Community E ngagement Capacity Assessment (LRPS-2021-9170538) Prepared by Abul Barkat, PhD

Dhaka: March 30, 2022 ix EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Objective and Methodology The study's objective is to assess the community engagement capacity of UNICEF’s programme implementing partners and counterparts for the planning, implementation, and monitoring of community engagement and the approaches and tools these partners employ for community engagement. [...] The government authorities attempt to identify and include the vulnerable, disadvantaged and marginalized groups with the help of the local government representatives and community workers. [...] Community engagement refers to exchanging information, knowledge, ideas, and resources between the communities and other stakeholders involved in the community development process and activities and designing, decision-making, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of activities and governance. [...] 1.2 OBJECTIVES AND PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY The purpose of the research is to assess the capacity of UNICEF Programme implementing and potential partners and counterparts (including policymakers, budget planners, researchers, programme planners and implementers) for the planning, implementation and monitoring of community engagement and the approaches and tools that these partners are employing for c. [...] ▪ To establish the availability or absence of institutional structures and mechanisms for Community Engagement within the relevant UNICEF counterpart Ministries and Departments and the opportunities that exist for institutionalising or strengthening existing mechanisms and structures; and ▪ To generate the report informing the way forward to standardise and institutionalise Community Engagement.