Public Disclosure Authorized DRAFT
Stakeholder Engagement Framework
Public Disclosure Authorized
Excerpt (Annex 2) of the
Environment and Social Management Framework (ESMF)
Public Disclosure Authorized South Sudan Enhancing Community Resilience and Local Governance Project (ECRP)
May 23, 2020
Public Disclosure Authorized
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1 Introduction1
The World Bank’s ESS 10 recognizes the importance of open and transparent engagement with all project stakeholders, based on the recognition that effective stakeholder engagement can improve E&S sustainability of project activities, enhance project acceptance, and implementation, and allow stakeholders to contribute to project design. The key objectives of stakeholder engagement include an assessment of the level of interest and support of the project by stakeholders to promote effective and inclusive engagement with all project-affected parties and to ensure that project information on E&S risks and impacts is disclosed in a timely and understandable way.
This SEF is therefore designed to anchor all ECRP stakeholder engagement in a systematic way. It lays out legal and policy requirements in regards to stakeholder engagements, lists engagements already undertaken, provides a stakeholder analysis of all relevant project-affected parties to the ECRP and lays out means of dissemination of information to different parties as well as means and ways to continue to consult different stakeholder groups throughout the project cycle. Furthermore, it contains a monitoring plan that ensures the implementation of the SEF. This Framework will therefore help guide the development of activity-specific or area-specific SEPs, which will be developed once activities and locations are known. 2 Legislative and Policy Requirements
The South Sudan Access to Information Act No. 65 of 2013 spells out that every citizen shall have the right of access to information. It focuses on the right to access information held by public bodies in South Sudan. The purpose of the Act is to give effect to the constitutional right of access to information, promote maximum disclosure of information in the public interest and establish effective mechanisms to secure that right.
The World Bank’s ESS 10 sets out that a borrower has to engage with stakeholders as an integral part of a project’s environmental and social assessment and project design and implementation. The nature, scope and frequency of the engagement should be proportional to the nature and scale of the project. Consultations with stakeholders have to be meaningful and be based on stakeholder identification and analysis, plans on how to engage stakeholders, disclosure of information, actual consultations, as well as responses to stakeholder grievances and reporting back to stakeholders.2
3 Stakeholder Identification and Analysis
The project will directly benefit almost half of the country. In addition to the 13 counties selected for “quick wins”, the project will support the more vulnerable communities in South Sudan, focusing on those that were heavily conflict-affected, more food insecure and exposed to natural hazards.
1 Note: this document is an excerpt of information provided in the Project’s ESMF. The document has been formatted as a stand-alone document, while the content is transferred unchanged from the ESMF. 2 World Bank, Environmental and Social Framework. Setting Environmental and Social Standards for Investment Project Financing, August 2016.
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While not every affected party will also be a beneficiary, it is crucial to disseminate information and engage with all stakeholders on project modalities as well as on the selection criteria of beneficiaries. Stakeholders are therefore categorized into ‘directly or indirectly-affected parties’, ‘interested parties’, and ‘potentially influencing parties’.
Furthermore, it is important that all processes of information disclosure and consultation are as inclusive as possible to ensure that all sections of the affected communities will benefit from the project, and women and other vulnerable groups are not excluded.
4 Stakeholder Analysis Matrix Affected Remarks / Analysis contributing to better Stakeholder Component Group understanding of the different groups of stakeholders Directly or indirectly affected parties Community Women and girls 1. C1 / C2 2. Women and girls in South Sudan suffer from significant members discrimination, including in education, economic empowerment and public participation, and are subject to widespread GBV, including domestic violence, gang rape and other abuses. Vulnerable 3. C1 / C2 4. There are a variety of vulnerable households, including households female-headed households, households headed by persons with disabilities, and households headed by children. Widows 5. C1 / C2 6. The conflict in South Sudan had resulted in the deaths of thousands of people and has had a devastating effect on many families. Widows in particular are often marginalized and vulnerable in host communities as well as among the IDP and returnee populations. Youth C1 / C2 Youth is a big demographic in the country and if made proper use, they could contribute significantly to stability and economic prosperity. The Sudanese military as well as other armed groups have regularly recruited large numbers of boys as child soldiers and girls to perform sexual and domestic services for armed combatants. Returnees 7. C1 / C2 8. Due to the internal conflict in the country many people fled the country for security reason and will likely return as soon as stability and security is restored. Demand for basic services is paramount. Among returnees are persons who have suffered disabilities as a result of the conflict. IDPs C1 / C2 Due to the internal conflict in the country, many people fled their home areas to more stable areas within the country for security reasons and would likely return to their places of origin as soon as stability and security is restored. Demand for basic services would increase. Among IDPs are persons who have suffered disabilities as a result of the conflict. Ethnic minority C1 / C2 Some of these groups have suffered historic groups discrimination and economic and political marginalization and also more recently, the brunt of the conflict. They will need special attention.
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Affected Remarks / Analysis contributing to better Stakeholder Component Group understanding of the different groups of stakeholders People with C1 / C2 There are a significant number of persons with disabilities disabilities, including those injured during conflict. General community C1 / C2 Demand for public awareness and services to members of members community will be high when the government of national unity is formed. Potential C1 / C2 Within the communities, some individuals with some level community workers of education exist, but not enough to take up jobs in the cities. Therefore they are important resources that could be used. The project will need to sensitively manage expectations among affected communities in relation to the actual numbers of persons who can be hired to work for the project. Local religious C1 / C2 They often have substantial moral and other authority in leaders their communities Local Traditional C1 / C2 They are important and need to be engaged in community Government leadership meetings and consultations. Local leadership C1 / C2 Need to be engaged in community consultation and the endorsement of community decisions. County government C1 / C2 Under the Local Governance Act (LGA), responsibility for (county governor service delivery is devolved to the county/city level. and other county staff) Members of the C1 / C2 The LGA and its implementation guidelines prescribe the BDCs and PDCs role and composition of Boma Development Committees (BDCs) and Payam Development Committees (PDCs) as semi-formal community institutions responsible for supporting the planning and implementation of local development initiatives. Members of the C1 / C2 Local government entities in urban areas. city/town, block and quarter councils CSOs and Local CSOs and C1 / C2 NGOs NGOs as per State / county Development World Bank C1 / C2 / C3 Donor Partners UNOPS C1 / C2 / C3 Borrower / Project Manager IOM C1 / C2 / C3 IP Interested Parties Development Other UN agencies C1 / C2 / C3 All organisations working in project locations are Partners and entities stakeholders and close coordination would add value. (International (UNMISS, UNICEF, Organizations, UNFPA, UNDP, FAO, INGOs, UNEP) Donors) International NGOs C1 / C2 / C3 Supports services in the constructed infrastructure. operating in the relevant sectors (health, education) Business Local Business and C1 / C2 Local companies that may be resources for construction Community Construction work. Companies
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Affected Remarks / Analysis contributing to better Stakeholder Component Group understanding of the different groups of stakeholders Potentially Influencing Parties State and State Governments C1 / C2 / C3 Would want to see services reach the population since the National / Governors government has limited resource to do so. Government Steering Ministry of Water C1 / C2 / C3 Member of Steering Committee Committee Ministry of Health C1 / C2 / C3 Member of Steering Committee (national Ministry of C1 / C2 / C3 Member of Steering Committee level) Education Ministry of Finance C1 / C2 / C3 Chair of Steering Committee and Planning (MoFP) Ministry of Gender, C1 / C2 / C3 Member of Steering Committee Child and Social Welfare (MoGCSW) Local Government C1 / C2 Member of Steering Committee Board (LGB) Relief and Member of Steering Committee Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs County County C1 / C2 Member of County Coordination Committee Coordination Commissioners Committee County Planning C1 / C2 Member of County Coordination Committee Officers
5 Disadvantaged / Vulnerable Individuals and Groups Disadvantaged / Remarks Vulnerable Group Women 9. Women and girls are typically left out of decision-making processes and political representation, leading to local and community-based decisions that do not account for their unique needs and capacities. This produces a ripple effect on labor or economic opportunities, risks of GBV and educational opportunities. 10. While the 2009 Land Act provides equal access and rights to land tenure for both men and women, customary justice outcomes indicate that women are consistently blocked from securing and owning property.3
Women are targeted for sexual assault, either in military raids or by intimate partners. About 65% of women in South Sudan have been victims of physical and sexual violence. The risk of sexual violence negatively affects women´s ability to access income and resources.
