Project Title: Strengthening Local Governance Project.
Project Background:
According to the constitution of Bangladesh it is the responsibility of the state to establish the basic rights of the citizens and to ascertain their responsibilities and facilities. The government through its different departments or state functionaries ensures these facilities for the people, although services are quite insignificant or inadequate in comparison to the demand of the common people. It is also not justified to expect so many things from the government of such a poor country. But it is equally true that these allotted government facilities are also do not reach to the all sections of people. Side by side, the general people also do not know what their civic rights are. As such, the poor people are being neglected from getting these facilities. The local government, particularly the union council would be a reliable institution for ensuring these services including development of appropriate/suitable leadership. But due to its weak structure and lack of political goodwill the union councils of our country are not in the position to play effective role in providing expected services to its citizens. In this circumstance, the village courts need to be strengthened and made effective in getting justice at the local level and in developing the system of accessing to the government/public agriculture, education and health services and facilities for the grassroots people. On above circumstances, Dak Diye Jai has started implementing the project.
Duration: December 2004 to continuing.
Area Coverage: Pirojpur Sadar upazila of Pirojpur district.
Source of Funding: DANIDA through Wave Foundation.
Project Goal: To create people’s opinion for getting government facilities and establishing social justice in the project working area through strengthening and making effective the UP standing Committee, village court and the service providing agencies.
Objective of the project: To facilitate establishing effective communication and coordination among the people, civil society representatives and the local government institutions in getting the Union Parishad (Union Council) and government facilities and services on the basis of the demand of the people.
Project Participants: Community people, Union Council, civil society, service providing agencies of GoB.
Major Interventions:
- Strengthening the UP Standing Committee, Village Court and other public service providing organizations;
- Form People’s Alliance to enhance public opinion for the poor and marginalized people;
- Lobbying with the government/public service providing institutions officials;
- Conduct training.