Policy
Influencing
Successful policy influencing requires mobilization of researched evidence, its transformation into effective policy messages, targeting of the relevant policy audience and perseverance in facilitating outcomes. These outcomes whether in terms of changes in policy mind-sets or in specific reform results have been a key objective. PPRC’s research and advocacy activities have directly contributed to policy changes in four specific areas:
Local governance
PPRC was instrumental in contributing to scaling up policy attention to the local government agenda. In 2002, PPRC facilitated the formation of the Local Government Support Group with high profile national actors and together with the Ministry of Local Government co-organized an international conference on Local Government: Issues and way Forward out of which many specific policy steps later followed. These included financial strengthening of rural local government through block grants from around 2004, opening of a position of elected women vice-chair in the upazila parishad in 2008, introduction of orientation training for newly elected union parishad chairman and members in 2003. More recently, PPRC has been working with the association of city mayors.
Monga (extreme poverty) eradication
PPRC research starting from the 1990s played an instrumental role in bringing the issue of monga or extreme seasonal poverty in northern districts to greater national attention. This was pursued through a large-scale DFID-supported four district comprehensive study, pre- and post-season regional and national workshops organized by PPRC and the promotion of a holistic strategy to address the multiple causes of such extreme poverty.
Poverty reduction strategy
PPRC undertook background research with DFID support to contribute to the formulation of the poverty reduction strategy of the government in 2004, particularly in the section on poverty analytics. The preparation of this document served as a template in many ways for subsequent five-yearly national development plans. PPRC Chair served as the lead consultant in the preparation of the document titled Unlocking the Potential.
Social protection
As a corollary to the preparation of the poverty reduction strategy of the government in 2004, PPRC co-organized together with the General Economics Division of the Planning Commission the first national workshop to moot the idea of a comprehensive approach to social protection in Bangladesh. Subsequently, the Centre with UNDP support undertook a 2-volume assessment of safety net programs (2009-11) that led to the international conference on social protection in 2011 in Dhaka inaugurated by the Honourable Prime Minister. PPRC Chair, on request from the GED, Planning Commission subsequently prepared the framework paper for the preparation of the National Social Security Strategy that was adopted in 2015.
Address:
Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC)
House 15, Road 12 (old 31), Dhanmondi R/A, Dhaka 1209
Phone: +880258155467
Email: info@pprc-bd.org