3 Shelter NFI Cluster South Sudan (2017) “Key Housing, Land and Property (HLP) Issues in Urban Areas of South Sudan”.
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Disadvantaged / Remarks Vulnerable Group Conflict has severely affected women and girls’ access to services. In particular, access to education, WASH and health services, including sexual and reproductive health, has decreased to even lower levels. Girls 11. Girls are often excluded from educational opportunities based on gender norms dictating girls’ domestic and caretaking responsibilities along with prospects for early marriage.
12. Girls under 18 are also targeted as victims of sexual violence and UNICEF reports that the majority of women experience GBV for the first time when they are children.4
13. The conflict has exacerbated the practice of bride price. Selling young girls for marriage is a coping strategy for families in times of economic hardship. Sexual abuse and early marriage also make them vulnerable to early pregnancy. 14. 15. Girls are also vulnerable to be traded for prostitution. 16. Youth Years of conflict have provided distinct motivations for youth and their livelihood choices, including engagement in conflict and violence.5 30 per cent of young people between the ages of 15 and 35 identify themselves as currently ‘inactive’ – neither engaged in education nor economic activities.
Young people have largely been excluded from political life, including through the age- based systems of authority that prevails in some parts of South Sudan. ‘Age sets’ are an important socio-cultural feature which denote formalized community groups in which members are of the same age. Women-headed Up to 80 percent of displaced households are female-headed. households For displaced widows returning to their homes of origin, the lack of documentation and rights for women to use and own property pose substantial threats to their safety and security.
Women suffer greater food insecurity due to their cultural and social roles as caregivers and they may forego or pass on food within families, especially in female-headed households. Child-headed UNHCR reports high levels of refugee families headed by children reaching refugee camps households in Uganda. These children have become responsible for themselves and their siblings after their family members were killed or torn apart due to economic hardship and conflict. Lack of specific attention to these households exposes children to illness, rape and forced recruitment into slavery or armed groups. Initiatives such as the creation of foster banks, reunification of families and cash programmes need to be explored to meet the needs of this specific vulnerable group. Children Displacement and conflict have resulted in high levels of family separation and up to 9,700 cases of unaccompanied, separated and missing children.6 These children are extremely vulnerable to violence and abuse.
Children also face psychological distress: about 1 million children are estimated to require psychosocial support as a result of witnessing killings, destruction of homes and loss of family members and friends.
4 UNICEF, 2018. 5 Roz Price and Anna Orrnert, Youth in South Sudan: livelihoods and conflict, K4D, 2017, p.2. 6 Child Protection, Sub-Cluster Strategy, South Sudan
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Disadvantaged / Remarks Vulnerable Group Minority Ethnic The ECRP will work in areas that are both government and opposition-controlled, conflict- Groups affected or have significant minority populations. Ethnic minorities may occur at different levels, in the state or even inside the county. Here they may be dominated by authorities from other groups and may have little decision-making power. Disabled Persons South Sudan has a National Disability and Inclusion Policy (2013). According to the last census in 2008/2009 there was a prevalence rate of disability in South Sudan of 5.1%. The disability assessment (2019) indicates that physical impairments represent between 35% and 52%, vision impairment between 20% and 33%, hearing impairment between 12% and 15% and intellectual and mental illness between 10% and 17%. The main challenges faced by people with disabilities are access to basic services and discrimination that hinders their participation in social, political and economic life.
Women with disabilities experience higher levels of physical, psychological and sexual violence.
Elders with disabilities face greater challenges due to less access to food, wash facilities and other support. IDPs The conflicts in South Sudan have led to significant displacement of populations. Since 2013, over 1.9 million people (53.4 percent children) have been internally displaced in South Sudan. An additional 2.1 million have left the country as refugees.7 Almost 90 per cent of IDPs are women and children. Returnees IDPs and refugees are more likely to return to areas within or near their villages of origin. Given this pattern, most returnees are likely to be concentrated in rural and peri-urban areas where they remain vulnerable to shocks induced by climate volatility, administrative mismanagement and ongoing conflict due to increasing competition over resources, housing and access to basic services.
Women on the move report that the most salient challenges they face are: SGBV, access to housing, land and property as well as extremely scarce resources.
Important to note is that intersectionality can further promote vulnerability, for example where women are also IDPs or returnees; where members of minority ethnic groups are IDPs or returnees; or where youth are IDPs.
