women at respective WDFs were formed in 2013. Of them, 23 were at district ward, constraints of women empowerment, raise level while the rest 191 at Upazila level. The total number women’s voice to get allocation from LGSP, UPGP etc. of membership of elected women representatives Some of these issues were also raised by them in the stands at 7,311. Of them 5,935 at Upazila level while Parishad (UZP and UP) meetings. 1,376 district levels. The formation workshops were used by the WDF to elect their forum leadership that resulted WDF helps raising women’s voice on gender in 1,969 at Upazila and 242 at District level elected as the equality members of their respected WDF committees. The WDF members participated in month-long The forum is providing structured capacity building, programme of “Nari Sanglap: Apnara Kemon Aschen partnership building and advocacy forum to the elected (Women’s Dialogue: How Are You?)” led by the Ministry female representatives for their institutional and political of Women and Children Affairs. They actively mainstreaming and strengthening. It is playing an participated in the dialogue with other participants, important role as a “Platform for Elected Women” to raise formed women’s chain, discussed local women’s voices on their issues, capacitate and groom (local level) constraints, raised issues of vulnerability and women leadership to promote democracy at grass-roots underprivileged women. level. This is also helping them to link with other Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). The forums are also Gender equality and integration was part of five assisting the LGIs in gender-responsive budgeting, divisional-level policy dialogues. The WDF members, planning and interventions and providing inputs for elected women representatives and representatives of policy reforms towards promoting gender equality. women groups, CSOs and homemakers participated in it. The construct and execution of policy dialogue was Pool of 278 master trainers created, 1,717 WDF gender integrated. Besides identifying range of members trained challenges, many recommendations that come out of these dialogues gender-focused e.g. a) gender The project has initiated cascade-training programme responsive policy change; b) to elect one man and one for the leadership of WDFs. A pool of master trainers was women representatives in each Ward; c) strengthen role also formed by providing Training for Trainers (ToTs) to of three women representatives at Ward level; d) 278 participants mainly drawn from amongst the local strengthen LGIs to act against discriminatory practices level government officials. Of them, 90 were female such as dowry, early marriages and VAW; and e) while rest 188 were male. The master trainers in turn introduction of women friendly business environment. trained 1,717 WDF members in 63 batches at 65 UZPs. The joint initiatives of the projects of forming the WDFs has been positively noticed by the different ministries, Immediate Results including the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), to know more about the WDFs. The Women and Children Affairs WDF formation process was completed by 2013, Ministry, at the invitation of Local Government Division subsequently most of the platforms were holding (LGD), took part in a meeting and contributed to bi-monthly meetings at Upazila and District levels. The developing the curricula for the forums. The WDF has agenda items for the meetings was diverse that covered already created a momentum among the elected topics such as WDF Annual Work Plan, forum members’ female representatives of UZPs, UPs and Municipalities, roles and responsibilities, opening of back accounts, and it is expected that the forums will play a critical role fund-raising, preparation of bye-laws, information raising the issues affecting women at different platform.
Annual Report-2013 19 Success Story on WDF Coming Out from Darkness “We Have Come Out From Darkness And Have Found Our Feet To Take Us Towards Our Goal And Rights” Lipi Akter, a UP member from Naogaon, expressed these sentiments during the orientation workshop on WDF formation at Sorail Upazila, which was agreed by her colleagues. Little she knew that opportunity to apply what she and her WDF colleagues have been oriented at WDF formation workshop may just be around the corner.
A few days later she came to know about the provisions of block grants available to the Parishad; and its emphasis that 33% of grant must be used exclusively for women development. Lipi Akter, along with her WDF colleagues, Ms. Shahida Begum and Rashida Begum, UP members Naogaon, started their work to prepare a scheme to access the grant. While planning towards their goal, they consulted Ward Shava members as well and applied for scheme worth BDT 90,000 from UP Chairman. The scheme focused on providing income generation opportunities for poor women of the community and planned to train 10 women on tailoring skills along with the provision of sewing machines. They faced reluctance from UP Chairman to accommodate their scheme for allocation of funds. But this did not deter them and rather they started a vigorous contact campaign to access and secure the funds. Their efforts were not bearing fruits. Concerned with delays, they decided to raise the bar of their efforts and wrote a formal letter to DC, UNO, Vice-Chair of Sorial UZP. They involved Chair of the WDF Sorail Upazila, Mahamuda Parvin, and she took the initiative and arranged a meeting of concerned i.e. UNO, UP members and UP Chairman of Noagaon. Being well prepared and using their newly acquired agenda setting skills through WDF training, they lead the deliberation and with their argument convinced the UP Chairman who agreed to accept the scheme and release funds under intimation to UNO. The scheme is under implementation at the moment.
elected women 214 WDFs formed 1,717 WDF members trained 7,311 representatives became WDF members
20 Upazila Governance Project (UZGP) Output 2: Strengthened Planning and Budgeting System at UZP with MDG Orientation and Pro-poor service delivery mechanism
Performance Assessment Manual under Under the UFF guideline a maximum ceiling of BDT 5 Upazila Fiscal Facility (UFF) Support revised million has also been set for UFF support. The assessment provides opportunity to the leadership of The project has revised the performance assessment UZP to use this performance to attract parallel funding manual for 2013-14, adding six more composite from other available sources. performance indicators and raised the maximum score Financial Audit, Minimum Conditions and from 40 to 100. Earlier, the performance of seven UZPs Performance Measures Assessments of for 2012-2013 was evaluated against four composite Targeted 14 UZPs carried out through performance measures having 40 as its total score. The 10 performance areas assess the compliance, as independent sub-contracting process specified in UZP Act 2009 and its amendment, of a UZP’s Led by LGD, the project has carried out financial audit, structure, administrative process, financial management, minimum conditions and performance measures targeted development expenditure, development plan, assessment for 14 pilot UZP though an independent sectoral committees, integration/address social sector in consultant. The consultant has already submitted a UZP expenditure, co-financing of UZP development comprehensive report to the LGD. The first round of scheme from multiple sources, coverage of multiple UPs assessment for 7 UZP was against 4 indicators having 40 by UZP development plan and UZP Parishad and as maximum score. community oversight for UFF schemes.
