Strengthening Democratic Local Governance (SDLG) in Bangladesh: Quarterly Progress Performance Report—No. 9

The project aims to expand the roles and authorities of local governments, strengthen and expand the capacity of local government associations, improve and expand the service delivery and resource mobilization of local government units, and ensure public participation, accountability, and transparency in local government finances and decision-making. The project has four main components: Component 1 focuses on the roles and authorities of local governments, Component 2 emphasizes advocacy and capacity building of local government associations, Component 3 targets transparent and effective service delivery by local governments, and Component 5 addresses windows of opportunity. The project also includes foundational activities for the 2014-15 extension period. In the January to March 2014 reporting period, the SDLG project transitioned to an extension year and collaborated with Presidential Initiatives, including the Global Health Initiative, Feed the Future, and the Global Climate Change initiative. The project drew on its experience with local committees overseeing service delivery and mobilizing communities through Citizens in Governance forums to link USAID sector project activities to local government units. Component 1, Roles and Authorities of Local Governments, achieved several milestones in the reporting period. Task A, Research and Information Dissemination, conducted research on the roles and authorities of local governments and disseminated information to policymakers. Task B, Policy Dialogue, facilitated policy dialogue at the national level, while Task C, Innovative Practices, tested and disseminated innovative practices and partnerships with local governments. Task D, Partnership Building, built partnerships with local governments to demonstrate the benefits of policy reform. Component 2, Advocacy and Capacity Building of Local Government Associations, also made progress in the reporting period. Task A, Training and Technical Assistance, provided training and technical assistance to local government associations, while Task B, Operational Support Services, provided operational support services to these associations. Component 3, Transparent and Effective Service Delivery by Local Governments, focused on training and technical assistance for local government units. Task A, Training and Technical Assistance, provided training and technical assistance to local government units, while foundational activities for the 2014-15 extension period were also implemented. Component 4, Citizen Participation in Local Decision-Making, emphasized developing citizen participation forums and providing training and technical assistance to local government units. Task A, Developing Citizen Participation Forums, developed citizen participation forums, while Task B, Training and Technical Assistance, provided training and technical assistance to local government units. Component 5, Windows of Opportunity, focused on foundational activities for the 2014-15 extension period. The project drew on its experience with local committees overseeing service delivery and mobilizing communities through Citizens in Governance forums to link USAID sector project activities to local government units. The project also made progress in communications and monitoring and evaluation. Major achievements and challenges in these areas are summarized in the report.