SDG Union Strategy

This is a demand-driven development process, where communities move through phases at their own pace, meeting benchmarks throughout a five-year timeline that aligns with the UP election cycle—key to community ownership and sustainability. The strategy is implementable with limited resources, given its focus on volunteer leaders at the community-level. About US$25,000 is required per Union per year—inclusive of training facilitation costs, monitoring through household surveys, and program management. Key activities include: 1) Transforming Mindsets. Creating an SDG Union begins by awakening citizens to their capacity to make a difference. 2) Village Development Committees (VDC) are formed by animators—trained women and youth leaders, champions of good governance and girls’ rights, and facilitators who create groups among the ultra-poor—who work closely with the UP members to encourage increased access to resources. 3) Transforming Gender Relations. To address pervasive gender inequality, women leaders organize “courtyard” meetings where all can participate to discuss sensitive issues, such as halting domestic violence and child marriage, keeping girls in school, and other human rights. 4) Mobilizing Local Government. UP representatives attend training to transform their mindset and provide them with statutory information about their role. The UP, in partnership with the VDCs, holds meetings to generate awareness of service standards, set local priorities and activate functional standing committees. 5) Sustaining Peace and Social Harmony. The rise in violence in Bangladesh is a threat to progress on the SDGs. Animators are trained to analyze the situation and carry out actions to promote peace and social harmony.