Round1: Performance Assessment Result Max. Score Performance Possible Fiscal Allocation as per Upazila score Performance assessment (BDT) Mithamain (Kishorganj) 40 29 4,284,736 Bancharampur (B.Baria) 40 29 3,861,813 Dacope (Khulna) 40 29 5,415,361 Sullah (Sunamganj) 40 30 4,733,769 Ullaphara (Sirajgunj) 40 34 6,171,434 Pirgachh (Rangpur) 40 33 4,583,900 Barguna Sadar (Barguna) 40 31 3,862,936 Source: UZP Performance Assessment Report The second round of performance assessment was against 10 indicators having 100 as maximum score: Round-2: Performance Assessment Result District Max. Score Performance Possible Fiscal Allocation as per Upazila score Performance assessment (BDT) Kishorganj Sadar Kishorganj 100 68 5,672,242 B.Baria Sadar B.Baria 100 67 4,968,339 Dumeria Khulna 100 69 4,703,638 Jaggnathpur Sunamganj 100 72 6,468,493 Kazipur Sirajgunj 100 77 4,601,626 Pirganj Rangpur 100 66 4,952,006 BetagiOver Barguna 100 67 2,377,304
Annual Report-2013 21 Seven Divisional level Workshops for UZP led BDT 35 m disbursed, 104 MDG-focused Development Needs Assessment and schemes taken in seven pilot UZPs Identification of Resources held To support select UZPs to implement MDG focused The project held seven divisional level workshops on development schemes based on their local needs and “UZP led Needs Assessment and Identification of priorities, the UZGP has provided two tranches of Resources”. The project has prepared explanatory Upazila Fiscal Facility Support (UFF) grants in 2013. The guidelines for field staff and the NPD briefed the facility has delivered additional financial resources to the Divisional and District facilitators, and DLGs and DDLGs select UZPs to enable the elected local leadership to for joint execution of the activity. A total of 415 officials play a catalytic role in accelerating local development, as of the transferred departments participated in the well as MDGs. workshops and oriented on UZP-led development The UZGP, under its fiscal facility support, disbursed a needs and identification of available resources. total of BDT 35 m to seven pilot UZPs. With the grants, The institutionalized financial management and the UZPs has taken and implemented a total of 104 planning skills together with structured fiscal support schemes, of which 56 are single sourced and the rest 46 guidelines by the project contributed to the attainment are co-financed with Union Parishad and community of local MDG targets besides demonstrating good support. The UFF are engendered from criteria setting to practices of local development as per local needs. It has its guidelines to utilization. Of the completed 104 also initiated participatory budget making process i.e. schemes, 63 schemes has directly contributed towards discussing scheme in UZP sectoral committee, taking achieving MDGs, particularly primary education, health recommendation of the UZP sectoral committees for and poverty issues. A total of 316,455 beneficiaries, of Upazila Parishad approval. which 116,168 are female have been benefited from these schemes.
104 UFF SCHEMES: SECTORAL DISTRIBUTION & MDG COMPLIANCE
Direct Benificiaries SL Name of UZP Number of Total Project Female Male 1 B.baria 9 12050 9850 21900 2 Kishorgonj Sadar 8 39370 41030 80400 3 Jagannathpur 20 47088 15334 62422 4 Dumuria 9 20535 18618 39153 5 Betagi 28 30200 48100 78300 6 Kazipur 17 9840 10440 20080 7 Pirgonj 13 7085 6915 14000 Total 104 166168 150287 316455
Scheme finance mode MDG focused 63 schemes
Ensure Environmental 46 Co-financed scheme 56 Single financed scheme Sustanivility 17%
Combat HIV/AIDES Eradicat Extreme Malaria and other Poverty and Diseases 5% Hunger 40%
46% 54% Improve Maternal Health 5%
Achive Universal Primary Education 16%
Reduce Child Promote Gender Mortality 9% Equality and Empower Women 8%
Source: UZGP M&E Report
22 Upazila Governance Project (UZGP) Success Story-UZGP Scheme Nazma Weaves a Better Future for Herself Nazma Begum, 40, a poor rural women from Pirganj Upazila under Rangpur district, Bangladesh, is now sure that her children will not go hungry and can continue their schooling. Struggling with sheer poverty, she was trying hard to find a work to maintain her six-member family, as her husband took his bed due to a bone-related disease two years ago. “My husband has been bedridden for the past two years due to the bone-related disease. It was devastating for us as he was the sole bread-earner for the family. We have spent all our savings for his treatment, sold our cattle and I even had to stop sending my children to school due to the financial hardship,” Nazma said, sobbingly. “But the training in Sataranji gave me a new hope, a new life, and confidence to fight against poverty,” Nazma said, brimming with confidence. The training has completely changed the life of Nazma, who had earlier struggled to earn Tk. 2,000 a month is now earning over Tk. 6,000. This has given her a sense of gratification as she can now give her family a better life. A real life fighter, Nazma dreams of something even better not only for herself but also for the community. She wants to motivate other poor women in her community to take training nd create self-employment for emancipation from poverty. She is one of the 30 women who received a new inspiration in life after completing a 15-day “Skill Development Training in Sataranji Weaving for Women Entrepreneurs” at Pirganj Upazila Parishad, Rangpur district, Bangladesh. Sataranji is a special hand-loomed and woven carpet typical of Rangpur region and a very unique handicraft in Bangladesh. The Upazila Governance Project (UZGP), under its fiscal facility grant, has provided the financial support to the training aimed at helping local poor women in Pirganj Upazila, Rangpur, to enhance livelihood skills of women, particularly the poor and destitute, to eventually bring the ultra-poor communities out of poverty and to empower women. “This is not just weaving a carpet or mat...this is weaving a dream, weaving for a better future, a better life,” Nazma said, beaming broadly. “With the skills I learned from the training and by the money I am making after selling the products, I can feed my kids better and send them to school again. The training has just given me a ray of hope, opened up an economic opportunity for better life.” This is a beginning of prosperity for a down-trodden rural woman who earlier was scared of even dreaming. The support provided by UZGP has transformed a fragile woman into a confident person, who is becoming inspiration for many others in her community.
