PHOTO BY RGA

COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING REGIONAL GOVERNANCE ACTIVITY

APRIL 21, 2021 This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by Management Systems International (MSI), A Tetra Tech Company

COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING REGIONAL GOVERNANCE ACTIVITY

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Contracted under AID-OAA-1-13-00042, Programming Effectively Against Conflict and Extremism (PEACE) IQC, Task Order No. AID-514-TO-15-00015

Colombia Regional Governance Activity

DISCLAIMER The authors’ views expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. CONTENTS ACRONYMS ...... III EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...... 1 1. INTRODUCTION ...... 3 NATIONAL CONTEXT ...... 3 NEW RGA TARGET AREAS...... 5 2. METHODOLOGY ...... 6 2.1. PDCA CYCLE AND CORE METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES ...... 7 2.2. INNOVATIVE AND ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT TO RESPOND TO RAPIDLY EVOLVING CONTEXTS ...... 10 2.2.1. RGA’S MIGRANT STRATEGY WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF COVID-19 ...... 10 2.2.2. RGA’S STRATEGY FOR NEW TARGET MUNICIPALITIES ...... 12 2.2.3. RGA’S STRATEGY FOR BOGOTÁ ...... 13 3. SUPPORT TO INCREASE ACCESS TO HEALTH AND EDUCATION SERVICES DURING THE PANDEMIC ...... 14 3.1. INCREASING COORDINATION BETWEEN THE GOC AND SNGS ...... 15 3.1.1. PROMOTING THE ADOPTION OF GOC PANDEMIC REGULATIONS AND PROGRAMS ...... 15 3.1.2. STRENGTHENING MUNICIPAL LEADERSHIP IN COORDINATION SPACES ...... 17 3.2. BUILDING CAPACITY TO IMPROVE HEALTH SERVICE PROVISION ...... 19 3.2.1. PROVIDING SUPPORT TO STRENGTHEN PUBLIC HEALTH SURVEILLANCE ...... 19 3.2.2. ASSISTING VACCINATION PLAN ROLLOUT ...... 24 3.2.3 PROMOTING ACCESS TO THE NATIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM FOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS ...... 25 3.3. DEVELOPING SKILLS TO IMPROVE EDUCATION SERVICES ...... 27 3.3.1. BUILDING INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY AND IMPROVING COORDINATION TO STRENGTHEN EDUCATION SERVICE PROVISION ...... 27 3.3.2. DEVELOPING SKILLS IN SCHOOL COMMUNITIES TO ADDRESS RISKS ARISING FROM THE PANDEMIC ...... 30 4. SUPPORT TO PROMOTE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC REACTIVATION ...... 32 4.1. STRENGTHENING SNG CAPACITY IN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT TO RESPOND TO THE PANDEMIC AND THE MIGRANT CRISIS ...... 32 4.2. PROMOTING ECONOMIC REACTIVATION ...... 35 4.3. PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO MOBILIZE RESOURCES ...... 38 5. SUPPORT TO INCREASE TRANSPARENCY ...... 40 5.1. STRENGTHENING INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY TO INCREASE GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY ...... 40 5.2. DEVELOPING SKILLS IN CIVIL SOCIETY TO HOLD LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ACCOUNTABLE ...... 43 5.2.1. TRAINING JOURNALISTS TO PROMOTE TRANSPARENCY ...... 43 5.2.2. PROMOTING CITIZEN OVERSIGHT ...... 44 5.2.3. MONITORING MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS ...... 45

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | i 6. SUPPORT TO ENGAGE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IN COVID-19 AND MIGRATION RESPONSES ...... 46 6.1. BUILDING CAPACITY TO ADDRESS GBV ...... 47 6.1.1. BUILDING INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY TO RESPOND TO GBV WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF COVID-19 AND THE VENEZUELAN MIGRANT CRISIS ...... 47 6.1.2. STRENGTHENING CIVIL SOCIETY ADVOCACY IN GBV PREVENTION AND SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS...... 51 6.2. PROMOTING INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY RESPONSES TO THE PANDEMIC AND MIGRATION ...... 53 6.2.1. SUPPORTING YOUTH TO PROMOTE INCLUSION ...... 54 6.2.2. TRANSFORMING LOCAL MIGRATION NARRATIVES ...... 56 7. SUPPORT TO THE BOGOTÁ GOVERNMENT TO RESPOND TO THE VENEZUELAN MIGRANT CRISIS ...... 58 8. LESSONS LEARNED AND FUTURE CHALLENGES ...... 61 9. ANNEXES ...... 65 ANNEX 1: RGA-SUPPORTED CITIZEN INITIATIVES ...... 65 ANNEX 2: RGA-DEVELOPED INSTRUMENTS TO PROMOTE MUNICIPAL ADOPTION AND ACCESS TO GOC REGULATIONS, PROGRAMS, AND BENEFITS ...... 70 ANNEX 3: RGA ROAD MAPS ON VACCINATION PROCEDURES ...... 72 ANNEX 4: RESOURCES MOBILIZED THROUGH RGA-SUPPORTED PUBLIC INVESTMENT PROJECTS ...... 74 ANNEX 5: 2021 BUDGETS IN RGA TARGET MUNICIPALITIES (US DOLLARS, MILLIONS) ...... 77 ANNEX 6: RGA-SUPPORTED CITIZEN OVERSIGHT GROUPS ...... 78 ANNEX 7: MIGRANT POPULATION IN RGA TARGET AREAS ...... 80

ii | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV ACRONYMS

COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease 2019 COMPOS Consejo Municipal de Política Social (Municipal Council for Social Policy) CSO Civil Society Organization DANE Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (National Administrative Department of Statistics) DAPRE Departamento Administrativo de Presidencia de la República (Administrative Department of the Presidency of the Republic) DPS Departamento para la Prosperidad Social (Department for Social Prosperity) ELN Ejército de Liberación Nacional (National Liberation Army) FARC-EP Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) FOME Fondo de Mitigación de Emergencias (Fund to Mitigate Emergencies) GBV Gender-Based Violence GOC Government of Colombia HCC Hagamos Control Ciudadano (Let’s Exercise Citizen Control) LGBTQ Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning or Queer MinTIC Ministerio de Tecnologías de la Información y las Comunicaciones (Ministry of Information and Communications Technology) MOH Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social (Ministry of Health) MSI Management Systems International PAGT Planes Anuales de Gestión Tributaria (Annual Tax Management Plans) PDCA Plan, Do, Check, Act PDM Plan de Desarrollo Municipal (Municipal Development Plan) PRASS Pruebas, Rastreo y Aislamiento Selectivo Sostenible (Testing, Tracing, and Sustainable and Selective Isolation) RGA Regional Governance Activity SDIS Secretaría Distrital de Inclusión Social (Social Inclusion Secretariat) SECOP II Sistema Electrónico de Contratación Pública (Public Procurement Electronic System)

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | iii SGR Sistema General de Regalías (General System of Royalties) SNG Subnational Government USAID United States Agency for International Development

iv | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Regional Governance Activity (RGA) began on June 22, 2015, under Task Order No. AID-514-TO-15-00015, with an initial period of performance of four and one-half years. Its original objective was to improve governance in 40 Colombian municipalities affected by the nation’s armed conflict, through five program components: decentralization, public financial management, tertiary roads, citizen participation, and electoral reform. On April 23, 2019, RGA was awarded a six-month cost extension to June 21, 2020. The amendment added a sixth component and adjusted RGA’s territorial focus to concentrate on 10 subnational governments (SNGs) in three border departments—Arauca, La Guajira, and Norte de Santander—to help them cope with the challenges created by the influx of Venezuelan migrants and Colombian returnees in host communities.1 On June 17, 2020, the program was awarded a second cost extension to June 21, 2021. This amendment added a seventh program component, shifting RGA’s focus to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) prevention, containment, and recovery, and to service provision improvements for the migrant population. The amendment also broadened the project’s geographic focus to implement activities in 14 target municipalities affected by the Venezuelan migrant crisis.2 In December 2020, RGA reached an agreement with USAID to expand its scope of work to include activities in Bogotá to strengthen targeted capacities in the Bogotá government to address and manage the Venezuelan migrant crisis.

Activities under RGA’s Component 7 are designed to achieve nine expected results: (1) increased coordination between all three levels of government, particularly between SNGs, the Ministry of Health, the Border Management Unit, and the National Risk Management Unit, to support an effective and efficient COVID-19 response; (2) increased departmental and municipal government understanding and application of relevant national COVID-19 policies; (3) municipal development plans, budgets, and other policies take steps to prevent, contain, and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic; (4) increased national-level government and private sector resources invested in the COVID-19 response; (5) increased transparency, oversight, and control of Government of Colombia (GOC) funding and programs; (6) improved SNG response to non health-related community (including migrant) needs amid the pandemic, such as assisting schools to use distance learning, implementing social programs, and supporting measures that promote local economic recovery; (7) strengthened civil society engagement in the COVID-19 response, independently and collaboratively with government; (8) conflict mitigated by countering COVID-19- related stigmatization and migrant xenophobia and addressing other conflict drivers; and (9) strengthened Bogotá government capacities to serve the migrant population.

The program first worked on identifying key challenges in public service provision within the context of COVID-19 and migration responses. It found the following main challenges: (1) limited subnational capacity to provide health and education services during the pandemic, especially for vulnerable populations, such as migrants; (2) lack of planning and coordination in social and economic reactivation matters; (3) a risk of increased misuse of public resources; (4) limited engagement and participation on behalf of vulnerable

1 The 10 SNGs are Arauca, Arauquita (Arauca), Maicao, Riohacha, Uribia (La Guajira), Cúcuta, Los Patios, Puerto Santander, Tibú, and Villa del Rosario (Norte de Santander). 2 Arauca, Arauquita (Arauca), Maicao, Riohacha, Uribia (La Guajira), Cúcuta, Los Patios, Puerto Santander, Tibú, and Villa del Rosario (Norte de Santander), and new target areas Cartagena (Bolívar), Ciénaga, Santa Marta (Magdalena), and Soledad (Atlántico).

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 1 populations, especially women, youth, and migrants; and (5) limited migrant population inclusion in Bogotá government strategies and lack of coordination in migration responses.

Understanding the multifaceted nature of these challenges, RGA worked along seven strategic lines that allowed it to assist its target municipalities in being better prepared to respond to the pandemic and the migrant crisis. These are: multilevel coordination, health care, education, public administration, economic reactivation, citizen participation, and gender and vulnerable populations. Through these lines of work, the program improved coordination, built institutional capacities, and developed citizen skills to enhance public service provision within the context of COVID-19 and the Venezuelan migrant crisis.

RGA achieved multiple results through this work, including the following highlights:

• Promoting the enrollment of more than 38,000 people with the Colombian health system, including 35,900 Venezuelan migrants, 1,800 Colombian returnees, and 330 children.

• Mobilizing US $25.2 million in public resources through 36 public investment projects to fund social and economic reactivation strategies and programs aimed at vulnerable populations.

• Training more than 900 public school teachers and managers in biosecurity protocol design and implementation to promote a safe and scaled return to the classroom, while providing direct technical assistance to 94 public schools in updating their school risk management plans to incorporate new concerns arising from the pandemic and establish actions to address these.

• Promoting municipal adoption of and access to GOC pandemic regulations, benefits, and programs through the development of 46 user-friendly manuals, guides, infographics, and road maps that present relevant information on GOC regulations, benefits, and programs, such as deadlines, implications for municipal administrations, and eligibility criteria.

• Increasing local government transparency by training more than 500 public officials in public accountability and procurement processes, 168 journalists on Colombian government structure and emergency legislation to enable them to fight corruption, more than 400 citizens and 100 public officials on best oversight practices, and 130 citizens to monitor progress on municipal development plans.

• Increasing citizen participation and engagement through the development of 29 citizen initiatives aimed at managing conflicts at the community level, preventing COVID-19, fighting xenophobia and gender-based violence (GBV), reducing stereotypes, and promoting self-care.

• Fighting GBV by building institutional capacity to mainstream gender approaches, improving coordination in GBV service provision, and promoting women’s engagement, including Venezuelan migrants. For example, RGA developed and helped institutionalize tools such as a GBV monitoring instrument, and promoted the participation of more than 200 women and public officials in eight citizen initiatives aimed at preventing COVID-19 while improving conditions for women; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning (LGBTQ) individuals; and their communities.

This document summarizes how RGA worked to address these challenges in public service provision within the context of COVID-19 and migration responses. The report is divided into eight sections, which provide details on RGA’s technical assistance:

2 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV 1. An introduction that provides important background on the COVID-19 pandemic, the Venezuelan migrant crisis, and the challenges these pose to public service provision, especially for vulnerable populations such as migrants.

2. An overview of the methodologies used to address these challenges.

3. RGA’s assistance to increase access to health and education services during the pandemic.

4. RGA’s support to promote social and economic reactivation.

5. RGA’s support to increase government transparency.

6. RGA’s assistance to engage and increase the participation of vulnerable populations—especially women, youth and migrants—in COVID-19 and migration responses.

7. RGA’s support to the Bogotá government to respond the Venezuelan migrant crisis.

8. Lessons learned from RGA’s strategies to address the pandemic and the migrant crisis and challenges to be considered in the implementation of new initiatives.

1. INTRODUCTION

NATIONAL CONTEXT

The Colombian Ministry of Health (MOH) confirmed the first COVID-19 case in the country in March 2020. Since then, Colombia has recorded more than 2 million cases across the country, creating a multitude of challenges at both the national and subnational levels. Moreover, because the pandemic began only three months after new municipal and departmental administrations were sworn into office on January 1, 2020, new SNG administrations had to grapple with both the typical challenges of new governments (for example, planning efforts and staff changes) and with an unprecedented health care crisis for which no one in Colombia was prepared.

The pandemic and measures to address it have affected all spheres of public administration. At the national level, a main characteristic of the GOC’s response has been the issuing of more than 1,000 decrees, resolutions, and other types of legislation. This has increased pressure on SNGs, especially at the municipal level, because they are responsible for implementing GOC legislation without necessarily having the capacity to do so. Most important, however, the GOC and SNGs have had to contend with increased pressure on the health system, increased GBV, reduced public resources, increased vulnerable populations’ needs (including those of migrants), reduced local economic activity, challenges in education service provision, and new social and economic needs that have increased pressure on national and local public spending.

The economic impact of the pandemic has been devastating. The National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE) reported that Colombia’s gross domestic product had decreased by 6.8 percent in 2020, while the unemployment rate reached 15.9 percent.3 Furthermore, according to a December 2020 survey

3 In 2020, the national unemployment rate increased by 5.4 percent compared with the 2019 rate.

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 3 conducted by DANE in 23 major cities, 70.4 percent of homes surveyed reported having fewer resources for basic consumption items including shoes, clothes, and food in 2020 compared with 2019. Similarly, 69.9 percent of homes surveyed reported that they cannot save a portion of their income, and approximately 21.5 percent of homes reported having to reduce the number of meals consumed daily because of the pandemic. In addition, according to the National Department for Taxes and Customs, combined tax revenues from three significant national taxes declined by US $2.96 billion. Decreases in tax collection have meant that the GOC and SNGs are responding to the pandemic crisis—and will have to continue doing so—within a context of reduced resources.

The COVID-19 pandemic has also had a negative effect on Colombian society and especially on vulnerable populations such as women and migrants. According to the United Nations’ Economic Commission for Latin American and the Caribbean, the pandemic has negatively affected employment conditions for women in the region, resulting in “a setback of more than a decade in terms of the progress achieved in labor market participation.”4 In Colombia, DANE statistics reflect this trend: the unemployment rate for men in December 2020 was 10.2 percent, but it was 18.7 percent for women.5

In addition to this economic disparity, women have also faced increased GBV during the pandemic. According to the National Women’s Observatory (Observatorio Colombiano de las Mujeres), from March to December 2020, calls to report GBV increased by 106 percent.6 Experts have analyzed this increase, correlating it to lockdown measures and to economic and social tensions stemming from the pandemic, which have increased pressure at home and forced many women into isolation with their abusers. GBV has affected migrant women particularly. According to the Ombudsman’s Office, in nearly one-third of GBV cases monitored by the office (31 percent), the victims were migrants or refugees, of which an overwhelming majority (84 percent) were undocumented.7

Venezuelan migration into Colombia has continued amid the COVID-19 pandemic, shifting especially during the national lockdown, which took place from March to August 2020. As reported by Migración Colombia, the migrant population in the country decreased from 1.82 million in February to 1.71 million in September 2020. This decrease reflected the return of a large number of Venezuelans to their home country, which—compounded by escalating tensions between Colombia and Venezuela—increased pressure on Colombian border municipalities. Venezuelan border restrictions that limited the number of migrants allowed to cross the border daily8 resulted in migrant overcrowding in public spaces with limited access to sanitation facilities. This exacerbated social tensions between migrant and host communities in border municipalities.

4 United Nations’ Economic Commission for Latin American and the Caribbean, “The COVID-19 Pandemic has Caused a Setback of Over a Decade in Labor Market Participation for Women in the Region,” February 10, 2021, https://www.cepal.org/en/pressreleases/covid-19-pandemic-has-caused-setback-over-decade-labor-market-participation-women. 5 Similarly, DANE reported that in the second quarter of 2020, 2.5 million women in Colombia lost their jobs, equivalent to a 27 percent job loss. By contrast, 18 percent of men lost their jobs in the same time period. 6 National Women’s Observatory, Llamadas para la orientación de mujeres en condición de vulnerabilidad (National Women’s Observatory, Bulletin No. 32, November 17, 2020), http://www.observatoriomujeres.gov.co/archivos/publicaciones/Publicacion_79.pdf. 7 Ombudsman’s Office, “Pandemia agudizó violencia contra mujeres y población OSIGD” (Ombudsman’s Office, January 5, 2021). https://bit.ly/3ql8jXF. 8 In June 2020, Venezuelan authorities established that only 300 migrants were allowed to cross the border three times a week through the humanitarian corridor in Norte de Santander and only 100 through Arauca. In July, Venezuela established an overall immigration cap of 5,000 people allowed in the country per month.

4 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV Once the initial lockdown was over and local restrictions began easing, migration into the country began increasing again, with the total number of Venezuelan migrants in Colombia reaching 1.74 million by January 31, 2021. Acknowledging the long-term nature of the migration crisis, in February 2021, the GOC issued temporary legislation for the protection of the Venezuelan migrant population in the country, which aims to collect and register information on Venezuelan migrants, provide temporary documentation for migrants who meet the established requirements, and enable a transition from temporary to regular or permanent migration status. This legislation represents a major step toward improving migrant conditions in the country, but during its rollout, regions with large migrant populations will continue to face challenges in service provision to this group, specifically limited interinstitutional coordination, lack of resources, and limited capacity in migrant service provision.

Finally, the pandemic has not served to lessen the security concerns that continue to affect multiple regions across Colombia. According to the United Nations, the number of massacres reported in 2020 was the highest figure reported since 2014.9 Other national experts also reported 90 massacres, 310 social leaders murdered, and 28,500 citizens forcefully displaced, confined, or both.10, 11 This situation largely reflects the continuing operations of illegal armed group, especially those of the National Liberation Army (ELN), dissident groups from the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC-EP), and others.12 According to [redacted], the operation of illegal armed groups not only resulted in the massacre and displacement of Colombian populations, but has also affected migrants crossing through unofficial paths in border regions such as Arauca and Norte de Santander. The control of unofficial border crossings by armed groups leaves migrants exposed to extortion, sexual exploitation, and human trafficking.

NEW RGA TARGET AREAS

Component 7 expanded RGA’s target areas to include four new municipalities—Soledad, Cartagena, Ciénaga and Santa Marta—and Bogotá. This implied new challenges for the program, which had to respond quickly in adapting to specific local contexts.

Each new municipality has its own specific set of circumstances, but they also face common challenges related to local governance and public service provision. For example, government instability and corruption have been significant in Cartagena, Ciénaga, and Santa Marta in the past decade,13 and several mayors have been removed from office under corruption charges.14 This government instability has led to deficiencies in public administration, a lack of clarity on local priorities, and government legitimacy crises. Soledad, Cartagena, and Santa Marta present particular challenges, since they are larger municipalities and

9 Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, “Informe de la Alta Comisionada de las Naciones Unidas para los Derechos Humanos sobre la situación de Derechos Humanos en Colombia durante el año 2020,” February 23, 2021. https://bit.ly/3bkUO5X. 10 Colombian Institute for Development and Peace, “Informe de masacres en Colombia durante el 2020–2021” (Colombian Institute for Development and Peace, January 22, 2021). https://bit.ly/3bBVfcx; and “Líderes sociales y defensores de derechos humanos asesinados en 2020,” https://bit.ly/3qi1aaL. 11 “Hubo 90 casos de desplazamiento y confinamiento forzado en Colombia en el 2020,” El País, January 8, 2021, https://www.elpais.com.co/judicial/hubo-90-casos-de-desplazamiento-y-confinamiento-forzado-en-colombia-en-el-2020.html. 12 ELN is a left-leaning guerrilla group considered the largest active guerrilla force in country, after the signing of the 2016 Peace Accords between the GOC and FARC-EP guerrilla. Although most FARC-EP guerrilla members demobilized after the peace accords, certain factions remained raised in arms, known today as FARC-EP dissidents. 13 By contrast, Soledad is a high-performing municipality, according to data from the Local Governance Index, developed and implemented by the Local Governance Observatory of the Universidad del Norte. 14 In Cartagena, there have been 11 different mayors in only the past seven years, which shows significant instability.

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 5 consequently have larger budgets, responsibilities, and demands in public good and service provision. In all four municipalities, Venezuelan migrants represent a significant portion of the total population,15 and informal employment rates are all above 80 percent. These issues have created multiple challenges for these municipalities in COVID-19 prevention, containment, and recovery. For example, high rates of informal employment have led to populations breaking pandemic restrictions to make ends meet.

In Bogotá, the Venezuelan migrant crisis has posed several challenges to the local government. Bogotá hosts the largest migrant population in Colombia—more than 340,000 migrants live in the city. 16 According to information from the Bogotá government, Venezuelan migrants have settled in the city’s poorest areas, increasing risks for migrant families and especially for women and youth, who are vulnerable to human trafficking, sexual exploitation, and recruitment on behalf of criminal groups. In addition, differences in lifestyles and customs between newcomers and host communities increase social tensions, especially xenophobia, and pose challenges to coexistence and peaceful conflict resolution. Together, these conditions have led to host communities’ rejection and stigmatization of migrants, which hinders migrants’ social and economic inclusion in city dynamics.

