Bangladesh - Belgium

Citizens’ Voice and Accountability Evaluation – Bangladesh Country Case Study
6 Recommendations
Harmonisation provides an opportunity for donors to develop a coherent theory (or
theories) of change on enhancing CVA, with an accompanying strategy and set of
interventions. These interventions need not reduce the scope for imaginative thinking
but should cohere around an understanding of: (i) the need to address capabilities
and entry points for voice; (ii) the need to address capabilities, incentives and
sanctions for responsiveness; and (iii) the need to tackle the opportunity structure for
CVA (this means being more transparent about strategic assumptions regarding the
link between micro and macro level). We recommend that donors use the Local
Consultative Group on Governance to discuss and agree on coherent theory/ies
of change. To avoid duplication and problems associated with attribution when many
actors are working in the same geographic and thematic areas, donors should
request fundees to regularly undertake surveillance of their operating microenvironment
(internal and external) and actively search for alliances and minimise
duplication.
The findings suggest that voice is primarily supported through NGO interventions
which are relatively risk-free 29 , urban–centric and supportive of a somewhat common
ideology. If donors are serious about supporting diverse (and dissenting) voices and
contributing to a vibrant civil society 30 then they will have to be creative about
funding. The current requirements of “projectisation” put pressure on organisations to
meet targets and prove impact which is not always appropriate for CVA interventions,
particularly in the initial stages. Furthermore it places less knowledgeable actors
(groups other than NGOs) at a disadvantage. MJF (DFID’s window for voice
interventions) does not fund organisations which are not registered NGOs or
research bodies as it is set up primarily to fund ‘projects’. Taking just one example,
social movements in Bangladesh which are historically situated and which have
grown “organically” are not necessarily suited to a logframe straightjacket of inputs
and outputs. Neither are they automatically well suited to having loads of money
thrown at them. Indeed some of the most effective movements are resource light.
The answer here is perhaps not to “over-design” interventions that support CVA
movements and processes. Perhaps the OXFAM approach with “We Can” is a good
example of how this can work. There are many informal groups, temporary issuebased
groups, faith-based groups and political groups which are part of the fabric of
a pluralistic society. Most of these have little hope of accessing funds either because
they are unregistered, too small or too “risky”. Donors should find ways to ensure a
level playing field in terms of voice to include formal/informal organisations, big
voices/little voices, mainstream and unconventional voices. Possibilities lie in
providing funds for public access resources, such as online toolkits for mounting
local and national level advocacy, databases of alternative financial resources (both
national and international so that they can seek funds beyond the traditional bilateral
donors) and data base of citizen entitlements, resources on negotiating and other
communication skills and generic civic education. There are models for such
interventions in other countries and with the rapid spread of access to internet, such
investments could have significant reach. In addition, donors should consider funding
processes and platforms which can be opened up to more diverse voices.
To address the idea that voice is valuable in its own right and the study finding that
funding is often too inflexible 31 , donors might consider providing open-ended
funding without trying to control and measure implementation (inputs-outputs) and
29 As opposed to support for Trade Unions, social and political movements.
30 One defined by participants of the Inception workshop as accommodating many voices.
31 Does not allow for changed context, opportunistic moments, time needed for behaviour
change.
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