disbursed to seven schemes implemented schemes directly 35m BDT select UZPs as UFF 104 in seven select UZPs 63 MDG-focused
Annual Report-2013 23 (316,455) Direct Beneficiaries of schemes by UZPs (341,180) Indirect Beneficiaries of schemes by UZPs
80400 78300 Pirgonj 17,720 62422 Kazipur 9,890 39153 Betagi 25,750 21900 20080 14000 Dumuria 128,860
Jagannathpur 71,660
Kishorgonj Sadar 20,400
B.baria 66900 Source: UZGP M&E Report
Success Story-UZGP Scheme Driving Away Silent Killer-Formalin “An apple a day, keeps the doctor away,”---Lipi Akter, 30, a mother of two, was following the opposite diet motto religiously for over the past five years in fear of formalin, the silent killer! “I can’t give my kids poison. Well, I am depriving them of necessary nutrients, but as a mother, I would not tolerate my kids swallowing poisonous substance,” she says, venting her anger. A mother, frustrated with the situation due to the malicious act of unscrupulous traders in the kitchen markets, says: “Not only apple or any kind of seasonal fruits, I was scared of vegetables and meat too.” She explained the reason behind all the fear and frustration was simply -formalin. “All the food items in kitchen markets were contaminated with formalin. You will not get anything---from fish to tomatoes to litchi, mango, blackberry---free from formalin. All these were soaked with formalin and poisonous carbide,” says Lipi, also a housewife hailed from Sajiara village under Dumuria Upazila, Khulna district. But a small initiative taken by the Dumuria Upazila Parishad, with the support from Upazila Governance Project (UZGP), offered a great relief to the rural housewives like Lipi. “You can’t imagine what a great help it is to us. I had stopped buying fruits and fish from local markers. Now, with the drive of Upazila Parishad to make the markets formalin and carbide-free, I have resumed buying and adding fish, vegetable and fruits in my everyday menu,” Lipi said, with a sigh of great relief. Over the past few years, the national and local media are regularly running the reports that the sale of formalin-laced food items has become a rampant practice in all the kitchen markets across the country, raising concern of the people about its impact on health. Formaldehyde (formalin) is a toxic substance illegally used by merchants to preserve food, making it look fresh and attractive in the market for longer time, thus maximizing profits. The widespread use of formalin in fruits, vegetables, fish and meat poses a great threat to public health, and it is extremely harmful to pregnant women and new-born babies. “This really gave us a great relief and we don’t have to worry anymore about formalin-mixed foodstuff, especially for our children,” says Lipi, making an urge to the Upazila Parishad to continue its drive and campaign against formalin and provide exemplary punishment to the culprits.
24 Upazila Governance Project (UZGP) Success Story-UZGP Scheme Putting Poor Pupils in School Whether it rains or the sun is too hot, Ria Rani Das, 10, doesn’t want to miss her school now. Coming from a very poor family where her parents could hardly afford two meals a day, Ria, a class five student, now knows that food is ready for her in school and she would not go hungry all through the day. “My parents can hardly serve lunch for me always, let alone the breakfast. Sometimes I may have some parched rice in the morning and have to go hungry the whole day. But now I know for sure that I will not go hungry if I go to the school,” said Ria, who just have finished her mid-day meal her school served. Her parents are also more convinced now than ever before to send their daughter to school because they know the school provides meals to students, thanks to an Upazila Parishad (UZP) scheme supported by Upazila Governance Project (UZGP). “I like the food, it’s really delicious and fills my stomach,” said Ria. Her mother is a housewife and her father a rickshaw-puller. They can hardly afford two meals a day for their five kids aged between five to 13. Like Ria, 500 other Class One to Class Five students are now regularly attending the school enticed by the daily meals they receive. Once dull and empty classrooms of the Nayachilaura Government Primary School in the remotest Chilauradhalipur Union under Jagannathpur Upazila, Sunamganj district, are now buzzing with energetic children fidgeting, chattering and laughing. Some others are trying to read rhymes aloud. “All these were possible for the fiscal facility grants we got from Upazila Governance Project. With the grants, we, the Jagannathpur Upazila Parishad, took the School Feeding Programme which help attract poor children to enrol and stay at school and thus help increase enrolment rate and reduce dropouts,” says Muktadir Ahmed, Vice-chairman of Jagannath Upazila Parishad. The UZGP, through its fiscal facility support, provided Tk 4 lakh to the Upazila Parishad (UZP) for implementing the five-month pilot scheme titled “Mid-day Meal for School Student”. The Upazila Parishad launched the programme at Nayachilaura Government Primary School in November 2013 aims at reducing hunger and malnutrition among schoolchildren and help keep poor students at schools. Ranendra Kumar Das, Headmaster of Nayachilaura Government Primary School, said, “The Mid-day meal programme has already started yielding encouraging results. The number of students in the school was 390 last year (in 2013) while it reached to 500 by this year (2014). Enrolment is still going on and we hope that more students will be enrolled soon. “We have also witnessed the decrease in dropouts and increase in class attendance just because of mid-day meal programme,” he said, adding, “And surprisingly, the enrolment rate of girls’ is also increasing. About 10 per cent more girls are enrolled this year than the last year.”
Annual Report-2013 25 Success Story-UZGP Scheme A Road to Education, Economic Prosperity Unlike previous years, Rina Begum, 36, a mother of three kids, is not very much worried about sending her kids to schools during the upcoming rainy season. The housewife from Uttar Karuna village of Hosnabad Union under Betagi Upazila, Borguna district recalls, “Earlier, rainy season meant a great loss of school days. Rainfall during the four-month period makes the roads connecting nearby villages to schools inaccessible. Children could hardly use these roads to get to school, leading to loss in school days.” Seasonal rain left deep craters in the dirt road, rendering it inaccessible to any vehicle. “When it rained, the potholes turned into lakes,” says Soma Akhter, daughter of Rina Begum and a Class Three student at 27 No. Madhya Karuna Government Primary School. “We, very often, avoided the road altogether and drove through the paddy fields inundated with rainwater.” “It was better to take boat to pass through neighbouring small water-body to reach schools. It was really risky. Lots of schoolchildren sustained serious injuries after slipping on the muddy road,” Rina said, adding, “We, the parents, were really scared about our kids...we could not send them to schools through the dirt road.” “So, it was annual and unofficial vacation for most children, as well as big disruption to education, says Rina. A Road to Education Only recently, after completion of a new road with brick flat soling, Soma now can go to her school everyday easily no matter how bad the weather is. Her mother, Rina Begum, does not need to worry about her girl now. The Betagi Upazila Parishad, with the support from Upazila Governance Project (UZGP), constructed the road which has begun rendering results. Like Soma, 10,500 other students studying at the four primary schools, two secondary schools and two colleges of two Union Parishads--Hosnabad and Mokamia---under the Upazila have begun to get the benefit from the all-weather road which enables them to access the schools with greater ease. “Students, particularly the girls, are now attending schools regularly and we believe that it will have a great impact on education, reducing the number of absentees and dropouts, in the UZP,” said Md. Zakir Hossain, Assistant Headmaster of Madya Karuna Government Primary School.The UZGP, under its fiscal facility grant, co-financed to the UZP in repairing the road. Reaping Economic Benefits But the benefits of the road go much further. The new road, made of bricks, connects a number of villages in two UPs to markets, hospitals, administrative centres, enabling the rural poor to avail of better economic opportunities and access better health, education and business services. The smoother road not only cut travel time and cost for the villagers, it is helping the farmers to carry more goods/products to sell in the local markets. What the villagers are also saying that the smoother road will also save lives, particularly the pregnant women and Source:children. UZP “Now performance we will assessmentbe able to takereport the patients to UZP Sadar Hospital and other clinics there more quickly,” said, Runu Begum, one of the inhabitants of South Karuna village.
