Strengthening Democratic Governance in UP
Summary of the MJ project
Bangladesh Union Parishad Forum (BUPF) with its national, divisional, district and upazila committees has become the unified voice of the UPs. But due to lack of experience and support they can hardly function in spite of their intention to become people's effective representative.The project is being undertaken to empower them so that they can work for the people as expected by the community which in the long run will ensure good governance in the country. Broader purpose of this project is to enhance UPs capacity in democratic and participatory decision making (planning, budgeting, implementing and monitoring, oversee service delivery and internal transparency) and effective advocacy incorporating stakeholders especially, poor, women and ethnic minorities.
| Division | Districts | Upazills | UPs |
| Dhaka | Tangail | 11 | 102 |
| Mymensing | 12 | 146 | |
| Chittagong | Chittagong | 14 | 197 |
| Rangamati | 10 | 48 | |
| Rajshahi | Gaibandha | 7 | 82 |
| Natore | 6 | 52 | |
| Khulna | Chuadanga | 4 | 31 |
| Jessore | 8 | 92 | |
| Sylhet | Moulovibazer | 6 | 62 |
| Sylhet | 11 | 102 | |
| Barishal | Jhalkhati | 4 | 32 |
| Barishal | 10 | 86 | |
| Total | 12 | 103 | 1037 |
Key activities:
Facilitate BUPF to become a sustainable platform of UPs through providing them divisional level office support; Impart TOT to more than 1,400 potential UP and BUPF leaders on participatory planning, budgeting, UP management, implementation and monitoring in order to develop them as change agents; Set up a joint oversight role of UP and community people over local service delivery departments (health, education, agriculture) by activating UP standing committees; Facilitate BUPF and UPs to undertake effective policy advocacy; and Initiate interactive dialogue between UPs, local bureaucrats MPs and other development partners.