Moreover, the large scale of the Bogotá government also presents a challenge in addressing the migrant crisis. Bogotá’s government is a massive organization that includes 15 secretariats, 20 district mayoral offices (alcaldías locales),17 21 public institutions, and 14 institutional partners. In addition, each secretariat and institution has its own divisions and subdivisions, with some having seven or more divisions. For example, the Social Inclusion Secretariat (SDIS)—the institution responsible for implementing the city’s strategy for migration—has five divisions and 17 subdivisions. Perhaps because of the complexity of the City’s organizational structure, RGA also found that Bogotá government responses to migration have tended to be fragmented, with each secretariat implementing isolated projects or strategies that fail to capitalize on the full scope of city’s technical capacity. In parallel, administrative complexity hinders the identification of available resources to address and manage migration. Bottlenecks in interinstitutional coordination also affect migrant service provision, and have required RGA to analyze and adapt its approach to diverse government structures to ensure the effectiveness of its assistance.

In response to these issues and challenges, RGA designed comprehensive strategies to increase municipal preparedness for COVID-19 and migration responses and to strengthen capacity in the Bogotá government to improve migrant service provision. Section 2. Methodology details these strategies and the program’s overarching methodological approach.

2. METHODOLOGY

To address the multitude of challenges arising from COVID-19 and the Venezuelan migrant crisis, RGA designed and implemented several methodological instruments to strengthen GOC, SNG, and civil society capacity to prevent, contain, and recover from the pandemic while improving conditions for the migrant population. These instruments include the Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) cycle; program core methodological approaches; and targeted strategies for the migrant population, new target municipalities,

15 According to data from Migración Colombia, in Soledad and Cartagena, migrants represent about 5 percent of the total population, 11 percent in Ciénaga, and 7.7 percent in Santa Marta. 16 According to Migración Colombia’s most recent report, published on March 3, 2021. 17 Bogotá’s territory is divided into 20 local districts (localidades), which have local district mayors, councils, and so on.

6 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV and Bogotá. Throughout this work, RGA implemented innovative and adaptive management techniques, which assisted the program in guaranteeing a fast adaption to the pandemic’s rapidly evolving context.

2.1. PDCA CYCLE AND CORE METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES

RGA built on the Management and Control System developed by Management Systems International (MSI), following Edward Deming’s methodological design, the PDCA cycle. The cycle allowed the program to develop processes within a framework of standards that facilitate planning and streamline logistical, financial, and human resources to respond to migration challenges, aligning functions, obligations, and local context characteristics. Following the PDCA framework, RGA’s activities included:

1. PLANNING: A key component of RGA’s work consisted of assisting its target municipalities in carrying out planning efforts that helped them be better prepared to face the COVID-19 crisis. The program assisted the drafting, updating, and approval of key public administration instruments—such as 2021 municipal budgets and Annual Tax Management Plans (PAGTs)—to ensure that these adequately respond to the pandemic and migration by considering the socioeconomic impact of both crises.18 In addition, RGA supported the drafting of plans specifically aimed at responding to the pandemic, including emergency action plans in health care and education, and local plans for vaccination. To do so, the program provided assistance to strategic actors (local health and education secretariats, international donors operating in target areas, and public schools) to help them map sector-specific needs and bottlenecks before outlining actions to address these. For example, when providing assistance to the Norte de Santander Health Institute to implement the national vaccination plan, the program found that local plans did not fully comply with national guidelines. Thus, it trained municipal and departmental public officials to strengthen subnational vaccination plans on matters such as vaccine transportation and distribution, cold chain guidelines for vaccine storage, and the availability of vaccination posts.

2. DOING: RGA provided assistance to mobilize resources to execute planned actions by supporting the formulation and approval of public investment projects, following national guidelines and the logical framework methodology. Using a population-driven approach and emphasizing the need for social and economic reactivation, RGA supported the formulation and approval of public investment projects, such as a project in Cúcuta to strengthen women’s productive units in urban and rural areas to improve food security among vulnerable families.

Moreover, RGA promoted the development of citizen initiatives that mobilized youth, women, and local media in the implementation of actions aimed at promoting migrant inclusion, preventing COVID-19, addressing GBV, and advocating for increased government transparency (see Annex 1). To implement these initiatives, the program provided assistance to train participants, design actions, and coordinate efforts with municipal administrations to maximize resources and deliver joint responses to migration and COVID-19. Through this work, the program developed skills in civil society, built institutional capacity, and promoted collaborative dialogue between local governments and communities.

18 A PAGT is a financial planning instrument that is updated annually and establishes the actions that municipal administrations must take to increase their own resources through tax collection strategies.

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 7 3. CHECKING: To increase government transparency, RGA provided assistance to strengthen local procurement processes by training public officials, using learning-by-doing techniques to foster the adoption of best practices in transparency. For example, RGA supported all 14 target municipalities in drafting Annual Acquisitions Plans to ensure that planned procurements closely align with local budgets and planning instruments.19 This allowed municipalities to improve internal coordination while mitigating the risk of corruption in public procurement. Similarly, RGA supported improvements in public procurement processes, guiding municipalities in adhering to GOC legislation and encouraging them to adopt the highest standards for open processes and transparency. Other program-supported best practices in transparency include the development of procurement templates to standardize processes within municipal administrations.

4. ACTING: To assist the Bogotá government in prioritizing investments in migrant service provision, RGA is providing technical assistance to make existing public investment projects operational. The program found that the Women’s Secretariat and the Secretariat for Security, Coexistence, and Justice have macro projects that can include investments for migrants, which have been approved but are not yet fully operational, given their large scale. Thus, RGA is providing assistance to design smaller projects aimed at operating specific lines of work within macro projects that have an impact on the migrant population. For example, the program assisted the Bogotá Women’s Secretariat in mapping the strategic lines of a macro project aimed at implementing affirmative actions for women by using a differential approach. It then supported the secretariat in identifying two strategic lines that could incorporate activities aimed at migrant women: in particular, activities designed to provide assistance to sex workers, and activities to assist the homeless population. Based on this work, the program is currently providing assistance to design smaller projects aimed at operating these two lines of work, understanding that vulnerable migrant women are at high risk of sexual exploitation and homelessness.

In addition to the PDCA cycle, RGA’s work is based on its experience adapting and implementing eight core methodological approaches.20 Throughout its work under Component 7, RGA did the following:

• Improved vertical and horizontal coordination between GOC institutions by promoting dialogue and coordination among the three levels of government to improve public service provision within the context of COVID-19 and the migrant crisis. For example, to improve coordination between the three levels of government, the program provided support to the GOC’s testing, tracing, and sustainable and selective isolation (PRASS) strategy and the national vaccination plan.21 RGA carried out a series of training sessions on PRASS regulations and the national vaccination plan for public officials and health care providers while establishing partnerships with departmental institutions to scale up these trainings. Moreover, RGA improved horizontal coordination by strengthening municipal leadership in coordination spaces to promote

19 An Annual Acquisitions Plan is a planning instrument that allows SNGs to upload, program, and disseminate the type of goods and services they seek to acquire. 20 The eight core approaches are (1) applying practical lessons learned from other USAID-funded programs, (2) improving vertical and horizontal coordination between GOC institutions, (3) strengthening human and institutional capacity development, (4) replicating and scaling up best practices and lessons learned, (5) applying the “Do No Harm” methodology, (6) applying a cross-cutting approach to gender and vulnerable populations, (7) emphasizing the sustainability of efforts, and (8) maximizing synergy among program components. 21 The PRASS strategy is a national government initiative that seeks to trace and isolate COVID-19 carriers to contain the spread of the virus by increasing local testing capacities and rapid case identification.

8 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV pandemic responses aimed at addressing specific local concerns. For example, through program assistance, target municipalities increased their participation in health care and education roundtables, allowing stakeholders to implement new measures to contain the spread of the virus during the second pandemic peak in Colombia, and to coordinate actions with international donors to address local education needs, such as increased school dropouts.

• Replicated and scaled up best practices and lessons learned by building on its experience (especially from Component 6), developing materials aimed at promoting the sustainability of its efforts and partnering with strategic actors to transfer program methodologies to them. For example, the program designed a training cycle for journalists to enable local media to fight corruption and advocate for increased government transparency during COVID-19. RGA developed a general framework on key subjects the cycle should approach—for example, Colombian government structure and emergency legislation—while leaving room to adapt content to local needs. The flexibility of RGA’s cycle has been a key to its success, enabling the program to replicate training cycles in new target municipalities, and establish strategic partnerships with academia to ensure the availability of training materials beyond RGA’s period of implementation.22

With a view to ensuring sustainability, RGA has also developed materials that document program experiences, best practices, and lessons learned. These include a toolkit on RGA’s adaption of USAID’s Let’s Exercise Citizen Control (HCC) methodology to promote migrant inclusion; a set of instruments on hybrid education models, and biosecurity protocol design and implementation to foster a scaled and safe return to the classroom for public school students and staff; and a practical guide on the national vaccination plan and its rollout at the local level. Using these materials and its experience, RGA has worked with a variety of key stakeholders to promote the transfer and adoption of program methodologies. For example, the program coordinated efforts with USAID’s Local Health System Sustainability Program to scale up RGA methodologies for migrant health care enrollments. The program also partnered with departmental health and education secretariats and institutions to leverage their official channels to scale up RGA methodologies beyond the program’s geographical scope. Through these partnerships, the program provided training on PRASS implementation to public officials from 54 additional municipalities and provided program instruments on biosecurity protocols and hybrid education models to education authorities in nine additional municipalities.

• Applied the “Do No Harm” methodology by implementing a strategy based on encouraging partners and stakeholders to adopt COVID-19 preventive measures and implementing specific procedures to prevent and contain the spread of the virus with program staff, grantees, and subcontractors, such as shifting most program activities to remote and online channels (for example, online meetings, webinars, and the like).

In addition, RGA sought to promote differential approaches throughout its activities to ensure that program-supported pandemic responses took into consideration local cultures and conditions in order to avoid harm to communities during activity implementation. For example, in Maicao and Uribia, the program helped public officials develop and implement differentiated

22 Section 5.2 of this document describes this work.

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 9 COVID-19 protocols that take into account the cultural requirements of Wayúu burial rites when establishing guidelines for handling the bodies of COVID-19 victims in Wayúu communities. Similarly, to promote the inclusion of vulnerable populations with limited technology access, RGA provided mobile phone plans to representatives of vulnerable communities and used its training sessions as an opportunity to develop technology skills among participants. The program also focused heavily on promoting biosecurity protocol design and implementation to foster a safe and scaled return to the classroom and to reopen economic sectors safely.

• Applied a cross-cutting approach to gender and vulnerable populations by developing skills in public officials and civil society to mainstream gender approaches, address gender concerns within the context of COVID-19 and the migrant crisis, and strengthen advocacy for service provision improvements, especially in GBV prevention and responses. To this end, RGA trained public officials in gender mainstreaming and differential approaches to ensure that vulnerable populations’ needs were considered in the planning and execution of municipal efforts. Likewise, the program provided training to civil society organizations (CSOs) led by women and members of the LGBTQ community to increase their participation, leadership, and advocacy in spaces such as Municipal Councils for Social Policy (COMPOS).23

2.2. INNOVATIVE AND ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT TO RESPOND TO RAPIDLY EVOLVING CONTEXTS

The conditions created by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Venezuelan migrant crisis in RGA target areas required innovative approaches and a fast adaption to each local context, especially in new target areas. To strengthen program activities under these conditions, RGA developed and implemented innovative and adaptive management techniques that allowed it to adequately respond to the rapidly evolving realities of existing and new target areas.

Based on the methodologies described in section 2.1., RGA developed three targeted strategies to: (1) address migration within the context of COVID-19, (2) implement activities in new target municipalities, and (3) adapt its work methodologies to the complexities of the Bogotá government.

2.2.1. RGA’S MIGRANT STRATEGY WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF COVID-19

In RGA target municipalities, the COVID-19 pandemic has overlapped the Venezuelan migrant crisis, creating multiple intersectional challenges, such as increased GBV and school dropouts that particularly affect migrant women and girls. To address these challenges, the program developed a strategy to address migration within the context of COVID-19, based on four lines of work (see Figure 1). Using this strategy, RGA has sought the inclusion of Venezuelan migrants in SNG and civil society activities and programs to promote migrant access to public goods and services.

23 COMPOS involve civil society and have the goal of establishing, coordinating, and evaluating social policies to improve quality of and access to public services.

10 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV FIGURE 1. RGA’S STRATEGY TO ADDRESS MIGRATION

Building on its Component 6 work, the program continued assisting its target municipalities in implementing differential approaches aimed at promoting migrant inclusion, particularly in health and education service provision. It has done so by (1) encouraging municipal administrations to consider migration and its impact at the local level within their planning instruments, (2) promoting interinstitutional coordination to maximize resources to implement robust migration responses, and (3) building capacity to improve service provision for the migrant population. For example (and understanding the importance of health service access), RGA provided assistance to promote the enrollment of 35,900 Venezuelan migrants with the Colombian health system. Similarly, the program worked to disseminate and explain GOC technical and operational guidelines to vaccinate the migrant population.

Using experience gained under Component 1 in establishing a local peace managers strategy, RGA is also rolling out a local migration managers strategy in Maicao, Santa Marta, and Villa del Rosario.24 This strategy is aimed at improving coordination among the three levels of government and other stakeholders (for example, international donors) to implement and monitor local actions capable of addressing migration concerns.25

In implementing its migrant strategy, RGA has applied learning-by-doing techniques to develop skills in civil society to prevent xenophobia and advocate for migrant needs by promoting the participation of

24 RGA’s local migration managers strategy is based on its local peace managers strategy, implemented in support of the 2016 Peace Accords under the program’s Component 1. The local peace managers strategy aimed at creating a bridge between local and regional actors, improving information flow and coordination between parties, and preventing the duplication of efforts in the region. 25 Section 3.1.2 of this document describes details of this work.

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 11 migrants in its activities, and enabling local CSOs, youth, and journalists to better understand migration and its impact on local contexts. For example, RGA promoted the inclusion of migrants in citizen oversight groups to strengthen monitoring efforts, and by encouraging migrants to share their points of view on how their communities are affected differently by any given issue. Similarly, program support to increase CSO advocacy led to women increasing pressure to improve migrant children’s access to basic health and education services in Los Patios, and program work to raise awareness among youth led to the implementation of community management initiatives that seek to reduce and prevent xenophobia (see Annex 1).

2.2.2. RGA’S STRATEGY FOR NEW TARGET MUNICIPALITIES

RGA designed a strategy to support its new municipalities in addressing the pandemic and the migrant crisis. This strategy considers the main issues identified in section 1 to provide an adequate assistance model to prevent, contain, and recover from COVID-19 while improving service provision for the migrant population (see Figure 2).

FIGURE 2. RGA’S STRATEGY FOR NEW TARGET MUNICIPALITIES

Through this strategy, the program implemented the following lines of work in its new target municipalities:

• Promoting policy dialogues among the three levels of government to coordinate a more effective response to COVID-19, based on municipal needs and contagion trends in each new area. • Increasing awareness of GOC protocols and guidelines to address COVID-19 in new target municipalities to foster their adoption and implementation.

12 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV • Building capacity in municipal administrations to analyze the financial implications of COVID-19 and outline actions to stabilize municipal finances and strengthen public investment prioritization. • Providing assistance to align local planning and financial instruments (for example, municipal budgets) with COVID-19 and migration needs by including resources in these instruments to respond to the pandemic and the Venezuelan migrant crisis. • Building municipal capacity in project formulation and management to mobilize resources to address the pandemic and migration. • Promoting epidemiological surveillance and municipal leadership in health care to strengthen public health strategies, especially PRASS. • Strengthening health care enrollment processes to promote migrant access to the national health system. • Supporting education service provision by promoting the prioritization of strategic investments in education, taking into consideration measures to prevent and contain COVID-19. • Increasing transparency and oversight in COVID-19 and migration public investments by building municipal capacity in public procurement and accountability while supporting civil society advocacy and citizen oversight to fight corruption. • Providing technical assistance to mainstream gender approaches and build institutional capacity to address women’s issues arising from the pandemic and migrant crisis.

2.2.3. RGA’S STRATEGY FOR BOGOTÁ

As discussed in section 1, the scale of the Bogotá government posed a challenge to RGA’s assistance because it required a shift away from the program’s traditional approach. RGA mainly provides technical assistance to the majority of secretariats and offices within municipal administrations, but doing so in Bogotá would not have been possible under the program’s scope of work, execution time frame, and available resources.

Understanding these conditions, RGA first worked to identify and prioritize actions with strategic partners within the Bogotá government. Using this targeted assistance approach, the program developed a five- point strategy to help the Bogotá government address and manage migration in the city (see Figure 3). Section 7 of this document covers program activities under this specific strategy.

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 13 FIGURE 3. RGA’S STRATEGY IN BOGOTÁ

3. SUPPORT TO INCREASE ACCESS TO HEALTH AND EDUCATION SERVICES DURING THE PANDEMIC

COVID-19 and the measures adopted to address it have severely affected all aspects of public administration at the local level, especially in RGA target municipalities where the pandemic intersects with the Venezuelan migrant crisis. Working at the intersection of both crises to improve the delivery of public goods and services, RGA built on its experience from Component 6, strengthening SNG administrative capacity, supporting efforts to address the lack of coordination between levels of government, and assisting target SNGs to overcome existing bottlenecks.

The lack of coordination between national, departmental, and municipal institutions seriously hinders the effectiveness of pandemic response measures. Although the GOC established multiple programs and guidelines aimed at assisting municipal pandemic responses, because of a lack of coordination between relevant institutions, municipalities are often unaware of these programs or do not fully understand the requirements needed to apply for national benefits, limiting overall program impact.

Second, limited institutional capacity is a major bottleneck in RGA target areas since many of these areas simply do not have the resources or technical skills to adequately address both the pandemic and migration. Adequate pandemic responses require swift actions in public health, particularly in epidemiological surveillance, to prevent and contain the spread of the virus. Yet, the program found that epidemiological surveillance teams in its target areas were too small and did not have the tools required to manage surveillance or the resources to hire additional staff to increase the capacity of surveillance teams. Furthermore, COVID-19 has slowed down responses in public service provision, including services for the migrant population, because SNG administrative staff require training and assistance not just on

14 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV how to undertake their regular responsibilities, but also on how to address additional needs at the local level resulting from the pandemic itself.

To address these bottlenecks, RGA provided assistance to increase coordination between the GOC and SNGs, build institutional capacity in health service provision, and develop skills to improve education services.

3.1. INCREASING COORDINATION BETWEEN THE GOC AND SNGS

To increase coordination between the GOC and SNGs, RGA first worked to identify coordination challenges, finding two main issues related to the adoption of and access to GOC pandemic regulations and programs, and to a lack of municipal leadership in coordination spaces. Following this diagnostic work, the program provided assistance to help the GOC and SNGs to address these challenges.

3.1.1. PROMOTING THE ADOPTION OF GOC PANDEMIC REGULATIONS AND PROGRAMS

At the start of COVID-19, RGA began to map GOC pandemic legislation. As of February 28, 2021, nearly a year into the crisis, the program had compiled 1,063 pandemic regulations issued by the GOC, the majority of which have an impact on the local level. The sheer volume of this legislative landscape was enough to exceed municipal capacity, but GOC regulations were also (1) not centralized (meaning that anyone responsible for their implementation had to look up different sources to find and monitor them); (2) unclear in many cases on the roles and responsibilities of the different actors involved in their execution; and (3) not fully aligned with local needs and priorities, resulting in limited access to national programs and benefits on behalf of municipalities. To address these concerns, RGA implemented a strategy to disseminate GOC regulations, including national programs and benefits, as shown in Figure 4.

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 15 FIGURE 4. RGA STRATEGY TO PROMOTE MUNICIPAL ADOPTION AND ACCESS TO GOC PANDEMIC REGULATIONS AND PROGRAMS

The program developed seven manuals on GOC legislation to facilitate the adoption of these dispositions at the subnational level. These included a manual on main and general national dispositions to address COVID-19 that have an impact on SNGs; five sector-specific manuals on economic reactivation, health care, education, agriculture, and information and communication technology, including new national benefits in these sectors for SNGs; a manual on biosecurity protocols in the context of the pandemic; and a manual on Constitutional Court rulings that modify GOC legislation (for example, rulings that repeal a specific decree).

RGA transferred these manuals to its 14 target municipalities, allowing them to better understand the scope of their responsibilities within national pandemic legislation. Acknowledging that its manuals can become important instruments in disseminating and monitoring regulations, the program also worked with national institutions to make these resources broadly available to municipalities beyond RGA’s geographic scope of work. In particular, RGA worked closely with the Administrative Department of the Presidency of the Republic (DAPRE) and the National Planning Department to socialize its manuals and ensure their availability on government websites and information portals. Moreover, the program is currently working on similar partnerships with a range of other institutions, including the Department for Social Prosperity (DPS), the National Federation for Departments, and the Colombian Federation for Municipalities.

In addition to assisting the GOC in disseminating and promoting the adoption of its pandemic legislation, the program also identified a need to support the national government in monitoring the performance of its pandemic legislation to improve the effectiveness of regulation rollouts. To this end, RGA supported

16 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV DAPRE to develop and implement a regulatory monitoring instrument, called ESCOVID-19. Through it, national public institutions are responsible for reporting information on the performance of key pandemic measures within their scopes of work.

RGA’s assistance to DAPRE focused on optimizing ESCOVID-19 indicators and the reporting process. The program supported the design of new indicators that helped strengthen regulation monitoring, allowing DAPRE to clearly assign reporting responsibilities on specific indicators where institutional reporting requirements were confusing or absent. To optimize reporting processes, the program assisted DAPRE in coordinating efforts with national institutions to increase and improve data reporting on the instrument. Reports on regulation performance allow DAPRE to make informed decisions and request national entities to carry out key actions aimed at improving performance. 26 Overall, ESCOVID-19 information is allowing DAPRE to prioritize actions to improve the implementation and performance of key pandemic regulations.

Lastly, RGA provided assistance to increase municipal RGA coordinated efforts with DPS to access to national programs and benefits by maintaining disseminate the department’s call for social a permanent interaction with national institutions, such productive infrastructure projects to mobilize as DPS, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of resources for local economic reactivation. To Agriculture, the Ministry of Information and this end, the program developed a road map and Communication Technology (MinTIC), and the National communication piece to share and explain DPS’s Unit for Disaster Risk Management. 27 This work entailed call at the subnational level. After this work, mapping national programs and benefits as a basis for RGA assisted its target municipalities in developing and disseminating guidance to facilitate formulating projects for the call, resulting in 23 improved access by municipalities. RGA developed user- public investment projects formulated that, if friendly road maps, guides, and infographics that explain approved, will mobilize approximately US $21.7 national programs and benefits, their validity period, and million in public resources to support economic eligibility criteria, among other relevant information, to reactivation in eight target municipalities. promote access to these programs and benefits on behalf of both municipal administrations and vulnerable populations. These were broadly disseminated to RGA target municipalities, local chambers of commerce, regional commissions for competitiveness, and civil society participating in program activities, such as citizen oversight workshops or training cycles for CSOs. Annex 2 details program-developed instruments to promote municipal adoption and access to GOC regulations, programs, and benefits.

