Strengthening Democratic Local Governance (SDLG) in Bangladesh: Quarterly Progress Performance Report—No. 11

The project aims to expand the roles and authorities of local governments, strengthen local government associations, improve service delivery and resource mobilization of local government units, and ensure public participation, accountability, and transparency in local government finances and decision-making. The SDLG Project has four main objectives: to expand the roles and authorities of local governments, to strengthen and expand the capacity of local government associations, to improve and expand the service delivery and resource mobilization of local government units, and to ensure public participation, accountability, and transparency in local government finances and decision-making. The project's technical strategy involves building on USAID/Bangladesh's history of local governance support programs, linking with USAID/Bangladesh's and other donor's programs, integrating global and local lessons learned and proven tools for successful and sustainable local governance programming, identifying, developing, and demonstrating to local governments innovative practices to improve performance, integrating gender and youth concerns across the SDLG program while supporting women's participation, and acquiring, developing, and disseminating through multiple media information on the SDLG and local governments in Bangladesh. Component 1 of the SDLG Project focuses on the roles and authorities of local governments. In the extension period, this component features research and advocacy events designed to support detailed understanding by relevant Government of Bangladesh officers and development partners of the roles and authorities of local governments. Major achievements in this component include the organization of national conferences on local government policy and practice, the development of a policy brief on the roles and authorities of local governments, and the establishment of a working group on local governance. Component 2 of the SDLG Project focuses on transparent and effective service delivery by local governments. In the extension period, this component features activities designed to improve the management performance of local government units, enhance sector collaboration for service delivery, and increase citizen oversight of local governments and sector service delivery. Major achievements in this component include the development of a performance monitoring plan for local government units, the establishment of a working group on sector collaboration, and the organization of citizen participation forums. Component 3 of the SDLG Project focuses on citizen participation in local decision-making. In the extension period, this component features activities designed to improve citizen participation in local governance, increase citizen oversight of local governments and sector service delivery, and ensure public participation, accountability, and transparency in local government finances and decision-making. Major achievements in this component include the development of a policy brief on citizen participation in local governance, the establishment of a working group on citizen participation, and the organization of open budget meetings. Cross-cutting themes and approaches in the SDLG Project include integration, communication, gender, and youth. The project aims to integrate its activities with USAID sector project activities in health, agriculture, human rights, and climate change, and to communicate its results and lessons learned to local governments, development partners, and other stakeholders. The project also aims to integrate gender and youth concerns across its program while supporting women's participation and youth engagement in local governance. The SDLG Project has made significant progress in the extension period, with major achievements in each of its components. The project has organized national conferences on local government policy and practice, developed policy briefs on the roles and authorities of local governments and citizen participation in local governance, established working groups on local governance, sector collaboration, and citizen participation, and organized citizen participation forums and open budget meetings. The project has also developed a performance monitoring plan for local government units and established a working group on sector collaboration.