Rural Environment Development Center (REDC) Dadeldhura SUSASAN: Sustainable Use of Technology Public Center Accountability in Nepal Annual Report April-March, 2018 REDC/SUSASAN CECI Regional Office Amargadhi 5-Dadeldhura Amargadhi 5-Dadeldhura Date of Submission:April 4, 2018 Acronyms List of Acronyms Used HH Household FGD Focus Group Discussion KII Key Informants' interview CSO Community Social Organization DCSO District Community Social Organization REDC Rural Environment Development Center DCC District Coordination Committee WMG Women and Marginalized Group CECI Centre for International Studies and Cooperation TH Techno-Hub SUSASAN Sustainable Use of Technology for Public Sector Accountability in Nepal Table of content 1. Executive Summary 1 I. Project Description and Context 2 a) Objective: 2 b) Working Area of the Project: 2 c) Beneficiaries of project: 3 d) Implementation Approach: 3 e) Rational: 3 II. Progress on Outcome Statements 4 III. Operations: 7 A. Progress on Activities Implementation 7 2. Citizen State Engagement 8 a. Data collection to serve as reference baseline on contextual situation 8 a.1 Baseline Survey 8 a.2 The Role of DCSO on Baseline Study 9 a.3 Baseline Survey as a Reference Document and it's Authentication 9 B. Development of training manual 9 C. Capacity of CSOs/NGOs and Community 10 D. Training to CSOs/NGOs have adopted policies 12 E. Development and use of awareness materials 14 F. Training on leadership and participation in democratic citizenry process 14 G. Advocacy campaigns and lobbying activities on position WMGs 14 3. Use of Integrated Technology by WMGs 15 a. Mapped and analyzed existing open data initiatives 15 b. Techno-Hubs Establishment in Local Structures 16 c. Physical facilities/infrastructures renovated 16 d. Innovative technological mechanisms 17 e. Appropriate mechanisms are in place for off-line users 17 f. Data collection on Knowledge, Attitude and Practice 18 g. Action-research executed on the social-economic impacts of 20 h. Training materials developed on use of integrated technologies 20 i. Training on the use of integrated 20 j. Public sensitization campaigns on the importance of participatory monitoring 20 4. Government Responsiveness 20 B. Environment Consideration 20 a. Development of Technological Platforms for the Use of Accountability Mechanisms 20 b. Technology-Based Information Gathering Mechanisms of Local Gov. 20 c. Local Government Agencies are Supported to Digitize, Update & Disclose Public Information 20 d. Training Sessions and Technical Backstopping to Local Gov. 21 C. Gender Equality and Social Inclusion 22 D. Coordination and Collaboration at a Local Level 22 E. Risk Strategy 23 F. Visibility 24 G. Monitoring and Evaluation 24 H. Management Activities, Issues and Adjustments 24 I. Major Constraints and Challenges 26 J. Major Lessons Learnt 26 K. Local Level Grievance Management 27 L. Suggestions to the project management for corrective measures 27 M. Financial Report 27 Annexes: 28 1. Executive summary Sustainable Use of Technology for Public Sector Accountability in Nepal-SUSASAN project has been implementing at Amargadhi Municipality and Nawadurga Gaunpalika of Dadeldhura District through Rural Environment Development Center (REDC) Dadeldhura since 1st April, 2017. It is for four years (2017-2021) program launched in the partnership between the Center for International Studies and Cooperation (CECI) and Rural Environment Development Center (REDC) Dadeldhura funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC). The Project seeks to close existing gaps between demand from non- Governmental organization, communities, citizens, and supply of government services using integrated technologies, with a focus a women and marginalized groups. The project SUSASAN completed its one year activities at the local level. The project achieved most of its target except some exceptions. In the first year, the project collected the data through Baseline Survey, Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) and Open Data Initiatives (ODI) as raw materials for the project using survey tools like Household Survey (HHS), Focus Group Discussion (FGD), and the Key Informant Interview (KII). The survey supported to dig out the situation and status of public service providing system of the local government and the service holders. The project collected the data of the 84 CSOs, verified it and selected the active CSOs prioritizing 20 as first and 10 CSOs as second priorities for the project mediatories. The project conducted some policy level capacity building and technical backstopping trainings for the local government and the community groups. It enhanced to promote the awareness for the local government and the CSOs about the civic participation in the process of governance, accountability and