3.1.2. STRENGTHENING MUNICIPAL LEADERSHIP IN COORDINATION SPACES

The lack of municipal leadership in RGA target areas has contributed to limiting coordination efforts among stakeholders. To address this challenge, the program provided assistance to build institutional capacity to lead coordination spaces, such as interinstitutional roundtables and roundtables for education, health care, and migration. To this end, RGA developed two general instruments to support local

26 For example, RGA’s assistance allowed DAPRE to identify 50 already-established indicators on which GOC institutions could not effectively report in practice. Following this finding, the program is providing assistance to outline alternate measuring strategies to report on these indicators. 27 RGA supported the dissemination of GOC programs and benefits created or redesigned to better address the pandemic, such as credit lines for small and medium enterprises, calls for proposals to finance subnational economic reactivation, and programs to promote the use of technology among women. See Annex 2 for more details.

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 17 authorities in hosting and leading coordination spaces: a guide to carry out policy dialogues as a strategic space to train public officials and citizens, which includes recommendations on key policy requirements to consider in local planning efforts; and a matrix to map institutional regulations, programs, and benefits that guides municipalities through the process of identifying their impact at the local level while considering local contexts. The program is currently piloting these instruments in its target municipalities, and will validate and update them based on feedback.

Understanding that responses to the Venezuelan migrant crisis typically involve multiple institutions from different levels of government, RGA is working both with national institutions and those responsible for migration programming at the local level. Thus, RGA provided technical assistance to give feedback to national institutions on promoting migrant inclusion in GOC programs and offers. In parallel, in Maicao, Santa Marta, and Villa del Rosario, RGA is supporting local migration managers in the following areas:

• Strengthening local capacity to coordinate and plan for migrant service provision. • Mapping dispositions and strategies established in local instruments (for example, municipal development plans [PDMs]) to service the migrant population as a basis for developing action plans aligned with the new GOC legislation for the protection of Venezuelan migrants.28 • Supporting the implementation of RGA’s methodology for policy dialogues that bring the three levels of government together for discussions on how to move forward with the implementation of national policies that depend on subnational efforts for their implementation. Through RGA’s methodology, dialogues focus on improving SNG understanding of national policies, and provide a forum for questions, comments, and recommendations on behalf of subnational actors. RGA’s approach encourages subnational actors to give feedback on policy implementation, especially on how policy rollout can be adapted to local level realities, thus turning dialogues into spaces for reconciling top-down and bottom-up implementation perspectives.29 • Encouraging the development of internal road maps within municipal administrations to foster adequate workflows between secretariats and offices responsible for migrant service provision. Through this work, the program also sought to raise awareness among public officials involved of the need to align actions between different administrative sectors to promote comprehensive responses to migration at the local level. • Developing a guide for the migrant population on how to access specific services. • Developing a guide on the GOC’s legislation for the protection of Venezuelan migrants, which includes the main benefits and obligations created by this legislation, the phases that must be completed for its implementation, and migrant eligibility criteria and obligations to adhere to this legislation, among other relevant information.

The program also built municipal leadership skills by supporting local authorities in leading and coordinating efforts on sector-specific discussions. For example, RGA provided assistance to municipal teams responsible for epidemiological surveillance in analyzing public health events affecting their territories—especially COVID-19—to develop indicators, epidemiological newsletters, and other tools. The program then assisted these teams in using these instruments to lead local committees for epidemiological surveillance. Similarly, in education, RGA built municipal capacity to analyze public school data (such as student enrollments and infrastructure needs) before supporting local authorities in using

28 PDMs are the road maps that municipal administrations follow to achieve local development over their four years in office. 29 For example, RGA is currently providing assistance to host policy dialogues on the GOC’s temporary legislation for the protection of the Venezuelan migrant population.

18 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV these analyses to coordinate efforts with international donors participating in education roundtables. Sections 3.2 and 3.3 detail the program’s support to build sector-specific capacity.

3.2. BUILDING CAPACITY TO IMPROVE HEALTH SERVICE PROVISION

In Colombia, several structural challenges have hindered the health system’s ability to adequately prepare for and respond to the pandemic. In its target municipalities, RGA found that the following bottlenecks remain within the context of COVID-19: (1) lack of coordination among the GOC, subnational institutions, and health care stakeholders; (2) limited technical capacity and human resources at the subnational level; and (3) limited access to the health system on behalf of vulnerable populations. Together, these challenges have hindered local efforts to prevent and contain the spread of the virus while limiting the effectiveness of national strategies such as PRASS or the National Vaccination Plan.

To assist it target municipalities in improving their pandemic responses, RGA provided assistance on three main lines of work: (1) building capacity in public health surveillance, (2) supporting local vaccination plans, and (3) promoting vulnerable population access to the health system. The program trained public officials, promoted coordination among the three levels of government, and assisted its target municipalities in monitoring planning instruments in health care to ensure their adequate execution within the context of the pandemic.

3.2.1. PROVIDING SUPPORT TO STRENGTHEN PUBLIC HEALTH SURVEILLANCE

One of the main challenges RGA found in its target municipalities was a lack of municipal leadership in public health surveillance matters, which the pandemic underscored. Based on this finding, the program focused on increasing municipal leadership to both address COVID-19 and build sustainable capacity to respond to other public health events affecting local communities (for example, dengue fever, malaria, and others). To this end, the program supported PRASS implementation while it provided assistance to monitor and address other public health events.

RGA first worked to identify the bottlenecks that have hindered the rollout of the PRASS strategy. It found four main implementation challenges at the subnational level: (1) lack of clarity regarding operational details and institutional coordination to implement the strategy, (2) lack of human resources at the municipal level, (3) low institutional capacity to process COVID-19 tests, and (4) lack of financial resources to fund PRASS-related assistance for families in isolation. Based on these challenges, RGA designed a four- point strategy to assist PRASS implementation in its target areas (see Figure 5), which focused on (1) stakeholder training, (2) epidemiological surveillance, (3) biosecurity protocol design and implementation, and (4) staff hiring. Through these lines of work, the program sought to strengthen municipal leadership in public health matters, particularly to lead interinstitutional and other coordination spaces.

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 19 FIGURE 5. RGA SUPPORT TO PRASS IMPLEMENTATION

PRASS TRAININGS The program provided technical assistance to train health care stakeholders in PRASS regulations, carrying out workshop sessions with public officials and health care providers to increase their understanding of PRASS and their roles and responsibilities within it. RGA partnered with departmental administrations and its target municipalities to promote the participation of diverse actors involved in strategy implementation, including health secretaries, public health coordinators, COVID-19 coordinators, and health care providers. Through its partnerships, the program trained more than 400 health care stakeholders from 12 target municipalities, along with actors from an additional 54 municipalities, who participated in program trainings through its departmental partnerships.30

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SURVEILLANCE RGA developed two epidemiological surveillance instruments aimed at helping municipal public officials strengthen their skills in public health surveillance: epidemiological newsletters and a mathematical model for case forecasting. Program-developed epidemiological newsletters support local authorities in monitoring and analyzing public health events by creating indicators that provide relevant information on how these events progress at the local level. Indicators focus especially on collecting COVID-19 data, such as local mortality rates and effective reproductive numbers,31 but they also focus on information on other relevant public health events (for example, zoonotic disease outbreaks, maternal mortality rates, and so on). Using learning-by-doing

30 The 12 target areas include all program target municipalities except for Cartagena and Santa Marta, where USAID’s Local Health System Sustainability Program provides similar technical assistance. The program reached the additional 54 municipalities through its departmental partnerships in La Guajira and Norte de Santander and through program activities in Arauca and Atlántico. 31 The effective reproductive number is the average number of people infected by one person, and it can be used to estimate whether an outbreak is growing, shrinking, or remaining stable.

20 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV methodologies, RGA transferred its epidemiological newsletters to its target municipalities. For example, when transferring this instrument, the program trained public officials on how to review national health care databases to include their data in the drafting of newsletters. As a result of this work, 13 target municipalities are currently implementing this instrument in their public health analyses.32

Similarly, RGA developed a mathematical model to help its target municipalities make projections on future COVID-19 outbreaks at the local level, based on existing information on national health care databases.33 To ensure its effectiveness, the program worked with its target municipalities on adjusting the model so it is better suited for specific local conditions. This led to municipalities prioritizing the adoption of RGA’s model as a relevant tool in decision-making.

To expand the reach of its instruments and promote their sustainability, the program partnered with departmental authorities to transfer these tools to areas outside its scope of work. In Atlántico, La Guajira, and Norte de Santander, RGA hosted training sessions in partnership with departmental authorities to train public officials on epidemiological surveillance strategies, including its newsletter model. In Norte de Santander, RGA assisted the Departmental Health Institute in developing a technical assistance cycle (Surveillance Wednesdays) to train municipal public health officials from all municipalities in the department, including RGA target areas. The cycle trained more than 350 public officials on monitoring and establishing protocols for key public health events in the department, including COVID-19, acute respiratory infections, rabies, maternal mortality, and malnutrition in children under five. Similarly, in La Guajira, RGA assisted departmental authorities in hosting an epidemiological surveillance committee session, where it presented its mathematical model to health secretaries and teams from the 15 municipalities in the department, including its target areas.

Within the context of this work, RGA also assisted its target municipalities in monitoring the execution of health care planning instruments—such as collective interventions plans, territorial health plans, and COVID-19 emergency plans—to prioritize actions within these plans that can help improve pandemic responses and service provision for vulnerable populations. For example, in La Guajira, RGA supported it target municipalities in updating their Provisional Health Care Action Plans to include actions to address COVID-19 aimed at indigenous and migrant communities.34 In addition, the program determined that vector-borne diseases (particularly dengue fever) were affecting migrant settlements in Uribia and Maicao to a greater degree than other municipal areas. After this work, RGA provided assistance to the two municipal administrations to prioritize public health surveillance efforts for this type of disease. Other public health events that municipal administrations prioritized with program assistance include malnutrition in children under five, maternal mortality, GBV, and mental health.

BIOSECURITY PROTOCOL DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION RGA provided assistance to 12 target municipalities to develop local and population-specific protocols and implement those mandated by the MOH.35 In Norte de Santander, the program trained more than 50 public officials from 29 municipalities to assist them in updating their protocols to handle the bodies of those who have died from

32 This includes all program target municipalities except for Cartagena, where USAID’s Local Health System Sustainability Program provides similar technical assistance. 33 RGA’s mathematical model is based on the Reed-Frost model. 34 Provisional Health Care Action Plans establish health care actions at the local level that must be included in Territorial Health Plans. Territorial Health Plans are a short- and medium-term planning instrument for health care at the local level. 35 The assistance was provided to all program target municipalities except for Cartagena and Santa Marta, where USAID’s Local Health System Sustainability Program provides similar technical assistance.

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 21 COVID-19.36 In Arauquita, the program supported public officials in developing a protocol to address COVID-19 in a local indigenous community and another protocol to disinfect municipal administration offices. In Maicao and Uribia, the program helped public officials develop and implement differentiated COVID-19 prevention and containment protocols for indigenous communities. These protocols establish guidelines to handle the bodies of those who have passed away from COVID-19 in Wayúu communities while considering the needs of Wayúu burial rites. In La Guajira, RGA assisted the departmental administration in establishing protocols and road maps to manage COVID-19 cases among the migrant population. These protocols and road maps help clarify institutional responsibilities and steps to follow to attend to migrants who present with COVID-19 symptoms, based on their status in Colombia.

STAFF HIRING Recognizing that human resource constraints are a major impediment to PRASS implementation, RGA fielded short-term technical expert teams to support each of the 14 target municipalities. First, the program coordinated sessions between the expert teams and municipal administrations to establish work plans based on the needs of each local context. After this work, RGA and its expert teams determined that municipalities required assistance in five main areas: (1) case georeferencing, (2) contact tracing, (3) community awareness, (4) migrant population strategies, and (5) interinstitutional coordination.

To assist its target areas in case georeferencing, RGA expert teams are developing instruments tailored to each municipal context that can help municipal administrations quickly map cases and determine at-risk areas. This will help improve decision-making at the local level, for example, by assisting local authorities in determining the need for neighborhood-wide lockdowns or to ramp up biosecurity protocols in specific sectors.

Program expert teams are also supporting the development of action plans to strengthen contact tracing at the local level, which is one of the PRASS stages where municipalities are lagging the most. RGA- supported recommendations to improve these plans include creating databases that collect a comprehensive set of data to enable information flows, and establishing work plans to distribute case monitoring between municipal administrations and health care providers.

In line with this work, RGA determined that greater efforts are needed to encourage communities to help trace cases and promote self-care within the context of the pandemic. To assist its target municipalities in enhancing coordination with local communities, the program is building municipal capacity before organizing training sessions with community leaders, for example, by helping municipalities map actors and local CSOs that can assist the coordination of efforts with communities.

36 These municipalities include all five RGA target areas in the department (Cúcuta, Los Patios, Puerto Santander, Tibú, and Villa del Rosario) and areas outside its scope of work: Convención, Ocaña, Durania, El Carmen, Mutiscua, Cácota, Herrán, Santiago, El Zulia, Teorama, Toledo, San Cayetano, Ábrego, Pamplona, Gramalote, Bochalema, Chinácota, San Calixto, Hacari, Ragonvalia, Arboledas, Villa Caro, Salazar, and Sardinata.

22 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV Regarding PRASS implementation with the migrant population, RGA In Cúcuta, RGA is supporting the and its expert teams identified three main challenges: (1) a lack of implementation of a pilot in a adequate and timely information on health services for the migrant neighborhood with a large population, (2) difficulty in monitoring cases among migrants because migrant population, with the goal of their frequent movements, and (3) migrants’ lack of a reliable of establishing community road income on which they can depend, which limits their ability to self- maps for migrant and host isolate. Thus, RGA is providing support to establish a strategy based community access to health and on coordinating efforts with local leaders and organizations in close vaccination services. contact with migrants. Through this strategy, municipalities can help migrants access relevant information on health services and monitor COVID-19 cases among this population. In addition, the program is providing assistance to help municipal authorities determine which organizations at the local level can support migrants in complying with COVID-19 isolation measures, for example, by coordinating housing or other welfare benefits.

RGA and its expert teams are assisting target municipalities in participating in interinstitutional coordination spaces to analyze local COVID-19 data, such as data collected through georeferencing instruments. The program is providing support to organize and present data—for example, using dashboards—to help institutional actors from different sectors understand and analyze COVID-19 information for decision-making. Through this work, the program aims to improve interinstitutional understanding and analysis of local contexts to strengthen coordination at the local level and provide more comprehensive responses to the pandemic.

Considering the upcoming program closure in June 2021, RGA will seek to promote the sustainability of its PRASS support by training public officials in using its PRASS instruments and processes to ensure their effective and continued implementation beyond program execution.

STRENGTHENED MUNICIPAL LEADERSHIP The four lines of work in its strategy to support PRASS implementation have allowed the program to strengthen municipal leadership in public health matters. For example, PRASS trainings have helped clarify institutional and health care provider roles and responsibilities while taking into consideration key aspects for local strategy rollouts. Based on this work, the program is providing technical assistance to draft local PRASS regulations that will determine how to coordinate actions with health care providers to promote an effective rollout.

Similarly, RGA’s epidemiological newsletters and During the second pandemic peak in mathematical model have allowed the program to build Colombia (between December 2020 and institutional capacity to monitor and analyze public health January 2021), RGA assisted public health at the municipal level, strengthening municipal leadership officials in Arauquita in presenting data analysis and decision-making processes. Using these instruments, on COVID-19 to the Municipal Council for the program assisted municipalities in leading Disaster Risk Management. Based on this interinstitutional scenarios in health care, such as risk information, local authorities decided to analysis committees, epidemiological surveillance strengthen their biosecurity measures to committees, and departmental and municipal health care contain the pandemic, including protocols roundtables. Program-supported instruments have allowed aimed specifically at supporting the local local authorities to analyze COVID-19 and other relevant agricultural sector. public health events to coordinate actions aimed at addressing them.

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 23 Furthermore, through its PRASS assistance, RGA is helping its target municipalities improve coordination within health care teams responsible for different aspects of health service provision. The program sought to assist its target municipalities in capitalizing on their contact tracing efforts to identify and locate uninsured vulnerable populations by designing a format that allows public officials to collect information needed to enroll vulnerable populations with the national health system. When carrying out contact tracing efforts, public officials typically ask citizens if they are insured. RGA’s format will allow them to collect data on those outside the health system before sharing it with municipal teams responsible for health care enrollments. This can facilitate efforts to locate uninsured populations, an issue that is of particular importance during the pandemic, when there are limitations to hosting open calls for in-person enrollment sessions because of COVID-19 restrictions.

3.2.2. ASSISTING VACCINATION PLAN ROLLOUT

The GOC drafted and issued a national vaccination plan to prevent and contain the spread of COVID-19, which delegates certain responsibilities (for example, logistical) to municipal administrations and local health care providers. However, subnational health secretariats have reported that guidelines to roll out the plan are unclear.

Considering this context, RGA is providing technical assistance to its 14 target municipalities to help them prepare for local vaccinations by assisting its target municipalities in establishing dialogues with local health care providers to determine vaccination bottlenecks. Bottlenecks found include personal vaccine myths, barriers to including health care providers in vaccine rollouts, limited vaccination post capacity, lack of knowledge among staff on vaccination planning, and outdated databases to contact citizens and schedule their shots.

To help address these challenges, RGA provided technical assistance to support its target municipalities in being better prepared for COVID-19 vaccinations by supporting the drafting of local COVID- 19 vaccination plans, focusing especially on detailing steps and actions, for example, to manage the receipt of vaccine doses. Through this support, the program also sought to disseminate national dispositions RGA’s COVID-19 vaccine road map for and guidelines to create vaccine committees and coordinate efforts the general public. among the different actors involved in vaccination procedures.

In addition, RGA carried out work sessions with municipal public health and vaccination teams to establish challenges in local vaccine administration. Based this work, the program partnered with the departmental administrations of La Guajira and Norte de Santander to train public officials on the national vaccination plan and the immunization program.37 Program trainings covered (1) an overview of COVID-19 vaccines; (2) GOC technical and operational guidelines to vaccinate the migrant population; (3) technical guidelines

37 The national vaccination plan and the immunization program are different (the first covers COVID-19, and the second focuses on other vaccine campaigns such as influenza and measles), but the teams implementing both at the local level are the same and have the responsibility of guaranteeing access to both programs. Moreover, the program provided support to train public officials on the national immunization program to promote vaccinations among eligible migrants, particularly to help control measle outbreaks. The World Health Organization had certified Colombia as a country free of measles in 2014, but outbreaks have occurred since 2018, caused by the poor health conditions facing migrants and their lack of access to preventive care.

24 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV for safe vaccine administration, the logistics of cold chains, and other relevant information on approved COVID-19 vaccines; and (4) epidemiological surveillance, especially reports on adverse effects after immunization.

To promote the sustainability of its efforts, RGA also developed a guide with frequently asked questions on COVID-19 vaccinations, which it disseminates during training sessions and with the La Guajira departmental administration. This practical guide answers questions that subnational institutions and other health care stakeholders frequently ask on COVID-19 vaccinations, from the planning stage through to vaccine administration, monitoring, and evaluation. The guide also contains two user-friendly road maps that describe vaccination procedures. One is aimed at the general public and includes relevant information on steps to follow to be vaccinated. The second is geared toward SNGs and includes information on institutional responsibilities, technical guidelines, and vaccine regulations. Annex 3 presents full-size versions of these two road maps.

3.2.3 PROMOTING ACCESS TO THE NATIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM FOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS

Guaranteeing access to health care amid a pandemic is crucial to adequately respond to this health crisis. In Colombia, however, vulnerable populations face several hurdles to accessing health care. This is especially true within the context of the Venezuelan migrant crisis—migrants, returnees, and their children are frequently excluded from health service provision.

FIGURE 6. RGA STRATEGY FOR HEALTH CARE ENROLLMENTS

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 25 To promote access to the health system for these vulnerable populations, RGA designed a comprehensive strategy (see Figure 6), which it began implementing under its Component 6.38 Under Component 7, the program built on its previous work by continuing to use its tested-and-true methodologies to assist health care enrollment processes, such as database decluttering and census list creation. Using learning-by-doing methodologies, the program trained public officials from its 14 target municipalities on database maintenance to keep databases from being cluttered with people who no longer qualify for health care government-subsidized enrollments—for example, because they can pay for their own insurance. This allowed public officials to understand the importance of updating databases regularly and helped free up resources to enroll more vulnerable populations with the national health system. Likewise, RGA provided assistance to train public officials on census list creation, allowing them to streamline enrollments for vulnerable communities, especially migrants, returnees, and their children. To strengthen these enrollment methodologies, the program also provided assistance to carry out work sessions between municipal teams responsible for the different steps in migrant health care enrollments to improve interinstitutional coordination throughout this process.

Before RGA’s intervention, the Soledad municipal administration had enrolled 20 migrants with the national health system. After RGA’s technical assistance, the administration increased its migrant enrollments to 525, proving the effectiveness of program methodologies.

Overall, RGA promoted the enrollment of more than 38,000 people, including 35,900 Venezuelan migrants 1,800 Colombian returnees, and 330 children.

In addition to this work, RGA shared its health care access road maps for uninsured migrants and vulnerable populations to promote their access to health services by transferring to and assisting the adoption of these road maps with its target municipalities.39 For example, the program is currently working with municipal administrations on establishing work plans to transfer these road maps to other health care stakeholders, such as health care providers and international donors. Next, the program leveraged its training sessions for civil society to increase citizens’ understanding of health service provision and access, especially for vulnerable populations, including migrants (see section 6).

To promote the sustainability of its actions further, RGA is transferring its enrollment methodologies for vulnerable populations to USAID’s Local Health System Sustainability Program, thus scaling up program efforts.

38 During the execution of its Component 6, RGA provided technical assistance to (1) strengthen legal frameworks for migrant and returnee health care enrollments, (2) carry out policy dialogues to effectively implement new legal frameworks, and (3) assist SNGs in completing enrollment procedures. Thus, it supported MOH and SNGs in drafting, issuing, and implementing two key pieces of legislation: Resolution 1838 of July 2019 and Decree 064 of January 2020. Resolution 1838 allows SNGs to enroll migrant minors with the national health system—regardless of their migratory status—using census lists, which are a health care enrollment instrument that streamlines enrollment procedures. Decree 064 of January 2020 stipulates that all migrants holding a valid identification document (such as a Special Residence Permit) may also be enrolled through census lists. For more details, see “Assistance Provided to Strengthen Government and Community Capacity to Respond to the Needs of Venezuelan Migrants and Receptor Communities: Report on Component 6,” submitted to USAID on May 21, 2020. 39 Under its Component 6, RGA developed national and departmental health services access road maps. It has since updated the road maps to include service access changes under pandemic dispositions. In addition, the program designed municipal road maps tailored to the specific context of each of its 14 target areas, which it has already transferred to local authorities.

