Civil Society: Mutual Accountability Project

CIVIL SOCIETY: MUTUAL ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT Quarterly Progress Report April 1, 2020-June 30, 2020 July 30, 2020 Cooperative Agreement Number AID-367-A-16-00007 Project Start and End Date: April 4, 2016 to April 3, 2021 Submitted to: Bishwas Rana, Agreement Officer’s Representative USAID Submitted by: Prem Raj Ojha, Deputy Chief of Party Civil Society: Mutual Accountability Project FHI 360 GPO Box 8803, Gopal Bhawan Anamika Galli, Baluwatar, Kathmandu, Nepal Tel: 977.1.4437173 Email: [email protected] This document was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Civil Society: Mutual Accountability Project 1 QuarterlyDevelopment. Progress Report It was No. prepared13 April 1, 2020by FHI – June 360. 30, 2020 The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government. Table of Contents ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 5 1. 7 2. 8 3. 9 4. 15 4.1 15 4.2 16 5. 41 5.1 GENDER EQUALITY AND SOCIAL INCLUSION 39 5.2 YOUTH ENGAGEMENT 40 YOUTH ENGAGEMENT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA, IVR AND SMS 40 5.3 USE OF INFORMATION, COMMUNICATION, AND MOBILE TECHNOLOGIES 40 6. 42 7. 43 8. 45 9. 45 10. 45 11. 46 12. 46 13. 47 14. 48 15. 48 Civil Society: Mutual Accountability Project 2 Quarterly Progress Report No. 13 April 1, 2020 – June 30, 2020 Abbreviations and Acronyms AIN Association of International Non-Government Organizations in Nepal AMO Advocacy and Monitoring/Oversight AOR Agreement Officer’s Representative ARI Advocacy Readiness Index CA Common Assembly CAG Content Advisory Group CAR Community Action Researcher CDCS Country Development Cooperation Strategy CERD Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination CLFS Critical Listening Feedback Sessions COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease 2019 CSC Community Score Card CS:MAP Civil Society: Mutual Accountability Project CS:MAP-HRS CS:MAP-Human Rights Strengthening CR Community Reporter CSO Civil Society Organization DCC District Coordination Committee DRR Disaster Risk Reduction DQA Data Quality Assurance EAI Equal Access International FNJ Federation of Nepali Journalists FSP Financial Sustainability Plan GESI Gender Equality and Social Inclusion GGB Good Governance Barometer GON Government of Nepal GBV Gender-based Violence HEAD Health, Education, Agriculture and Disaster Risk Reduction HRPLSC Human Rights Protection and Legal Service Center HRTMCC Human Rights Treaty Monitoring Coordination Center ICCPR International Covenant on Civil and Political rights ICESCR International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights ICNL International Center for Not-for-Profit Law ICT Information and Communications Technology IIP Institutional Improvement Plan IJ Investigative Journalism INSEC Informal Sector Service Center IR Intermediate Result ISO Intermediary Service Organization IVR Interactive Voice Response LDAG Listening, Discussion, and Action Group LDTA Local Development Training Academy LGBTIQA Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer and Asexual MCC Millennium Challenge Corporation Civil Society: Mutual Accountability Project 3 Quarterly Progress Report No. 13 April 1, 2020 – June 30, 2020 MEL Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning MOFAGA Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration MOWCSC Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens MuAN Municipal Association of Nepal NARMIN National Association of Rural Municipality in Nepal NHRAP National Human Rights Action Plan NHRC National Human Rights Commission NFN NGO Federation of Nepal OCA Organizational Capacity Assessment OGP Open Government Partnership OPMCM Office of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet of Ministers PCR Polymerase Chain Reaction PEAR Participatory and Evidence-based Action Research PET Public Expenditure Tracking PIR Public Interest Reporting POC Public Outreach Campaign PSA Public Service Announcement RDT Rapid Diagnostic Test RTI Right to Information SA Social Accountability SMS Short Message Service SSMK Saathi Sanga Manka Kura UN United Nations USAID United States Agency for International Development WHO World Health Organization Civil Society: Mutual Accountability Project 4 Quarterly Progress Report No. 13 April 1, 2020 – June 30, 2020 Executive Summary This quarter witnessed many political and non-political events including the ‘Enough is Enough’ demonstration against the government’s perceived apathy, incompetence, and corruption related to novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19); the Millennium Challenge Corporation compact disputes involving the ruling Nepal Communist Party; the issuance of a new political map of Nepal including the disputed territories of Lipulek, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani; and the subsequent amendment to the Constitution of Nepal were