7 UNICEF, Education, South Sudan Country Office, December 2019, p. 1.
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6 Summary of Project Stakeholder Needs
Community Stakeholder Group Key Characteristics Language Preferred notification means Specific needs (accessibility, large print, child requirements (email, radio, phone, letter) care, daytime meetings etc.) National Ministries involved in the Potentially English Memo/letter, email, Meetings on at least semi-annual basis, Hand- Level8 Steering Committee of the Influencing Party telephone calls outs. Project (Ministry of Finance & Planning, Local Government Board, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Ministry of Gender, Child and Welfare,) Other related Ministries that Interested Party English Memo/letter, email, Meetings on at least semi-annual basis, Hand- have an interest in the Project telephone calls outs. (Ministries of General Education, Health, Water Resources) UNOPS, IOM and the World Potentially English Email, telephone calls, memo, Face to face meetings on a regular basis. Bank Influencing Party video conference Other Development Partners Interested Party English Email, telephone & radios Face to face meeting on a regular basis. (donors, UN agencies etc.) National NGOs, international Interested Party English Email communication The NGOs have taken most of the roles of the NGOs government in service delivery and it would be important to coordinate and work with them closely – on a quarterly basis State Level Business community / Potentially English Email, telephone calls There are many business companies in the Construction Companies Influencing Party countries, though some lack capacity and would need some basic training. Contact should be established at least on a bi-annual basis County Members of the County Potentially English and locally Email, telephone calls This is an important committee to ensure that Level Coordination Committee Influencing Party applicable implementation of the project in the Bomas languages and Payams run smoothly. Contact should be initiatied on a weekly basis during implementation
8 On the national level, virtual meetings are possible and in case the situation on Covid19 improves, in-person meetings will consider respective provisions on prevention of spreading the virus following guidance by WHO and instructions by the Government of South Sudan. Page 8 of 33
Community Stakeholder Group Key Characteristics Language Preferred notification means Specific needs (accessibility, large print, child requirements (email, radio, phone, letter) care, daytime meetings etc.) County Government Potentially English and locally Email, telephone calls Need for close coordination and information Influencing Party applicable sharing for smooth implementation. Contact languages should be initiated on a weekly basis during implementation Boma and Members of the BDCs and PDCs Potentially English and locally telephone calls/ word of Very important body - link between the Payam Influencing Party applicable mouth community, the county and development Level9 languages partners. Contact should be initiated on a weekly basis during implementation Traditional leadership and local Potentially Locally applicable Email, telephone calls Regular contact, at least on a monthly basis religious leaders Influencing Party languages during implementation Women Vulnerable Group Locally applicable Word of mouth and Must be involved since most service delivery languages engagement with community issues impact them either directly or indirectly officers Girls Vulnerable Group Locally applicable Word of mouth and Need more awareness and empowerment, languages engagement with community and therefore need to be included as a target officers group Vulnerable Households Vulnerable Group Locally applicable Word of mouth and Cannot afford services at high cost and need to languages engagement with community receive particular attention in the selection officers process of beneficiaries Youth Vulnerable Group Locally applicable Word of mouth and Need to be empowered and should therefore languages engagement with community be important beneficiary in project activities, officers as well as being integrated into consultations IDPs and Returnees Vulnerable Group Locally applicable Word of mouth and May find that their place of origin or home is languages engagement with community occupied by other people officers Ethnic minority groups Vulnerable Group English and locally Word of mouth and Feel marginalized and mechanisms need to be applicable engagement with community in place to empower and involve them in languages – in officers productive endeavours particular language of the minority group People with disabilities Vulnerable Group Locally applicable Word of mouth and Need to have voice in the decision making to languages engagement with community avoid further marginalization officers
9 COVID-19 will impact the feasibility of in-person meetings. The project will implement provisions on prevention of spreading the virus in line with WHO guidance and following also government instructions. The Project will also seek to learn from consultations-good practice under COVID-19 from World Bank and other sources and implement them accordingly. Page 9 of 33
Community Stakeholder Group Key Characteristics Language Preferred notification means Specific needs (accessibility, large print, child requirements (email, radio, phone, letter) care, daytime meetings etc.) General community members Potentially Locally applicable Word of mouth, notice board Need to have clear information dissemination Influencing Party languages in order to be inclusive Potential community workers Potentially Locally applicable Word of mouth and notice Contribute to the workforce of subprojects Influencing Party languages board
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7 Stakeholder Engagement Program
7.1 Purpose and Timing of Stakeholder Engagement Program
Project preparation has relied significantly on stakeholder engagement in order to gain a granular understanding of needs at the community level. This required some degree of rapid consultations with affected populations, some of which had been conducted in the form of conflict assessments by IOM, and some of which were conducted by UNOPS in additional counties (see annex).
Given the nature of the project, specific project stages are not yet fully defined. Stakeholder engagement plans will be refined and adopted as the project design evolves and increased clarity over exact locations exists. However, it is anticipated that the three purposes of consultations and information dissemination under the ECRP are: (a) understanding of the service delivery and governance needs of the selected communities; (b) reception of feedback and comments as well as grievances from all stakeholders on project design and implementation; and (d) provision of transparent and accountable mechanisms on all aspects of the project and subproject design and implementation. To ensure this, a grievance redress mechanism (GRM) will be in place throughout the life cycle of the project (see below) and will be set up in a way that all affected individuals and groups can report on project-related grievances or can provide comments and feedback. In addition, an ESCP and ESMF will be publicly disclosed at the county level in selected counties to ensure that everyone is informed about social and environmental risks and respective mitigation measures.
7.2 Strategy for Information Disclosure
Information disclosure to the beneficiary communities and other interested parties will rely on the following key methods: radio broadcasting, community meetings in coordination with local authorities (county governments, BDCs and PDCs), phone communication (SMS), and notices at the payam and boma level. Information will be disclosed in English or the respective key local languages, where appropriate. Local authorities, such as traditional authorities, religious leaders, and county governors will be requested to inform communities in community meetings and through disclosure at project locations.
Information Timetable: Methods Targeted Percentage Project Stage to be locations / Responsibilities proposed stakeholders reached disclosed dates Project Design SEF Radio, Affected and 20% of all UNOPS and (including community beneficiary beneficiaries IOM GRM) meetings, communities, and affected community potential communities boards, community church/ workers, all mosque, vulnerable markets, groups etc. social events etc ESCP Email, All national, 70% of PMU community state and stakeholders meetings,
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Information Timetable: Methods Targeted Percentage Project Stage to be locations / Responsibilities proposed stakeholders reached disclosed dates community county level boards stakeholders ESMF Prior to All identified PMU, UNOPS World stakeholders and IOM Bank Board at all levels decision Workers’ Prior to All identified PMU, UNOPS GRM World stakeholders and IOM Bank Board at all levels decision GBV Action Prior to All identified PMU, UNOPS Plan World stakeholders and IOM Bank Board at all levels decision Project ESMPs for Radio, County level 20% of UNOPS, IOM Implementation subprojects community stakeholders stakeholders and county and affected level communities boards Subproject PMU, UNOPS, Selection IOM Project All identified 20% of UNOPS, IOM Reports stakeholders stakeholders at all levels Screening Community 20% of UNOPS, IOM Reports level stakeholders stakeholders
7.3 Strategy for Consultation
This plan lays out the overall consultative processes of the project with its different stakeholders. In principle, UNOPS, IOM and potential other IPs that oversee sub-component activities will follow their existing participatory engagement and consultation methods, especially with affected communities and beneficiaries. These will follow specific tools and methods of community consultations that UNOPS and IOM have developed in their past experience fields. The Project will ensure that these tools and methods fulfil the requirements outlined throughout this document and are in line with the ESF. In case any additional needs arise from identified deficiencies or from context changes, the project will adapt accordingly.
The current COVID-19 crisis requires short-term adaptation of the consultation approach, while at the same time due to the CDD-type intervention, consultations are essential for the project implementation. The project will follow thereby (i) WHO guidance on prevention of the spread of the COVID-19 virus; (ii) respective instructions by the Government of South Sudan; while (iii) seeking also international good- practice on consultations under COVID-19 and innovative approaches established by World Bank, UN, and other development agencies. This can include TalkingBooks, radio programs combined with call-in- feedback, small-group discussions once allowed with provision of PPE, etc.
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The GRM will be another means of consultation, as complaints received will be filed, assessed and responded to (see below).
To ensure coordination with the Government of South Sudan, an inter-ministerial steering committee will be established with MoFP as the Chair. The committee will comprise undersecretaries from key government agencies such as MoFP, LGB, Ministry of Gender, Child, Social Welfare (MoGCSW), Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs along with the Ministries of Water, Health and Education. The steering committee will meet bi-annually to discuss key policy issues with the Bank, UNOPS and IOM. An inter-ministerial technical working group will also be established at the national-level and represented by the Director Generals from the same ministries and chaired by MoFP to meet on a quarterly-basis, or more often as needed, to discuss technical implementation-related issues with the Bank, UNOPS and IOM. At the state level, the project will not create any coordination body but will inform/consult with governors as needed. At the county-level, a coordination committee chaired by the county commissioner with the county planning officer, relevant department heads and the RRC county coordinator will serve as the point of contact for the project.
