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Policy Brief 2003
Policy Brief 2001
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In order to increase awareness
and understanding of national
issues, the Centre for Policy
Dialogue undertook an initiative
to develop an agenda of critical
concerns. The purpose of this
programme was to provide opportunities
as well as to improve the capacity
of civil society to contribute
to the policy debate and formulation
in the national political process
in the run-up to, and immediately
after, the parliamentary elections
in 2001. This set of Policy
Briefs was designed to contribute
to the goal of strengthening the
quality of policy formulation
in terms of an indigenously owned
and broadly supported pro-poor
development agenda. This exercise
also sought, by way of involving
a wide array of stakeholders,
to enhance the voice of civil
society, provide benchmarks for
policy implementation, and reduce
polarisation in the highly conflict-ridden
political environment.
The purpose of the Policy Briefs
was to address issues of urgent
public concern where concrete
and achievable
policy agendas could be identified
for implementation within the prevailing
political configuration of the
country. These
Policy Briefs emerged out
of an inclusive and consultative
process using the process of
policy dialogues to both take cognisance
of public concerns and project
suggested policy solutions before
the public so that they could influence
those who aspire for their votes
to apply their political authority
to resolving the pressing problems
of the country. It was also expected
that the Policy Briefs would be of
practical use to a newly elected
government coming to power in guiding
executive action. The Briefs also served the new parliament in
setting agendas for parliamentary
debate through access to a body
of information, analyses and policy
options which were designed to be helpful in
inspiring legislation over the life
of the next parliament.
CPD's
Policy Briefs: Influencing the
Pre-Election Debate
Development
of Policy Briefs by Expert Task
Forces
In order to prepare these Policy
Briefs, 16 Task Forces were assembled, made up of distinguished
experts in the areas relevant to
the particular agenda of the Task
Force. A typical Task Force comprised of one Chairperson, one
Co-Chair, one Member-Secretary,
and between five to seven Members.
The Task Forces were serviced
by specially commissioned working
papers. Each Task Force also drew upon a wider body of ideas
on the specific concerns of the
Task Force, through the use of the
dialogue process, to enable them
to finalise their recommendations,
which were incorporated in the
Policy Briefs. It was decided to
constitute the following 16 Task
Forces:
-
Budgetary Discipline and Fiscal
Programmes
-
Development
and Governance of the Energy
Sector
-
Financial
Sector Policy
-
Overcoming
Agricultural Stagnation and
Revitalising the Rural Economy
-
Trade
and Industrial Policy
-
Poverty
Eradication and Employment Generation
-
Gender
Equality and Women's Empowerment
-
Governance
of the Health Sector
-
Education
Sector Policy
-
Administrative
Reform and Strengthening of
Local Government
-
Urban
Governance
-
Environmental
Policy
-
Transport
and Infrastructure
-
Information
and Communication Technology
-
Land
Administration
-
Governance
Validation
of the Policy Briefs
CPD
achieved this through thematic
dialogues and other methods such
as press briefings primarily
at the national level. Dialogues
were held at the national level
on specific issues which were derived from the regional consultations,
and were developed through
the respective Task Forces. Where
relevant, closely related Policy
Briefs were debated together
in dialogues. CPD actively
sought media coverage of these events
to initiate the dissemination process,
and used its existing working
relations with the electronic and
print media to develop a series
of programmes and coverage of the
Policy Briefs process and outcomes.
Dissemination and Outreach Programmes
The Policy Briefs focused on
translating academic and applied
research and views of different
stakeholders into practical policy
recommendations. One particular
focus of the outreach process was the distribution of summary briefs
to grassroots organisations. These
were made available in both Bangla
and English to aid dissemination
to the various stakeholders.
The timeframe for preparation of
the Policy Briefs was as follows:
-
End of April: Preparation of
the first draft.
-
May
- June: Revision of drafts.
-
End
of June: Public hearings on
issues.
-
July-September:
Validation of the Policy Briefs.
CPD implemented this
through thematic dialogues primarily
at the national level. CPD actively
sought media coverage
of these events to initiate
the dissemination process.
-
October-November:
Dissemination and Outreach Programmes
at national and local levels
to raise policy awareness.
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