Local Government-based community Water and Sanitation services, Bangladesh

Timeframe:  2005 – 2008

Implemented by WSP

Partners: Local Government Division, BWSPP (DPHE), RDA Bogra, SDC, Danida, DFID, AusAID

Desired Project Outcome:

Planning and management capacity of Union Parishads enhanced to improve water and environmental sanitation services through NGOs, private operators and communities.

Project Description:

The fundamental challenge across the SA Region is to reform the institutions of service delivery to create institutional structures, with a capacity to efficiently deliver these services. The World Bank CAS prioritizes building stronger local institutions and governance across development programs. The joint CAS recognizes that the policy context is slowly changing towards strengthening local governance as a mechanism to enhance basic local service delivery.

The purpose of this project is to enhance the capacity of the local government actors at Union Parishad level to improve basic services and livelihoods of their communities. This project contributes to the GoB’s overall local government reform and decentralisation process, and its related programs of incrementally strengthening local governance.

This project aims to:

a) Strengthen local government institutions, private providers and communities in at least six Union Parishads by year 08 to develop strategic plans and to facilitate implementation and sustainable management of water and environmental sanitation related services and facilities;
b) Develop communication strategy for decentralised service delivery, targeting policy makers and key stakeholders;
c) Aware policy makers on livelihood improvements through multi-purpose use of water.

Under this project WSP will:

• provide capacity enhancement to project partners, including local government institutions (LGIs), to address challenges in planning, financial management, project management and monitoring & evaluation, and to NGOs/Sponsors to prepare, implement and manage community water schemes on sustainable and cost-effective basis, with special reference to BWSPP;

• develop strategic communication approach to influence policy makers and other key stakeholders to support decentralised service delivery;

• Undertake a study to inform policy makers on livelihood improvements through multi-purpose use of water (in Bangladesh, India and Nepal).

Assumptions:

1. GoB central agencies and national politicians do not intervene with project implementation, and allow local governments, communities and sponsors (NGOs) to take charge of service delivery
2. Influential drivers (Champions) and commitment to improve water and environmental sanitation related services and facilities in a UP exist at local government levels
3. NGOs/sponsors are available and willing to prepare, implement, and commit to manage community water schemes, and are able to invest in capital costs
4. Communities are willing to share the capital costs and continue paying 100% of the operating costs

Indicators of outcome:

1. At least six UPs that have participated in the capacity building program have adopted water and environmental sanitation management plans and are implementing activities by their own initiative and resources – June 2008
2. Communication Strategy applied in large scale projects – February 2008
3. Key design principles for livelihoods & multi-purpose use of water incorporated into at least one government/donor project – June 2008

You can access the description of the programme through the database of WSP activities.