Project Stage Topic of Suggested Timetable: Target Responsibilities Consultation Method location stakeholders and dates Project Design Overall Inter- Juba Project UNOPS, IOM, PMU Project ministerial affected activities Steering parties Committee
Radio, community meetings SEP (including Radio, Juba / Project- PMU, UNOPS, IOM grievance community county / affected and mechanisms) meetings, Payams potentially notice influencing boards at parties county, payam and boma level ESCP Inter- Juba Project- PMU ministerial affected and Steering potentially Committee influencing parties ESMF Inter- Juba Project- PMU ministerial affected and Steering potentially Committee influencing parties Email
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Project Stage Topic of Suggested Timetable: Target Responsibilities Consultation Method location stakeholders and dates Project launch / Entry Introduction Stakeholder Juba / National PMU of what the meeting / State / Government project is all conference County / State / about and County / how the Payam various stakeholders would be working Project Types of Community Boma / Project- UNOPS, IOM Implementation community meetings, Payam affected and infrastructure notice potentially boards at influencing county, parties payam and boma level Sub-project Community Boma / Project- UNOPS, IOM ESMPs meetings, Payam affected and notice potentially boards at influencing county, parties payam and boma level
7.4 Strategy to Incorporate the View of Vulnerable Groups
UNOPS and IOM will ensure that women and other vulnerable groups are participating in consultative processes and that their voices are not ignored. This may require specific meetings with some of the above identified vulnerable groups at the community level, in addition to general community consultations. For example, women may be more outspoken in women-only consultation meetings than in general community meetings. Similarly, separate meetings will be held with young people or with ethnic minority groups for each subproject or activity. Further, it is important to rely on other consultation methods as well, which do not require physical participation in meetings, such as social media, SMS, or radio broadcasting, where feasible, to ensure that groups that cannot physically be present at meetings can participate. Where this is not possible, community facilitators will visit households of vulnerable people, in particular the elderly and persons with disabilities, that are not able to attend communal meetings.
In view of promoting gender equality, it is most important to engage women’s groups on an ongoing basis throughout the lifetime of the project. Women voicing their concerns and contributing in the decision- making process on issues such as community infrastructure should be encouraged, especially in governmental or traditional committees predominantly consisting of men.
IPs are similarly encouraged to deploy female staff, in particular where staff interface with community members.
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GRMs will be designed in such a way that all groups identified as vulnerable (see below) have access to the information and can submit their grievances and receive feedback as prescribed.
7.5 Timelines
The project is planned for a duration of 36 months. Information disclosure and consultations are especially relevant throughout the early stages of the project, but also throughout the project cycle. Project design has therefore been based on field consultations (see Annex). Activities under each sub-component will include further consultations prior to their commencement to ensure a good selection of beneficiaries, transparency and accountability on project modalities, and to allow community voices to form the basis of the concrete design of every intervention and consultations will continue throughout the project cycle.
7.6 Reviews of Comments
UNOPS and IOM implementing different sub-components of the project will gather all comments and inputs originating from community meetings, SMS, GRM outcomes, surveys and FGDs. The information gathered will be submitted to the PMU – specifically to the Social and Environmental Specialists - to ensure that the project has general information on the perception of communities, and that it remains on target. It will be the responsibility of the IPs to respond to comments and inputs, and to keep open a feedback line to the communities, as well as the local authorities.
Training on environmental and social standards facilitated by WB and UNOPS will be provided soon after the project becomes effective to ensure that all implementing staff are equipped with the necessary skills.
This SEF provides the overarching guidelines for the rolling out of stakeholder engagements. While this SEF will be refined once the different communication and consultation modalities of the technical leads can be elaborated on, the guiding principles will remain in place. The UNOPS Risk Management team will continue to monitor the capacity of the safeguards staff of the UNOPS Community Infrastructure Unit and IOM, and recommend appropriate actions, e.g. refresher trainings.
8 Resources and Responsibilities for Implementing Stakeholder Engagement Activities
8.1 Resources
Budgetary resource will be dedicated to the implementation of the SEF, as laid out in the above budget summary. While there will be an overall budget administered by the PMU to monitor SEF and other ESMF activities; UNOPS and IOM will have dedicated budget resources to implement the SEF as part of the integral project costs for each activity.
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8.2 Management Functions and Responsibilities
The overall responsibility for the implementation of the SEF lies with the PMU Project Manager. The Plan will be overseen on a day-to-day basis by the PMU Social and Environmental Specialists. The Officers will maintain a stakeholder database for the overall project and will lead a commitment register. However, while the PMU will oversee all coordination and disclosure-related consultations, UNOPS and IOM will implement the SEF at the community level in their respective project sites and will report on their activities to the PMU Social and Environmental Specialists on a monthly basis. The PMU will undertake field verification activities jointly with UNOPS and IOM – at least every other month, or during planned events.
UNOPS and IOM will identify dedicated staff responsible for the implementation of the SEF within the organization. Staff names will be submitted to the PMU. Selected staff must have ample qualifications to implement the SEF, as stipulated by the terms of reference for the position in UNOPS’s and IOM’s human resource system. The reporting lines between community liaison staff and senior management will be defined by UNOPS and IOM’s organizational structure. UNOPS and IOM will also commit to communicate the stakeholder engagement strategies for their respective sub-components internally.
9 Grievance Redress Mechanisms
Under the new World Bank ESSs10, Bank-supported projects are required to facilitate mechanisms that address concerns and grievances that arise in connection with a project.11 One of the key objectives of ESS 10 (Stakeholder Engagement and Information Disclosure) is ‘to provide project-affected parties with accessible and inclusive means to raise issues and grievances and allow borrowers to respond and manage such grievances’.12 This Project GRM should facilitate the project to respond to concerns and grievances of the project-affected parties related to the environmental and social performance of the project. The ECRP will provide mechanisms to receive and facilitate resolutions to such concerns. This section lays out the grievance redressal mechanisms (GRM) for the ECRP.
As per World Bank standards, the GRM will be operated in addition to a separate GBV/SEA and Child Protection Risk Action Plan, which includes reporting and referral guidelines (see GBV/SEA and Child Abuse Action Plan). Additionally, in line with the provisions of ESS2, a grievance mechanism will be provided to all direct workers and contracted workers to raise workplace concerns. Workers will be informed of this grievance mechanism at the time of recruitment and the measures put in place to protect them against any reprisal for its use. This worker grievance mechanism is included in the project’s LMP (see annex). Given the small-scale nature of works and focus on locally sourced labor, the intake mechanisms of the overall GRM will also allow intake of grievances under ESS2. Note that for SH at the workplace, provisions under the GBV/SEA Action Plan apply.
10 World Bank, Environmental and Social Framework, 2018. 11 Under ESS 2 (Labour and Working Conditions), a grievance mechanism for all direct or contracted workers is prescribed, which is laid out in the Labour Management Plan (LMP). The World Bank’s Good Practice Note on ‘Addressing Gender Based Violence in Investment Project Financing involving Major Civil Works’11 spells out requirements for a GBV grievance redress mechanisms, which is laid out in a separate GBV/SEA and Child Protection Risks Action Plan. 12 World Bank, 2018, p. 131.
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The GRM are designed to capture the high potential for conflict, identified in the socio-economic baseline and risks and impact sections above. There is concern that there may be disagreements over local level planning and implementation processes. Furthermore, the project itself may cause grievances, or existing community and inter-community tensions may play out through the project. The source of grievances, in regard to project implementation, can also sometimes be the local governance or power distribution itself, e.g. how local government and power holders will routinely place brokers in privileged positions or how district or subdistrict local governments are able to favor some communities and not others, for example.
