Mali Peacebuilding, Stabilization, and Reconciliation
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Mali Peacebuilding, Stabilization, and Reconciliation Quarterly Report – FY2020 April - June 2020 Implementation Period: April 16, 2018 - April 30, 2023 FY 2020 Quarterly Report April 1, 2020- June 30, 2020 This document was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by Creative Associates International for the Mali Peacebuilding, Stabilization and Reconciliation project, contract number 720-688-18-C-00002. USAID Point of Contact: Andrew Greer, COR, [email protected] Prime Partner: Creative Associates International Activity Name: Mali Peacebuilding, Stabilization, and Reconciliation Contract #: 720-688-18-C-00002 CONTENTS I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................ 4 II. CONTEXT.................................................................................................................................. 5 IV. OBJECTIVE 1: RESILIENCE TO VIOLENCE AND CONFLICT REINFORCED ............. 10 V. OBJECTIVE 2: INCLUSIVE GOVERNANCE AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT STRENGTHENED IN CONFLICT-AFFECTED COMMUNITIES ........................................... 17 VI. OBJECTIVE 3: EMPOWERING YOUTH AND BUILDING THEIR RESILIENCE TO VIOLENT EXTREMISM ............................................................................................................... 19 VII. MONITORING AND EVALUATION ................................................................................. 25 VIII. GRANTS ............................................................................................................................... 27 IX. OPERATIONS ........................................................................................................................ 28 XI. COORDINATION AND PARTNERSHIP ............................................................................ 29 XI. LESSONS LEARNED ............................................................................................................. 30 XII. SUCCESS STORIES ............................................................................................................. 31 XIII. KEY ACTIVITIES PLANNED FOR NEXT QUARTER..................................................... 31 MALI PEACEBUILDING, STABILIZATION, & RECONCILIATION QUARTERLY REPORT III FY2020 2 ACRONYMS ADR Agences de Developpement Regional (Regional Development Agencies) AMSS Association Malienne de la Survie au Sahel (Malian Association for Survival in the Sahel) AQIM Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) CAF Conflict Analysis Framework CAFO Coordination des Associations et ONGs Féminines (Coordination of Women's Associations and NGOs) CBO Community-Based Organization CC Community Coordinator CEC Community Engagement Committee CEP Civic Engagement Program CMA Coordination des Mouvements de l’Azawad (Coordination of Azawad Movements) CMC Conflict Management Committee COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease 2019 CSO Civil Society Organization DDR Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration DQA Data Quality Assessments ECOWAS Economic Community of West African States EWER Early Warning and Early Response EWRS Early Warning and Response System FAMA Forces Armées Maliennes (Malian Armed Forces) FRAMe® Fragility and Resilience Assessment Methodology FFP Fund for Peace FOSC Forum of Civil Society Organizations GOM Government of Mali IDP Internally Displaced Person M5-RFP Mouvement du 5 juin – Rassemblement des Forces Patriotiques M&E Monitoring and Evaluation MEL Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning NGO Non-Governmental Organization PMP Performance Management Plan Mali PSR Mali Peacebuilding, Stabilization and Reconciliation Program PDESC Plan de Développement Économique, Social et Culturel (Economic, Social and Cultural Development Plan) P2P People-to-People P/CVE Preventing/Countering Violent Extremism RECOTRAD Réseau des Communicateurs Traditionnels pour le Développement (Network of Traditional Communicators for Development) REWARD Reacting to Early Warning and Response Data in West Africa Program SMC School Management Committee SNGP Sub-National Governance Project US United States USAID United States Agency for International Development USG US Government V4P Voices for Peace MALI PEACEBUILDING, STABILIZATION, & RECONCILIATION QUARTERLY REPORT III FY2020 3 I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Mali Peacebuilding, Stabilization and Reconciliation (Mali PSR) (herein referred to as the program), is a USAID five-year $20 million contract with a $5 million Crisis Modifier that was activated on June 2, 2020 to address the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic and its impact in Mali. The program is implemented by Creative Associates International