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Development Challenges
Bangladesh has made stable economic growth since 1990, and reduced poverty from 59 per cent of the population in 1999 to 40 per cent in 2005. Bangladesh has improved in many social indicators, achieving over 80 per cent primary school enrolment and gender parity in primary education and halving the infant mortality rate between 1990 and 2001.
Despite these improvements Bangladesh continues to face many serious development challenges including the need to improve the quality of governance and reduce inequality. Although poverty has shown a declining trend, income inequality has increased in Bangladesh. The rate of child malnutrition remains one of the highest in the world and around half of the country's children are underweight or stunted.
Bangladesh is a low prevalence country for HIV/AIDs but the incidence of HIV infection among high-risk groups is growing. Other urgent development challenges for Bangladesh include quality of education, arsenic contamination in ground water, urban poverty and women's and human rights.
Australia’s Development Cooperation Program in Bangladesh
Country program estimate 2007-08: $32.4 million
Total ODA: $47.6 million
Food Security
• Contribution 2006 - 07: $14 million
• Duration: Ongoing
• Implementing organisation: Government of Bangladesh and World Food Programme
Australia provides food aid to Bangladesh to the poorest people, particularly women and children. Bangladesh uses Australian wheat for the Vulnerable Group Development, Integrated Food Security and School Feeding programs. Programs support community-based interventions improving nutrition, disaster preparedness, literacy and numeracy training and income generation.
Primary Education
• Contribution: $12 million
• Duration: 2004 - 2009
• Implementing organisation: Government of Bangladesh and UNICEF
Australia supports the Government of Bangladesh's Primary Education Development Program (PEDP II). The objectives are to increase school access, participation and completion and to improve the quality of students' learning and achievement. Australia channels assistance for PEDP II through UNICEF. The Australian contribution is to improve the quality of teacher training, promote inclusive education, and strengthen curriculum development, local level planning and training.
Australian Development Scholarships
• Contribution 2006 - 07: $4.4 million
• Duration: Ongoing
The Bangladesh ADS program aims to develop a post-graduate educated cadre in both public and private sectors. A total of 51 scholarships will be provided in 2006-07, with priority disciplines including agriculture, public health, public administration, trade and diplomacy, and law.
For more information on the ADS 2009 Intake round, please click here.
Australian Leadership Award
The Australian Leadership Award is a new scholarship scheme offered to professionals who are leaders, or have a potential to assume leadership roles, and can influence social and economic policy reform and development outcomes in Asia and Pacific countries.
Microfinance
• Contribution: $4.6 million
• Duration: 2002 - 2008
• Implementing Organisation: Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee
Australia provides income-generating opportunities through credit and savings services to almost 40,000 households from the impoverished North-west region. The program provides opportunities for poor women to become small-scale entrepreneurs by investing in businesses such as poultry and livestock rearing, rice processing, fish farming and transport services. They also achieve greater participation in decision-making and control over resources.
Health
• Contribution: $ 1.5 million
• Duration: 2004 - 2007
• Implementing Organisation: International Center for Diarrhoeal Disease
Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B); Centre for Health and Population Research
The activity supports funds management and research on maternal and child mortality, public health, nutrition and population studies and service delivery. Australia also supports three HIV/AIDS research activities to promote evidence-based implementation and decision making by intervention programs.
The research programs are a study on injecting drug users to determine the risk factors for HIV and hepatitis C; an investigation into barriers to condom use by sex workers; and an evaluation of partner notification for STI/HIV.
Under separate funding, Australia has provided ICDDR,B with seven Australian Development Scholarships.
Under separate funding, Australia has provided ICDDR,B with seven Australian Development Scholarships.
Other
Accredited Australian Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) are partnering with Bangladeshi NGOs to deliver activities in food security, education, community development, community health, arsenic mitigation, and indigenous women's rights.
Australia also helps government and non-government agencies in Bangladesh improve their capacity by using Australian volunteers. Thirty volunteers are working in Bangladesh under Australia's aid program. Their work includes: disability rehabilitation, HIV, support to street children and refugees, community development, gender, communications, IT and management information system development. Australia will also provide ten English Language Teachers to improve the English language skills of primary and secondary school teachers.
Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR)
Australia supports agricultural research in Bangladesh through ACIAR. ACIAR is conducting research on Integrated Management of Botrytis Grey Mould of Chickpea in collaboration with the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute.
The Direct Aid Program
The Direct Aid Program (DAP) is a flexible, small grants scheme for development activities managed by Heads of Australian Missions in approximately 45 countries. The emphasis of the program is on alleviating basic humanitarian hardships.
Direct Aid Program in Bangladesh