26 Upazila Governance Project (UZGP) Output 3: Strengthened technical capacity of Local Government Division for effective policy review, monitoring, lesson learning and capacity development of LGIs for enhanced Local Governance
PAG formed People’s Voices Heard through Five Divisional Dialogues The LGD Secretary has notified formation of a Policy Advisory Group (PAG) aimed at enhancing the policy The project has facilitated holding of five divisional level development function in government and create a policy dialogues aimed at reviewing and reforming the coordinated framework for support to the LGI capacity policy related to LG electoral system and service development. The PAG will learn a review from field delivery. experience and advocate for change at national level. It A total of 964 participants (772 male and 192 female) will be a “think-tank” of the ministry on key policy issues from 35 categories---from lawmakers to government led by the LGD. Meeting of PAG could not be held due to officials, LGI representatives to professionals, NGOs reasons beyond control of the project. representatives, academician, freedom fighter, religious leader, media, farmer and students participated in the Development of National Framework for Local dialogues held in five divisional towns---Barisal, Khulna, Government Policy and Capacity Development Rajshahi, Chittagong and Sylhet. The project has initiated contracting process of Finance Minister Mr. A M A Muhith attended the first awarding international and national teams to provide policy dialogue held in Sylhet while the then State institutional support in conducting transformational Minister for Labour and Employment Begum Monnujan policy studies. The two transformative studies are 1) Sufian in Khulna. Former LGD Secretary Mr. Abu Alam Local Government System in Bangladesh: Comparative Md. Shahid Khan was also present at the policy Perspective and Practices and 2) First Phase of Policy dialogues held in Rajshahi and Chittagong. Review of Functional Assignment to the Local The participants placed a set of recommendations Governments (Upazila and Union Parishad levels) in including greater role of LGIs, especially in health, delivering Health and Education services. The study education, agriculture, fisheries, livestock, poverty reports will be published in 2014. The project has also alleviation and in promoting gender equality rather than initiated a ‘Citizen Perception Survey on Service Delivery just concentrating on physical infrastructure by Upazila Parishad and Union Parishad’. The report of development. the survey will be published in 2014. The project has also a plan to hold two more dialogues in Dhaka and Rangpur and after that it will hold a Support to Policy Support Unit national level dialogue with the recommendations drawn from the seven divisional level policy dialogues to Though the activities were dropped in 2013, the project propose overall policy framework. The proposal for has adopted an alternate strategy to technically reforms will be submitted to the government to backstop LGD through position paper based input for strengthen LG service delivery and to bring necessary institutional strengthening of LGIs in general and UZP in reforms in terms of structure and function of local particular. This resulted in (a) issuance of series of government institutions. clarification memos, compliance orders and operational guidelines to UZP elected and government officials; (b) It is expected that the valuable recommendations made structured job description for DLG and DDLG in line with by cross-section of people participating in the dialogues UZP Act; (c) UZP manual (compilation of legal and will help guide the policy-makers to seriously think administrative requirements) and (d) guidelines for LGI about local governance reforms in Bangladesh. Once for Local Planning (under submission to Planning accepted, these reforms will certainly bring about Division). All of them directly contributed in effective positive changes in service delivery and democratic functioning of UZP and anchoring of LGI. accountability at the local level.
Annual Report-2013 27 Major Recommendations came up in the dialogues
1. Withdrawal of the advisory role of the Member of Parliament (MP) in the Upazila Parishad 2. Comprehensive Charter of Duties for elected and Government Officials of devolved departments including UNOs for improved coordination’s 3. Enhanced administrative support to operationalize and functioning of Standing Committees of UP, UZP Pourashava and City Corporation 4. In the wake of diminishing Rural and Urban divide of LG, initiation of Policy Reform debate to integrate/reduce number of existing LGI e.g. merging small Pourashava and UZPs; not creating or dividing new UPs or declaring them part of Pourashavs 5. Each haat must disclose status of their revenues and services for public consumption 6. Sectoral and departmental resource mapping for each LGI. 7. Increased fiscal allocation for all LGIs. 8. Introduction of a new cadre “Local Government Services” against the deputation system. 9. Removal of discrepancies among LG tiers with reference to allowance and honorarium for elected representatives 10. The re-establishment of Local Government Commission and appointment of Ombudsman 11. Reform of organizational structure of LGI from “Single post (Chair/Mayor) dominated System” to “Council-led institutions” popularly expressed as “Presidential System to Parliamentary System”.
Evaluation of quality of training
The project has initiated a third party evaluation of trainings provided to the stakeholders over the past two years. It also assessed the capacity of the national trainings institutes—NILG, BARD, NAPD, BIM, RDA and evaluated the quality, effectiveness and impact of training imparted by these institutes.
The evaluation informed that the training contributed to: • Team Building by bringing public representatives and government officials together. 90 per cent respondents mentioned that training enabled interactions among the participants even beyond the classrooms. • Developing Understanding On Rules and Functions as per the Upazila Act and improved skills in planning, budgeting and formation of Standing Committees • In effective Coordination among elected public representatives and government officials • Augment Women’s Empowerment in UZPs work while female Vice-Chairs’ confidence level improved The report also identified areas of improvement that included a) Extend duration from 3 to 5 days b) Reduce number of participants per batch to max of 25 c) Devise refresher or post-learning mechanism d) Inclusion of female trainers a resource person e) Improve logistic arrangement at the training centres
28 Upazila Governance Project (UZGP) 2nd Edition of UZP Manual Published
In a landmark step to strengthen the capacity of UZP, the The UZP functionaries (UZP Chairs, Vice-chairs and UZGP compiled all the rules, circulars and government UNOs) often complained of not getting the relevant orders related to UZP and printed 25,000 copies of the circulars and government orders issued by different manual for stakeholders. The project distributed the manual ministries and divisions in time. Since publication of the to various stakeholders including 487 UZPs and Divisional first edition of the UZP Manual in 2010, key changes and Deputy Commissioners’ offices of the country. have been introduced in the UZP Act through more The compendium is helping the UZP functionaries to than 50 rules, circulars and government orders, which remove confusion about the rules and regulations for were incorporated in the current version. effective functioning of the Upazila Parishad.