along with local partners Association Malienne pour la Survie au Sahel (AMSS), facilitating implementation in northern Mali, and Think Peace, facilitating implementation in the center of Mali. The purpose of this program is to improve prospects for long-term peace, security, and reconciliation by building trust between conflict-affected communities and their governments, strengthening the ability of communities to mitigate and manage conflict, prioritize and implement community-led action around their most pressing development needs, and training and empowering marginalized youth as change agents. Program activities are being implemented in 46 conflict affected communes in the center and northern Mali covering seven (7) regions, Ségou, Mopti, Tombouctou, Gao, Kidal, Menaka and Taoudenit with linkages to regional and national policies intended to promote peace, reconciliation and development. The goal of Mali PSR is to see measurable improvement in the efficiency, effectiveness and capacities of local communities to be more resilient to conflict and violent extremism. Fostering stability in target regions is not only a desired end unto itself, but a necessary pre-condition for the full and complete implementation of the peace agreement and the regional development plans- which, in turn, will create the conditions for more lasting, durable peace. Mali PSR activities are integrated by three objectives which support this broader program goal. During the reporting period, Mali PSR submitted two proposals: 1) a rapid response proposal aimed at pivoting existing activities to spread the word and provide accurate messages about COVID-19 to help mitigate the spread of the novel Coronavirus and, 2) a Crisis Modifier to address the first and second order effects of COVID-19. In June 2020, with the approval of the Crisis Modifier, Mali PSR expanded programming to address the impact of COVID-19 and the associated second order effects in the 46 intervention communes, Bamako, and the regions of Kayes, Koulikoro, and Sikasso in the south of the country. A new international strategic communications partner, Moonshot CVE, joined the consortium to identify and track inaccurate and divisive information being spread about COVID-19. Moonshot will help to redirect social media users to accurate information; and will train youth to carry this initiative forward. With the expanded programming, Mali PSR sought to balance the implementation of planned activities with enhanced flexibility to respond to unfolding political/security events and the COVID-19 pandemic. Key achievements realized under the year 2 work plan during the quarter included: 1) the continuation of conflict prevention, mediation training for 143 participants, including 27 women and 23 youth in five (5) communes; 2) forums on reintegration and reconciliation in ten (10) communes which brought together over 338 youth leaders, community representatives and government officials; 3) capacity building for 50 participants to promote the rights of youth and expand their agency; and 4) teachers trained in P/CVE participated in facilitated discussions to share their experience in addressing violent extremism in five (5) communes for 97 people, including 28 women and 15 youth from the School Management Committee (SMC), parents’ association, elected officials, teachers, students, and representatives of women’s associations. Mali MALI PEACEBUILDING, STABILIZATION, & RECONCILIATION QUARTERLY REPORT III FY2020 4 PSR continued to foster strong partnerships with the Regional Development Agencies (ADRs) in an effort to support citizen participation in the Programme de Developpment Economique, Social et Culturel (PDESC) development process. Finally, while the debriefing of the local councils on youth assets mapping continued in five communes, Mali PSR began exploring alternative approaches for reaching larger numbers of youth in a more sustainable manner. Under the COVID-19 rapid response plan approved on April 23, 2020, Mali PSR completed several initiatives with local officials to rapidly respond to community needs aimed at increasing the legitimacy of elected commune officials. Interventions included radio call-in shows where community health workers provided accurate facts about COVID-19. The program donated approximately 174 handwashing stations to 36 communes, which filled a critical gap towards helping communities mitigate the virus. A communications campaign was launched in April: Understand to Withstand COVID-19 included peer-to-peer messaging and innovative ways to engage youth and women through E-grins1 and E-tontines.2 Mali PSR launched the Crisis Modifier with the following activities: 1) Mali PSR completed a preliminary desk-review mapping of USAID Democracy and Governance implementing partners and their local grantees as possible recipients for COVID-19