The limits to participation: Urban poverty and community driven development in Rajshahi City, Bangladesh

ABSTRACT

This article analyzes ways in which urban informal settlements most in need of Community Driven Development (CDD) programs might be overlooked in favor of better functioning poor communities. In a study of two informal settlements in Rajshahi, Bangladesh, one site benefitted from the support of a community based urban poverty reduction intervention from an international donor. The other, poorer, and with greater social challenges, would not qualify. The article highlights the problems the poorest of the urban poor face in developing sufficient community capacity to attract the dominant CDD paradigm of poverty alleviation.

KEYWORDS:

• Bangladesh
• donor aid
• poverty alleviation
• urban slums

Acknowledgements

This project was facilitated by faculty and postgraduate students from the University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Funding

Funding for this project was provided by a University of Queensland Early Career Researcher Grant awarded in 2013. The University of Queensland [Early Career Researcher Grant 2013].