use of the modern technology. During the period, it also facilitated to formulate Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) policy of 7 CSOs at local level. The target of the GESI policy formulation during project period is 4 but the project facilitated to formulate the policy of extra 3 CSOs that helped to the CSOs to be GESI norms oriented. The project reached to 690 beneficiaries during the first year; among of them, female: 624 and WMGs: 520.. The project gone ahead through the agreement as 'Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)' with the local government. The major contents of the MOU agreement were renovation/set up and establishment of the Techno-Hub into the existing physical structure, data collection, digitization of the municipal budget, plan and programs and capacity building trainings. Keeping in mind the contents, the project coordinated and collaborated with the local government. The project collected the municipal annual plan, budget, and program, did the points of interest mapping at Amargadhi Nagarpalika as well as other necessary data information. Another, the project facilitated to Amargadhi Nagarpalika to set up the TH into its existing building. Now the TH is ready for its operation and remaining only an inauguration. The project activities of the year challenged especially due to the local, provincial and national level of election, governmental process and lack of the human resources at the local level, and delayed in some extent for its effective implementation. The project successfully accomplished the activities through proper planning and continued frequently contact, coordination and collaboration with the local government and the community people to make the project activities more effective. 1 I. Project Description and Context Sustainable Use of Technology for Public Sector Accountability in Nepal (SUSASAN) project is a four years project. It has been implemented in Amargadhi Nagarpalika and Nawadurga Gaunpalika of Dadeldhura in the partnership between the Center for International Studies and Cooperation (CECI) and Rural Environment Development Center (REDC) Dadeldhura funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC). The REDC as an implementing partner of SUSASAN project, it is playing action role of SUSASAN project. It has been working in and with two local governments of Dadeldhura; Amargadhi Nagarpalika and Nawadurga Gaunpalika for the SUSASAN project. In these locations, the REDC is in action for the project according to project partnership. The project seeks to close existing gaps between demand from non-governmental organization, communities, citizens, and supply of government services using integrated technologies, with a focus a women and marginalized groups. Specially, the project has been supporting to the local government and the citizens on capacity building through training, coaching and technical supports, developing and adapting of specific technological mechanisms and tools, establishing infrastructural technological facilities and implementing and awareness campaign in gender and social inclusion (GESI) and interested technology. a. Objective • To increase empowerment of women and men, girls and boys and marginalized groups to engage in democratic process and enjoy and exercise their human rights. b. Project Working Area: The project has been implemented in Amargadhi Nagarpalika and Nawadurga Gaunpalika of Dadeldhura district. There are 11 wards at Amargadhi Nagarpalika and 5 wards at Nawadurga Gaunpalika. The working areas were selected considering the availability of the project's target community like WMGs like women, dalit, janajati, persons having disabilities, single women and the marginalized communities. The headquarters of Amargadhi Nagarpalika and Nawadurga Gaunpalika as the municipal level techno-hubs and Amargadhi ward n. 10 Rai and Nawadurga Gaunpalika ward n. 3 Dandaban as the community level techno-hubs locations are specified. The map of the working areas of the Project is as below: 2 c. Beneficiaries of project: According to the project document, especially the women marginalized groups (WMGs) and marginalized groups were the key beneficiaries of the project that the project has focused in each activity from the initial phase of the project implementation process. The target is disaggregated in the percentage as 60% WMGs on which at least 80% women only and 60% participation from the targeted Nagarpalika or Gaunpalika. The total four years target of the project SUSASAN is 6667 participants and so that the first year target of the project is 555 participants. The project reached to 690 beneficiaries during the first year. Among of them, female: 624 and WMGs: 520. Especially, th project reached to 23 CSOs and included them in the each SUSASAN activities.