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A satisfactory policy and governance situation and assured
accountability are pre-conditions for all other aid modalities. The
Netherlands Ministe
r for Development Co-operation has made a very
clear statement: a bad governance situation is not a reason to
reconsider aid, but a Government who is not willing to work on
improvement of the Governance situation is.
Bangladesh has made some impressive progress towards achieving the
MDG goals, especially in the field of education and health. But in
order to reach adequate poverty reduction efforts aimed at promoting
good governance need to continue. Achieving the MDGs requires a firm
commitment to good governance, which includes upholding the rule of
law and promoting human rights and human security, a system of
transparency and accountability and ensuring free and fair
elections. The PRSP formulated some priorities to move towards a
coherent governance strategy and presents an opportunity to embark
on for the Netherlands Embassy
Debates about good governance dont always address automatically the
question of
gender inequality. The Royal
Netherlands Embassy has decided to address gender very explicitly in
its governance programme, focussing on violence against women,
engendering poverty reduction strategies and promoting womens
political participation
In this program specific support will be given to interventions that
will support improvements in the following three areas:
Ensuring human security and human rights:
Clear laws, justly implemented, transparently and efficiently are
the cornerstones of good governance as they enable people to
exercise their choices and rights safely and freely now and in the
future. The most vulnerable in society, women, children and ethnic
and religious minorities are the least protected against human
security and human right violations. At present the Embassy is
supporting the ILO for its program on the elimination of child
labour, is contributing to UNICEFs birth registration program and
its program on combating sexual violence against children en women.
The plays a very active the Embassy role in engendering the PRSP and
has initiated the womens department of Dhaka University. The
Embassy supports several organisations in fighting against violence
against women (Acid Survivors, Steps, and RDRS).
Fighting Corruption:
Corruption is a symptom of bad governance, undermining both the
effectiveness and legitimacy of government. Corruption also reduces
the effectiveness and legitimacy of development co-operation.
Corruption is hampering the sustainable economic growth needed to
escape the poverty trap. In the end only a strong civil society with
political opposition, an independent press and service users who
claim their rights can serve as a long term mechanism against
corruption. The Embassy provides support to the Ministry of Finance
through the Financial Management Reform Program to improve public
administration and is contributing to BEI for a programme aimed at
improving corporate governance.
Enhancing Democracy:
A democratically elected Parliament that is a true representation of
society and an active citizenry are the foundations of democracy and
good governance and thereby contribute to an environment that
attracts foreign investment. The Embassy has provided support for
local and international election observers in the previous elections
and is currently supporting Brotee in monitoring the upcoming
elections.
GENDER
The MDGs affirm that a development agenda for economic and social
goals cannot be separated from an agenda for the promotion of human
rights, of gender equality and of empowerment of women. Gender
mainstreaming is a way to ensure that policy and decision-making
take account of mens and womens different interest and needs and
contribute to equality between men and women as well as to
empowerment of women. Bangladesh made some very impressive progress
towards gender equality, but more needs to be done. Beautiful words
have been put on paper, good research has been done, the PRSP and
part of the budget has been engendered but violence against women is
persistent, there are roll backs in womens reproductive rights and
the rise of fundamentalism is a growing threat to womens rights.
Women specific initiatives are supported through the
Governance program in the following areas: combating
violence against women, engendering poverty reduction strategies and
promoting womens political participation.
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