Swedish Development
Cooperation with Bangladesh –
A Brief Overview
SWEDISH DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION
WITH BANGLADESH – A BRIEF OVERVIEW
The current overall aim of Swedish development cooperation with Bangladesh is to help improve
living conditions for the poor, with particular emphasis on women and children. The two guiding
principles are the perspective of the poor and the rights perspective (participation, nondiscrimination, transparency and accountability). Non-earmarked pooled funding to the Sector
Programmes in Education and Health constitutes a large portion, some 80%, of the total
cooperation programme. Urban environment and Climate change are other areas of cooperation.
Contributions to different institutions/organizations complement the sector programmes and
contribute to the promotion of democracy and respect for human rights. In monetary terms
Swedish development assistance is currently in the order of some 37 million USD per year.
The Health Sector
Sweden´s strategy objective for this sector is improved access to efficient and non-discriminatory quality
health care for people living in poverty, with a particular focus on maternal health care. Health in Bangladesh
has improved significantly over the last couple of decades. Bangladesh is well on track to meet
the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) relating to Child Health and Maternal Mortality
and has made impressive gains in fertility reduction. However, much remains to be done. The
burden of death, ill health and malnutrition falls disproportionately on the poor, and the poor are
not benefiting fully from publicly subsidised healthcare. To meet the strategy objective, Sweden
gives support to the health sector programme HPNSDP, and to complementing actors working
with urban health for the poor and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, SRHR.
I. Health, Population and Nutrition Sector Development Programme (HPNSDP)
Led by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) and administered by the World
Bank, this programme for the period 2011-2016 aims to improve access to and utilization of essential
health, population and nutrition services, particularly by the poor. Sweden is one of eleven donors, with a
support of 415 MSEK, around 0,8% of the total support for the programme, that is said to be
the world´s biggest health sector programme. With Swedish support a Health Care Financing
Strategy for 2012-2032 has been drafted, aiming at universal health coverage. Since 2005, Sweden
has financed a seconded midwife at UNFPA, and has thereby been instrumental in introducing
the training of 3000 midwifes, that is now part of HPNSDP. The goal is 20 000 trained midwifes
in ten years, with the objective to reduce maternal mortality.
II. Urban Primary Health Care Services Delivery Project (UPHCDSP)
This project is a continuation of two earlier phases of urban primary health care. The urban
population has been growing rapidly in Bangladesh, and currently represents about 33% of total
population. The absolute number of poor urban house-holds is increasing. The UPHCDSP is a
five year project 2012-2016. It helps ensure the delivery of a package of preventive, promotional
and curative health services to the poor in eight cities (city corporations and municipalities). The
Project continues to contract out primary health care services to nongovernmental organizations
(NGOs) through partnership agreements. The Project has ensured pro-poor targeting by
providing at least 30% of free services to the poor. Urban health is delivered through the
Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development in Bangladesh. However, the Ministry of
Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) is responsible for the monitoring and supervision of the
project activities. The total project cost is estimated to be 580 MSEK. Sweden provides 145
MSEK through an agreement with ADB.
III. Sexual and Reproductive Health & Rights (SRHR) Programme
This Swedish support enables a consortium of NGOs, headed by Reproductive Health Services,
Training and Education Programme (RH STEP) to continue to deliver and promote Sexual and
Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) services and capacity building with a focus on safe
Menstrual Regulation (MR) or early abortion. This support complements the support to the
Health Sector Programme in Bangladesh. The Embassy has also brokered to build partnerships
between the Swedish Association of Sexuality Education (RFSU), the icddr,b (see below) and
NGOs, based on their common interests in the area of SRHR. The volume of support by
Sweden for the period 2010-2014 is approximately 42 MSEK .
IV. Research Assistance
icddr,b (International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh) is a well reputed
international research institute focusing on health and population issues. The goal of the Swedish
support is to improve health of the poor, especially focusing on sexual and reproductive health
and rights, through improved knowledge on which to base health policy and practice. Sweden
will contribute a total of 30 MSEK from the Bangladesh Country Frame to icddr,b during 2012–
2013. Additional support is given from Sida´s research funding.
The Education Sector
Bangladesh invests around 15 % of its national budget on education. The share of education in
the GDP is around 2.3%, lower than other countries in the region. The overall literacy rate is
63%. In 2011, primary education net enrolment stood at 98,7% and the primary completion rate
at 71,3%. Bangladesh achieved gender parity in primary (50,5%) and secondary education in
2005. Bangladesh is likely to achieve 100% net primary enrolment by 2015 if the high drop-out
rate (45,1%) can be curbed. However, reaching a 100% completion rate at primary level and a
100% literacy rate by 2015 is unlikely given the current trends and low level of learning
achievement.
The aim of Swedish support to education in Bangladesh is increased access to and improved quality of
primary education for children living in poverty, with a particular focus on girls. The Swedish support is
provided to the formal Third Primary Education Development Programme (PEDP 3), and in the
non-formal sector to the Basic Education for Hard to Reach Urban Working Children
(BEHTRUWC), and the Center for Mass Education in Science (CMES). The formal and nonformal interventions complement each other and contribute to fulfilling the goals in Bangladesh
Education for All National Plan of Action.
