Solution Exchange Bangladesh

Presentation to Urban Sector LCG

What is Solution Exchange

• A community of practitioners that connects national development professionals and taps Bangladesh’s knowledge pool by creating a common platform to address development challenges

• The “Community of Practice” brings together people with common interests, goals or passions, so they can interact as a group and build connections, familiarity and trust

• These practitioners and the communities that are part of are organized around specific “Practices” within the MDG thematic areas

What is Solution Exchange cont’d

How it works:• Member sends the Community a query (day 1)• Community offers Member solutions (days 2-11) • Community Facilitator augments community response with research (days 2-11)• Consolidated Reply is prepared, sent & archived (day 12)

Typical queries:– Tax assessment systems for local authorities– Minimizing corruption in water service delivery– Social security for unorganized workers– Gender budgeting approaches– Affordable housing schemes for urban poor

Why it works:– Practitioners do not have to reinvent the wheel– Decision-makers get feedback on policies, plans and programmes– Development interventions have a higher chance of success– New ideas and learning spread quickly and multiply

Urban Poverty Community of Practice:What would it look like?

Focus:The Community of Practice on Urban Poverty brings together professionals engaged in delivering basic services and amenities to urban populations with a particular emphasis on the needs of the urban poor, in order to promote equitable access, effective urban governance and sustainable growth and development of Bangladesh’s urban settlements.

Sample of Issues Covered:Access of the urban poor to basic services; Urban poverty reduction strategies; Pro-poor urban development planning and implementation; Urban shelter/land issues; Urban governance and management.

Sample of Leaders of this Community:Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives; LCG Urban sector sub group members ; UN agencies, multi and bi-lateral donors; civil society organizations, Policy think-tanks, research and academic institutions.

Who should join:Government policy-makers, planners, programme managers (national and local levels); Mayors, urban LGI representatives; Activist and community leaders; NGO staff; private sector contractors and service providers; Academics, professionals, and think tanks; Professionals and practitioners from multilateral, bilateral and international organizations

Solution Exchange Structure

Resource Group

(Significant potential for Urban LCG participation and leadership)

Community of PracticeConvener - UNDP

Facilitation team: Facilitator Research Associate

Community Members

What is the role for the Urban Sector LCG?

• Following the highly successful Urban Conversation event, UNDP wishes to find a way of systematizing this ‘conversation’, targeted at achieving results in the area of urban poverty reduction.

• Solution Exchange offers a tool by which to do so.

• Within each Community of Practice is a smaller “Resource Group” (approximately 15-20 individuals) that offers leadership and guidance; provides and stimulates necessary momentum; and acts as a pool of expert knowledge for the Community.

• The Urban Poverty Community Resource Group is a potential entry point for the Urban Sector LCG, a clear fit of leadership, expertise, experience and engagement.

Next Steps

• UNDP will begin initial administrative/logistical matters in the next month

• Following the recruitment of the CoP Facilitator, the resource group is approached (by facilitator) and signed up (month 2)

• Community members solicited and signed up (months 2-3)

• Launch event identified; CoP focus/issues etc finalised; explanatory and promotional materials produced (month 3)

• First query posted; replies solicited; first Consolidated Replies generated (month 3-4)