1. Project Implementation Status and Key Results Implementation Status Summary at Outcome level 1.1. Outcome Level Progress This project aims to increase the capacity of the UXO sector in Lao PDR to deal with the problem of remaining UXO in order to reduce its threat to people and to remove the barriers to productive and sustainable use of land. The progress made at the outcome level during Q3 is as follows: During the third quarter, there were 3 UXO accidents across the country, resulting in 5 UXO casualties (4 boys and 1 man). The causes of these accidents were: playing with UXO, setting fires for cooking, attempted destruction of UXO cutting grass and hitting UXO. By the end of Q3, the total number of UXO casualties were 22, resulting from 16 accidents. In accordance with the implementation of the new UXO survey procedures by the government of Lao PDR, all humanitarian operators in Lao PDR now employ an evidence-based approach to land clearance. As a result, a total of 2,101 hectares (ha) were identified as Confirmed Hazardous Areas (CHAs) by the process of technical survey during the reporting period and 1,025 ha were cleared by all operators, including commercial operators. A total of 21,606 UXO items were destroyed from this process. 2. UNDP’s Contribution During the reporting period, UNDP supported the management and technical capacity- development of the NRA. In doing so, the UNDP-managed funds have contributed to all outputs and outcome-level achievements attributed to the sector. In terms of the specific support provided, some of the key elements can be summarized as follows: a) Technical Advice – UNDP provides technical advisory support to the NRA, with three UNDP staff being based full-time at the NRA, being a Chief Technical Advisor (CTA), Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist and a Programme and Reporting Specialist. Financial advisory support is also given to the NRA by UNDP. The advisory team have provided support to the NRA in Q3 by drafting concept papers, finalizing donor reports, reviewing national strategies and providing the necessary inputs. b) Management and Procurement – UNDP helped to procure equipment and vehicles for the NRA office and the humanitarian teams of the Lao People’s Army (Army 58). c) Sector Leadership – UNDP continuously assisted in the management of the funding gap of the sector, ensuring that activities did not stop. d) Capacity Development – UNDP supported the NRA in the finalization of both the narrative and financial reports which had to be submitted to various donors, including Canada and Turkey. In addition, UNDP’s financial specialist supported the financial management of the NRA, which included a reallocation budget for the New Zealand proposal. e) Resource Mobilization – UNDP is instrumental in engaging new and previous donors in financing the UXO sector. In Q3, UNDP held a meeting to present concept papers to relevant line ministries on support for the improvement of the national UXO training center and on creating a demining capacity in Huaphan province through the humanitarian teams of the Lao People’s Army. 2 3. Output Level Achievements - 3 TWG meetings were held (CL on the 23rd of September, MRE on the 29th of September 2020, VA on 30th of September 2020). - Workshop to review the messages of the UXO radio programs and to plan for the year ahead was held on the 1st to the 3rd of September 2020, at Sounantha hotel, Borlikhamxay province. - Workshop on MRE for Lao Village Youth was held from the 30th of September to the 2nd of October 2020 at the Guest House of the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, Vientiane Capital. - Workshop on the UXO/Mine Victim Assistance Strategy drafting was held on the 20th to the 24th of September 2020, at Thalat district, Vientiane province. - Emergency response for UXO removal were conducted in Borlikhamxay and Vientiane provinces. 3 Implementation Progress Summary at Output level No. Description Targets and Unit Additional ACTIVITY PROGRESS TO RESULTS ACHIEVED Indicators details DATE Describe concrete, key (location Give detailed explanation of results (policy, and staff the status. Provide publication, key event number) justification if delayed and etc.) achieved so far, vis- provide the new schedule and à-vis the specific targets response strategy, if any set in the QWP/AWP. Please provide data/evidence to support the results Mine Risk Education (MRE) unit ACTIVITY RESULT 1: UXO/Mine Risk Education methodologies improved, reinforced and disseminated better. ANNUAL RESULT 1.1: UXO/Mine Risk Education is better integrated and adopted in primary schools’ curriculum. MRE Personnel cost MRE unit Two staff members (1 MRE officer and 1 technician) 1.1.1. Monitor UXO Risk Education MRE operators MRE unit Delayed The MRE monitoring did activities conducted by operators in monitored not take place as planned Lao PDR. in Q3 due to the Indicator: Number of conflicting schedule of monitoring missions MRE unit. The NRE unit on UXO Risk decided to conduct the Education (RE) monitoring in Q4. 