Prime Minister Praises UZGP manual several times over the last few days. Please read the manual minutely and you will have no The Upazila Governance Project (UZGP) has won confusion on the UZP rules and regulations you are praise from the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for talking about,” she said, flapping the manual towards publishing the Upazila Parishad (UZP) Manual (2nd the attending UZP Chairs and Vice-chairs. Edition), a compendium of amended Upazila Parishad Act in 2011, rules, circulars and government orders related to UZP. The PM spoke highly of UZGP at a meeting with Upazila Chairs and Vice-chairs at Gono Bhaban on 19 October. “I can’t praise enough...You did a great job,” Mr. Md. Shah Kamal, Additional Secretary (Admin) and National Project Director (NPD), UZGP, who was present at the meeting, said, quoting the Prime Minister. “Compiling the UZP Act, Rules, Circulars and Government Orders related to the UZP and publish those in a complete book is simply a great job. I lauded “I thanked the UZGP and the Local Government the initiative. It would help a lot in removing confusion Division (LGD) for its great effort in compiling all the exists among the UZP functionaries on its rules and rules, circulars and government orders related to UZP regulations,” she added. “I have gone through the and print those in a complete book,” she says.
23 Resource Corners set up at district and divisional offices
In efforts to generate and disseminate knowledge on representatives whereas RCs at public libraries are to local governance among government officials, public facilitate body of academics, researchers and general representatives and general people, the project public. continued to establish Resource Corners at district and divisional levels across the country. A total of 23 The RC is a well-stocked mini-library having all kinds of Resource Corners (12 at local administration offices local government related laws, rules and regulations, while rest 11 at public libraries) have been established, circulars reports, manuals, audio-visual materials and positioned to knowledge warehousing and increased books on human development, poverty alleviation and access to information for local stakeholders on local good governance. The UZGP has provided the financial government systems and local democracy. The RC at support for purchasing the books, furniture and other district and divisional administration level is targeted to necessary equipment for the corners. The facilities at the facilitate the government and elected public RC are open to the public and free of cost.
Annual Report-2013 29 M&E Framework and Tools, MIS System International Training held in Dhaka developed The project arranged for a comprehensive international In 2013 support of project specific M&E work, project training programme at Dhaka, conducted by the team developed M&E Plan, Multi-year Monitoring Framework of experts from The Hague Academy for Local and Tools. The process includes submission of monthly Governance, the Netherlands. The course was titled to quarterly information on project and field activities by “Decentralization and Local Development in DF and DVF. Field visits by project staff were also Bangladesh”. It was a residential training of 5-day documented in the form of Back to Office report focusing on basic concepts of Decentralization, Public through a structured format. Officialservices management, Public financing for local service website–www.uzgp.org–has been operationalised with delivery, Fiscal decentralization, and local strategic a temporary host site. M&E tools were also developed planning for poverty alleviation and attainment of the and in the field for pilot testing after which it will be MDGs. The course also deliberated on state of local finalized and printed. governance, institutional profile of the local public sector and options for intergovernmental cooperation Besides, M&E tools reporting formats have also been and consequent capacity development. The 47 (40 M & prepared that include capacity building /training 7 FM) representatives came from LGD, NILG, BARD, RDA, reporting format, WDF training reporting format, Upazila BIM, NAPD and BMDF. This contributed in individual and Fiscal Facility Scheme (UFF) reporting format. M&E institutional capacity building of the core staff of these strategy was upgraded by developing specific business institutes, which are engaged with the project for processes and plans including operational definition of imparting generalized and specialized training to the indicators and data flow chart. UZP stakeholders. Development of data base based linked with on M&E tools have been initiated. A prototype has been developed to capture data in four customized forms. The same forms were piloted with the assistance of DVF, DF, and DDLG from seven Districts.
Resource Corners UZP Information 5 Policy Dialogues held 23 established 551 Billboards installed
30 Upazila Governance Project (UZGP) Output 4: Effective Project Management
The PMU worked with full field and HQs staff capacity till Scanner machine ( 7 for Divisional offices, 7 for District November when 2 of the project staff members i.e. offices and 3 for Central project office), 17 Printer (7 for Monitoring and Evaluation Officer and MIS Officer, left Divisional offices, 7 for District offices and 3 for central the team. The operation team was heavily involved in (a) project office), 17 Photocopier Machine (7 for Divisional shifting of premises from Dhaka South City Corporation offices, 7 for District offices and 3 for central project to NILG; and (b) procurement and disbursement of office office), 7 Air Conditioners for central project office, office equipment and furniture from HQ to filed level. The furniture for central project office, installation of PABX political impasse added additional responsibility on machine with 24 intercom hand set, 6 Fire Extinguisher Project Management team to ensure implementation of for central project office, setup office internet for central Business Continuity Plan (BCP). During 2013 project project office and renovation of central project office. procured 10 vehicles (7 vehicles for Divisional offices and Project Management team also facilitated two Project 3 for central project office), 49 desktop computers (21 for Steering Committee (PSC) meetings, two Project Board Divisional offices, 7 for District offices and 21 for Central (PB) meeting and a Coordination meeting with project office), 49 UPS (21 for 7 Divisional offices, 7 for Development Partners and UZGP quarterly staff District offices and 21 for Central project office), 17 meetings.
Annual Report-2013 31 Challenges and Lessons Learned y A series of national events including Parliamentary elections and Upazila elections scheduled for 2014 had made the year 2013 quite challenging. y Since it was the last year for UZP elected representatives in the office, there was lack of concentration and sense of uncertainty that made the project to provide extra effort in maintaining the momentum of implementation of project activities. y Since UZGP was the lone donor supported programme at UZP level, there was substantive gap between the demand and supply of institutional development support at that level. y A total of 77 working days were lost due to political turmoil marked by violent political programmes; the project however managed to maintain its pace of implementation by organizing programmes/events over weekends, communicating via Skype, email, cell phone, etc. y The project was able to push start the operationalization of UZP sectoral committee and made UFF grants available that helped initiate MDG focused development schemes at UZP level; the project also contributed development and submission of UZP budget by 482 UZPs in a timely manner. y Through provision of technical support and financial resources 14 Target UZPs were able to print first ever UZP Plan book and sharing of those has influenced another 51 UZPs to publish their Plan Book with support from the project. y UZGP continued to maintain coordination and collaboration with UPGP in terms of formulation of Women Development Forum, conducting of five policy studies, etc. The coordinating roles played by the shared staff, National and International Technical Advisors have been beneficial for both the projects.