26 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV 3.3. DEVELOPING SKILLS TO IMPROVE EDUCATION SERVICES

Public schools in Colombia were closed for most of 2020, shifting to remote education service provision while authorities prepared for a safe and scaled return to the classroom, and this shift brought new challenges. Education authorities’ planning instruments were insufficient to address the pandemic and its collateral effects, particularly increased risks among school communities, such as violence at home and xenophobia. Education service providers struggled to reach vulnerable students because of their locations (particularly indigenous and rural communities in remote areas), because students lacked access to technology tools needed to follow online lessons (such as in low-income households, affecting particularly migrant communities), or because students require specialized services to accommodate for conditions such as visual or hearing impairments. RGA also found that GBV arose as an issue affecting school-age girls, who were encouraged to leave their studies to contribute to domestic chores at a higher rate than boys.

Overall, the pandemic led to a 2.2 percent increase in school dropouts, meaning approximately 260,000 children withdrew from their studies in 2020.40 Moreover, it is notable that in RGA target areas, concerns in education services arising from the pandemic are compounded by historical and structural bottlenecks that COVID-19 highlighted, including limited technical capacity and municipal leadership, lack of coordination, and deficient public school infrastructure. For example, a chief bottleneck in target municipalities in Arauca and Norte de Santander (except for Cúcuta) is that these SNGs are not certified to manage education services independently, so this service provision depends largely on departmental decisions. This led to a lack of participation on behalf of municipal education authorities in decision-making spaces, which contributes to disconnected decisions and a generalized lack of coordination that have hindered pandemic responses.

To address these challenges, RGA focused on building institutional capacity to strengthen education service provision, improving coordination between local institutions but also with other stakeholders such as international donors, and developing skills in school communities to support them in addressing risks exacerbated by the pandemic.

3.3.1. BUILDING INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY AND IMPROVING COORDINATION TO STRENGTHEN EDUCATION SERVICE PROVISION

RGA provided technical assistance to map and analyze public school needs and statistics to better understand how COVID-19 was affecting local education contexts. The program assisted 10 target municipalities in participating in roundtables on education in emergency, in which international donors such as the Interagency Group on Mixed Migratory Flows participated.41, 42 Through this work, the program assisted SNGs in coordinating efforts with roundtable members to map public school needs through the design and application of a survey administered to public school managers. For example, in Arauca, this survey revealed public school needs in (1) infrastructure (especially water and basic

40 Portafolio, “Inicia el regreso a clases bajo el modelo de alternancia,” February 7, 2021, https://bit.ly/2OAGNrI. 41 The 10 target municipalities are: Arauca, Arauquita (Arauca), Maicao, Riohacha, Uribia (La Guajira), Cúcuta, Los Patios, Puerto Santander, Tibú, and Villa del Rosario (Norte de Santander). 42 The Interagency Group on Mixed Migratory Flows was created at the end of 2016 to coordinate international donor response to the Venezuelan migrant crisis. It is led by the International Organization for Migration and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and includes the participation of several international donors such as Save the Children and the United Nations Children’s Fund, among others.

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 27 sanitation), (2) connectivity to reach students during school closures, and (3) strategies to mitigate risks and promote students’ safe return to the classroom.

Building on this work, RGA developed a Barriers Map,43 an online and interactive tool that collects information on 34 aspects of education service provision, including student population,44 school meal programs, COVID-19 prevention and containment, and school risk management plans. RGA’s tool allows users to visualize and understand education barriers and needs, helping stakeholders such as municipal administrations to better plan for education sector investments. Figure 7 shows RGA’s Barriers Map for Villa del Rosario.

FIGURE 7. RGA’S BARRIERS MAP FOR VILLA DEL ROSARIO

RGA also provided assistance to education authorities in its 14 target municipalities to analyze existing education data, for instance, information available through the National Admissions Information System. This work allowed municipalities to better understand the social and financial impact of COVID-19 on matters such as school dropouts. For example, RGA provided assistance to analyze student enrollments, helping municipalities understand that low dropout percentages partly reflect students who have moved from the private to the public system, inflating public school enrollments. This means that although the net number of students enrolled is not significantly lower when compared with previous years, a considerable number of public school students (especially migrants) have indeed dropped out. This analysis has helped municipalities prioritize efforts to address school dropouts, such as actively searching for

43 The Barriers Map tool is available at https://bit.ly/3nEhCQL. 44 The information collected is on the number of students, Colombian students, migrant students, number of teachers, and children who do not have access to the educational system, among others.

28 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV students outside the system. For instance, in Arauca, program outreach to the families of 74 students who had reportedly withdrawn from their studies, resulted in 63 of them agreeing to return to school in 2021.

Helping municipalities understand the current state of their public schools and education service provision has allowed them to increase their leadership in coordination spaces. By assisting local governments in using program-supported analyses, RGA has increased local government participation in coordination spaces such as roundtables on education in emergency and childhood and youth roundtables, and encouraged local councils to prioritize public school needs and concerns. In so doing, the program fostered coordination among municipal administrations, departmental secretariats, and international donors. For example, in La Guajira, RGA promoted the participation of the departmental administration and its three target municipalities in international donor roundtables for education, which allowed international donors to better guide their assistance to public schools that need it the most. Similarly, in Arauca and Arauquita, the program strengthened coordination between education secretariats and international donors to deliver more than 300 school kits to vulnerable students to foster their class attendance.

Similarly, RGA built on its education analyses to assist its target municipalities in prioritizing education investments. The program trained public officials from its 14 target municipalities in the scope of their responsibilities (particularly in municipalities that are not certified), planning instruments, and project formulation to align regular municipal responsibilities with actions aimed at addressing education needs stemming from the pandemic. This assistance allowed SNGs to compare and contrast education investments as outlined in PDMs with pandemic analyses, departmental development plans, and national programs to align and prioritize investments.

RGA assisted the formulation and approval of eight public investment projects to improve education service provision in five target municipalities, mobilizing US $11 million in public resources for education (see Annex 4).45 Part of this work included providing program support to its 14 target municipalities to incorporate into their education budgets the resources assigned to them through the national Fund to Mitigate Emergencies (FOME). It is notable that mobilizing resources through FOME is difficult because it requires complex procedures on which municipal administrations are not always fully trained. RGA provided assistance to help its target municipalities complete the process of incorporating the FOME resources into their education budgets. Through this process, it also assisted the formulation and approval of a public investment project for US $55,000 with FOME funds to acquire biosecurity supplies to prevent and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in public schools in Soledad.

Parallel to this work, RGA built institutional capacity to RGA transferred its tools to draft hybrid support a safe return to the classroom and improve education model plans and biosecurity remote education services. The program assisted its 14 protocols to the Cúcuta Education Secretariat, target municipalities in the adoption of MOH and Ministry which has since incorporated these into its of Education guidelines to promote a safe return to the online platform, We Return Together (Juntos classroom for students in 2021 by developing a set of volvemos), which focuses on assisting school tools on biosecurity protocols and hybrid education communities in COVID-19 prevention. models. 46 These tools include a guide on drafting

45 The five municipalities are Arauquita (Arauca), Soledad (Atlántico), Cartagena (Bolívar), Cucuta, and Tibú (Norte de Santander). 46 The Ministry of Education established hybrid education models as a tool to promote a safe and scaled return to the classroom for students and staff during the pandemic. The hybrid models combine in-person and remote learning strategies.

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 29 biosecurity protocols for public schools, a protocol template, a checklist to verify protocol adequacy, a matrix to collect relevant information on staff health care to protect at-risk personnel, a consent form to share with students’ parents and guardians to determine which families agree to allow their children to return to the classroom, a guide on the minimum requirements needed for hybrid education model plans, and user-friendly road maps to draft protocols and school risk management plans.

Using these instruments, RGA trained more than 900 public school teachers and managers from all 14 target areas in biosecurity protocol design and implementation to promote a safe and scaled return to the classroom. Based on this work, the program coordinated efforts with departmental education secretariats in Arauca and Norte de Santander to transfer program instruments on biosecurity protocols and hybrid education models to education authorities in nine municipalities outside its scope of work.47 RGA also provided direct technical assistance to 94 public schools from all 14 target municipalities in updating their school risk management plans to incorporate new concerns arising from the pandemic (for example, biosecurity risks in the classroom) and establish actions to address them, in line with the drafting of school biosecurity protocols. Finally, the program assisted local governments in its 14 target municipalities in creating hybrid education model committees and outlining action plans for students’ return to the classroom in 2021.

To improve remote education services, RGA focused on developing skills in teachers, particularly in the use of technology to make lessons more engaging and contribute to preventing school dropouts. The program provided assistance to carry out two training cycles for teachers. For the first cycle, it leveraged private sector resources by partnering with [redacted] to open a free training course for public school teachers on innovating leaders, project-based learning, and video-based learning, and introduction to gamification for teachers. More than 200 public school teachers from Arauca, La Guajira, and Norte de Santander registered for the course, which the Ministry of Education has endorsed.

Because of the first cycle’s success, RGA subcontracted the organization [redacted] to open a second training cycle in February 2021 for teachers in its 14 target areas. To promote teacher signups, the program coordinated efforts with education secretariats in its target areas to disseminate training and enrollment information through their communication channels. Through this work, more than 1,400 teachers from all 14 municipalities have signed up for the second cycle, which will focus on developing teacher skills in the use of technology applied to education.

3.3.2. DEVELOPING SKILLS IN SCHOOL COMMUNITIES TO ADDRESS RISKS ARISING FROM THE PANDEMIC

The COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to increasing risks among school communities. For example, the pandemic’s financial impact on household incomes has increased pressure at home, exacerbating risks of domestic violence. Similarly, girls are dropping out of school at a higher rate than their male counterparts because girls have to contribute to domestic chores. Mental health concerns have also increased (particularly among youth), and vulnerable migrant students have faced increased hurdles to accessing education. These risks have contributed to limiting the safety of learning environments, which have largely moved from school grounds to students’ homes and communities.

47 The nine municipalities are Cravo Norte, Fortul, Puerto Rondón, Saravena, Tame (Arauca), Bucarasica, El Tarra, Salazar de Las Palmas, and San Calixto (Norte de Santander).

30 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV To promote safe learning environments, RGA developed skills in school communities and worked closely with SNGs to implement strategies aimed at addressing risks arising from or exacerbated by the pandemic. In Arauca, RGA trained public school students and guidance counselors in radio production and storytelling techniques to create contents for the radio program “Hey, Teacher!” which airs weekly on community and local radio stations across the department. With program support, radio program contents addressed subjects such as self-care, violence and conflict prevention (including GBV and domestic violence), steps to report violence, and COVID-19 prevention, its messages reaching school communities even in the most remote areas of the department. The reach and success of this experience prompted international donors such as Save the Children to provide assistance to edit and broadcast the program, leading it to win a national award in November 2020 for “Teachers Who Inspire” (Educadores que Inspiran).

In Norte de Santander, RGA provided technical assistance to the Departmental Education Secretariat to develop contents for the radio program “Safe Environments, Safe Families,” which aired weekly in 2020 on 25 local radio stations across the department. This program focused on issues such as coexistence, healthy lifestyles, and good habits at home, within the context of the ongoing pandemic. Understanding that the pandemic had increased GBV and affected school-age girls, RGA dedicated a radio program session to discussing this type of violence to raise awareness among teachers, help them determine cases, and guide them through the process of addressing GBV from within public schools. Similarly, RGA also provided technical assistance to the Norte de Santander Education Secretariat to address xenophobia by developing a publication, “Guide on Best Practices for School Coexistence,” which discusses, Cover for the RGA-supported among other issues, the need to address social tensions to improve Guide on Best Practices for School relations and promote peaceful conflict resolution among school Coexistence. communities in the department. The guide also includes the steps that public schools must follow to adequately resolve conflicts among their school communities and has been published on the secretariat’s website as a tool for public schools in the department.48

To promote safe learning environments further, RGA awarded a [redacted] grant to the CSO [redacted] to implement the project “Weaving words to meet again at school,” which sought to develop communication strategies to encourage school attendance, prevent xenophobia, and contain the spread of COVID-19. With this project, RGA created and reactivated eight student communication groups in Riohacha, Maicao and Uribia, where 88 students and community members participated, including 19 migrants, 11 returnees and 36 indigenous community members.49 RGA assisted [redacted] in training communication group participants on COVID-19, the Venezuelan migrant crisis and the right to education

48 See the published guide at https://bit.ly/3lcrEt2. 49 Under Component 6, RGA created student-led and community-led communication groups, which it reactivated under Component 7 through its grant to [redacted]. For more details on its Component 6 work, see “Assistance Provided to Strengthen Government and Community Capacity to Respond to the Needs of Venezuelan Migrants and Receptor Communities: Report on Component 6,” submitted to USAID on May 21, 2020.

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 31 as a means to engage students and community members in the implementation of campaigns aimed at advocating for COVID-19 prevention, and improved coexistence between migrant and host communities.

As a result of this work, communication groups have created multiple pieces to launch campaigns with messages to help raise community awareness of COVID-19, migration, and children and youth rights to education and a safe learning environment. These campaigns include COVID-19 prevention strategies that focus on promoting self-care among rural and indigenous communities; two podcast series (including one in Wayuunaiky, the Wayúu indigenous language) that underscore student and community leadership stories while promoting self-care and remote education Students in Uribia participate in an RGA and to ensure students’ safe return to the classroom; two [redacted] activity on communication skills. Photo by radio spots on migrant women’s and girls’ [redacted]. empowerment; five videos sharing messages, for example, to encourage resilience among the Venezuelan migrant population; and a guide on traditional Wayúu knowledge and how it can contribute to COVID-19 prevention, especially among school communities.

4. SUPPORT TO PROMOTE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC REACTIVATION

The pandemic’s economic impact was twofold in RGA target municipalities. Municipal administrations faced decreases in local tax collections, which reduced the availability of funds to respond to the pandemic. At the same time, the pandemic increased population needs, which then increased pressure on public good and service delivery, requiring additional resources to address new or exacerbated needs. Within this context, RGA target areas also faced limited institutional capacity in resource planning and management, along with a lack of coordination with different stakeholders to establish and implement clear reactivation strategies. The GOC issued measures to increase local tax collection and created programs for economic reactivations, but municipalities have struggled to adequately adopt and access them, as discussed in section 3.1.

To address these challenges, RGA provided assistance to build institutional capacity in resource planning and management while increasing municipal leadership in reactivation strategies to foster coordinated responses capable of maximizing funds and efforts.

4.1. STRENGTHENING SNG CAPACITY IN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT TO RESPOND TO THE PANDEMIC AND THE MIGRANT CRISIS

RGA provided assistance to determine the financial impact of COVID-19 on each of its 14 municipalities. Program analyses revealed that by the end of September 2020, tax collection in these 14 municipalities had dropped by an average of 12 percent, representing a total loss of US $44.8 million (see Figure 8). Of the 14 target municipalities, Arauca, Arauquita, Cúcuta, Soledad, and Uribia registered tax collection decreases above 20 percent.

32 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV FIGURE 8. LOCAL TAX COLLECTION VARIATION IN RGA TARGET AREAS

These findings allowed RGA target municipalities to fully understand the scope of COVID-19’s impact on their local finances, providing a baseline to start outlining specific actions to offset the pandemic’s negative effects. To assist its target municipalities further on this front, the program built institutional capacity by assisting public officials in adopting new national guidelines and benefits in the drafting of planning and financial instruments, considering specific local needs. The program developed and shared with its 14 target municipalities a user-friendly, practical guide on GOC regulations for SNGs, which provides clear information—including important legislative features, validity periods, and online resources—on 23 GOC decrees that have a significant impact on public administration matters at the municipal level. The guide also includes information on (1) municipal finances, including dispositions and tools to foster economic reactivation, and information on formulating and submitting public investment projects to address the pandemic; (2) municipal planning; (3) public procurement processes; and (4) sector-specific dispositions to manage public service provision in matters of health care, education, and water and sanitation.

By training public officials in new GOC legislation and benefits, the program could assist its target municipalities in understanding new regulations and how to apply them to mitigate the negative financial impacts of COVID-19. Through this work, the program supported its target municipalities in redirecting resources to fund pandemic responses, making treasury credits more flexible to ensure liquidity and prevent administrative stagnation, and implementing strategies such as discounts to increase local tax collection. RGA continuously reviewed new tax legislation to assist municipal administrations in implementing tax incentives, adapting along the way to relevant court rulings that have modified GOC

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 33 measures.50 As a result of this work, seven target municipalities have implemented new tax benefits and guidelines, such as flexible payment deadlines, to increase local tax collection.51

RGA also assisted its 14 target municipalities in drafting and obtaining approval for 2021 municipal budgets by (1) supporting municipal adoption of new GOC budget guidelines, (2) training public officials in budgeting tools and technicisms, and (3) helping administrations in calculating financial figures and identifying sources to finance social investments and service provision for vulnerable populations, including migrants. 52 Additionally, the program provided assistance to encourage its target municipalities to emphasize resource allocation in six key areas: education, health care, vulnerable population investment, economic reactivation, COVID-19 response, and migration. The program did this, understanding that budgets in specific sectors allow municipalities to make public investments in each specific area.53 For example, with program assistance, 10 target municipalities allocated US $10.76 million to fund economic reactivation activities and strategies.

Similarly, RGA supported target municipalities in drafting PAGTs aimed at counterbalancing the pandemic’s financial impact on local tax collection. The program supported municipal administrations in establishing and incorporating strategies and tools into their PAGTs to increase local tax collection, including persuasive tax collection processes, training workshops for public officials, and updating collection guidelines.

In February 2021, the program began providing technical assistance to its target municipalities to support them in implementing new regulations to mobilize resources transferred from the General System of Royalties (SGR).54 In practice, new SGR regulations require two main actions: carrying out participatory planning processes to prioritize SGR-funded projects, and updating PDMs to include a chapter on SGR investments, based on the results of participatory processes. Understanding that these new procedures will have a learning curve, RGA is providing assistance to guarantee effective participatory planning processes and to draft the new chapter on SGR investments. To do so, the program partnered with the National Planning Department to train public officials in new SGR regulations.55

50 For example, Decree 678 was a key measure the GOC issued to promote economic reactivation at the subnational level, which RGA helped to disseminate and adopt since it was first issued in May 2020. Through the implementation of tax benefits, Decree 678 sought to encourage tax payments and thereby increase subnational resources for public investment and service provision. However, the Constitutional Court partially repealed this decree on October 15, 2020. After this ruling, RGA provided technical assistance to its target municipalities to support them in redesigning tax benefits and reaching agreements with municipal councils, consistent with the court’s ruling. 51 The seven municipalities are Arauca (Arauca), Soledad (Atlántico), Maicao, Uribia (La Guajira), Cúcuta, Puerto Santander, and Villa del Rosario (Norte de Santander). 52 All four new target municipalities (Cartagena, Santa Marta, Soledad, and Ciénaga) had already drafted their 2021 budgets, leading RGA to provide assistance to review figures and present budgets to the relevant municipal councils for final approval. 53 Annex 5 details municipal budgets for these six areas. 54 The SGR is the national account from which municipal and departmental governments can request funds to finance public works projects. The funds in this account are generated through taxes on exploitation industries in Colombia (for example, oil and mining). At the end of 2020, the GOC issued new regulations for SGR transfers, which establish that municipalities may approve SGR funding on their own, provided the projects to be funded have been prioritized through participatory processes with civil society and are included in PDMs. 55 For example, on February 9, 2021, RGA was invited to take part in the National Planning Department’s launch of its strategy to support the adoption of new SGR guidelines.

34 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV The program’s emphasis on planning and financial instruments has helped its target municipalities be better prepared to address financial challenges arising from the pandemic while preventing these challenges from hindering public good and service provision.

4.2. PROMOTING ECONOMIC REACTIVATION

COVID-19 and measures to address it have led to an unparalleled social and economic crisis, in which unemployment rates have skyrocketed, municipalities face reduced local resources to implement reactivation strategies, and experts estimate 10- to 20-year setbacks in poverty matters.56 Responding to this crisis requires robust and coordinated reactivation efforts capable of maximizing the resources of diverse stakeholders, including public institutions and the private sector. In its target areas, however, RGA found a lack of municipal leadership and coordination in economic reactivation, which led to missed opportunities and slow recovery processes.

To strengthen economic reactivation in its target municipalities, the program developed a four-point strategy based on (1) biosecurity protocol design for economic sectors, (2) local consumption strategies, (3) the adoption of economic incentives, and (4) public investment projects. This strategy focused on promoting economic reactivation by building capacity in municipal administrations to lead the safe reopening of economic sectors. It did so while increasing coordination between the public and private sectors at the same time that it sought to promote migrant inclusion and close supply and demand gaps at the local level. RGA’s strategy also focused on being flexible to enable its adaptation to the local needs of its target municipalities. Figure 9 shows some highlights arising from this work.

56 Organizations such as the Inter-American Development Bank, the nonprofit Fedesarrollo, and Los Andes University have estimated that the pandemic will increase national poverty and inequality rates, setting the country back 10 to 20 years, depending on each estimate.

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 35 FIGURE 9. HIGHLIGHTS FROM RGA’S ECONOMIC REACTIVATION STRATEGY

BIOSECURITY PROTOCOL DESIGN RGA’s economic reactivation strategy focused on the design and implementation of biosecurity protocols to safely reopen local economies. The program trained local public officials, chambers of commerce, and regional commissions for competitiveness on biosecurity protocols applicable to different economic sectors and assisted them in implementing checklists to verify protocol compliance before approving the reopening of key sectors.

For example, in Cartagena, RGA organized work sessions with the chamber of commerce, municipal public officials, and business representatives to share and explain national and sector-specific biosecurity protocols, guidelines for their implementation, and self-care measures to assist these actors in scaling up the information with their employees and other businesses. The program also provided assistance to update Cartagena’s platform for registering and certifying business compliance with biosecurity protocols. It did so by updating information on national decrees and regulations and by aligning biosecurity protocol checklists to facilitate oversight on protocol compliance.