I. Third Primary Education Development Programme (PEDP 3) 2011–2016
PEDP 3 is a five year sector programme support modality, supported by the Government and 9
Development Partners (DPs) including Sweden. The total budget is USD 8,3 billion, of which
the Government provides 85%. The Swedish contribution is MSEK 310. PEDP 3 covers the
entire country through the public primary school system. In Bangladesh, about 83% of primary
schooling is covered by the public sector, the remainder is covered by private schools and
NGOs. The goal of PEDP 3 is to establish an efficient, inclusive and equitable primary education system
delivering effective and relevant child-friendly learning to all Bangladesh´s children from pre-primary through grade
V. The government ownership of the programme has been strong. Sweden in collaboration with
the Government and other donors have been able to introduce results based management (RBM)
to ensure a better focus on results and outcomes, and to support qualitative planning,
implementation, and management, which are among the weak areas. Also, the BETHRUWC
model (see below) will now be included in the PEDP 3.
II. Basic Education for Hard to Reach Urban Working Children (BEHTRUWC) 2005–
2013
The BEHTRUWC project is a government project for 166 150 urban working children
contributing to the gradual elimination of child labour in a country with 7-8 million child
workers. It is funded by the Government, UNICEF, Sweden and Canada with a revised budget
of USD 43,45 million. The Swedish contribution is MSEK 182,25 .
Since opening of the learning centers (LCs) in 2006, there are 6646 LCs operating. The Swedish
funds have been utilized for development of life skills based education materials, for opening
new LCs, NGO support, certificates for children completing different cycles, training of trainers,
teachers, supervisors, strengthening capacity in policy implementation and monitoring, and
awareness building on child rights.
III. Center for Mass Education in Science (CMES)
In the case of CMES, Sweden contributed SEK 18 million for a former phase, as a co-financier
with SDC (Swiss Development Cooperation). A new support is planned. Most of the quantitative
targets in the previous phase were met, and substantial progress has been made with regard to
qualitative targets that focus on better technical skills based curriculum, more support in
employment/self employment initiatives, gender and poverty monitoring, and community social
enterprises. Both these interventions cater to children and adolescents not covered by the formal
system – dropouts, illiterates. With other similar interventions they help to contribute to the
development of inclusive education in Bangladesh.
Human Rights
1. NGOs
Sweden’s support to the Human Rights sector is carried out by some of the leading NGOs in the
field in Bangladesh. Steps Towards Development, Bangladesh National Women Lawyers Association
(BNWLA), and Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) are the organisations through which Sweden supports
the issues of promoting gender equality; prevention of violence against women; ensuring access
to justice; prevention of trafficking of women and children, and advocacy for reforms in various
laws relating to the rights of women and children among others. These organisations have been
Sweden’s development partners for the past fifteen years. In 2011 the agreements with the above
mentioned NGOs amounted to around 25 MSEK.
2. National Human Rights Commission
Sweden supports the National Human Rights Commission’s Capacity Development Project
through UNDP with 6,3 MSEK. The implementation of this project was delayed, since the
recruitment rules were not approved by the Government until late 2011. Still, the project
reported a delivery rate of 81% of planned activities 2011, focusing on institutional development;
monitoring and investigation; human rights and awareness raising; policy and research. A closer
collaboration with civil society and increased interest from mass media related to human rights
violations have led to increased consciousness among citizens.
Democratic Governance
I. Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB)
TIB is essentially an advocacy institution, with all its activities aimed at contributing to the
creation of conditions in which corruption can be reduced; accountability, transparency and good
governance can be established; and thereby poverty can be reduced.
TIB’s social movement against corruption is currently spearheaded by the Driving Change
project. The main objective of the project is to contribute, through the Committees of
Concerned Citizens (CCCs) to the creation of a conducive environment in which participation in
anti-corruption activities is substantially widened and strengthened. It is also aimed at expanding
and sustaining the demand for accountability, transparency and efficient governance with
particular relevance to the health and education sectors. Interestingly enough, perception of
corruption has decreased in these two sectors, targeted by TIB´s civic engagement programme.
Sweden is supporting the Driving Change project with 25 MSEK during the period 2009–2013.
II. Bangladesh Reality Check
A longitudinal five year study on how poor people perceive the health and education services
started in 2007. The five annual reports, and one final reflection report have been produced and
the findings have been presented to the Sector Programme donor consortiums in Health and
Primary Education as well as internationally. The aim has been to make the poor people’s voices
heard, to detect up-coming trends, and to influence policymakers in the social sectors. The
experience will be evaluated during 2013.
Climate change
The Swedish Government initiated a special Climate Change Initiative for the years 2009-2012,
with significant additional funding to a large number of countries and multilaterals. For
Bangladesh, a total of 180 MSEK (about 25 MUSD) were allocated. As part of the initiative,
Sweden has in an agreement with UNDP committed 50 MSEK for support to the Comprehensive
Disaster Management Programme Phase 2 2010-2014 (CDMP 2) . The programme is a continuation
from CDMP1 2004-2009 and aims to reduce peoples vulnerability towards natural disasters
including effects of a changed climate. Sweden has also contributed to the Bangladesh Climate
Change Resilience Fund. with 130 MSEK through the World Bank. The main objective for the Fund
is to support implementation of the Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan.
Generally speaking, the support in this area has led to a positive development at policy level. As
an example a Disaster Management Act was approved 2012.
Urban Environment
The Swedish Government has recently introduced a new instrument for provision of
concessionary credits, called development loans, in which Sweden provides a subsidy (grant), to
be combined with a loan on a commercial basis, for financing of the investment. Under this
scheme, Sweden recently signed an agreement with ADB on the City Region Development
Project, with support to poverty related investments in the area of urban environment. In the
sector water and sanitation, two projects started 2012, Water Aid´s Promoting Environmental
Health for the Urban Poor, with 41 MSEK and the World Bank´s Water and Sanitation
Programme, with 8 MSEK..
January 2013