Title

Activating Village Courts in Bangladesh – Phase II (AVCB-II)

The Activating Village Courts (II) in Bangladesh Project seeks to support the Village Courts system in Bangladesh as an effective total dispute resolution mechanism. It aims to improve access to justice, particularly for disadvantaged and marginalized groups in Bangladesh.

Duration

From 1/1/2016  to 27/12/2020  

Budget

Total costs : EUR 34,044,100  EU Contribution: EUR 29,500,000

Locations

All districts of Bangladesh including CHT

Implementing Organizations

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Bangladesh

Objectives, Outputs and Outcome

Overall Objective: To empower and enable the poor, women and vulnerable groups to access a fair, effective, expeditious, transparent and affordable system of dispute resolution at the local government level in all districts of Bangladesh.

Specific Objectives:

• To make local authorities more responsive to local justice needs and offer appropriate legal services in the form of well-functioning Village Courts / local justice mechanisms in CHT;
• To empower local people, especially women, the poor and vulnerable groups to seek remedies for injustices and to resolve their disputes at the local level in an expeditious, transparent and affordable manner.

 Expected Results

• Result 1.1: Capacity of relevant stakeholders at local and national level improved and key skills strengthened to enable Village Courts in new target Union Parishads and local justice mechanisms in CHT to function effectively by the end of project implementation
• Result 1.2: Legal and policy framework revised to enhance efficiency and effectiveness of Village Courts and local justice mechanisms in CHT.
• Result 1.3: GoB monitoring capacity for evaluating Village Courts and other local justice mechanisms’ performance is strengthened and systematised
• Result 2.1: Beneficiaries in project areas understand the roles and functions of the Village Courts and other local justice mechanisms and are able to access their services when required
• Result 2.2: Evidence-base and knowledge management on Village Courts increased

Target group(s)

1080 Union Parishads throughout Bangladesh plus Unions in CHT

Final beneficiaries

poor, women and vulnerable groups that will be able to access fair, effective, expeditious, transparent and affordable system of dispute resolution at the local government level in all districts of Bangladesh