It will therefore be key in the fragile environment of South Sudan to ensure that grievances and perceived injustices are handled by the project, and that the project aides mitigate general conflict stresses by channeling grievances that occur between people, groups, government actors and beneficiaries and project staff or contractors. Aggrieved parties need to be able to refer to institutions, instruments, methods and processes by which a resolution to a grievance is sought and provided. The GRMs provide an effective avenue for expressing concerns, providing redress and allowing for general feedback from community members.
In order to guarantee that the project will have a wider impact on injustices and conflict stresses, it should address a wider range of injustices as they manifest themselves around aid and development projects. By enabling people to contest perceived unfair practices and asymmetric power distribution, power structures can be re-arranged and systems of social accountability strengthened. Especially the citizen – LG nexus is an important field for tackling conflict stresses as the government authorities mostly relate to people in regards to security and conflict.
The GRM aims to address concerns effectively and in a timely and transparent manner. It is readily accessible for all project-affected parties and does not prevent access to judicial and administrative remedies. It is designed in a culturally appropriate way and is able to respond to all the needs and concerns of project-affected parties.
9.1 Assess and Clarify
Through information centers, radio, community meetings and other means, information about the project and its sub-component activities will be publicly disclosed (see above).
The type of information disclosed includes details about the project structure, activities, budgets, consultation and information disclosure plans (SEF), the Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP), the Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF), activity-specific Environmental and Social Assessments (ESAs), activity-specific Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs), the GBV/SEA and child protection referral systems, as well as detailed information about the Project GRM.
Based on the information made available, aggrieved parties can decide whether they have a case to report or whether the available information clarifies their concern. This will allow the aggrieved party to decide on the appropriate next step in order to report a grievance, comment or provide feedback to the Project. 9.1.1 The provision of multiple grievance channels allows an aggrieved party to select the most efficient institution, accessibility, circumvent partial stakeholders and creates the ability to bypass channels that are not responsive.
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9.2 Intake, Acknowledge and Follow-Up
Grievances received through the GRM reporting mechanisms will be taken in by the respective IP hotline operator. The hotline operator will review information received and transfers it to either UNOPS or IOM. Or, Community Project facilitators will file grievances and pass them to the UNOPS’ or IOM’s social officers at State level. Community facilitators will also man the help desks or be responsible for suggestion boxes. All cases received through these, the community facilitator reports to UNOPS or IOM’s social officers at State level. All cases will therefore be treated confidentially.
Incident reporting. Severe incidents (defined as an incident that caused significant adverse effect on the environment, the affected communities, the public or workers, for example: Fatality, GBV, forced or child labor) will be reported within 48 hours to the PMU and the World Bank.
Where grievances are of sexual nature and can be categorized as GBV/SEA or a child protection risk, the IP has to handle the case appropriately and refer it to the GBV referral system, defined in the GBV/SEA and Child Abuse Action Plan.
For all other grievances, the respective IP at the state level will decide whether the grievance can be solved locally, with local authorities, implementers, or contractors and whether an investigation is required. The first ports of call will have in-depth knowledge of communal socio-political structures and will therefore be able to address the appropriate individuals if the case can be solved at the local level.
At all times, the IP will provide feedback promptly to the aggrieved party, for example through the phone or through the community facilitator. Feedback is also communicated through stakeholder meetings and beneficiary meetings during project activities. For sensitive issues, feedback is given to the concerned persons bilaterally.
Records of all feedback and grievances reported will be established by the IP. All feedback is documented and categorized for reporting and/ or follow-up if necessary. For all mechanisms, data will be captured in an excel spreadsheet. The information collected, where possible, should include the name of the person providing feedback as well as the boma, payam and county, cooperating partner (where applicable), the project activity and the nature of feedback or complaint.
9.3 Verify, Investigate and Act
The IP will investigate the claim within 7 working days and share findings with relevant stakeholders. Where an incident was reported, the IP will follow the incident management protocol.
Where a negotiated grievance solution is required, the IP will invite the aggrieved party (or a representative) to decide on a solution which is acceptable to both parties and allows for the case to be closed, if of both parties agree.
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After deciding a case, the IP has to provide an appeals mechanism to the aggrieved party, which is constituted through the PMU at Juba level. This is important in cases in which the aggrieved party is dissatisfied with the solution provided by the IP. In these instances, the PMU will step in and provide an appeals mechanism. The appeals should be sent to the PMU directly (a phone number will be provided) where they will be reviewed by the PMU Risk Management Unit and will be decided on jointly with the PMU Project Manager.
9.4 Monitor, Evaluate and Feedback
If the case was not filed anonymously, the UNOPS or IOM social officer will provide first feedback to the aggrieved party within one week. Further feedback and action will depend on the nature of the case and whether cases are decided upon within the respective IP. The IP will show to the PMU that action has been taken within a reasonable amount of time.
Most importantly, all cases filed need to be logged and monitored by the UNOPS or IOM social officer who will analyze all complaints and feedback on a quarterly basis and share a synthesis report of the analysis with the PMU.
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9.5 ECRP Grievance Redress Mechanisms Flowchart13
13 This flowchart does not apply to SEA/SH incidents, for which refer to the GBV Action Plan.
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9.6 Monitoring and Reporting of GRM
The PMU, specifically the Social Officer that is part of the PMU’s Risk Mitigation Unit, will be responsible for monitoring the availability and implementation of the GRM by UNOPS and IOM social officers. The PMU will include the GRM into its supervision and monitoring missions to the field and conduct spot checks regarding its implementation. This will also apply to the grievances under ESS2.
UNOPs and IOM will provide analytical synthesis reports on a quarterly basis to the PMU, which include the number, status and nature of grievances to the PMU. These reports will form the basis of all regular reports to the World Bank.
UNOPS and IOM will further provide an excel sheet summary of the feedback and grievances reported, which will be linked to the Project’s Management Information System (MIS) and to the M&E Results Framework. They will further maintain a documented record of stakeholder engagements, including a description of the stakeholders consulted and a summary of the feedback/grievances received during community consultations.
The PMU will further extract lessons learnt from the GRM and implement analysis on the overall grievances and share them with UNOPS and IOM.
9.7 Information Disclosure and Consultations
ESS 10 makes it essential to identify and undertake inclusive and ongoing engagement with project stakeholders and to disclose all relevant information to stakeholders, in particular those project-affected groups or individuals that are disadvantaged or vulnerable due to their circumstances, and the public. Direct and indirect project stakeholders have been identified in the Stakeholder Engagement Framework (SEF), which was disclosed in xx on xx, and on the UNOPS website on xxx. The SEF will be continuously updated, specifically in accordance to the identified needs of each IP and their respective sub-component. All relevant information needs to be made available to stakeholders in a timely manner, including about planned sub-components of the project, management measures and monitoring activities.
9.8 GBV and Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA)
Cases of GBV/SEA can be reported through the general Project GRM. The GBV survivor has the freedom and right to report an incident to anyone: community member, project staff, GBV case manager etc…14. All relevant staff of the PMU, IOM and contractors will receive training on receiving GBV complaints and referral systems, ideally during the project initiation phase and as part of the staff welcome package. The GRM operators will be trained to receive those cases in an appropriate manner and immediately forward them to the GBV/SEA referral system. The GRM operator will ensure appropriate response by i) providing
14 In case the survivor is a child, the consent of parents or guardians should be sought where it is in the best interest of the child and if they are not the perpetrators. However, where parents/guardians refuse to pursue the case in the court of law on the child’s behalf, with clear evidence, the Directorate of Gender and Child Welfare should take up the role and pursue the case on the child’s behalf to ensure that she/he is protected. Parents/guardians should be counselled first and thereafter, and taken to task by filing a case against them for denying the child her/his rights. All service provider interventions to child survivors must be undertaken with staff trained in child-friendly procedures in regards to the handling of cases. A child survivor should continue to go to school while procedures are ongoing and all efforts should be done to ensure her/his protection. In addition to this, all the above reporting and referral procedures should be applied
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a safe and caring environment and respecting the confidentiality and wishes of the survivor ii) If survivor agrees, obtaining informed consent and making referrals and iii) providing reliable and comprehensive information on the available services and support for survivors of GBV.