36 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV LOCAL CONSUMPTION STRATEGIES To promote During its sessions in La Guajira to municipal economic reactivation, RGA supported coordination disseminate information on Ministry of among the three levels of government and between the private Agriculture programs and benefits, RGA and public sectors, seeking to close supply and demand gaps at found that a significant number of the local level. The program fostered strategies aimed at migrants and returnees are affiliated with increasing local consumption. For example, in La Guajira, it local organizations dedicated to farming. supported the chamber of commerce in strengthening To promote their inclusion in more ExpoGuajira, a trade fair to promote local tourism and activities, the program assisted the gastronomy, by promoting coordination with a business group location of these migrants and returnees, in Cartagena to exchange experiences and success stories on finding that most are established in the similar trade fairs amid COVID-19. In Cúcuta, the program northern region of the department promoted coordination between municipal public officials and among Wayúu communities. RGA the Ministry of Agriculture to share information on national encouraged stakeholders to engage the programs and how municipal producers and the Cúcuta organizations with which migrants and government can increase their participation in them. returnees are affiliated to foster their Similarly, RGA worked closely with the Ministry of Agriculture access to programs and benefits. to prepare for the implementation of a decree that regularizes a national program for the public acquisition of local goods.57 Considering that the decree that regularizes these types of acquisitions was issued only recently, there are several steps to be taken at the local level to ensure its adequate implementation. To this end, RGA provided technical assistance to increase subnational leadership and coordination among actors who will be involved in local public acquisitions, including the Ministry of Agriculture, municipal administrations, and the Colombian Family Welfare Institute.

For example, on March 16, 2021, the program provided support to the Norte de Santander administration to host the event “Local Public Acquisitions: A Reactivation Strategy in Norte de Santander” to promote the adoption of new public acquisition regulation in the department. Participants included public officials from the Norte de Santander administration, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Agency for Rural Development. During the session, participants, created the Departmental Roundtable on Public Acquisitions, and discussed (1) actions needed to promote the formalization of local producer businesses and other processes required on behalf of producers to participate in this type of acquisition; (2) preparations to carry out three business roundtables alongside the chambers of commerce of Cúcuta, Ocaña, and Pamplona; (3) the need to carry out training sessions for local producers; and (4) the need to establish a monitoring and oversight mechanism alongside citizen oversight groups to ensure compliance with relevant regulations and to follow up on roundtable commitments.

To promote the sustainability of its efforts and ensure the continuity of this work, the program developed a methodology to assist municipal administrations in carrying out business roundtables on local public acquisitions by developing (1) work plans between participating actors to reach clear institutional agreements aimed at coordinating the supply and demand of local public acquisitions, (2) a monitoring mechanism to follow up on agreements and ensure their adequate execution, and (3) a plan to identify

57 Across Latin America, governments have established public acquisition strategies that allow them to purchase goods that they need for government-funded programs from local producers. This includes strategies in which governments use public funds to buy produce from local farmers to supply food for school meal programs. In Colombia, these kinds of public acquisition strategies were regularized through Decree 248 of 2021, issued on March 9, 2021.

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 37 best practices in local public acquisitions from other geographies and levels of government to strengthen local processes.

ECONOMIC INCENTIVES RGA provided assistance to its target municipalities, chambers of commerce, and regional commissions for competitiveness, among other actors, to help them access other national programs and benefits. For example, the program developed a practical guide to disseminate and explain new GOC tourism dispositions, which includes SNG roles in promoting local tourism attractions, measures contemplated in tourism development plans, and GOC tax incentives aimed at promoting touristic activities. In addition, the program provided support to its target municipalities in adopting GOC tax incentives to improve local collection, as discussed in section 4.1.

PROJECT FORMULATION RGA provided technical assistance to formulate and obtain approval for public investment projects that promote reactivation either through the hiring of a local workforce or through specific reactivation investments. Section 4.3. discusses this work in more detail.

4.3. PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO MOBILIZE RESOURCES

Understanding that limited funds is a main challenge facing SNGs in their pandemic responses, RGA provided technical assistance to mobilize resources at the local level by training public officials and providing support to formulate and obtain approval for public investment projects.

“Congratulations for the training session [on project formulation]! Thank you to USAID’s Regional Governance Activity. Your intervention has helped us clarify many questions we had in [project matters] … Thank you very much, excellent work!” Martha Porto de Castro, Education Planning Advisor, Cartagena Education Secretariat

Given that low technical capacity is an issue that most RGA target municipalities face, the program designed a training strategy to develop public official skills in project formulation, government tools, platforms and guidelines, and the logical framework methodology. Through this strategy, it trained 290 public officials from different municipal offices, including finance and planning secretariats but also health, education, and gender. Parallel to this work, RGA developed and designed a practical guide on COVID- 19 financial sources, which details eligibility criteria and other requirements to access COVID-19 funding.

RGA also assisted its target municipalities in formulating and obtaining approval for public investment projects using diverse funding sources, including the System of National Transfers, SGR, FOME, local resources, and others. 58 As a result of this work, RGA mobilized US $25.2 million through the formulation and approval of 36 public investment projects. Figure 10 shows highlights from these projects.59

58 The System of National Transfers is the principal channel for fiscal transfers from national to departmental and municipal public accounts. 59 See Annex 4 for a detailed list of RGA-supported projects under Component 7.

38 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV FIGURE 10. RGA SUPPORT TO PROJECT FORMULATION

RGA coordinated efforts with DPS to assist the department in disseminating its call for social productive infrastructure projects aimed at mobilizing resources for local economic reactivation. After this work, the program supported eight target municipalities in formulating and submitting 23 public investment projects to DPS’s call for proposals.60 RGA-supported projects included the following:61 (1) 20 projects to improve rural and urban road infrastructure while promoting economic reactivation by hiring a local workforce, (2) two projects to develop local markets (one in Riohacha and another in Arauquita) to promote economic reactivation, and (3) one project to develop a multicultural center in Villa del Rosario in an area that has a high volume of Venezuelan migration. Through these projects, RGA will seek to mobilize approximately US $21.7 million in public resources to support economic reactivation at the subnational level.62

60 The eight municipalities are Arauca, Arauquita (Arauca), Soledad (Atlántico), Riohacha (La Guajira), Ciénaga (Magdalena), Los Patios, Puerto Santander, and Villa del Rosario (Norte de Santander). 61 Project distribution is as follows: eight projects in Arauca for US $3 million, two projects Arauquita for US $2.3 million, one project in Soledad for US $2.39 million, five projects in Riohacha for US $8.25 million, three projects in Ciénaga for US $4 million, one project in Los Patios for US $380,000, one project in Puerto Santander for US $318,000, and two projects in Villa del Rosario for US $917,000. 62 RGA will consider these resources mobilized only when DPS approves these projects for execution. As of December 2020, DPS has not released information about its time frame to issue project approval notifications.

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 39

5. SUPPORT TO INCREASE TRANSPARENCY

During COVID-19, the GOC has issued a series of measures aimed at making procurement processes more flexible at the subnational level, which increased the risks of corruption. In addition, RGA target areas face historic and structural challenges in government transparency—there is a general lack of technical capacity to carry out open government exercises and adopt national tools and guidelines on behalf of municipal administrations, while civil society frequently lacks the knowledge and tools required to effectively oversee public administration actions. Combined, these challenges have led to inefficient processes, especially in the use of public resources, that hinder public good and service provision.

To address these challenges, RGA developed a comprehensive strategy aimed at institutionalizing best practices in government transparency and promoting public accountability (see Figure 11).

FIGURE 11. RGA STRATEGY TO PROMOTE TRANSPARENCY

5.1. STRENGTHENING INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY TO INCREASE GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY

In addition to GOC measures that have increased corruption risks, RGA found that its target municipalities face a historical misunderstanding of what constitutes government transparency and its importance. For example, the program found that municipal mandatory public accountability reports are often too technically complex for citizens to understand on their own, and municipal administrations make little or no effort to make this information more accessible to the public. This hinders citizen oversight efforts, negatively impacting government transparency. In addition, RGA found that municipal administrations have not been sufficiently open about their public contracting processes and resource execution during the

40 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV pandemic, partly because of ineffective municipal communications skills and strategies, which often focus exclusively on highlighting positive municipal actions.

Considering these challenges, RGA designed a strategy aimed at shifting local government perspectives on transparency. This strategy is based on building institutional capacity in public procurement, and fostering dialogues between municipal administrations and citizens on public accountability. Through this strategy, the program sought to promote best practices in government transparency to foster an effective use of public resources and contribute to ensuring that these funds effectively reach vulnerable populations affected by COVID-19 and the migrant crisis.

Thus, the program provided technical assistance to its 14 target Using learning-by-doing methodologies, municipalities to determine gaps and bottlenecks in their RGA provided direct support to seven procurement processes. Through this work, the program target municipalities to carry out 12 identified the following general challenges: lack of procurement procurement processes worth US planning, limited technical capacity among teams responsible for $1.95 million. The program did so as a procurement processes, and lack of understanding and adoption means to continue building institutional of new procurement tools and mechanisms, especially regarding capacity and further government the Public Procurement Electronic System (SECOP II), the transparency, guiding municipalities in national platform for public procurement. Based on these adhering to GOC legislation and findings, the program set out to train and help its target encouraging them to adopt the highest municipalities overcome these challenges, understanding that standards for open processes. they can hinder public processes and result in limited public good and service provision.

RGA trained 508 public officials from all 14 target municipalities in procurement processes and partnered with Colombia Compra Eficiente, the national procurement agency, to build institutional capacity in the use of procurement tools and mechanisms, especially SECOP II. Through its partnership with Colombia Compra Eficiente, the program assisted the organization of 15 workshops for its 14 target municipalities, during which public officials received training on SECOP II; project templates for public investments in road infrastructure, water, and basic sanitation; and the drafting of Annual Acquisitions Plans.63

The program also supported its 14 target municipalities in following all relevant national guidelines to draft and publish municipal Annual Acquisitions Plans. By supporting this instrument, the program contributed to helping municipalities better plan their local procurements while increasing government transparency in the use of public resources.

Overall, by building municipal capacity in public procurement, the program promoted the adoption of best practices to foster government transparency. For example, by encouraging municipalities to carefully plan their procurements in alignment with local budgets and planning instruments (especially PDMs), the program helped public officials improve internal coordination while reducing the risks tied to improvisation in public procurement. Other program-supported best practices include the development of procurement templates to standardize processes within municipal administrations, and the use of technology tools that foster transparency, such as SECOP II.

63 An Annual Acquisitions Plan is a planning instrument that allows SNGs to upload, program, and disseminate the type of goods and services they are seeking to acquire.

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 41 To promote public accountability dialogues between local governments and citizens, RGA began by mapping the challenges facing municipal administrations in matters related to transparency and information publication and dissemination. In general, it found that its target municipalities lacked knowledge and application of GOC public accountability guidelines. Most notably, it found that seven municipalities had established formal procedures to perform public accountability, but the remaining seven had not.64

To overcome these issues, the program trained public officials from target municipalities in public accountability legislation and guidelines, emphasizing the drafting of mandatory public accountability reports. The program hosted online events in partnership with national institutions, academia, and civil society, and provided direct technical assistance. For instance, on November 20, 2020, RGA partnered with the Office of the Inspector General, the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic, the Administrative Department for Public Service, the nonprofit Transparencia por Colombia, and academia to host an event, National Measures and Guidelines to Strengthen Public Accountability Processes and Transparency during the Pandemic. During the event, national public institutions presented guidelines Invitation to participate in RGA’s event and tools to foster transparency, particularly in procurement on public accountability, hosted on processes to address COVID-19. The live event was attended by November 20, 2020. 130 public officials and citizens from 12 target municipalities.65

Through its direct technical assistance, RGA supported target municipalities in drafting and publishing public accountability reports that emphasize administrative actions to respond to COVID-19 and the migrant crisis. The program also assisted the municipal administrations of Cartagena, Cúcuta, and Santa Marta in reviewing and updating local anticorruption and citizen service plans. The program did this to strengthen communication strategies for public accountability processes and thereby promote citizen access to and understanding of them. In addition, in Soledad, RGA promoted an update to local legislation on public accountability, through which the municipality is expected to include information with a gender approach in its public accountability processes, and data on COVID-19 actions. Similarly, in Cartagena, the program promoted the inclusion of gender service access road maps and COVID-19 information in the local anticorruption and citizen service plan.

After this work, the program assisted 12 municipal administrations in organizing public events between December 2020 and March 2021 to present accountability information clearly so that citizens can understand it easily. 66 RGA-supported events included information on municipal actions to address COVID-19 and migration, including differential approaches to respond to the needs of vulnerable populations, such as women and migrants. To carry out these events, the program assisted its target

64 The seven municipalities with formal public accountability procedures are Arauca, Arauquita (Arauca), Soledad (Atlántico), Cartagena (Bolívar), Los Patios, Tibú, and Villa del Rosario (Norte de Santander). The seven with no formal public accountability procedures are Riohacha, Maicao, Uribia (La Guajira), Santa Marta, Ciénaga (Magdalena), Cúcuta, and Puerto Santander (Norte de Santander). 65 The 12 municipalities are Arauca, Arauquita (Arauca), Cartagena (Bolívar), Riohacha, Maicao, Uribia (La Guajira), Santa Marta (Magdalena), Cúcuta, Los Patios, Puerto Santander, Tibú, and Villa del Rosario (Norte de Santander). A recording of the event has 700 views on YouTube (https://bit.ly/3pKyc2S). 66 The 12 municipalities are Arauca, Arauquita (Arauca), Cartagena (Bolívar), Riohacha, Maicao, Uribia (La Guajira), Santa Marta (Magdalena), Cúcuta, Los Patios, Puerto Santander, Tibú, and Villa del Rosario (Norte de Santander).

42 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV municipalities in developing communication strategies aimed at increasing citizen understanding of public accountability reports. Using different media tools such as Facebook, one-minute videos, and radio, RGA supported the dissemination of public accountability information in urban and rural areas, increasing citizen access.

Its assistance to strengthen public accountability processes allowed the program to promote the adoption best practices (for example, improved communication strategies to encourage citizen access to public information), thus contributing to shifting local perspectives on government transparency and its importance. Section 5.2. of this document discusses RGA’s work with civil society to increase their participation in public accountability and strengthen their advocacy for government transparency.

5.2. DEVELOPING SKILLS IN CIVIL SOCIETY TO HOLD LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ACCOUNTABLE

COVID-19 social distancing measures such as lockdowns have required citizen oversight efforts to move to remote and online spaces. This has limited citizen participation, especially among vulnerable populations, because many do not have access to the technology and tools needed to be involved in these new spaces, such as computers, phones, or even an internet connection. Citizens have also struggled to keep up with new GOC pandemic legislation, resulting in limited knowledge to oversee key aspects of public administration, especially in resource execution. This adds to an already existing challenge of limited knowledge of Colombian government structures. Together, these conditions have contributed to reducing civic engagement.

To help civil society hold local governments accountable, RGA provided assistance to train (1) journalists, to advocate for increased government transparency; (2) citizens, to create oversight groups focused on monitoring service provision during the pandemic; and (3) CSOs, to monitor progress made on PDM goals, especially those aimed at vulnerable populations, including women and migrants.

5.2.1. TRAINING JOURNALISTS TO PROMOTE TRANSPARENCY

When analyzing the media landscape in its target municipalities, RGA determined that local and community media could be strategic actors in fostering transparency and holding local governments accountable. However, local media, too, face lack of knowledge as a main barrier to fighting corruption. Understanding this context, RGA designed a training cycle for journalists comprising seven modules on public administration, Colombian government structure, transparency, and emergency regulations. Through this cycle, the program trained 168 journalists, communication group members, university students, and public officials from 14 target municipalities to increase During its training cycle for journalists, RGA invited their understanding of GOC pandemic legislation different actors to participate and share their and other government matters related to experiences fighting corruption and promoting transparency. In so doing, RGA sought to promote transparency in Colombia and Latin America, including transparency and fight corruption and to foster the nonprofit Transparencia por Colombia, the social inclusion by working with cycle participants Administrative Department for Public Service, and on the need to incorporate differential approaches transparency projects from Ecuador and Argentina. into communication strategies so that they consider the realities of the most vulnerable populations.

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 43 After this training, RGA worked with cycle participants on developing 10 citizen initiatives focused on using communication as a tool to promote transparency (see Annex 1). Through these initiatives, the program supported participants in developing strategies to promote transparency, investigative journalism, and content creation on public accountability, focusing especially on migrant service provision and inclusion. Initiatives include podcasts on migration, video tutorials to increase information access for Venezuelan migrants and Colombian returnees, and interviews with public officials to discuss local responses to COVID-19. To expand the reach of this work, the program provided assistance to develop strategic partnerships with local media to help disseminate journalists’ initiatives. For example, in Norte de Santander, RGA secured partnerships with a radio station that broadcasts in 33 municipalities, and a local TV network with an audience of approximately 150,000 people.

Acknowledging the importance and success of its training cycle for journalists, RGA sought partnerships with academia and other stakeholders to promote the sustainability of this strategy. For example, in Norte de Santander, the program signed an agreement with the Francisco de Paula Santander University to incorporate RGA’s cycle into university online resources so students can continue accessing it beyond program execution.

5.2.2. PROMOTING CITIZEN OVERSIGHT

To foster citizen oversight, especially among vulnerable populations such as women and migrants, RGA adapted USAID’s HCC methodology to better respond to oversight challenges during the pandemic. For example, a key program adaptation was to emphasize the monitoring of health service provision and emergency regulations to ensure that participants gained relevant knowledge during COVID-19. The program also adapted its in-person workshops to online sessions to prevent contagions.

To do so without excluding vulnerable populations with limited access to technology tools, RGA (1) provided mobile phone plans to vulnerable communities, (2) used its training sessions as an opportunity to develop technology skills among participants, (3) developed media content (especially videos) to accompany work sessions and make them more dynamic, and (4) scheduled sessions with community members to ensure that they took place when the majority could participate. For example, using learning-by-doing methodologies, RGA took advantage of its HCC training sessions to teach participants how to use online tools to access information on public procurement contracts, such as data published on the SECOP II platform. Using its A young man and his grandmother adapted HCC methodology, the program trained 416 citizens participate in an HCC training session in and 100 public officials to promote collaborative work between August 2020. Photo by RGA. citizens and municipal administrations.

After this work, RGA trained citizens in creating 10 oversight groups with the participation of 44 women and 17 men (see Annex 6). To ensure migrant inclusion in oversight exercises, RGA built on its experience

44 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV from Component 6 and promoted the creation of migrant support committees.67 Through this work, the program achieved the participation of 28 Venezuelan citizens in its oversight groups, who have strengthened monitoring efforts by sharing their points of view on how migrants are differently affected by any given issue. RGA-supported citizen oversight groups focus primarily on monitoring health service provision (including GBV, domestic violence, and migrant services) during the pandemic.68

By fostering collaborative work between its oversight groups and municipal administrations, RGA already has some preliminary results from this work. For example, the Tibú oversight group submitted recommendations to improve health care prevention programs among migrant informal settlements, reaching an agreement with local institutions to schedule actions in these areas. Likewise, the Los Patios oversight group determined that mental health issues had increased during COVID-19, especially among youth, leading it to coordinate efforts with the Municipal Education Secretariat to promote mental health strategies alongside public schools.

5.2.3. MONITORING MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS

To strengthen citizen oversight and promote transparency further, RGA focused on developing skills in local CSOs to empower them to monitor the progress that local governments have made toward achieving goals contemplated in PDMs amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Considering that its efforts with journalists and citizen oversight groups focused on monitoring COVID-19 and migrant responses in general, RGA geared its PDM monitoring efforts toward overseeing public service provision specifically for women, migrants, and other vulnerable populations, including the LGBTQ community.

To this end, the program carried out a training cycle for women- and LGBTQ-led CSOs to develop skills among vulnerable communities in PDM monitoring and advocacy for public good and service improvements. 69 The program provided training on PDM reports and action plans drafted by local governments to enable cycle participants to understand their contents and identify programs and projects that affect them and their communities. Given that PDMs are considerably extensive, RGA’s assistance has allowed women- and LGBTQ-led CSOs to prioritize programs and projects that they will be monitoring to ensure public good and service provision for them and their communities.

RGA supported women- and LGBTQ-led CSOs in prioritizing the monitoring of municipal actions to:

• Provide comprehensive services to address GBV among women, children, and youth in Maicao. • Create inclusion and employment opportunities for women who are heads of household and inclusion opportunities for the LGBTQ community in Puerto Santander. • Reduce risks affecting the migrant population in Puerto Santander, including child recruitment, homelessness, human trafficking, and xenophobia. • Promote women’s productive entrepreneurships and migrant women’s access to public services in Villa del Rosario.

67 Colombian legislation guarantees participation in oversight activities for citizens and foreigners with a valid identification document. However, it does not include undocumented migrants, which is the case for the majority of Venezuelans living in Colombia. To overcome this issue and ensure migrant participation in oversight activities, RGA created support committees for oversight groups composed of migrants. 68 Colombian legislation stipulates that GBV and domestic violence are public health concerns. 69 See section 6.1.2. of this document for more details on this training cycle.

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 45 • Strengthen women’s economic autonomy in Cartagena.

In Puerto Santander, RGA is assisting the [redacted] (a local CSO) in using its PDM-monitoring efforts to strengthen the prioritization of municipal public investment projects to be funded through the new SGR transfer procedure. Section 6.1.1 provides more details on this work.

6. SUPPORT TO ENGAGE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IN COVID- 19 AND MIGRATION RESPONSES

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a particularly pernicious effect on vulnerable populations in Colombia, including women, youth, and migrants. RGA identified two main social concerns in its target municipalities exacerbated by the pandemic: increased GBV and increased xenophobia.

As discussed in section 1, lockdown measures have contributed to leaving women in isolation with their abusers, and pandemic-related border closures have increased migrant exposure to sexual exploitation and human trafficking, affecting especially young women and girls. Similarly, tensions at home resulting from isolation and the loss of income and jobs have increased domestic violence, which disproportionally affects women and children. Additionally, local measures to prevent and contain COVID-19 have exposed LGBTQ communities to greater risks.70 These factors contributed to an increase in femicides across the country, which according to data from the Colombian Observatory for Femicides, jumped from 571 in 2019 to 630 in 2020.

In addition to these physical violence risks, the pandemic has also affected women’s economic progress.71 According to UN Women (the United Nations’ entity for gender equality), increased unpaid workload (for example, caretaking and housework) is a key factor contributing to this setback. This aligns with RGA findings in its target municipalities, where the program found that girls are dropping out of school at a higher rate than boys because girls have to contribute to domestic chores.