32 Upazila Governance Project (UZGP) SUSTAINABILITY
Functional and institutional capacities of local and budget making processes with national system and government institutions requirements. This resulted in 482 UZP’s preparation and During the reporting period, the UZGP strengthened its submission of budget in time to the LGD as compare to cultivated institutional relationship with UZP Parishad only 95 in 2012. Similarly, select 14 UZP prepared annual through continued capacity building initiatives to fulfill plan books containing geographical and statistical their institutional mandate for service delivery at the information about the Upazila, annual plan, budget and local level. The project supported the smooth 5-year sectoral vision. 51 UZPs are also working on the functioning of UZP through range of technical same. Upazila fiscal support facility has created guidelines for UZPs that were issued by the LGD. This has demonstrative effect to operationalize the UZP established a community of practices with the support committee; initiated co-financing with community and of over 10,000 government and elected representatives UP funds; and have used ADP funds as well as trained by the project to-date that will positively anchor co-financer. Collectively, pursuance of processes and UZP in particular and LGI in general as critical establishing practices is creating foot-prints for next UZP democratic institution. to follow that ultimately contributes to sustainability. However, the project assesses that administrative Alignment with national systems decentralization of line departments is still struggling for During the reporting period, project continued to clarity and the conflicting role of MP in UZP functioning strengthen the UZP functionaries to align their planning is a huge challenge to the strengthening of UZP.
WAY FORWARD
Year 2014 presents strategic opportunity for the project completion of orientation training of the WDF members. to re-align itself with the new tenure of Upazila Parishad. The WDF related work will be jointly performed with This will mean for the project to re-cultivate functional UPGP. Knowledge Management (KM) – generation, relationship with newly elected UZP members; plan and codification and sharing of knowledge - will be retained execute generalized training for the newly elected UZP as focus area as project will prepare fact sheets and briefs leadership; and continue to use Upazila fiscal facility to on its initiatives with outgoing UZP. Policy researches will augment both service delivery and strengthening of be used to activate PAG and further discussion on local democracy. strengthening of local democracy. Project will continue its efforts to align project goals Engagement with MIE Wing of LGD that could not be towards achieving operational convergence and initiated in 2013 will be jointly pursued with UPGP alignment at the Upazila Parishads. The UZGP through support to identify that how two projects data can be UFF will continue to contribute in attainment of MDGs used by the government. The projects’ own M&E and and facilitate the UZP to prepare MDG aligned plans and corresponding MIS support will continue for effective budget. The Citizen Perception Survey will be project management and reporting. completed and would lead to creation of database and The long-term impact of UZGP lies in the manner in updating of baseline for new UZP tenure. Policy which the learning generated from the project will be researches will put-forth the landscape of challenges shared and mainstreamed. The project will engage other and opportunity for policy reform. Collectively, the donor supported projects to further common objective analysis will provide insights to fine tune UZGP annual of strengthening LGI that include SHARIQUE of SDC, activities. USAID & UK aid supported project “Democratic Women empowerment will be maintained as corner Participation and Reform Program” and JICA’s intended stone of project activities. WDF formation will be support for Pourshavas to share and mainstream lessons completed for remaining UZP and Districts along with learnt.
Annual Report-2013 33 ANNEXURE Annex -1 Progress made against LFM indicators
Intervention Logic Objectively Verifiable Indicators Achievements of reporting period Result 1: By the end of the project, women and men - Over 134 trainings, workshop sessions Strengthened councilors in all UZPs assert their ability to & policy dialogues held Upazila Parisads as participate in debate and influence - 4131 (3126 Male & 1005 female) more Functional, decision making to a significantly greater elected & Government representatives Transparent and degree (95% confidence level) than those trained Accountable in a control group. - 70% UZP holding monthly meeting & Standing Committees formed By the end of the project, all UZPs are - 12 out of 14 GoB designated RTI officers compliant with 90% of the provisions of in 14 traget UZPs trained the Right to Information Act By the end of the project, all UZPs have 6 By end 2013: key standing committees functioning 100% Committees formed 70% UZPs held mandatory meetings & Baseline value:0 prepared minutes 100% UZPs prepared & submitted budget to LGD 14 target UZPs prepared & printed Annual Plan Book (Annual plan+Budget+5 year vision); 51 under progress By end of project, women UZP 214 WDF formed: 191 at UZP and 23 at representatives and functionaries from all District Total members 7,311 from UP, UZP Upazilas participating in officially& Pourshavas 278 Master Trainers trained registered Women’s Development Fora at (90 Male & 188 Female) 1,717 elected District level. women representatives trained Baseline value:0 By end of project, all UZPs have prepared a Due to political impasse this activity could “Citizens Charter” incorporating not take place arrangements for UZP-constituent relations Baseline value:0 Result 2: A draft horizontal and vertical assignment Upazila Fiscal Facility (UFF) technical Strengthened of key development functions at Upazila guidelines revised and approved by LGD planning and level is agreed with GoB by project budgeting system at mid-term and is tested in 21 Upazila by UZP with MDG end of project. orientation and pro-poor service Baseline value: 0 delivery mechanism
34 Upazila Governance Project (UZGP) By end of project, 14 Upazila have each Assessment of Minimum Conditions, produced development plans responding Performance assessment & Audit to local MDG assessment completed for 14 target UZPs under Baseline value: 0% revised guidelines In final year of project, at least 90% of By 2013, 63 schemes out of approved and performance-based grants are allocated to under implementation 104 schemes are projects identified as MDG-responsive in MDG and gender responsive i.e. 62% annual development plans Baseline value: First round PMS By end of the project, all selected Upazilas Result capture in field will be reported in will have had at least one development 2014 intervention addressing needs of the identified most vulnerable groups (such as the Dalits or other locally excluded groups) Baseline value: 0 Result 3: Policy development: By end of the project, No national firm could qualify to undertake Strengthened at least 2 legislative or regulatory research under procurement process of the national capacityfor instruments influenced by outcome of UNDP. Due to political impasse effective policy piloting activities are drafted and international consultant incoming mission review, monitoring, approved. were with held. Following 2 policy lesson learning and Baseline: current set of legislative and