The GRM should consider including key features on the prevention of GBV: i) Establishing women quotas at community-level grievance management to facilitate woman to woman reporting. ii) Providing multiple channels to receive complaints (channels to be determined after community consultation). iii) Resolving complaints at the point of service delivery to reduce information and transaction costs and gender sensitive independent channels for redress. iv) Communicating GRM services at the community level to create GBV awareness and enable project‐affected people to file complaints.
However, beneficiaries and communities should generally be encouraged to report all GBV/SEA cases through the dedicated GBV/SEA referral system and complaints resolution mechanism. This will be made explicit in all community awareness sessions and be a part of the publicly disclosed information. The GBV/SEA referral system will guarantee that survivors receive all necessary services, including medical, legal and counselling, and cases will be reported to the police where applicable.
If such cases are reported through the project GRM, the GRM Operator needs to report the case within 24 hours to the PMU, as the PMU is obliged to report any cases of GBV/SEA to the World Bank within 48 hours (provided there is informed agreement from the survivor). Furthermore, cases need to be reported to the respective agency if it concerns a direct worker or a worker from a sub-contractor, NGO partner or even a community worker following a survivor-centered approach. UNOPS and IOM have their organizational PSEA systems in place through which violations by staff will be handled. This may be in addition to criminal prosecution to ensure that sanctions for the violation of Codes of Conduct are implemented. UNOPS and IOM are in charge of checking that the courses for contractors regarding the Code of Conduct obligations and awareness raising activities to the community are in place. The information gathered should be monitored and reported to project PMU and the World Bank. All reporting will limit information to the survivor’s wishes regarding confidentiality and in case the survivor agrees on further reporting, information will be shared only on a need-to-know-basis, avoiding all information which may lead to the identification of the survivor and any potential risk of retribution.
9.9 WB’s Grievance Redress Service (GRS) Communities and individuals who believe that they are adversely affected by a World Bank supported project may submit complaints to existing project-level grievance redress mechanisms or the WB’s Grievance Redress Service (GRS). The GRS ensures that complaints received are promptly reviewed in order to address project-related concerns. Project affected communities and individuals may submit their complaint to the WB’s independent Inspection Panel which determines whether harm occurred, or could occur, as a result of WB non-compliance with its policies and procedures. Complaints may be submitted at any time after concerns have been brought directly to the World Bank's attention, and Bank Management has been given an opportunity to respond. For information on how to submit complaints to the World Bank’s corporate Grievance Redress Service (GRS), please visit http://www.worldbank.org/en/projects-operations/products-and-services/grievance-redress-service. For information on how to submit complaints to the World Bank Inspection Panel, please visit www.inspectionpanel.org
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9.10 Monitoring and Reporting
9.10.1 Involvement of Stakeholders in Monitoring Activities
Adequate institutional arrangements, systems and resources will be put in place to monitor the ESMF. The goals of monitoring will be to measure the success rate of the activities, determine whether interventions have handled negative impacts, and whether further interventions are required or monitoring is to be extended in some areas. The goal of inspection activities is to ensure that sub- component activities comply with the plans and procedures laid out in the ESMF. The ESMF will lay out environmental and social risks mitigation measures, with a dedicated E&S monitoring and reporting plan.
The main monitoring responsibilities will be with the PMU, as the administrator of the GRM, and overall project-related environmental and social monitoring and main implementer of the SEF. This will be led by the PMU Social Officer. The PMU Project Manager will be overall responsible for the implementation of the environmental and social mitigation measures, including the SEF and site- or activity- specific SEP, as well as for monitoring and inspections for compliance with the SEF.
The GRM will be a distinct mechanism that will allow stakeholders, at the community level in particular, to provide feedback on project impacts and mitigation programs. The project will also establish and operate a separate grievance mechanism for all direct and contracted workers to raise workplace concerns, as provided under ESS2.
In addition, UNOPS and IOM will have their own dedicated means of monitoring impacts, administering mitigating measures and stakeholder involvement. These will be launched and implemented within the partners’ specific sub-component activities. UNOPS and IOM are committed to share these means with the PMU and will integrate stakeholder inputs into their regular monitoring and reporting activities. UNOPS and IOM will report the number, locations and results of their SEF or SEP-related activities to the PMU on a monthly basis.
Independent Verification Agent (IVA) will be engaged by the PMU on a competitive basis to provide independent operational review of project implementation, as well as verification of all project results, including the implementation of the SEF. This will include assessing adherence at all implementation levels to the procedures set out in the Project Operations Manual (POM) and other relevant project documents, and in verifying outputs of all project activities.
The PMU will digest all reporting by IVAs, UNOPS and IOM, as well as its own findings, and produce an overall environment and social progress report, which will contain a distinct section of stakeholder engagement and which will be provided to the World Bank. The project will follow a quarterly reporting cycle. These quarterly reports will further be shared with all stakeholders, as defined in the SEF.
Furthermore, the PMU will provide an annual review of ESMF implementation, with the aim to: (a) assess the project performance in complying with ESMF procedures, learn lessons, and improve future performance; and (b) assess the occurrence of, and potential for, cumulative impacts due to project- funded activities. Project stakeholders will be engaged in the review process. In addition, data from the GRM will be analyzed and presented. These reports will be the main source of information for the World Bank supervision missions, UNOPS and national authorities, as needed.
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9.10.2 Reporting Back to Stakeholder Groups
Results of stakeholder engagements, will be regularly reported back to the affected communities, as well as the relevant local authorities. It will be the responsibility of the PMU to ensure that all relevant reporting is shared through the above defined public means. At a sub-component and activity level, UNOPS and IOM will be responsible for disclosing their stakeholder engagement results and relevant reporting.
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9.11 Consultations Undertaken
IOM had conducted consultations in three different areas: Wau, Bor and Rubkona. Results of the three consultations have been integrated into the development of this ESMF. Furthermore, UNOPS undertook consultations in Juba, Wau, Tonj State and Kapoeta State. The World Bank, UNOPS and IOM have further conducted consultations with government entities at the national level, as per the below table.