COVID-19 has also contributed to exacerbating xenophobia, especially in border regions and among host communities. RGA’s work with local CSOs, community leaders, and public officials has revealed several reasons for this. During the pandemic, locals began perceiving migrants as an increased contagion risk because vulnerable migrant communities often inhabit overcrowded spaces and face limited sanitation conditions. This was especially true and visible during migrant returns to their home country, which coupled with border closures, led to overcrowding in public spaces when social distancing was the chief recommendation to prevent the spread of the virus. Additionally, RGA target municipalities host large migrant populations, especially compared with their total number of inhabitants.72 This has led to a generalized perception of increased competition for goods and services, both public and those provided

70 For example, a common measure adopted by SNGs is the control of citizens able to leave their homes based on their gender (for example, only women are allowed outside on Mondays, only men on Tuesdays, and so on). For the gender-nonconforming population, this measure exposes them to uncertainty and police abuse because the measure is enforced according to information in a person’s formal identity document, which frequently does not accurately reflect an individual’s gender. 71 According to DANE statistics, unemployment rates are higher in Colombia for women than for men. Similarly, UN Women has reported that COVID-19 could set progress back on gender equality by an estimated 25 years. See Sandrine Lungumbu and Amelia Butterly, “Coronavirus and Gender: More Chores for Women Set Back Gains in Equality,” BBC News, November 26, 2020, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-55016842. 72 On average, the migrant population represents 14.2 percent of the total population in RGA target areas. See Annex 7 for detailed information.

46 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV by international donors. Furthermore, migrants’ socioeconomic exclusion, especially among youth, has left this population vulnerable to illegal armed group recruitment, which exacerbates local perceptions of migration as a risk to security and public order. Finally, migrants’ social exclusion and poor living conditions have limited their information and understanding of Colombian public administration, particularly to access key services such as health and education.

Building on its experience, RGA understood that sustainably addressing GBV and xenophobia would require citizen participation so that communities themselves could guide actions and advocate for their own needs. However, as discussed in section 5, the COVID-19 pandemic has required shifts to online and remote citizen participation spaces that not all populations can access, especially vulnerable communities (including women, youth, and migrants).

To engage these vulnerable populations in addressing GBV and xenophobia within the context of the pandemic, RGA developed skills in both Colombian and Venezuelan citizens, built institutional capacity, and promoted coordination with municipal administrations to provide collaborative responses to community concerns.

6.1. BUILDING CAPACITY TO ADDRESS GBV

In addition to increasing GBV, the pandemic has exposed gender gaps in public good and service access and the limited capacities of local governments to address gender concerns, particularly when these intersect with migration. Understanding this context, RGA provided technical assistance to implement coordinated and collaborative responses aimed at addressing gender-related tensions and concerns by providing support to build institutional capacity to address gender concerns within the context of COVID- 19 and the migrant crisis, and develop skills in women- and LGBTQ-led CSOs to advocate for service provision improvements, especially in GBV responses.

6.1.1. BUILDING INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY TO RESPOND TO GBV WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF COVID-19 AND THE VENEZUELAN MIGRANT CRISIS

To build institutional capacity to address gender concerns within the context of COVID-19 and the migrant crisis, RGA focused on providing assistance on two main fronts: mainstreaming gender approaches and improving COMPOS operations.

MAINSTREAMING GENDER APPROACHES The program’s strategy to mainstream gender approaches focused on institutional capacity-building and resource management. Using this strategy, RGA supported 10 target municipalities in determining local needs, identifying service provision bottlenecks, and outlining and implementing actions to address them.73 The program provided assistance to analyze gender service provision in its target municipalities, finding four major bottlenecks: (1) lack of understanding of GBV coordination mechanisms,74 (2) lack of coordination among institutions involved in coordination mechanisms, (3) limited information systems to monitor GBV at the local level, and (4)

73 The 10 target municipalities are: Cartagena (Bolívar), Riohacha, Maicao, Uribia (La Guajira), Santa Marta (Magdalena), Cúcuta, Los Patios, Puerto Santander, Tibú, and Villa del Rosario (Norte de Santander). 74 After the rise in GBV during the pandemic, the GOC issued new regulations to address this matter, including the creation of a mandatory GBV interinstitutional coordination mechanism at the municipal level. This coordination mechanism is based on four components that together aim at providing comprehensive GBV services: prevention, attention, justice access, and information systems for case report and monitoring.

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 47 limited capacity on behalf of family protection offices to monitor GBV cases when they are referred to other local institutions. Combined, these bottlenecks have hindered GBV analysis at the local level and limited violence prevention.

To address these bottlenecks, RGA provided technical assistance to improve GBV coordination mechanisms and to implement a GBV and domestic violence monitoring instrument. The program supported seven target municipalities in coordinating actions through COMPOS’s because these councils offer opportunities to improve local social policies.75 RGA did this by promoting the inclusion of GBV coordination liaisons in these councils through the modification of COMPOS organization decrees.76, 77 Based on national guidelines, the program assisted GBV coordination liaisons in outlining action plans to monitor gender service provision through COMPOS sessions. For example, in Puerto Santander, the RGA-supported action plan includes presenting the results of GBV monitoring during COMPOS sessions, and in Santa Marta, the program is supporting the drafting of a document that establishes institutional responsibilities to provide comprehensive GBV services.

To assist its target municipalities in overcoming identified bottlenecks, RGA designed and provided assistance to implement a GBV and domestic violence monitoring instrument. This instrument consists of a matrix that helps municipal administrations systematize information on GBV and domestic violence to improve interinstitutional coordination and streamline actions in service provision. To implement its monitoring instrument, RGA transferred this tool to family protection offices in its five target municipalities in Norte de Santander, working with public officials to institutionalize its use so it can continue to be applied beyond program execution.

As a result of this work, four target municipalities officially began using RGA’s monitoring instrument, which has helped family protection offices understand and analyze these types of violence at the local level.78 For example, between November and December 2020, 25 of the 39 cases monitored in Puerto Santander using RGA’s instrument (approximately 64 percent) were reported by Venezuelan migrants, pointing to a correlation between GBV and migration that public officials should consider when outlining gender strategies. In Villa del Rosario and Tibú, RGA’s instrument has highlighted knowledge gaps in public officials’ understanding of the differences between GBV and domestic violence, pointing to a need for training on these matters.

75 The seven target municipalities are: Cartagena (Bolívar), Riohacha, Maicao, Uribia (La Guajira), Santa Marta (Magdalena), Cúcuta, and Puerto Santander (Norte de Santander). 76 GBV coordination liaisons refer to the members of GBV cross-sectoral committees and coordination mechanisms. 77 COMPOS organization decrees are the local legislation that regulate COMPOS matters, including establishing the members of these councils. 78 The four target municipalities are Los Patios, Puerto Santander, Tibú, and Villa del Rosario (Norte de Santander).

48 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV Understanding that the intersection between GBV and migration has hindered municipal responses to gender concerns, RGA hosted an online event to train public officials and citizens on these matters. The event, “Institutional Capacity Limits to Address GBV in Regions with Large Migrant Populations,” included the participation of the Deputy Director for Gender from the National Planning Department, an MOH expert on GBV coordination mechanisms, and public officials from women’s secretariats and gender liaisons from four target municipalities. 79 During the event, participants discussed the limitations of institutional capacity to address GBV, especially when this type of violence is exacerbated by the Venezuelan migrant crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 140 people took part in the session, identifying the challenges facing women (particularly migrants) during the pandemic, such as increased GBV, poor living conditions, high unemployment and informality rates, insecurity, and barriers to access public services, especially health, education, and justice.

Parallel to this work, RGA assisted municipalities in managing resources to ensure funding for local gender strategies by using project formulation as a key methodology to mobilize public resources. As a result of this assistance, four target municipalities formulated and obtained approval for six public investment projects (for US $1.12 million) aimed at improving conditions for women. 80 RGA-supported projects include strategies to prevent GBV, reactivate women’s Public officials provide equipment to local economies, and support the activities of local businesswomen in Ciénaga through an RGA-supported project. Photo by the Ciénaga Administration. women’s offices. As discussed in section 4.1.1, RGA is also assisting its target municipalities in adopting new GOC guidelines for SGR transfers, which include project prioritization alongside civil society. The program is providing technical assistance to ensure the inclusion of women and vulnerable populations in this process. As a result of this work, RGA:

• Promoted the inclusion of women’s and gender secretariats within municipal teams leading new SGR guideline adoption in Cartagena, Tibú, and Villa del Rosario. • Supported the identification of four public investment projects aimed at benefiting women that can be prioritized to be funded through the new SGR transfer procedure in Arauca and Cartagena (two in each municipality). • Assisted public officials in Cartagena, Maicao, Uribia, Tibú, and Villa de Rosario in incorporating gender approaches in projects prioritized in different public investment sectors, including health care, education, and infrastructure.

IMPROVING COMPOS OPERATIONS The Municipal Council for Social Policy (COMPOS) is the highest decision-making institution for social policy at the municipal level. As such, they are the institution best placed to prioritize and coordinate actions and investments aimed at local communities, especially vulnerable populations such as women, migrants, and LGBTQ individuals. However, within the context of

79 The four municipalities are Cartagena (Bolívar), Maicao, (La Guajira), Santa Marta (Magdalena), and Cúcuta (Norte de Santander). 80 The four municipalities are Cartagena (Bolívar), Maicao, (La Guajira), Ciénaga (Magdalena), and Cúcuta (Norte de Santander).

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 49 the pandemic, RGA found that these councils in its target municipalities were struggling to prioritize and coordinate actions to benefit populations most affected by COVID-19.

To improve COMPOS operations, RGA developed a four-point strategy to (1) analyze the state of COMPOS’s in its target areas to identify bottlenecks and areas for improvement, (2) provide technical assistance to COMPOS secretariats to outline actions based on previous analysis, (3) transfer tools to COMPOS subcommittees to assist their monitoring and oversight efforts, and (4) strengthen CSOs led by women and LGBTQ individuals to promote their participation and advocacy in these councils. Through this strategy, the program assisted 12 target municipalities in improving their COMPOS operations to prioritize and strengthen service provision for vulnerable communities.81

Through its COMPOS analysis, the program found several challenges to COMPOS operations. Key population groups such as women, migrants, and LGBTQ individuals were underrepresented among council members. COMPOS’s had outdated databases on local CSOs and populations whose inclusion is mandatory per each COMPOS regulation. Additionally, council members lacked knowledge of the tools needed to organize COMPOS sessions, draft subcommittee action plans, and monitor municipal progress on social policy goals.

After this analysis, RGA provided technical assistance to modify COMPOS organization decrees in four target areas to guarantee the inclusion of women, migrants, LGBTQ individuals, and GBV coordination liaisons.82 To guarantee all relevant participants were invited to council sessions, the program assisted five target municipalities in organizing COMPOS sessions and updating their databases.83 It also supported six COMPOS secretariats in coordinating efforts with council subcommittees for gender, women, family, and GBV to develop action plans to ensure their effective participation in council sessions.84 Through RGA support, COMPOS’s have prioritized actions and resources to improve service provision for vulnerable populations. For example, in Riohacha, council members prioritized working with the National Civil Registry to issue identification documents for more than 400 returnee adults and approximately 250 returnee minors from rural and indigenous communities, and in Uribia, members prioritized furnishing a shelter for GBV and domestic violence victims, including migrant women and children.

To continue building institutional capacity, RGA hosted a COMPOS training session to develop skills in council members from 12 target municipalities.85 During the workshop, the program explained COMPOS guidelines and regulations, providing recommendations on how to strengthen interinstitutional coordination within these councils to improve planning, prioritization, and monitoring efforts regarding local COVID-19 responses. The program also transferred its COMPOS operation toolkit to participants, which includes formats and matrices to identify population groups to be included in COMPOS, prioritize local needs, monitor social policy progress, and outline COMPOS subcommittee work plans.

81 The 12 municipalities are Arauca, Arauquita (Arauca), Cartagena (Bolívar), Riohacha, Maicao, Uribia (La Guajira), Santa Marta (Magdalena), Cúcuta, Los Patios, Puerto Santander, Tibú, and Villa del Rosario (Norte de Santander). 82 The four target areas are Cartagena (Bolívar), Maicao (La Guajira), Santa Marta (Magdalena), and Puerto Santander (Norte de Santander). 83 The five municipalities are Arauca (Arauca), Riohacha, Maicao, Uribia (La Guajira), and Puerto Santander (Norte de Santander). 84 These six secretariats were supported in the following municipalities: Arauca (Arauca), Santa Marta (Magdalena), Cúcuta, Los Patios, Puerto Santander, and Tibú (Norte de Santander). 85 The 12 municipalities are Arauca, Arauquita (Arauca), Cartagena (Bolívar), Riohacha, Maicao, Uribia (La Guajira), Santa Marta (Magdalena), Cúcuta, Los Patios, Puerto Santander, Tibú, and Villa del Rosario (Norte de Santander).

50 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV 6.1.2. STRENGTHENING CIVIL SOCIETY ADVOCACY IN GBV PREVENTION AND SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS

To engage civil society in GBV prevention within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, RGA developed a strategy to strengthen CSOs led by women, migrants, youth, and LGBTQ individuals. Using this strategy, the program sought to train local CSOs in public administration matters to enable them to increase their participation and advocacy in COMPOS sessions, monitor progress on PDM goals, and establish collaborative actions with municipal administrations.

To strengthen CSOs, RGA designed a training cycle aimed at strengthening citizen advocacy for the inclusion of women, LGBTQ individuals, youth, and migrants. The program carried out this cycle with participants from 12 target municipalities,86 reaching 130 citizens, who also received training on increasing their participation in COMPOS sessions and PDM monitoring to promote government transparency. During its cycle, RGA also shared with participants its mapping of GOC social programs, infographics describing how to access them, and key information on health services, such as RGA-designed health care access road maps, information to enroll in the Colombian health system, and COVID-19 prevention recommendations. Through this work, the program aimed at giving CSOs the knowledge they need to advocate more effectively for the needs of vulnerable populations, including the migrant population.

Through its work to train and strengthen CSOs, RGA provided assistance to six women-led organizations from five target municipalities to participate and advocate for their priorities in COMPOS sessions.87 With RGA support, women leading these CSOs organized themselves to achieve their inclusion in COMPOS sessions, a crucial first step to guarantee their participation and advocacy in these councils. After this effort, the program supported women in working alongside local public institutions (such as health secretariats, family protection offices, gender liaisons, and police) to prevent GBV, fight xenophobia, and improve [Redacted] submits a formal request for her CSO access to public services for vulnerable populations, to participate in the Puerto Santander COMPOS. including migrant women and children. Photo by RGA.

As a result of this work, RGA supported women and their CSOs in advocating for their rights and those of their communities. For example, in Los Patios, the program assisted women in advocating for migrant children’s access to education and vaccination services, regardless of whether the children are documented. Through this advocacy, the Municipal Health Secretariat agreed to prioritize actions to increase these children’s access to basic education and vaccination services. As a result of this work, the municipality agreed to lower the costs of these services for migrant children under five by approximately 80 percent.

86 The 12 municipalities are Arauca, Arauquita (Arauca), Cartagena (Bolívar), Maicao, Riohacha, Uribia (La Guajira), Santa Marta (Magdalena), Cúcuta, Los Patios, Puerto Santander, Tibú, and Villa del Rosario (Norte de Santander). 87 The six women-led CSOs are [redacted] of Los Patios, Puerto Santander, and Tibú; the Maicao Women’s Partnership; the Uribia Women’s Network; and the CSO [redacted]. These CSOs represent women from the following five target areas: Maicao, Uribia, (La Guajira), Los Patios, Puerto Santander, and Tibú (Norte de Santander).

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 51 RGA also promoted coordination between women-led CSOs and municipal administrations in nine target municipalities.88 To this end, RGA encouraged the participation of more than 200 women and public officials in designing and implementing citizen initiatives aimed at promoting equal access to service provision for women and their communities during COVID-19. Program-supported initiatives have tackled issues such as mental health, digital gaps, and the pandemic’s impact on women’s economic activities (see Annex 1).

Raising Awareness of Gender and Sexual Diversity

RGA supported the Puerto Santander Women’s Roundtable, a local CSO, in coordinating actions with the Municipal Family Protection Office, the Cultural House, and municipal gender and public health liaisons to implement the citizen initiative “Promoting Respect toward Gender and Sexually Diverse Individuals in Puerto Santander.” With RGA support, initiative partners developed four radio programs and communication campaigns that raised community awareness to prevent homophobia, promote respect toward gender and sexually diverse individuals, foster access to GBV services, and encourage the adoption of biosecurity measures to prevent

COVID-19. Through its assistance to this initiative, RGA raised Flyer to promote respect and fight homophobia, community awareness while strengthening the leadership and developed under the RGA-supported initiative advocacy skills of women and LGBTQ individuals. “Promoting respect toward gender and sexually diverse individuals in Puerto Santander.”

To promote coordination between women-led CSOs and municipal administrations, the program trained more than 80 women and public officials from 12 target municipalities on mechanisms to create and strengthen formal dialogue spaces between women and municipal administrations.89 It did this by providing assistance to analyze existing dialogue spaces before transferring tools to formalize or strengthen these, such as legislation templates for the operation of municipal committees or roundtables that bring women and local institutions together. For example, in Tibú, RGA supported women and the municipal administration in updating the existing dialogue mechanism to ensure that women were represented adequately. The updated version was signed and formalized on March 8, 2021, as part of a series of RGA- supported activities within the context of its International Women’s Day commemoration efforts.

88 The nine municipalities are Arauca (Arauca), Maicao, Riohacha, Uribia (La Guajira), Cúcuta, Los Patios, Puerto Santander, Tibú, and Villa del Rosario (Norte de Santander). 89 The 12 municipalities are Arauca, Arauquita (Arauca), Cartagena (Bolívar), Maicao, Riohacha, Uribia (La Guajira), Santa Marta (Magdalena), Cúcuta, Los Patios, Puerto Santander, Tibú, and Villa del Rosario (Norte de Santander).

52 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV Furthermore, RGA fostered coordination between CSOs and municipal administrations to develop activities aimed at raising awareness within the context of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and the International Women’s Day. The program assisted CSOs and target municipalities in participating in the 16 Days of Activism against GBV campaign (which started on November 25, 2020) through the development of radio programs, exhibitions, and debates. For example, RGA partnered with municipal gender liaisons in Maicao, Riohacha, and Uribia to A citizen and a public official participate in the #NotNormal exhibition. Photo by RGA. implement communication campaigns to raise awareness of the importance of GBV prevention. In Tibú, RGA supported the #NotNormal (#Noesnormal) exhibition, hosted in partnership with the municipal administration and a local CSO to raise awareness of the importance of fighting GBV and promoting coexistence.

Similarly, RGA worked with CSOs and municipal administrations to launch several strategies for International Women’s Day aimed at raising awareness of gender issues, and improving service provision and access for women and their communities. The program supported initiatives to promote self-care, healthy habits, the use of technology, and the dissemination of biosecurity protocols to promote the social and economic reactivation of women and their communities. For example, RGA supported the Cartagena Women’s Affairs Office in drafting “Agreement to Guarantee Women’s Safety in Public Transport,” an initiative developed in partnership with a local transport company and aimed at disseminating educational messages on GBV prevention. The agreement was ratified on International Women’s Day. These initiatives were included on RGA’s online event platform, The Power of Women, where visitors can access testimonials, photographs, videos, and other materials displaying women’s engagement in promoting equality and ending GBV.90

6.2. PROMOTING INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY RESPONSES TO THE PANDEMIC AND MIGRATION

Building on its experience from Component 6, RGA designed a two-pronged strategy to promote migrant inclusion during COVID-19 (see Figure 13). First, the strategy sought to increase knowledge on Colombian public administration, especially access to education and health care. Second, it leveraged the program’s work with local CSOs, community leaders, students, and municipal administrations to design and implement community management strategies (or citizen initiatives) aimed at showcasing positive migrant leadership and shifting migration narratives at the local level.91

90 The platform can be consulted at https://eventosrgausaid.rebus.com.co/home. 91 RGA’s implementation of citizen initiatives to reduce tensions and address concerns at the community level is based on the program’s experience in community management during Component 6. During this work, RGA used a community management approach to foster collaborative work among migrant, returnee, and host communities to address coexistence issues through dialogue, trust building, and community commitments. It established a four-step process to develop citizen initiatives: (1) identify issues at the local level that affect migrant, returnee, and host communities; (2) establish an action plan with community members

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 53 FIGURE 13. RGA STRATEGY TO PROMOTE MIGRANT INCLUSION

To increase knowledge of Colombian public administration, RGA took advantage of its multiple training spaces—for instance, its training cycles for journalists and CSOs and its HCC workshops—to teach participants about public administration matters, including participation mechanisms, citizen oversight, and education and health care access, especially for the migrant population. Using tools such as program- developed service access road maps, RGA also promoted communication campaigns aimed at disseminating key information for public service access for the migrant population. For example, the program is currently working on an agreement with the CSO Voces de Venezuela (Voices from Venezuela) to develop a messaging platform on migrant service access that is expected to reach approximately 1,600 people.

Building on this work, RGA assisted local CSOs, community leaders, students, and municipal administrations in designing citizen initiatives that address the pandemic while promoting migrant inclusion, as discussed in the following sections.

6.2.1. SUPPORTING YOUTH TO PROMOTE INCLUSION

Through its experience, RGA learned that young people’s civic engagement has the power to foster behavioral changes among youth and their communities. To harness this knowledge and apply it to to overcome these issues; (3) reach agreements among community members and coordinate efforts with local institutions to carry out the plan; and (4) implement a citizen initiative through training workshops, dialogue, and, where relevant, actions to enhance public spaces. For more details, see “Assistance Provided to Strengthen Government and Community Capacity to Respond to the Needs of Venezuelan Migrants and Receptor Communities: Report on Component 6,” submitted to USAID on May 21, 2020.

54 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV xenophobia prevention, the program implemented a three-step training model to (1) identify local youth groups and CSOs interested in developing migrant inclusion projects, (2) train the identified youth groups and CSOs, and (3) assist these groups and CSOs in leading the implementation of initiatives aimed at promoting migrant inclusion and COVID-19 prevention. Once the program identified local youth groups and CSOs, it began providing technical assistance to train their members and develop their skills in project design, emphasizing aspects such as community mobilization and advocacy before public institutions. The program also fostered coordination between youth groups, CSOs, and other local actors, such as municipal administrations and community action boards.

Through this technical assistance, RGA supported youth groups and CSOs in designing and developing citizen initiatives alongside public institutions, including actions to bring to the forefront the needs of informal migrant settlements, reduce conflicts at the community level, and communication campaigns that showcase migrant leadership and promote self-care to reduce COVID-19 risks (see Annex 1).

Promoting Migrant Inclusion through COVID-19 Prevention

Through its support to implement youth-led citizen initiatives, RGA assisted the CSO [redacted] in developing the initiative “For a Healthy Cúcuta that Promotes Self-Care.” Using educational and communication strategies, this initiative promoted migrant, returnee, and host community inclusion through the development of collaborative actions led by young people aimed at promoting self-care in COVID-19 prevention. The youth led actions to diagnose communities to better understand how young people interact with each other, the impact of criminal organizations on their lives, and other issues affecting them such as mental health, xenophobia, and COVID-19. Based on these findings, RGA provided support to develop communication pieces to prevent COVID-19, host two youth forums, and create Flyer to participate in a youth-led event on four youth groups with Colombian and Venezuelan citizens to COVID-19 prevention and migrant inclusion in Cúcuta, hosted on February 19, 2021. strengthen young people’s leadership and participation at the local level.

