This 116-page report shares the results of the impact assessment of the Capacity Strengthening (CS) activities of the Rural Maintenance Programme (RMP). RMP is a major rural works programme co-managed by the Government of Bangladesh and CARE Bangladesh. RMP is implemented in 4200 Unions under 61 out of 64 districts where 42 000 destitute women (the majority of whom are divorced, separated, widowed or outcast) are employed for 4 year cycles to maintain roughly 84 000 kms of rural earthen roads. The objective of CS was to strengthen the management capacity of local governments to manage development activities (including RMP), to enhance the participation of female representatives of Local Government Institutions in planning and decision-making processes and lastly, to enhance the participation of community members in development. Read More...