some important political events. The smoldering internal row within the Nepal Communist Party was another event that affected the COVID-19 response and the national development agenda. Amid escalating COVID-19 cases, the rising death toll, and the ongoing lockdown, CS:MAP partners developed guidelines on the local governments’ preparedness and response to COVID-19 for over 20 local governments. An additional 15 local governments are revising their disaster risk reduction (DRR) policy linking it to COVID-19. CS:MAP partners supported 58 local governments to respond to the pandemic in several ways: by collecting data, managing quarantines and isolation centers, assisting with entry of returnee migrant workers from India, and distributing face masks, sanitizers, and personal protective equipment in different districts. National-level Achievements: Civil society organizations (CSOs) came together and initiated joint advocacy to improve two laws: the Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) Act and the Social Development Act. The Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) submitted its alternative draft Bill to the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MOCIT) urging the ministry to incorporate its provisions into the PSB Bill prepared by MOCIT. CS:MAP also reviewed and provided inputs on the draft Bill on Social Development Act. CS:MAP worked with Municipal Association of Nepal and National Association of Rural Municipalities in Nepal to draft "CSO Facilitation Directive for Local Government." As a result of CS:MAP support for financial sustainability, CS:MAP partners received funding from 14 different government and international agencies. CS:MAP produced 12 e-bulletins on COVID-19 response and initiatives of CSOs and media and disseminated to stakeholders. These bulletins highlighted CSO and media’s initiatives, collaboration with the local governments, public awareness, management of migrant returnees and quarantine and isolation centers, and relief distribution in 34 districts. Sub-national Level Achievements: Local, provincial, and national CSOs reviewed the policies and budgets of the provincial governments of Bagmati, Karnali and Province 5. Based on the reviews, CSO coalitions organized virtual meetings with the Bagmati and Karnali provincial governments and submitted memorandum requesting improvements to their policies and budgets for fiscal year 2020/21. CSOs had conducted such virtual meetings with citizens to participate in the local level budget making process. They also supported to local governments in using social media and FM radios for collecting people’s inputs on what were people’s priorities/needs for budget making process at local level. In some local governments, CSOs supported citizens to list out the priorities and submitted to ward level for further process. This is how CSOs even during the times of pandemic tried to engage citizens in local budget formulation process. In addition, the implementation of Good Governance Barometer (GGB) action plans helped improve the quality of two public schools in Gulmi district. These schools have arranged book corners for each class, improved the drinking water supply, distributed sanitary pads to menstruating students, set up Civil Society: Mutual Accountability Project 5 Quarterly Progress Report No. 13 April 1, 2020 – June 30, 2020 complaint redress mechanisms, and designated a Nodal Officer to listen and respond to grievances. These schools also disclose information and provide mid-day meals to students regularly, and the School Management Committees (SMCs) also meet more frequently than in the past. The local governments consulted CS:MAP local CSOs for their inputs/feedback on 24 laws and policies and endorsed 21 laws and policies with input from civil society. Moreover, CS:MAP partners helped local governments in designing and implementing COVID-19 response plans. CS:MAP partners also raised awareness to address mis information and disinformation; collected concerns and issues from the communities; discussed those in platforms like partnership forums to find solutions; and provided platforms for interactions between citizens and authorities. CS:MAP-Human Rights Strengthening (CS:MAP-HRS) Component Achievements: Civil society leaders and CS:MAP partners became members of important fora like the Delegation Team for High Level Political Forum and Coordination and the Mobilization Committee under COVID- 19 Response Action Plan. This recognition was possible because of their regular engagement with government authorities, including the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC); Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens (MOWCSC); and Ministry of Finance through CS:MAP activities. The Dalit National Federation (DNF) was included in the national delegation to submit the Voluntary National Report

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