In Norte de Santander, RGA worked to promote COVID-19 prevention among young people by awarding a [redacted] grant to the CSO [redacted] to implement the project “Campus: The Game of Life.” Through this project, the program supported [redacted] in training 128 young people—including women, migrants, and returnees—from Los Patios, Puerto Santander, Tibú, and Villa del Rosario to encourage their participation in COVID-19 prevention. Project participants gained knowledge and skills in subjects such as citizen participation, youth leadership, and self-care during COVID-19.

After trainings, Campus project participants developed activities such as the Campus Magazine, an online reporting program comprising videos that present the project, promote youth leadership and participation, and foster COVID-19 and xenophobia prevention. Other project actions include online

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 55 rallies and bingos, which are online events designed to encourage the participation of young people and their families in activities aimed at teaching them about self-care, safe environments, and youth leadership.

Activities developed under the Campus project helped position it as a successful experience in raising youth awareness of COVID-19 prevention. As a result of this work, the Campus project has begun coordinating efforts with other youth platforms to develop and strengthen COVID-19 prevention campaigns and to promote youth advocacy. With RGA assistance, Campus project leaders have coordinated efforts with municipal administrations to promote project continuity beyond RGA’s execution. For example, the program is currently providing assistance to establish an agreement with the Villa del Rosario administration through which the municipality will invest its own resources to continue implementing Campus strategies for prevention and self-care among youth. Similarly, in Puerto Santander, RGA provided assistance to present the Campus project to the municipal administration. As a result of this work, the administration requested a proposal to expand the scope of the project so it can reach out to other international donors for funding to continue project implementation beyond RGA’s execution.

6.2.2. TRANSFORMING LOCAL MIGRATION NARRATIVES

A key program lesson learned under Component 6 was that contextualizing the migrant crisis and underscoring its impact on migrant, returnee, and host populations can allow communities to overcome their prejudices against newcomers, thus helping to reduce xenophobia.92 Based on this lesson, RGA set out to assist civil society in developing communication campaigns aimed at raising awareness of migration and its impact to transform local perceptions and narratives. The program awarded a second grant to [redacted] and leveraged its ongoing work with students, teachers, CSOs, and journalists to design and implement communication-based strategies to address xenophobia and promote migrant inclusion during the pandemic.

Through a [redacted] grant to [redacted], RGA supported the implementation of a communication strategy aimed at promoting dialogue and community management to fight xenophobia and promote COVID-19 prevention, containment, and recovery in Los Patios, Puerto Santander, Tibú, and Villa del Rosario. With program assistance, this strategy achieved the participation of 183 people—including women, men, community leaders, migrants, and public school students and teachers—who received training on community and school reporting, communication techniques, migration and xenophobia, and COVID-19 prevention. Through this work, RGA assisted the creation of eight community and student- led communication groups, each developing a communication campaign to transform perspectives on migration.

RGA-supported communication groups developed multiple pieces, including podcasts, school newspapers, and radio programs, in which participants interviewed members of their communities and collected migrant stories to showcase migrant leadership, their positive impact on Colombian communities, and the hardships this population has faced.

92 For detailed information on RGA’s Component 6, see “Assistance Provided to Strengthen Government and Community Capacity to Respond to the Needs of Venezuelan Migrants and Receptor Communities: Report on Component 6,” submitted to USAID on May 21, 2020.

56 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV Walking for Hope

With program assistance, [redacted] created and trained three community-led communication groups in Los Patios, Puerto Santander, and Tibú, which have worked together to develop the podcast “Migrant Stories: Walking for Hope” (Historias: de la ruta del caminante a la ruta de la esperanza). Using storytelling techniques learned during program- supported workshops, these communication groups told migrant and host community stories of leadership and resilience. Their inspiring work includes tales from Colombian and Venezuelan women who have worked together to improve their communities every day, and the life story of a professional soccer player born in Venezuela but raised in Colombia. Through their testimonies, communication groups have raised awareness of migrants’ positive impact on Colombian communities, contributing to shift local narratives on migration. Flyer to promote the podcast “Migrant Stories: Walking for Hope.”

Likewise, the program provided assistance to [redacted] to create three indigenous communication groups to improve access to information for their communities. 31 people participate in these communication groups, including 10 migrants and 11 women. With program assistance, these groups have received training on COVID-19 prevention and citizen oversight, allowing participants to prioritize community needs, such as advocating for their children’s access to education in coordination with local public institutions. For example, alongside the Arauca Ethnic Affairs Office and with program support, these groups hosted a donation event between January 18 and 29, to which the public was invited to donate books and school supplies to promote Eñepa children to access learning materials.

Taking advantage of its ongoing technical assistance, RGA supported CSOs, youth, and journalists in developing activities to participate in a 10-day activism campaign to commemorate International Migrants Day, celebrated on December 18, 2020. In so doing, the program supported the development of multimedia initiatives (podcasts, radio programs, radio spots, and an online platform) aimed at raising awareness of the challenges migrants face and promoting messages to mitigate xenophobia. The program also created an online fair that centralized services for migrants—including CSO programs and public service access road maps—and audiovisual materials on migrant testimonies to raise awareness and promote their inclusion. Likewise, it hosted an online event, “I’m a Migrant” (Soy Migrante), in which public institutions, journalists, youth CSOs, and migrant women participated to discuss the challenges facing Venezuelan citizens in Colombia and the opportunities migration has to offer. A recording of this event is available on YouTube (https://bit.ly/3rzvvlY) and has 480 views.

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 57 7. SUPPORT TO THE BOGOTÁ GOVERNMENT TO RESPOND TO THE VENEZUELAN MIGRANT CRISIS

RGA analyzed the vulnerability and risk conditions facing migrants in Bogotá (presented in section 1), especially those related to violence, exclusion, and exploitation and found that these are the main reasons behind three key fears among host communities: (1) fear of increased competition over limited economic resources or employment opportunities, (2) fear of insecurity, and (3) fear of losing one’s national and cultural identity. Together, these fears feed into xenophobic narratives against the migrant population, hindering migrants’ social and economic inclusion in city dynamics. It is worth noting that xenophobia in Bogotá is a major issue in the migrant crisis. According to the Xenophobia Barometer Project, 60 percent of all the xenophobic messages the platform tracked in Colombia in January 2021 originated in Bogotá.93 Similarly, the city was among the top 10 most xenophobic regions in the country between November and December 2020.

The Bogotá government also faces its own challenges regarding migration. RGA has observed the following bottlenecks: lack of interinstitutional coordination, limited migrant inclusion in sector-specific strategies, and a lack of understanding of the impact of migration on security dynamics. In addition, the massive extension of the Bogotá government (discussed in detail in section 1) is yet another challenge to consider when providing technical assistance to address migration.

Thus, to assist the Bogotá government in addressing and managing the Venezuelan migrant crisis, RGA designed a strategy with five lines of work (see Figure 14). To implement its strategy while also considering the extension of the city’s government, the program carefully analyzed government secretariats to determine strategic partners with which it could work to have a greater impact. To this end, RGA coordinated efforts and established partnerships with the Women’s Secretariat; the Secretariat for Security, Coexistence, and Justice; the Government Secretariat; and SDIS.

FIGURE 14. RGA’S STRATEGIC LINES OF WORK IN BOGOTÁ

COORDINATION CAPACITY- RGA’S STRATEGIC BUILDING LINES OF WORK IN BOGOTÁ To strengthen capacities in the Bogotá government to address and manage the Venezuelan migr ant crisis GENDER APPROACH ECONOMIC REACTIVATION

SOCIAL INCLUSION

93 See http://barometrodexenofobia.org for more details on the Xenophobia Barometer Project.

58 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV COORDINATION To promote interinstitutional coordination in addressing the Venezuelan migrant crisis in Bogotá, RGA worked to identify challenges in the development of the city’s public policy to service the Venezuelan migrant population. It found primarily leadership and coordination bottlenecks in the operations of the Bogotá Cross-sectoral Commission for Migration. 94 Based on these findings, the program established a strategic partnership with SDIS to support the secretariat in strengthening its leadership and coordination of the Bogotá Cross-sectoral Commission for Migration. The program is doing so by providing technical assistance and developing instruments to identify available resources to promote the financial sustainability of the Commission, and training public officials to improve commission operations and interinstitutional coordination efforts.

The program is assisting SDIS in drafting supporting documentation required for issuing the decree that will formally establish the Bogotá Cross-sectoral Commission for Migration. To this end, RGA is reviewing national and international experiences in implementing similar coordination committees to use these to strengthen the establishment of Bogotá’s Commission. Moreover, the program has started organizing meetings with national institutions to map and understand national plans and interventions to service the migrant population, especially considering the GOC’s new legislation for the protection of Venezuelan migrants.

CAPACITY-BUILDING To strengthen the Bogotá government’s capacity to address and manage the migrant crisis, RGA is providing technical assistance on two levels: targeted capacity-building within specific government sectors, and public official trainings in project formulation and operation. For example, the program’s targeted capacity-building efforts include its work with SDIS to improve the operations of the Bogotá Cross-sectoral Commission for Migration and its assistance to the Government Secretariat to promote migrant inclusion in Bogotá strategies for economic reactivation.

RGA is also providing assistance to build targeted capacity within the Secretariat for Security, Coexistence, and Justice to better understand security and migration dynamics. The program is doing so through two lines of work: developing a study on security and migration, and providing assistance to analyze the influence of media on migration and security perspectives. First, through a subcontract to the nonprofit [redacted], RGA is working closely with the secretariat to determine whether migration has affected security in the city, and if so, outline recommendations that can help the Bogotá government implement activities to respond to identified migration and security challenges. Program recommendations will also seek to reduce xenophobia and xenophobic attitudes involved in perceptions of migration and security.

Second, RGA hired two security expert consultants (a Venezuelan and a Colombian) to support the Secretariat for Security, Coexistence, and Justice directly in analyzing the role of media in creating narratives on migrant participation in criminal activities. RGA expert consultants are assisting the secretariat in examining the data media use to report on migration and security in Bogotá to contrast it against official figures and validate the accuracy of local media analyses. Furthermore, the program is providing support to better understand how local media reports can fuel negative perceptions of migrant

94 The Bogotá Cross-sectoral Commission for Migration, currently in the process of being formally established, will be the entity responsible for the development and implementation of Bogotá’s public policy to service the Venezuelan migrant population. It will be led by SDIS and supported by a directive committee, in which all Bogotá public entities participate (secretariats and local public institutions); and a technical committee, whose role is to coordinate technical and operational efforts and which is supported by Bogotá public entities, nonprofit organizations, academia, international donors, and CSOs.

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 59 participation in criminal activities that exacerbate xenophobia. Using this media analysis, RGA expects to outline recommendations to work with local media on reducing xenophobia.

Regarding project formulation, the program found two main challenges within the Bogotá administration. First, city planning instruments, especially public investment projects, are considerably different from those implemented by the rest of the country.95 Second (and in line with the first challenge), there is a lack of clarity regarding available resources to address and manage migration. Within this context, the program determined that strengthening public official skills in national guidelines for project formulation is an important opportunity to improve planning efforts aimed at providing services to the migrant population.

Capitalizing on its strategic partnerships with the Women’s Secretariat and the Secretariat for Security, Coexistence, and Justice, RGA is working with public officials from both institutions to map existing macro projects, which had already been approved but were not yet fully operational, given their large scale. For example, the program assisted the Women’s Secretariat in mapping the seven strategic lines of work of a macro project aimed at implementing affirmative actions for women with a differential approach. It did this to better understand each strategic line and align it to the logical framework methodology used at the national level. Through this assistance, RGA found two strategic lines within this macro project that could be operated to include actions aimed at migrant women. These lines focus on assisting sex workers and the homeless population. Based on this, the program is currently providing assistance to design smaller projects aimed at operating these two specific lines of work to have an impact on the migrant population, understanding that vulnerable migrant women are at high risk of sexual exploitation and homelessness.

In parallel to this assistance, RGA coordinated efforts with the Women’s Secretariat to design and schedule a training cycle on project formulation and planning with a gender approach for public officials within this institution. The cycle, hosted between March 11 and 18, 2021, included the participation of 160 public officials from the Bogotá Women’s Secretariat. Through this training, RGA sought to strengthen project formulation capacity within the Women’s Secretariat to assist public officials in operating macro projects.

GENDER APPROACH To respond to women’s issues within the context of the Venezuelan migrant crisis, RGA is strengthening capacity in the Bogotá Women’s Secretariat to promote the inclusion of migrant women in city programs and service provision through its project formulation trainings and through the development of a comprehensive strategy for migrant women’s inclusion. To this end, the program coordinated efforts with the Women’s Secretariat to establish the scope and contents of this strategy, which will operate on three levels: within the secretariat, local district–wide, and citywide.96 Part of this work includes the program’s training cycle on project formulation and planning with a gender approach for officials within the secretariat. In addition to project formulation tools, participating public officials received training on gender equality and development, public administration and gender equality, and gender mainstreaming within public institutions.

95 In Bogotá, project formulation is different because rather than formulating specific projects that serve a specific purpose (for example, buying personal protective equipment for public hospital staff during the pandemic), the city approves macro projects valid for a four-year period that cover a wide range of work (for example, affirmative actions aimed at women). Thus, between 2020 and 2023, Bogotá has resources available within these macro projects. However, their operation is not always clear because of their large scale. 96 As of March 31, 2021, this strategy is under review with the Women’s Secretariat.

60 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV In addition, RGA is promoting the participation and advocacy of women’s CSOs to address women’s issues further within the context of the migrant crisis. The program subcontracted the organization [redacted] to train women’s CSOs and promote their advocacy in local women’s councils, seeking to foster migrant women’s inclusion and reduce social tensions and gender stereotypes.97

SOCIAL INCLUSION Understanding that xenophobia is a major concern in the city, RGA is supporting the Bogotá Secretariat for Security, Coexistence, and Justice to develop a coexistence strategy to reduce the stigmatization and exclusion of the migrant population. The program subcontracted the [redacted] to implement a four-step community management strategy to (1) open dialogues against xenophobia, (2) develop and strengthen citizen initiatives, (3) develop messaging, and (4) conduct research. Through this strategy, RGA will seek to reach people from migrant and host communities and public officials to promote coexistence, respect, and adaptation to local norms. To this end, from March 16 to 27, 2021, RGA supported the [redacted] in hosting workshops on dialogues against xenophobia in the local districts of Bosa, Chapinero, Engativá, Suba, and Usme. More than 330 migrant and host community members Migrant and host community members participate in a participated in this workshop, discussing [redacted] and RGA workshop on xenophobia on Mach 16, migration and xenophobia within the 2021. Photo by [redacted]. community.

ECONOMIC REACTIVATION After mapping the work of key secretariats within the Bogotá government, RGA identified an opportunity to work with the Government Secretariat on economic reactivation with a focus on migration. The program determined that it could support the Government Secretariat in implementing actions aimed at promoting migrant inclusion within Bogota’s economic reactivation strategy. To do so, the program first identified key bottlenecks in migrant inclusion, such as a lack of data on migrant employment and entrepreneur skills, and a lack of interinstitutional coordination.

To address these challenges and promote migrant inclusion in economic reactivation, RGA currently is providing technical assistance to (1) map national and local legislation and policies that have an impact on economic reactivation strategies in Bogotá; (2) carry out a stakeholder analysis to better understand the roles that different institutional actors play in the design, funding, implementation, and monitoring of reactivation strategies; (3) map interinstitutional coordination and decision-making spaces that could be relevant in promoting migrant inclusion; and (4) map Bogotá government plans, programs, and projects on economic reactivation to prioritize actions that can help promote migrant inclusion.

8. LESSONS LEARNED AND FUTURE CHALLENGES

RGA’s work under Component 7 demonstrated that municipal governments can have a highly positive impact when addressing any given challenge or crisis. However, these governments often lack the technical

97 Local women’s councils are institutions that advise local districts on matters of women’s and gender public policies to address issues such as gender gaps, inequality, discrimination, and GBV. Participation and advocacy in these councils help civil society bring their concerns and priorities before local administrations.

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 61 capacity to do so adequately. To assist its target areas in overcoming technical capacity limitations, the program turned to its previous lessons learned and proven best practices in areas such as public administration, decentralization, citizen participation, and gender and vulnerable populations. In so doing, it enhanced, adapted, and scaled up its best practices while developing new methodologies and strategies to better respond to COVID-19 and migration.

RGA’s work to increase municipal leadership is a key example of how capacity-building at the municipal level can have a great impact on local contexts. Increasing municipalities’ ability to lead efforts—whether in health care, education, or even economic reactivation—can offer important opportunities to maximize resources and align efforts so that stakeholders can target their actions toward common goals. RGA learned that building institutional capacity for context analysis is key because this work gives municipalities the tools they need to understand how a particular crisis affects their local communities. This helps local governments prioritize actions and investments while identifying gaps in their good and service provision that can be covered with the aid of stakeholders participating in coordination spaces, such as international donors or the private sector. For example, RGA found significant opportunities to align private and public sector actions to implement robust reactivation strategies under the helm of municipal leadership.

Another component of increasing municipal leadership is the need to view public administration as a whole. Throughout its work, RGA has found that municipal administrations tend to divide the different components and teams involved in public administration, which can devolve into a lack of coordination that hinders public good and service provision. A key lesson is that public policies will reflect results only when there is a comprehensive and coordinated approach to planning efforts, resource management, public procurement, and public accountability. Thus, capacity-building activities should focus on aligning the public processes of planning, projects, budgets, and payment.

Similarly, there is a need to establish continuous dialogue among the three levels of government to guarantee effective and comprehensive responses to any given crisis. Lack of coordination is a major bottleneck in Colombia, which is why policy dialogues can be and have been (in RGA’s experience) effective in clarifying legislation to local public officials and promoting increased coordination. To expand on the effectiveness of these spaces, policy dialogues should also include monitoring instruments that can help participants follow up on institutional commitments, and workflow road maps to foster coordination among different actors.

The pandemic has negatively impacted citizen participation among vulnerable communities, but processes to engage these populations have offered opportunities beyond civic engagement. RGA found that training vulnerable populations to increase their citizen participation opens spaces to develop technology skills, promote the use of digital tools, and even contribute to improving literacy rates among these populations. Likewise, strengthening civic engagement also requires working with public officials to guarantee the effective operation of citizen participation spaces and to promote CSO access to them.

In addition to opening spaces for further development, training vulnerable populations and promoting their engagement is particularly important within the context of the Venezuelan migrant crisis. As discussed throughout this document, xenophobia has risen because of the pandemic and measures taken to contain it, which hinders migrants’ social and economic inclusion. Training and engaging vulnerable populations, including and especially migrants themselves, helps communities better understand migration while contributing to reducing xenophobia. This work is particularly crucial now because the success of the

62 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV GOC’s new migrant legislation hinges partly on how well it can achieve migrants’ legal socioeconomic inclusion, which may be affected by higher xenophobia rates.

Lastly, it is important to note program lessons in Bogotá. The Bogotá administration is technically and financially more robust that the vast majority of SNGs in Colombia, making this government uniquely positioned to address and manage migration. However, the complexity and scale of this administration hinder interinstitutional coordination, and, ultimately, migrant service provision. In the face of these conditions, RGA had to adapt its technical assistance approach to support SNGs so it would be better suited for the intricacies of the Bogotá administration.

Within this context, a key program lesson is that identifying and prioritizing actions with strategic partners within the Bogotá government can open opportunities to increase the impact of program efforts. Providing technical assistance to all 15 Bogotá secretariats would not have been possible under RGA’ scope of work, but this identification and prioritization effort allowed the program to work with migration stakeholders capable of tangibly improving service provision for the migrant population. Through these partnerships, RGA could map bottlenecks in migrant service provision (for example, lack of migrant inclusion in women’s programs), outline actions to address them (for example, establishing a migrant women’s inclusion strategy), and support stakeholders in executing these actions (for example, assisting project formulation to promote migrant women’s inclusion in city programs). Through this targeted work, RGA demonstrated how technical assistance aimed at addressing specific institutional needs can have a greater impact on migrant communities across the city.

RGA has made and continues to make great progress in addressing the migrant crisis and fostering COVID-19 prevention, containment, and recovery, but challenges remain. First and foremost is a need to continue improving coordination between the GOC and SNGs. The more than 1,000 pandemic regulations issued by the GOC (with very limited efforts to centralize information and monitor regulatory implementation) show that there is a need to carry out greater efforts to promote subnational adoption of and access to national regulations and benefits. RGA’s coordination work shows that there are strategic partners within the GOC who are willing to undertake these efforts, which a new program could explore further, based on RGA’s experience. Similarly, different programs and international stakeholders should coordinate their work with municipal administrations to determine local priorities, thereby maximizing available human and financial resources.

Second, municipalities continue to face limited resources and capacity to address crises that require interventions beyond the local level, as with the Venezuelan migration or certain issues arising from the pandemic. For example, the scale of GBV arising from COVID-19, especially along the border, requires greater efforts on behalf of departmental and national institutions. RGA’s strategies have helped improve municipal preparedness and service provision regarding these types of violence, but GBV dynamics along the border are tied to the operations of large criminal organizations (ELN, FARC-EP dissidents, and other illegal armed groups), and so addressing this issue still requires institutional interventions beyond the municipal level.

Similarly, overcoming xenophobia against the Venezuelan migrant population requires greater national efforts, especially considering the GOC’s new legislation to offer legal status to nearly 1 million undocumented migrants already in the country. RGA’s work has not only contributed to reducing xenophobia at the community level, it has also demonstrated that reducing xenophobia among public officials is possible and necessary to improve conditions for migrants. However, xenophobia is a larger

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 63 issue that requires the involvement of national institutions and coordinated actions from international donors to offer a truly effective response.

Colombia still faces significant gaps in technology access. Given that the pandemic has shifted good and service provision to online platforms both in private and public matters, the country requires support to help its most vulnerable populations access technology tools that enable them to continue participating in everyday life. This is especially true for education, but also for other services such as banking. For example, extremely vulnerable populations who do not have a bank account or access to online banking services have found themselves effectively excluded from key government aids such as credit lines.