Furthermore, the World Bank, UNOPS and IOM have participated in a series of consultative meetings:
Name of Party Date/ Period Subject/ Topic Title Institution Location/Place Consulted World Bank 23-26 April Inception of the Donor & World Bank, World Bank Mission 2019 project idea and Government MOF, LGB, name HA&DM, MGC&SW World Bank 4-8 Nov. Project Document Government and World Bank, World Bank Mission 2019 Appraisal and Development UNOPS, IOM, introduction of Partners MF&P, LGB, UNOPS and IOM HA&DM, MG&SW WB ISM 27 Jan – 7 World Bank Government and World Bank, World Bank Feb 2020 Project document Development UNOPS, IOM, Appraisal support Partners MF&P, LGB, mission HA&DM, MG&SW
UNOPS Consultations followed the below schedule: Organization/ Date Location Personnel Guiding Questions Institution 10-13 Feb. Juba Guyson/ UNOPS Logistic planning, travel arrangements and approval to Tonj State/Tonj North County, and Kapoeta 2020 Mwatile + State/Kapoeta North County
Friday Juba – Guyson + UNOPS + Arrival and remote preparation with the Executive Director in Tonj County 14/02/2020 Wau
Saturday Wau Guyson + UNOPS + Desk review and follow up of meeting appointments - remotely 15/02/2020
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Organization/ Date Location Personnel Guiding Questions Institution Sunday Wau – Guyson + UNOPS + Travel and preparation 16/02/2020 Tonj State
Monday Tonj Governor Meeting with the Courtesy call and sharing of mission objectives 17/02/2020 State – and State Governor An overview from the Governor of the current security situation Tonj Minister and State Minister of Population access to basic services such as water, health education, food security etc. North of Local Local Government and Heard the opinion of the Governor and the Minister about the role of UN Agencies and Non- County Governme Law Enforcement, Tonj Governmental Organizations in improving the livelihoods of the people in the State and the county in nt and State particular Law What is the contribution of Government in improving the livelihoods of and services to the people Enforcem What are the challenges Government is facing in improving the livelihood and welfare of communities ent and what efforts the government is undertaking in addressing the challenges? Monday Kapoeta Governor Meeting with the The numbers of IDPs, migrants and their effect on the limited basic services provided by Government and 24/02/2020 State – and State Governor other Agencies Kapoeta Minister and State Minister of What NGO are working in the State and what services are they providing? North of Local Local Government and To what extent are the structures that include the counties, Payams and Bomas relevant to ensuring that County Governme Law Enforcement, the communities access the basic services such as water, health, education? nt and Kapoeta State How representative are the state/county authorities representing the needs and aspirations of the Law communities? Enforcem How possible is it to access land for development needs such as schools, health centers and water in the ent payam/boma? What is the estimated population of the state currently? What are the key income generating activities and livelihood that communities engage in? Monday Tonj Commissi County Administration Courtesy call & and sharing of mission objectives 17/02/2020 North oner, Do you have a strategic Development Plan for the County? County Executive The Commissioner to provide an overview of the current security situation Director Provide an overview of availability and access by communities to basic services such as water, health and education, food security etc. Departme What are the key challenges that you face as county authorities in respect to ensuring that people have ntal Heads access to basic services such as clean water, health and education? What is the food security situation in the county?
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Organization/ Date Location Personnel Guiding Questions Institution Monday Kapoeta Commissi County Administration The numbers of IDPs, migrants and their effect on the limited basic services provided by Government and 24/02/2020 North oner, other agencies County Executive Who are the major UN Agencies and NGOs providing basic services in the county? Director To what extent are the structures relevant and functional in ensuring that the communities access the and basic services such as water, health and education? Departme How representative are the PDC/BDC at representing the needs and aspirations of the communities? ntal Heads How possible is it to access land for development needs such as schools, health centers and water in the payams and bomas?
Tuesday Tonj Payam Payam Administration Pay a courtesy call & and share the objectives of the mission 18/02/2020 North Administr Do you have a strategic Development Plan for the Payam? Payam ator, What is the status of the basic services delivery (including Water, Roads maintenance, Health, Education Payam etc.) in the payam? Developm How is the land ownership in the payam? Is it possible to access land for development purposes? What ent are the processes? Committe Do you have any special programs to enhance the livelihoods of vulnerable people and poor and e disadvantaged groups?
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Organization/ Date Location Personnel Guiding Questions Institution Tuesday Kapoeta Payam Payam Administration What are the major income activities and sources of livelihood for the households? 25/02/2020 North Administr Do you have any deliberate programs to enable girls and women have improved access to health, Payam ator, education, infrastructure and other services in the municipality? Payam What are the key social, cultural and legal constraints for female compared with male mobility and Developm access to different types of development services and jobs? ent Do women and men use these development services differently? Does this vary by social characteristics Committe (ethnic, minority, rural, age)? e Are there high rates of maternal, infant and child mortality? Can payam development programs in particularly in the health sectors help address this problem? How is the enrolment and retention rate in schools (primary, secondary), particularly for girls?
Wednesday Tonj Boma Boma Administration How many people/HH do you have in this Boma? 19/02/2020 North Chief, What is the role of the Boma Chief? Boma What constitutes a Boma? Developm How are Boma Development Committee members selected/elected? ent What is the mandate of the Boma Development Committe? What are some of the roles of the BDC? Committe How long is the mandate of BDC e, What is your role in ensuring that people access basic services such as water, health, education etc Communit What are the key challenges that people face in your Boma? ies Describe the land ownership. Is land available to be used for provision of basic services such health care Tuesday Kapoeta Boma Boma Administration units, education etc? 25/02/2020 North Chief, What are the major income activities and sources of livelihood for the HH? Boma Boma Do you have any special programs to enhance the livelihoods of vulnerable people, disadvantaged or the Developm urban poor? ent Committe e, Communit ies Page 28 of 33
Organization/ Date Location Personnel Guiding Questions Institution
Wednesday Tonj Boma IDPs How long have you lived here and where did you come from? 19/02/20 North Did you come with kin? Tonj North Boma Do you get any support from UN agencies, or other organizations? If so, what kind of support do you get? Are you engaged in any economic activities? Tuesday Kapoeta Boma IDPs Are you in touch with your relatives and friends? 26/02/20 North Are there any cases of violence in camps/families? Boma Are you a member of any social networks e.g. womens’ groups etc? Do you receive any assistance from any religious organization? Do you have any business/professional networks or groups? Have you been able to access basic services like health, school, water etc?
Wednesday Tonj Boma Local Communities Where do you reside and what size of dwellings do you have? 19/02/2020 North On average how big is a typical HH? Do you and your family have access to water, health, education and other basic services? Do the children go to school? What are your sources of income? Wednesday Kapoeta Boma Local Communities What education levels/literacy on average? 26/02/2020 North What is your status in terms of food security/access to food? What is the Gender power relations in the HH? Any incidences of family violence? Do you have any relatives (or kinship networks) around? Are you a member of any social networks e.g. women’s groups etc? Do you receive any assistance from any religious organization? Are there any business/professional networks or groups that you are part of? Do you have any political power or influence?
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Organization/ Date Location Personnel Guiding Questions Institution Thursday Tonj UN UNHCR/IOM/ UNICEF Explain the objective of the mission 20/02/2020 North Agencies/ /UNDP/WFP/ UNMISS What kinds of categories of people are you helping? Disaggregate in terms of males, females and Funds etc. children What are the respective numbers? Are the numbers increasing or not (months/years)? What are the key concerns and issues that you have identified and are trying to address? What specific interventions are you implementing among these categories of people? What specific challenges are you facing while trying to fulfill your mandates? Thursday Kapoeta UN UNHCR/IOM/ UNICEF 27/02/2020 North Agencies/ /UNDP/WFP/ UNMISS Funds etc.
Thursday Tonj NGO WVI, NRC, GIZ, Team to explain the objective of the mission 20/02/2020 North Medaire, CRS, OXFAM What kinds or categories of people are you helping out? etc. What are the respective numbers? Are the numbers increasing over periods of time; months/years? Disaggregate in terms of males, females and children What are the key concerns and issues that you have identified and are trying to address? Thursday Kapoeta NGO NGOs – NRC, GIZ, What specific interventions are you implementing among these categories of people? 27/02/2020 North Medaire, CRS, OXFAM What specific challenges are you facing while fulfilling your mandates? etc.
