Building bridges in Bhola, Bangladesh

This video shows how the Watershed programme supports civil society organisations (CSO) to ensure participation of marginalised people in planning for better water and sanitation services and flood protection in the coastal district of Bhola in Bangladesh. For this purpose national CSO DORP set up the local Water Management Citizen Committee (WMCC). Through coaching sessions on lobby, advocacy and budget tracking, WMCC members learn to share their opinions in a more structured way.

We meet houseboat resident and WMCC member Kohinoor Begum, who submitted a successful petition to the local government to install a borehole. Babul, secretary of the local market business committee explains how he lobbied for a drain and public toilets. Through social mapping, community needs and problems are translated into solutions with a corresponding budget. This approach makes it possible to submit very targeted proposals during budget sessions of the Union Council, increasing the chances that citizen's demands are heard and followed up.