Assignment Name: Baseline Survey of Community Resilience through Locally-led Inclusive Adaptation in Bangladesh (CoRLIA) Sub-Project under the Ecosystems Restoration and Resilient Development in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (ERRD-CHT) Project

Country: Bangladesh

Client Name: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

The “Community Resilience through Locally-led Inclusive Adaptation in Bangladesh (CoRLIA)” sub-project, under the broader Ecosystems Restoration and Resilient Development in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (ERRD-CHT) initiative, addresses climate vulnerability and socio-economic marginalization in Bangladesh’s Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT). Implemented by UNDP Bangladesh with funding from Global Affairs Canada (GAC), the ERRD-CHT aligns with Bangladesh’s Perspective Plan 2041 and the 8th Five-Year Plan. It addresses ecological, socio-economic, and governance challenges in the ecologically diverse and conflict-affected. The CHT region, marked by its multi-ethnic composition and history of prolonged conflict, suffers from extreme poverty and heightened climate vulnerability, including deforestation, soil erosion, erratic rainfall, flash floods, landslides, and severe water scarcity. These issues disproportionately impact women, deepening existing gender inequalities and limiting their participation in climate resilience efforts.
CoRLIA aims to enhance local climate resilience through inclusive, locally-led adaptation strategies, significantly empowering women and marginalized communities. The project will establish and strengthen 180 women-led climate resilience committees (WCRC), covering 540 communities across the three Hill Districts—Rangamati, Bandarban, and Khagrachari. These committees will receive training in nature-based solutions (NbS), climate-resilient agriculture, livelihood diversification, climate change vulnerability assessments (CCVAs), and the development and implementation of local resilience plans (LRPs). Community and household-level grants will enable 13,500 vulnerable women-led households to adopt climate-adaptive livelihood options (CALO).
The project will capacitate local Union Parishads in climate resilience planning, implementation, and monitoring, thereby promoting inclusive local governance. Additionally, CoRLIA aims to enhance women’s roles in decision-making processes and leadership, advocating for greater gender equality and institutional responsiveness. Strengthening collaborations between local government bodies, civil society organizations, and national institutions, the project will advocate for policy support and resource allocation to scale up locally-led climate resilience approaches.
DM WATCH LIMITED is responsible for conducting a comprehensive baseline study to establish clear benchmarks related to climate-smart resilience practices, diversified livelihoods, women’s empowerment, and institutional capacities. Using mixed-method approaches, this study will guide strategic implementation, effective project monitoring, and evaluation.

DM WATCH LIMITED will undertake this baseline study through a structured, phased methodology involving both quantitative and qualitative research methods. The following key activities will be executed:

Inception Phase:

• Organize preliminary meetings with UNDP, GAC, and other stakeholders to align baseline objectives and expectations.
• Analyze project documents such as the MEL Plan, PMF, and RRF to inform research methodologies and sampling strategies.
• Develop comprehensive methodologies, data collection instruments, and sampling frameworks, ensuring cultural sensitivity and contextual relevance.

Enumerators Training and Field Testing:

• Conduct specialized training sessions for enumerators and qualitative researchers focusing on survey objectives, ethical standards, data collection techniques, and digital tools.
• Perform field testing of data collection instruments to ensure reliability and validity.

Data Collection:

• Carry out extensive quantitative surveys (household, institutional, perception, and knowledge-attitude-practice [KAP] surveys).
• Execute qualitative data collection through Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), and In-depth Interviews (IDIs).
• Use digital platforms like KoboToolbox for efficient, real-time data collection and monitoring.

Data Analysis:

• Conduct rigorous data validation and analysis utilizing advanced statistical software (SPSS, Stata).
• Integrate and analyze quantitative and qualitative data to produce comprehensive baseline insights, disaggregated by gender, ethnicity, and socio-economic status.

Reporting and Dissemination:

• Draft a comprehensive baseline report detailing key findings, analytical insights, and actionable recommendations.
• Facilitate validation workshops with project stakeholders to review preliminary findings, gather feedback, and refine the report accordingly.
• Submit the finalized baseline report aligned with project goals and UNDP standards.

Key deliverables will include:

• Detailed inception report outlining the work plan, methodology, sampling framework, and data collection instruments.
• Cleaned datasets in MS Excel and SPSS formats.
• Comprehensive final baseline study report with strategic recommendations and data visualizations.
• Presentation materials for stakeholder dissemination workshops.

This baseline will provide crucial data to inform effective project implementation, monitoring, and strategic decision-making, significantly contributing to enhanced resilience and empowerment in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.