Leadership Development Program (LDP) Annual Report Period: October 1, 2014 – September 30, 2015

The goal of LDP is to increase the capacity and participation of citizens to effectively and actively engage in democratic processes and enhance community development in Bangladesh. This goal is framed by two integrated programmatic objectives: (1) to build the capacity of community leaders to become change agents for democratic processes and development and (2) to build the capacity of youth to become change agents for democratic processes and development. The LDP training program consists of a three-phased approach to leadership development, wherein leaders are trained in the following cycle of trainings: Appreciative Community Leadership, Development Issues, and Good Governance and Community Development. The program aims to build the capacity of community leaders and youth to become change agents for democratic processes and development. The political context in Bangladesh during this quarter was marked by a surge in protests within academia, particularly in Dhaka, where students called for strikes to fight against value-added tax fees that were being imposed onto their tuitions. More than 200,000 educators were involved in protesting a new pay scale that had been adopted by the Government of Bangladesh (GOB), which led to interrupted school and class time. The government has yet to take any visible measure to diffuse the unrest. Despite the tense political context, the LDP continued to implement its activities, including the development of a revised workplan for program year 4 (PY4). The revised workplan focuses on post-training activities, targeted interventions in areas with the most LDP influence, and a sustainability plan that provides implementing partners with tools to engage the government on service delivery and democracy building. Counterpart organized several meetings with its implementing partners to flesh out ideas for advocacy, targeted interventions with local/sub-national government officials, and a format for the revised application of the Union Development Forum (UDF). A new initiative, national level advocacy, was also discussed, with the goal of providing leaders with the tools to continue advocating for change after the program ends. The LDP also celebrated International Youth Day in August, organizing several events, including cultural programs, rallies, meetings to discuss youth relevant issues, speaking at a talk show on a local radio station, and participating in a rally. These events aimed to raise awareness about youth issues and promote youth participation in democratic processes. The LDP's activities are closely monitored by Counterpart and the international community in Dhaka, with a focus on ensuring staff safety and security. The program continues to adapt to the changing political context in Bangladesh, with a focus on building the capacity of community leaders and youth to become change agents for democratic processes and development.