Friday Tonj – Guyson 21/02/2020 Wau – Juba Arrived Juba from Field Friday Kapoeta Guyson 28/02/2020 North – Kapoeta State – Juba Monday – Juba Guyson Finalize draft report Friday 24-28 February 2020
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9.12 Field Mission Outcomes
Key outcomes of consultations
National Level Missions conducted with the national government mainly resulted in agreements over the scope of the project, in particular that it will address basic service delivery needs in vulnerable areas while strengthening local institutions’ service delivery capacity. The project’s targeting of vulnerable areas particularly ones with a high concentration of returnees where demand for basic services and inter- communal social cohesion is high was endorsed. The mission also agreed on the following key features: (i) focus on gender (both gender empowerment and gender-based violence mitigation) and youth; (ii) focus on service delivery rather than the construction of infrastructure by leveraging other programs; (iii) put strong emphasis on operation and maintenance (O&M) to whatever extent possible on a cost- recovery basis using a successful public-private partnership model supported by the Netherlands; and (iv) the generation of cash-for-work opportunities to the extent possible.
Consultations with the government further resulted in a selection of geographic targeting principles. The team developed a vulnerability index which aggregates the following five indicators: (i) concentration of returnees; (ii) access to basic services; (iii) food insecurity; (iv) violence; and (v) accessibility. Vulnerability index-based targeting was agreed by the government as well as UNOPS and IOM. The mission explained that the vulnerability index will be updated based on latest datasets and the final selection of counties will be made early next year as the situation remains fluid. Once the list of possible target counties is determined by the vulnerability index, a more nuanced qualitative assessment will be undertaken to identify any “no go” areas that are too insecure or politically too sensitive. The government requested the team share the targeting results with the National Bureau of Statistics.
Agreements were made to finance “quick wins” to deliver tangible results quickly and help build the momentum of the project. The new long list for quick wins contains 7 states and 12 counties with a total of 149 subprojects worth US$11 million. It was agreed that the final “quick wins” will be selected based on vulnerability and available budget. The combination of “quick wins” and vulnerable counties allows the project to benefit both stable and conflict-affected areas.
As for the relative emphasis of urban/rural areas, Bank-commissioned IOM population movement analysis found little correlation between urbanization and concentration of returnees. According to the study, about 87 percent of returnees go back to places of habitual residence in rural areas. It was thus agreed that the project will predominantly target rural areas.
Community-Level Conflict and Peace: Community-level consultations have elaborated on a number of different issues. In Wau, for example, people were asked about their perceptions of peace. In this area people have heard about the peace agreements, but there is little trust that peace and its benefits will actually come. People feel that they as civilians are somewhat victimized by different factions. They also mistrust the peace, as they know that soldiers are ‘still in the bush’. Their voices also reflect that there is little trust towards politicians, and that they are perceived to put their own interest first. People continue to feel unsafe, with local governments that cannot provide security to its citizens. This is closely connected with economic collapse and an absence of trust between communities. In Bor, for example, people even stated that they feel unsafe inside IDP camps.
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Displacement: Furthermore, population movements and displacements are still of major concern in different areas. This is closely connected to deficiencies in government and service provision. In Wau, for example, the administration has little to no capacity to respond to the needs of IDPs and returnees, which leads to the increased relevance of humanitarian actors which diminishes the possibility for self- sufficiency. Government authorities, in turn, complain about the lack of resources. In Rubkona, prevailing insecurity and uncertainty makes IDPs remain in camp sites rather than return to their homes. In fact, families are spreading across different camp sites in order to minimize their risks.
Governments and even customary authorities in Rubkona feel that they have limited capacity to manage all the needs of the war-torn population. People feel that appointments are highly politicized and people do not feel represented by their governments. Most people complain that they also have no avenues to complain about the lack of service delivery.
Livelihoods and Economy: In regards to livelihoods and the economy, in some part of South Sudan the conflict has destroyed peoples’ assets and livelihoods. On the other hand, there are claims that humanitarian assistance is strategically denied by governments, driving people into starvation. In Rubkona people complain about an absolute lack of economic and livelihood opportunities. Agricultural activities are dismissed as a possibility, as conflict fosters necessities for movements and makes the attendance of fields impossible. Respondents in Rubkona complain that the only livelihood opportunities are working with a humanitarian organization.
Access to services. At all levels consulted, county, payam and boma, people claimed that there was a significant lack of access to services. In Tonj County, for example, government representatives stated that there is limited access to basic services for the population. Some of the facilities are located far and therefore out of reach for many, especially due to poor road conditions during the rainy season. In Kapoeta State, government representatives explained that most services provided are humanitarian, including food distribution, health provision, education, protection and water and sanitation.
At the county level, for example in Tonj North County, services – such as health, education and water - are very limited and for some communities they are out of reach. The county has had a significant food shortage due to the flood in 2019 that destroyed or washed away crops. However, there is no food support to the communities. Road connections are bad, which makes some communities inaccessible for service delivery or makes it impossible for their residents to access services in the urban centers. Furthermore, the government has a lack of capacity and funds to provide services or extend their reach. As a result, some communities have migrated closer to water sources during the dry season.
In Kapoeta North County, there is also poor road infrastructure, which makes accessibility of service facilities difficult, especially during the rainy season. Even for county staff, mobility during the rainy season is difficult, and makes service supervision a difficult undertaking. There is a general lack of power in the County, as the solar batteries got spoiled and require replacement. This affects a variety of services.
At the payam level, respondents claimed that services are very limited. In one payam in Tonj North County, community members said that the school has a temporary structure, but many residents live too far for their children to be able to attend school. There are no health facilities at the payam level, which means often when pregnant women or children are rushed to the nearest health facilities, it is too late to save their lives. This is especially problematic during the rainy season.
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At the Boma level, for example in Bomas in Tonj North, respondents explain that services are extremely limited, and that they have no food security, and a severe lack of funding. They have no school, no clean water, and the existing health facility is without any kind of medication. Most children do not attend school, because it is located too far away.
Role of government. The government in most areas sees its role mostly in the provision of security, as well as in the coordination of humanitarian aid. In Juba/Kapoeta State, for example, the government says it plays a role in the coordination of development actors, as well as in peace building activities. However, it has no development budget to implement any projects of its own.
The PDCs and BDCs largely still appear to be in place, however, their role is limited due to a shortage of funding. In Tonj State, their main role is coordination, and to ensure that development partners deliver quality services. They also help coordinate humanitarian services, and support the payam administrator and boma chiefs in activities for the welfare of the communities. In Kapoeta North County, the PDCs and BDCs are relevant, but most of them are dormant since NGOs on the ground are said to no make use of them.
Land issues: consulted on potential land issues in regards to the projects, nearly all respondents stated that they do not anticipate any challenges. In Tonj North County, for example, the governmental said that chiefs usually liaise with the communities and provide land to any developmental or service delivery project. Respondents explained that land is easily accessible for development needs through the land committee, chiefs and the communities. In Kapoeta State, government officials explain that land is always available for any development program, and that he government and the communities need development. At the payam level, respondents explain that land ownership is communal, and it is easy to allocated land for development through consultations between payam, boma and the local communties. In another payam, respondents claim that relevant authorities from the county, payam and boma sit together and agree on land allocation. At the payam level a land committee exists, which coordinates with the communities should land be required for development.
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