The social development program of BRAC undertook a program to create conditions for more active civic engagement by the rural poor in tabbing resources for their development and to strengthen capacities of local government to provide more accountable and effective governance. As part of the project’s inception phase, this study conducts a baseline survey among members of the Union Parishad (UP) – the lowest administrative level in Bangladesh – and the Polli Shomaj (PS), a rural community-based organization convened by BRAC. The survey aims to assess to what extent the UP members are pro-poor and gender sensitive, and the services that they provide to the poor. The study was conducted in two districts- Bogra and Jessore. The sample size of the study was 610 UP members, 549 executive committee members of 50 PS and 199 PS general members. The study reveals that people have very little access to the decision-making process of standing committees of UP, mostly because committees are non-functional. Few UP members were aware of the PS and its activities.
Authors: Khan, Ashrafuzzaman; Rahman, Md. Mafizur; Evans; Chris
Type: Report
Year: 2011