1.1.2. Conduct MRE TWG meeting By holding the TWG, MRE unit The In progress The MRE TWG meeting improved coordination meeting was held on the 29th of among MRE operators will be September 2020 at the will be established organized NRA. The meeting was at the NRA chaired by the Deputy Indicator: Minutes of office, Director of the NRA all 4 MRE TWGs Vientiane office, Mr. Douangsy 4 available on NRA Capital for Thammavong. website by 1st January a half day 2021. with all The meeting minutes is operators. being drafted in the Lao language and is awaiting approval by the NRA management. Once this document is approved, then MRE unit will translate it into English and will upload the minutes to the NRA’s website. ANNUAL RESULT 1.2: UXO/Mine Risk Education messages are conveyed by local media. 1.2.1. Pay provincial radio stations to Radio programmes MRE unit In progress The radio programs broadcast UXO messages and UXO (specific Risk broadcasted UXO information for 4 quarters (every Education messages) information and MRE month- 8 times per month) at 5 reached at least half of messages 8 times per provincial radio stations (Vientiane the population in 5 month at 5 radio stations Capital, Khammouane, Sekong, provinces (VTE in 5 provinces (Vientiane Salavan and Champasack provinces) capital, KM, SK, SLV Capital, Khammouane, & CHP) and UXO Sekong, Salavan and spot radio programme Champasack). This was are evaluated on how conducted in it affected people’s collaboration with the behavior and changed Ministry of Information, their attitude. Culture and Tourism (MICT). Indicator: Availability of radio programme In order to contribute to report. Promote the publication of Impact of UXO by measures to prevent the UXO spot & radio spread of COVID19 program in the virus, the NRA continued community on 5 to partner with the MICT provinces, expectation to integrate information 5 for listener 40,000 on measures to prevent people. the spread of the COVID 19 virus into the UXO radio programs in five provinces. The data collected shows that there has been a significant increase in the number of listeners, enabling total 21,800 active participants and 1,209,093 to be reached by the signal. The breakdown of the quiz participants (21,800 in total) in the five provinces are detailed below: VTE: 4,000 people KM: 4,800 people SK: 4,200 people SLV: 4,000 people CHP: 4,800 people 1.2.2 Conduct annual workshop on Indicator: Number of Completed From the 11th to 13th of UXO radio program meetings organized June 2020, at Thalath and availability of key district, Vientiane recommendations and Capital, the MRE unit the workshop’s organized a workshop on minutes on NRA reviewing the messages website. of the UXO radio programs and planning Target: 1 workshop for the year ahead 6 The minutes were approved both Lao & English versions and made available at the NRA website. 1.2.3 printing shirt for 5 radio Indicator: Number of Completed 900 UXO t-shirts have program stations shirts printed and been printed in order to distributed. distribute during the Q&A games of the UXO Target: 900 T-shirt radio broadcast. 1.2.4 Conduct workshop to review Baseline: 2019: yes MRE unit Completed From the 1st to the 3rd of and update of the Risk Education (1) September 2020, at Materials (puppets show to be Target: 2020: yes (1) Sounantha hotel, highlighted to review). Indicator: Number of Borlikhamxay district, the workshops organized MRE unit organized a and availability of key workshop to review the recommendations and messages of the UXO the workshop’s radio programs and to minutes on NRA plan for the year ahead. website. The minutes were approved both Lao & English versions and made available at the NRA website. 1.2.5 Printing MRE Poster Baseline: 2019: 900 MRE unit Completed 4,980 MRE posters were posters printed and distributed to Target: 2020: 2334 all UXO humanitarian posters operators in September Indicator: Number of 2020, including the 9 MRE poster printed provincial UXO Lao and distributed offices, 13 NRA provincial offices and the 5 provincial radio stations 7 (Vientiane Capital, Khammouane, Sekong, Saravan and Champasack). Annual Result 1.3: Risk Education messages are conveyed to people living in UXO contaminated 1.3.1 Conduct monitoring of Mine Completed From the 22nd to the 26th risk education response Emergency in of June 2020, the MRE accident on the UXO contaminated unit conducted training province, where is no any operator. for the humanitarian Lao People’s Army MRE teams in Paksan district, Bolikhamxay province. After day 3 of the training, the Army MRE team conducted an MRE campaign to inform the people, students and local authorities about the UXO at Pheng Daeng village in Vientiane capital where the UXO were recently found.