researches will start in 2014: capacity regulatory instruments 1. Local Government System in development of LGIs Bangladesh: Comparative Perspective for enhanced Local and Practices Governance 2. Policy Review of Functional Assignment to Local Governments (Union Parishad and Upazila levels) in the delivery of health and education services 6 Rules and 2 Regulations to elaborate UZP Act initiated Capacity building: By end of the project, the PAG could not meet Policy Advisory Group has prepared and the GoB has adopted a National Framework for Local Government Capacity Development Baseline: No draft framework exists Monitoring: By end of the project, the Project M&E strategy and tools in place to Monitoring, Investigation and Evaluation capture the data. Wing of LGD has a functioning MIS capturing key data on local government performance Baseline: Only a project based MIS (and in early design stage) is used by LGD Backstopping: By the end of the project, the Project’s elaborated M&E tool and being DLG has a sustainable system for monitoring used to aide DLG/DDLG backstopping and backstopping local governments Baseline: No system in place
Annual Report-2013 35 Annex -2 Statement of Expenditure 2013
The following expenditure arrived in 2013 as per final combined delivery report of 2013 against Annual Work Plan 2013
Budget Expenditure Percentage of Outputs (in USD) (in USD) Expenditure
Output 1: Strengthened Upazila Parishads as 1,399,260 1,508,807 108% morefunctional, transparent and accountable
Output 2: Strengthened Planning and Budgetary system at UZP with MDG Orientation and Pro-poor service 946,786 368,331 39% delivery mechanism
Output 3: Strengthened National capacity for effective policy review, monitoring, lesson learning and capacity 333,414 137,296 41% development of local government institutions for enhanced Local Governance
Output 4: Effective Project Management 1,003,375 1,028,305 102%
Total 3,682,835 3,042,738 83%
36 Upazila Governance Project (UZGP) Annex-3 List of IEC Materials and Knowledge Products
Baseline Survey Report on Upazila Governance in Bangladesh
Upazila Parishad Manual (2nd Edition)
Manual for General (Refresher) Training
Manual for Specialised Training
Upazila Fiscal Facility Guideline
14 Upazila Information, Plan and Budget Books
UZGP Fact Sheet
Gender Strategy
Joint Communications Strategy
Women Development Forum (WDF): Concept to Implementation
Engendering Local Government Institutions
Upazila Fiscal Facility: Integrating local planning and Resources for the MGDs
Five Briefs on UZGP
Annual Report-2013 37 Annex-3 Images of IEC Materials and Knowledge Products
38 Upazila Governance Project (UZGP) Annual Report-2013 39 Annex-4 UZGP in News
Sunday, September 1, 2013 ‘Strengthen local govt instts’ Empowering local govt institutions stressed Sunday, 15 September 2013 Star Report Author / Source: BSS RAJSHAHI, SEPT 14: Speakers at a daylong workshop said strengthening the Local Government Speakers at a policy dialogue on local governance yesterday stressed the need for empowering Ins tu ons (LGIs) has become essen al for eleva ng the living and livelihood condi on of the local government institutions (LGIs) at all levels to deliver quality services to the citizen. grassroots people especially the poor and marginalised groups. They viewed cherished and overall development of the na on couldn’t be possible through The policy dialogue was held at the deputy commissioner’s office in Khulna, says a press release. keeping the local government bodies neglected and weakened.
The Upazila Governance Project (UZGP), being implemented by the Local Government Division Du es and responsibili es of the elected public representa ves par cularly the women in (LGD), organised the dialogue to create and collect public opinions on local governance reforms. reserved seats need to be specified. Besides, pro-people services and policy has become The speakers demanded that overlapping functions between LGIs and government functionaries indispensable to make the local bodies effec ve and func onal. at all levels such as union, upazila and district be removed. Upazila Governance Project (UZGP) and Rajshahi Divisional Commissioner’s office jointly
organized the divisional workshop tled “Services and Policy of Local Government Ins tu ons” State Minister for Labour and Employment Begum Monuujan Sufian, as chief guest, said the held at Nanking Darbar Hall. government was committed to reforming and developing the existing local government system. Md Shah Kamal, additional secretary (admin) of LGD and national project director of UZGP was State Minister for Industries Omor Faruk Chowdhury, MP, addressed the inaugural session as the present at the programme as special guest. chief guest with Commissioner of Rajshahi division Helaluddin Ahmed in the chair.
Ziaur Rahman, MP, Ishaque Hossain Talukder, MP, Shahiduzzaman Sarker, MP, Local Government Division Secretary Abu Alam Muhammad Shahid Khan, Director of UZGP Shah Kamal and Assistant Country Director (Head of Local Governance Cluster) Shaila Khan also spoke on the occasion.
Created on August 30, 2013 at 23:08
Strong local government a must for flourishing democracy Our Correspondent, Barisal Development
Service-orientation should be improved in areas related to health, education, agriculture, ϔisheries, livestock, poverty alleviation and gender development
Strengthening capacities and transforming local government institutions is necessary for them to play an instrumental role as functional, democratic and transparent entities, said speakers at a Strengthening local govt stressed to promote democracy workshop. Our Correspondent . Barisal
Stressing the need for drastic reforms of existing local government structures, speakers urged the Participants in a daylong divisional workshop on Friday in the Barisal city stressed strengthen government to amend related laws so elected representatives are able to work effectively and capacity of local government institutions to play an instrumental role in transforming them into independently. fully functional, democratic and transparent entities.
The observations were made at an Upazila Governance Project (UZGP) workshop titled “Service They also underscored the need for drastic reforms to the existing local government system and and Policies of Local Government Institutions” held in Barisal. amendments to the related acts to enable elected representatives of people to work independently and effectively. Participants said the government must take credible steps to strengthen local governance and it is crucial for citizens to be empowered so they can demand quality service delivery in a transparent, The workshop on ‘service and policies of local government institutions’ under Upazila accountable and inclusive manner. Governance Project was held at Barisal Model School and College auditorium. Local government division under ministry of local government, rural development and The programme organised by the Local Government Division, Ministry of Local Government, Rural cooperatives organised the programme for creating and collecting public opinions on local Development and Coopera ves, is part of the project for which the European Union (EU), Swiss Agency governance reforms. for Development and Coopera on (SDC), United Na ons Development Programme (UNDP) and United Na ons Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) are providing financial and technical assistance. European Union, the Swiss Agency for Development and Coopera on, UNDP and UNCDF providing financial and technical assistance to the project, the organisers said.