Despite these remaining challenges, RGA’s support to the GOC, SNGs, and civil society to address the pandemic and migrant crises has proved that working with local governments and communities can have a great impact on improving lives. Program methodologies such as those to promote vulnerable populations’ enrollment with the national health system, which it is already transferring, can and will continue to have an impact on increasing access to public service provision. With program assistance, target municipalities have institutionalized the use of RGA-developed tools, such as its GBV monitoring mechanism, that will continue strengthening local capacities beyond program execution. Similarly, program efforts to train and develop skills in civil society have not only contributed to the implementation of RGA- supported activities (such as community-management initiatives), but they have helped strengthen social fabrics and citizen mobilization in its target areas—work that can continue developing without program assistance. Overall, RGA’s work has paved the way for other programs and projects to continue strengthening regional governance as means to improve the lives of Colombia’s most vulnerable communities.

64 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV 9. ANNEXES

ANNEX 1: RGA-SUPPORTED CITIZEN INITIATIVES

Municipality Status Implemented by Participating Institutions Initiative

EDUCATION INITIATIVES

Riohacha, Maicao, Complete [Redacted] Public schools in Riohacha, Maicao, “Weaving words to meet again at school.” Developed Uribia and Uribia communication pieces to promote self-care and to prevent (La Guajira) COVID-19 and xenophobia.

JOURNALIST INITIAVES

Cúcuta Under Local journalists Cúcuta Press and Community “CO-DIV: Cúcuta.” Promotes public accountability through (Norte de implementation Participation Secretariats social media and infographics to foster transparency in the use Santander) of public resources while encouraging the informed participation of migrants, returnees, and host communities.

Puerto Santander Under Local journalists Puerto Santander Press and “CO-DIV: Puerto Santander.” Promotes public accountability (Norte de implementation Community Participation Secretariats through live performances and other exercises to foster Santander) transparency in the use of public resources while encouraging the informed participation of migrants, returnees, and host communities.

Tibú Under Local journalists Tibú Press and Community “CO-DIV: Tibú.” Promotes public accountability through radio (Norte de implementation Participation Secretariats spots and other exercises to foster transparency in the use of Santander) public resources while encouraging the informed participation of migrants, returnees, and host communities.

Los Patios Under Local journalist Los Patios Secretariat for Social “Participating Youth.” Develop skills in migrant, returnee, and (Norte de implementation Development, Los Patios Youth host community youth to promote their participation in Santander) Platform, Community Action Boards, improving community relationships and COVID-19 prevention, and a local radio station and to encourage their engagement in municipal public accountability events.

Villa del Rosario Under Local journalists Villa del Rosario Municipal “Dynamic and Inclusive Borders.” Strengthens transparency (Norte de implementation affiliated with Metro Administration, Municipal Community through the development of a TV special that informs on the use Santander) TV (local news Affairs Secretariat, and the Jorge of public resources to address COVID-19 and promote inclusion station) Cristo Sahium Hospital for vulnerable communities, including migrants and returnees.

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 65 Municipality Status Implemented by Participating Institutions Initiative

Cartagena Under Local journalists Cartagena Office for Public Contracts, “Public Money.” Strengthens transparency by developing a (Bolívar) implementation affiliated with local Cartagena Citizen Participation communication strategy aimed at researching the use of public online news stations Secretariat, Cartagena Office for resources in Cartagena during COVID-19 while informing and Transparency and Anti-Corruption, raising awareness among citizens of the importance of and Cartagena Health Secretariat overseeing public spending.

Riohacha Under Local journalists Riohacha Secretariats for Planning, “Journalism for Citizen Oversight: Riohacha.” Implements a (La Guajira) implementation affiliated with the La Health, and Communications, and the communication strategy to promote public accountability on the Guajira Media Municipal Office for Vulnerable use of public resources to address COVID-19 and foster migrant Network in Riohacha Populations inclusion.

Maicao Under Local journalists Maicao Secretariats for Planning, “Journalism for Citizen Oversight: Maicao.” Implements a (La Guajira) implementation affiliated with the La Health, and Communications, and the communication strategy to promote public accountability on the Guajira Media Municipal Office for Vulnerable use of public resources to address COVID-19 and foster migrant Network in Maicao Populations inclusion.

Uribia Under Local journalists Uribia Secretariats for Planning, “Journalism for Citizen Oversight: Uribia.” Implements a (La Guajira) implementation affiliated with the La Health, and Communications, and the communication strategy to promote public accountability on the Guajira Media Municipal Office for Vulnerable use of public resources to address COVID-19 and foster migrant Network in Uribia Populations and indigenous community inclusion.

Arauca Under Youth groups in Arauca Secretariat for Planning, “Arauca: Forward with Clarity.” Strengthen municipal (Arauca) implementation Arauca Health, and Education, and the Arauca transparency efforts through a communication strategy aimed at Communications Office informing citizens on the use of public resources to address COVID-19 and foster migrant inclusion.

YOUTH INITIATIVES

Cúcuta, Los Patios, Under CSO [redacted] Municipal Secretariats for Health and “Campus: The Game of Life.” Develops a comprehensive Puerto Santander, implementation Educations, and Municipal Liaisons for experience aimed at preventing COVID-19 and promoting self- Tibú, Villa del Youth care during the pandemic among young people from migrant, Rosario (Norte de returnee, and host communities. It uses games (bingos, rallies, Santander) and the like) as an instrument to develop youth skills to strengthen their informed citizen participation.

Cúcuta Under CSO [redacted] Cúcuta Under-Secretaries for Youth “For a Healthy Cúcuta that Promotes Self-Care.” Uses (Norte de implementation and Community Participation, and the educational and communication strategies to promote migrant, Santander) Municipal Health Secretariat returnee, and host community inclusion in the development of actions led by young people aimed at promoting self-care and COVID-19 prevention.

66 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV Municipality Status Implemented by Participating Institutions Initiative

Los Patios Under CSO [redacted] Los Patios Secretariats for Social “[Redacted] Radio Network: Migrants in our Municipality.” (Norte de implementation Development and Health Seeks to develop radio spots to include migrant, returnee, and Santander) host community youth in campaigns to promote self-care, prevent COVID-19, and foster local government transparency.

Puerto Santander Under [Redacted] Puerto Santander Communications “In This Together: Radio Program.” Develops leadership skills in (Norte de implementation Office, and the Municipal young people to create radio spots aimed at protecting migrant Santander) Coordinators for Culture and Public and host community youth while reducing xenophobia and Health COVID-19 contagion risks.

Tibú Under CSO [Redacted] Tibú Communications Office, Tibú “Up to Date on Health with the Mayor’s Office.” Strengthens (Norte de implementation Cultural House, and Municipal Public communication channels between communities and the Santander) Health Officials municipal administration during the pandemic to reduce COVID-19 contagion risks. Promotes migrant and youth leadership in managing community risks through the creation of radio spots.

Riohacha Under CSO [Redacted] La Guajira Health Secretariat, La “Colombian-Venezuelan Youth Together against COVID-19.” (La Guajira) implementation Guajira Office for Culture, Riohacha Works with local families to prevent COVID-19 by promoting Health Secretariat, and the Riohacha self-care and the adequate use of leisure time among youth, Secretariat for Gender, Women, and women, LGBTQ individuals, and migrants. Youth

Maicao Under CSO [Redacted] Maicao Municipal Administration and “SOS: A Home without Oxygen.” Develops an educational and (La Guajira) implementation Maicao Waste Management Company communication strategy to raise community awareness and mobilize migrant, returnee, and host community youth, and women and indigenous populations about the importance of changing their waste management practices to better care for the environment and contribute to COVID-19 prevention.

Uribia Under [Redacted] Uribia Health Secretariat and Uribia “Uribia Youth against COVID-19.” Carries out educational and (La Guajira) implementation Liaison for Youth recreational activities with local youth to strengthen their practices in COVID-19 prevention.

Arauca Under [Redacted] Arauca Office for Ethnic Affairs “Indigenous Communication Groups.” Creates communication (Arauca) implementation groups alongside indigenous communities to increase community access to information during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to raise awareness of indigenous needs to foster their access to public services.

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 67 Municipality Status Implemented by Participating Institutions Initiative

WOMEN’S INITIATIVES

Cúcuta Under CSO [Redacted] Cúcuta Health Secretariat and the “Self-Care Bootcamp” and “Feminist Fire.” Develops activities to (Norte de implementation Cross-Sectoral Committee Against prevent mental health issues associated with COVID-19, using Santander) GBV art as a tool to promote self-care.

Los Patios Under CSO [Redacted] Los Patios Technology Secretariat and “Women and Technology.” Strengthens women’s skills in (Norte de implementation Municipal Gender Liaison technology to close gender gaps arising from the extended use Santander) of digital tools because of the pandemic while promoting self- care and biosecurity protocols to contribute to COVID-19 prevention.

Puerto Santander Complete Municipal [Redacted] Puerto Santander Family Protection “Promoting Respect toward Gender and Sexually Diverse (Norte de Office and Municipal Gender Liaison Individuals in Puerto Santander.” Developed four radio programs Santander) and communication campaigns that raised community awareness to prevent homophobia, promote respect toward gender and sexually diverse individuals, foster access to GBV services, and encourage the adoption of biosecurity measures to prevent COVID-19.

Tibú Under CSO [Redacted] Municipal Press and Health “Tibú Women: Connected for Life.” Strengthens women’s skills (Norte de implementation Coordinators, and the Tibú in technology to close gender gaps arising from the extended use Santander) Secretariat for Gender Equality of digital tools because of the pandemic while raising GBV awareness and promoting self-care and biosecurity protocols to contribute to COVID-19 prevention.

Villa del Rosario Under CSO [Redacted] Villa del Rosario Health Secretariat, “Female Caretaker Network: Female Lifeguards and Textile (Norte de implementation and Municipal Gender Liaison Resistance.” Develops an educational and communication Santander) strategy to mobilize women to promote the adoption of biosecurity protocols and disseminate women’s service access road maps to help prevent COVID-19 and GBV.

Cúcuta, Los Patios, Under [Redacted] Public schools, Municipal Education “Communication for Social Change and Citizen Participation.” Puerto Santander, implementation Secretariats, and community Develops a communication strategy aimed at promoting dialogue Tibú, Villa del organizations and community management to fight xenophobia and promote Rosario (Norte de COVID-19 prevention, containment, and recovery. Includes the Santander) development of podcasts and other communication pieces, such as the podcast “Migrant Stories: Walking for Hope.”

Riohacha Under CSO [Redacted] Riohacha Secretariats for Social “We Take Care.” Promotes self-care and mental and physical (La Guajira) implementation Development, Women’s Affairs, and health among women and LGBTQ individuals, including migrants,

68 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV Municipality Status Implemented by Participating Institutions Initiative Health, and the Municipal Family to help them return to or continue their economic activities Protection Office during COVID-19.

Maicao Under Members of women- Maicao Gender Liaisons, Municipal “Resilient Women: Building Change on the Basis of Equality.” (La Guajira) implementation led CSOs Family Protection Office, and the Develops an educational and communication strategy to Municipal Liaison for GBV strengthen skills in women—including the sexually diverse, indigenous, migrant, and Afro-Colombian populations—to promote self-care, resilience, and the adoption of biosecurity protocols to help prevent COVID-19 and encourage women’s economic reactivation.

Uribia Under Local women’s groups Uribia Gender Liaison “Empowered Women, Women Who Take Care of (La Guajira) implementation Themselves.” Develops communication strategies to mobilize women, migrants, youth, LGBTQ individuals, and indigenous communities to promote self-care and the adoption of biosecurity protocols to help prevent COVID-19.

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 69 ANNEX 2: RGA-DEVELOPED INSTRUMENTS TO PROMOTE MUNICIPAL ADOPTION AND ACCESS TO GOC REGULATIONS, PROGRAMS, AND BENEFITS

INSTRUMENT NAME

General Manual on GOC Pandemic Legislation

Manual on GOC Pandemic Legislation: Economic Reactivation

Manual on GOC Pandemic Legislation: Health Care

Manual on GOC Pandemic Legislation: Education

Manual on GOC Pandemic Legislation: Agriculture

Manual on GOC Pandemic Legislation: Technology

Manual on GOC Pandemic Legislation: Biosecurity Protocols

Manual on GOC Pandemic Legislation: Constitutional Court Rulings

Document that Consolidates ESCOVID-19 Indicators

14 municipal road maps to promote enrollments with the National Health System in Arauca, Arauquita (Arauca), Soledad (Atlántico), Cartagena (Bolívar), Maicao, Riohacha, Uribia (La Guajira), Ciénaga, Santa Marta (Magdalena), Cúcuta, Los Patios, Puerto Santander, Tibú, and Villa del Rosario (Norte de Santander)

Guide on frequently asked questions regarding the National Vaccination Plan

Vaccination road map for the general public

Vaccination road map for SNGs

Road map on DPS’s call for projects to support social productive infrastructure and economic reactivation at the subnational level

Infographic on the Ministry of Agriculture’s program to support productive partnerships

Infographic on the Agricultural Bank’s program to support debtors

Infographic on MinTIC’s program for childhood and youth protection

Infographic on MinTIC’s program for women’s digital transformation

Infographic on MinTIC’s digital citizens program

Infographic on MinTIC’s 2022 mission

Infographic on MinTIC’s program to support online sales

Infographic on the national program to promote women’s entrepreneurships

Infographic on Ministry of Education credit lines for preschool and private school

Infographic on the national scholarships program “Generation E”

70 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV INSTRUMENT NAME

Infographic on registering for National Institute for Learning programs

Infographic on job searches through the National Institute for Learning platform

Infographic on Ministry of Commerce’s credit lines to micro, small, and medium enterprises, under its Moving Forward with Hope Plan

Guide to migrant service provision in Villa del Rosario

Guide on biosecurity protocols drafting for public schools

Road map on COVID-19 testing

Practical guide on COVID-19 financial sources

Practical guide on GOC pandemic regulations for SNGs

Practical guide on new GOC dispositions for tourism

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 71 ANNEX 3: RGA ROAD MAPS ON VACCINATION PROCEDURES

VACCINATION ROAD MAP FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC

72 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV VACCINATION ROAD MAP FOR SNGS

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 73 ANNEX 4: RESOURCES MOBILIZED THROUGH RGA-SUPPORTED PUBLIC INVESTMENT PROJECTS

PROJECT AMOUNT MUNICIPALITY PROJECT TITLE (US DOLLARS)

Arauca (Arauca) Project to expand aqueduct and sewage systems to $786,940 increase water and sanitation service provision

Arauca (Arauca) Project to update preliminary studies to build an $23,484 animal center

Arauquita (Arauca) Project to support migrant service provision and $6,037 prevent xenophobia

Arauquita (Arauca) Project to execute PIC actions $119,928

Arauquita (Arauca) Project to carry out emergency infrastructure works $1,258,533 to control flooding from the Arauca River in Arauquita

Arauquita (Arauca) Project to provide sport supplies to rural public $12,090 schools

Arauquita (Arauca) Project to strengthen the management of the 2020 $35,963 municipal public health plan

Arauquita (Arauca) Project to expand the water treatment plant and $2,963,234 water tank of the municipal aqueduct system

Arauquita (Arauca) Project to strengthen the management of the 2021 $17,931 municipal public health plan

Arauquita (Arauca) Project to improve the infrastructure of local public $99,553 schools

Arauquita (Arauca) Project to provide personal protective equipment to municipal administration staff within the context of the $15,147 pandemic to prevent and control COVID-19

Soledad (Atlántico) Project to buy biosecurity supplies to prevent and $55,252 mitigate COVID-19 in local public schools

Soledad (Atlántico) Project to provide security services to local public $2,880,421 schools

Soledad (Atlántico) Project to improve the infrastructure of a local public $88,289 school

Cartagena (Bolívar) Project to implement strategies to raise awareness and promote social mobilization to prevent GBV in $112,312 the rural area of La Virgen

Cartagena (Bolívar) Project to implement strategies to raise awareness and promote social mobilization to prevent GBV in $110,417 the urban area of La Virgen

Cartagena (Bolívar) Project to support the municipal school meals $6.97 million program

Cartagena (Bolívar) Project to provide support for income generation and $151,515 economic reactivation in the rural area of La Virgen

74 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV PROJECT AMOUNT MUNICIPALITY PROJECT TITLE (US DOLLARS)

Cartagena (Bolívar) Project to provide support for income generation and $151,515 economic reactivation in the urban area of La Virgen

Riohacha (La Guajira) Project to deliver biosecurity kits and implement $195,737 strategies to promote COVID-19 prevention

Maicao (La Guajira) Project to implement the program “Crime Does Not Pay,” aimed at youth to have a positive impact on $16,727 municipal security and coexistence

Maicao (La Guajira) Project to train women participating in a national program for families to strengthen their knowledge on $13,030 accessing health and education services

Maicao (La Guajira) Project to develop skills among formal businesses to $41,396 promote economic reactivation

Ciénaga (Magdalena) Project to promote the implementation of biosecurity protocols to support the municipality’s economic $169,696 reactivation while reducing COVID-19 contagion risks

Ciénaga (Magdalena) Project to provide groceries and personal protective equipment to senior citizens outside the GOC $606,090 program for seniors

Ciénaga (Magdalena) Project to provide logistics and operation support to carry out the activities of the Municipal Office for $75,875 Women and Gender Affairs

Ciénaga (Magdalena) Project to support the local 2021 culture festival to preserve and share the cultural, artistic, traditional, $128,611 and folkloric heritage of the municipality

Santa Marta (Magdalena) Project to strengthen public order and recover public $1.3 million spaces in urban areas

Santa Marta (Magdalena) Project to carry out comprehensive works to recover the Santa Marta Historical Center, currently occupied $3.19 million by informal traders

Santa Marta (Magdalena) Project to build a water treatment plan for the south $1.76 million of Santa Marta

Cúcuta (Norte de Project to strengthen women’s productive units in Santander) urban and rural areas to strengthen food security $425,152 among vulnerable families

Cúcuta (Norte de Project to strengthen skills in women to promote $384,170 Santander) their advocacy for their own human rights

Cúcuta (Norte de Project to develop a strategy to strengthen the use of Santander) online tools for learning in secondary education in $676,118 public schools

Los Patios (Norte de Project to improve the infrastructure of a senior $73,478 Santander) center

Los Patios (Norte de Project to carry out infrastructure works on a local $23,642 Santander) creek

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 75 PROJECT AMOUNT MUNICIPALITY PROJECT TITLE (US DOLLARS)

Tibú (Norte de Santander) Project to improve the infrastructure of local public $229,986 schools

76 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV ANNEX 5: 2021 BUDGETS IN RGA TARGET MUNICIPALITIES (US DOLLARS, MILLIONS)

Health Vulnerable Economic COVID-19 Municipality Education Migration Care Populations Reactivation Response

Not Arauca 0.53 15.68 1.02 0.15 0.02 specified98

Arauquita 0.55 8.66 0.32 0.16 0.02 0.01

Cross-cutting Maicao 40.43 63.51 0.81 Not specified Not specified investments99

Riohacha 52.35 52.43 0.83 0.36 Not specified 0.01

Uribia 39.51 40.87 0.86 0.29 Not specified Not specified

Cucuta 10.10 92.66 2.86 3.75 Not specified Not specified

Cross-cutting Los Patios 0.79 11.08 0.28 Not specified 0.03 investments

Puerto 0.24 1.11 0.15 1.25 Not specified 0.00 Santander

Cross-cutting Tibú 0.92 10.11 0.43 0.10 0.04 investments

Cross-cutting Villa de Rosario 0.72 24.31 Not specified Not specified Not specified investments

Cartagena 167.01 191.24 3.60 4.12 Not specified Not specified

Ciénaga 4.71 18.15 0.95 0.23 Not specified Not specified

Santa Marta 82.98 85.56 1.89 0.35 Not specified Not specified

Soledad 74.77 93.24 2.18 Not specified Not specified Not specified

TOTAL 475.61 708.60 16.16 10.76 0.09 0.04 (per sector)

98 Not specified means municipal administrations did not allocate specific resources to a given area. 99 Cross-cutting investments means municipal administrations allocated resources in other investment sectors (for example, education, health care, water and sanitation, and so on) that will provide resources or programs to a given area.

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 77 ANNEX 6: RGA-SUPPORTED CITIZEN OVERSIGHT GROUPS

RESOLUTION DATE DEPARTMENT MUNICIPALITY OBJECTIVE SECTOR NUMBER (MM/DD/YYYY)

Arauca Arauca Constitution N/A Oversee Collective 100 Act Interventions Plan Health execution in the mental health area

Arauca Arauquita Constitution Act N/A Oversee Collective Interventions Plan Health execution in actions against communicable diseases, especially COVID-19

La Guajira Maicao 031 10/01/20 Oversee coexistence and public health Health actions in COVID-19 prevention and service provision to the migrant population, returnees, and host communities

La Guajira Riohacha 227 12/10/20 Oversee GBV and GBV/ domestic violence domestic prevention during the violence COVID-19 pandemic

La Guajira Uribia 036 03/16/2021 Oversee the use of Health public resources to service the LGBTQ community in La Guajira

Norte de Cúcuta 08 09/23/2020 Oversee the execution Health Santander of the mental health and coexistence components of the Cúcuta PAS

Norte de Los Patios 005 09/17/2020 Oversee emergency Health Santander and COVID-19 service provision in the Los Patios Hospital

Norte de Tibú Constitution Act 09/01/2020 Oversee resource Health Santander execution within the Tibú PAS, especially in actions related to prevention and health care promotion

Norte de Puerto Santander 045 11/03/20 Oversee public health Health Santander actions

100 Constitution Acts do not have a number.

78 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV Norte de Villa del Rosario Constitution Act 09/01/2020 Oversee resource Health Santander execution in health care

USAID.GOV COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING | 79 ANNEX 7: MIGRANT POPULATION IN RGA TARGET AREAS

PERCENTAGE OF TARGET MUNICIPAL MIGRANT MIGRANT MUNICIPALITY POPULATION101 POPULATION102 POPULATION

Bogotá 7,743,955 340,711 4.40

Arauca 96,814 22,113 22.84

Arauquita 56,209 5,783 10.29

Riohacha 201,839 47,172 23.37

Maicao 185,072 51,361 27.75

Uribia 190,084 9,196 4.84

Cúcuta 777,106 94,847 12.21

Los Patios 97,220 7,262 7.47

Puerto Santander 9,262 2,186 23.60

Tibú 58,721 8,725 14.86

Villa del Rosario 111,254 36,512 32.82

Soledad 665,021 30,119 4.53

Cartagena 1,028,736 51,589 5.01

Santa Marta 538,612 41,693 7.74

Ciénaga 124,339 13,791 11.09

Average Percentage of Migrant Population 14.19

101 Data obtained from the National Planning Department’s website TerriData, as of January 5, 2021. Source: https://bit.ly/2IlB9GL. 102 Data obtained from Migración Colombia, as of January 31, 2020. Source: https://bit.ly/3cNkI1u.

80 | COMPONENT 7 REPORT: COVID-19 PROGRAMMING USAID.GOV