Promotion of Democracy Call to strengthen local govt→ A Correspondent Strengthen local govt bodies for development: Speakers BARISAL: Par cipants at a day-long divisional workshop on Friday in Barisal stressed the need for strengthening the capaci es of local government ins tu ons to play an instrumental role in Reported on: August 31st, 2013 07:18:45 pm transforming them into fully func onal, democra c and transparent en es. Khulna, Aug 31 (UNB)- Speakers at a policy dialogue on local governance on Saturday stressed
the need for empowering local government institutions (LGIs) at all levels to deliver quality They also laid emphasis on carrying out more reforms in the exis ng local government system to services to the citizen. enable elected representa ves of people to work independently and effec vely. It was also observed that most of the efforts of local government institutions (LGIs) concentrate The workshop on ‘Service and Policies of Local Government Ins tu ons’ under Upazila on micro-infrastructure such as roads and culverts while services like education, health, Governance Project (UZGP) was held at Barisal Model School and College auditorium. agriculture, fisheries, livestock, sports and culture remain neglected.
Local Government Division, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Coopera ves They made the observations at the policy dialogue held at Conference Room of Deputy organised the programme to collect public opinion on local governance reforms. Commissioner’s office. The Upazila Governance Project (UZGP), being implemented by the Local Government Division (LGD), European Union (EU), the Swiss Agency for Development and Coopera on (SDC), UNDP and organised the dialogue aimed at crea ng public opinions on local governance reform from local level UNCDF are providing financial and technical assistance to the project. func onaries, public representa ves, general ci zens and members of the Civil Society Organiza ons (CSOs) and NGOs, said a press release.
40 Upazila Governance Project (UZGP)
Saturday, 31 August 2013 Policy dialogue stresses drastic reforms in local govt system BARISAL, Aug 30 (UNB): Speakers at a policy dialogue on local governance on Friday stressed the need for drastic reforms in the existing local government (LG) system. They made a set of recommendations for bringing reforms to the LG system including removing overlapping functions of government departments and local government institutions (LGIs) of Zilla, Upazila and Union Parishads at all corresponding levels. The recommendations include, among others, balanced allocation of resources, changing existing chairmen and mayor-dominated proto-type presidential system into a parliamentary one and withdrawal of the role of MPs (members of parliament) over the local bodies. The recommendations came at the policy dialogue held at the Barisal Model School and College auditorium in Barisal. The speakers also recommended for more service-orientation, especially in health, education, agriculture, fisheries, livestock, poverty alleviation and gender development, rather than only physical infrastructure development, says a press release. The Upazila Governance Project (UZGP), being implemented by the Local Government Division (LGD), organised the dialogue aimed at creating and collecting public opinions on local governance reforms from local level functionaries, public representatives, general citizens and members of the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and NGOs. The European Union (EU), Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), UNCDF and UNDP, are providing financial and technical assistance to the project.
Annual Report-2013 41 UZGP in Photos
Participants including elected public representatives and government officials are attending a 3-day General Training organised by Upazila Governance Project (UZGP) at National Institute of Local Government (NILG) Dhaka.
Mr. Shah Kamal, Additional Secretry, LGD and National Project Director, UZGP is giving lecture at a session of a General Training organized by the project.
From left- Ms. Shaila Khan, Assistant Country Director and Head, Local Governance Cluster, UNDP Bangladesh, and Mr. Shah Kamal, Additional Secretary, LGD and NPD, UZGP are distributing certificates among the participants of a 9-day Specialised Training organised by UZGP.
42 Upazila Governance Project (UZGP) Mr. Akram-Al-Hossain, Joint Secretary, LGD and Focal Person, UZGP is facilitating a session of a 3-day General Training organised by UZGP at NILG.
The designated Information Officers of 14 select Upazilas are attending a day-long training organised by the project at NILG.
This group photo was taken after the participants completed a 3-day General Training organised by UZGP at Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development (BARD), Comilla.
Annual Report-2013 43 A farmer is speaking at an Open Budget Session at Devhata Upazila in Sathkhira .
In line with the project’s communications strategy, community awareness was raised through installation of 551 UZP Information Billboards at 487 UZP Offices and 64 Deputy Commissioner’s Office premises with detailed roles and responsibilities of Upazila Parishad.
A snapshot of a meeting on formation of Women Development Forum (WDF) held at Badarganj Upazila Parishad, Rangpur.
44 Upazila Governance Project (UZGP) Finance Minister Mr. A M A Muhith is speaking as Chief Guest during a Policy Dialogue jointly organised by the UZGP and UPGP in Sylhet.
UZGP has facilitated holding of five divisional level policy dialogues aimed at reviewing and reforming the policy related to LG electoral system and service delivery.
In efforts to generate and disseminate knowledge on local governance among government officcials, public representatives and general people, the project established Resource Corncers at district and divisional levels.
Annual Report-2013 45 Participants are attending a 5-day Training on Decentralization and Local Development at a city hotel in Dhaka. The UZGP has organised the comprehensive training which was conducted by the team of experts from the Hague Academy for Local Governance, the Netherlands.
Group photo from 5-day Training on Decentralization and Local Development conducted by the Hague Academy for Local Governance, the Netherlands.
46 Upazila Governance Project (UZGP) A 15-day “Skill Development Training in Sataranji Weaving for Women Enterprenuers” provided by the UZGP at Pirganj Upazila Parishad, Rangpur district helped rural poor women to enhance their livelihood skills which evatually bringing the ultra-poor communities out of poverty and empowering the women.
Representatives of the development partners including European Union (EU), Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are looking at handi-craftsin Rangpur prepared by women with support from the project.
The project has provided a “15-day Training on Pottery” in Pirganj Upazila Parishad, Rangpur, aimed at creating self-employment for ultra-poor women and empowering them.
Annual Report-2013 47 Staff of the Upazila Governance Project (UZGP) are attending a Staff Coordination meeting of the project at National Instituite of Local Government (NILG), Dhaka.
Members of the Project Board (PB) of Upazila Governance Project (UZGP) are attending a meeting at NILG, Dhaka. The Project Board (PB), chaired by the NPD, is responsible to oversee the implementation of project activities, preparing and endorsing the annaul and quarterly work plans and progress reports.
Members of the Project Steering Committee (PSC) sits in a meeting at LGD Conference Room. The PSC, chaired by the Secreatry, LGD, serves as a strategic guidance provider and oversight body for the project. The PSC is the key decision-making body for the project and provides policy guidelines, review project progress against targetted results and tracks financial delivery.
48 Upazila Governance Project (UZGP) Upazila Governance Project (UZGP) Local Government Division Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives
Project Office National Institute of Local Government (NILG), 3rd Floor, 29, Agargaon, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka-1207 Tel : (+88-02) 8181109-10, 8181112-13 Website : www.uzgp.org