CIVIL SOCIETY: MUTUAL ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT
Annual Work Plan (Year VI) October 1, 2020 to April 3, 2021
August 31, 2020
Cooperative Agreement Number: AID -367-A-16-00007 Project Start and End Date: April 4, 2016 to April 3, 2021
Submitted to: Bishwas Rana, Agreement Officer’s Representative USAID
Submitted by: John Tyynela Chief of Party, Civil Society: Mutual Accountability Project FHI 360 GPO Box 8803, Gopal Bhawan Anamika Galli, Baluwatar, Kathmandu, Nepal Tel: 977.1.4437173 Email: [email protected]
This document was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by FHI 360. The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.
ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS
AAOR Alternate Agreement Officer’s Representative AIN Association of International Non-Government Organizations in Nepal AMO Advocacy and Monitoring/Oversight AOR Agreement Officer’s Representative ARI Advocacy Readiness Index CA Common Assembly CAG Content Advisory Group CAR Community Action Researcher CLFS Critical Listening Feedback Sessions COVID-19 Corona Virus Disease 2019 CSC Community Score Card CS:MAP Civil Society: Mutual Accountability Project CS:MAP-HRS CS:MAP-Human Rights Strengthening CR Community Reporter CSO Civil Society Organization DCC District Coordination Committee DG Democracy and Governance DRR Disaster Risk Reduction DQA Data Quality Assessment EAI Equal Access International ECN Election Commission of Nepal FNJ Federation of Nepali Journalists FRF Financial Revenue Form FSP Financial Sustainability Plan GESI Gender Equality and Social Inclusion GGB Good Governance Barometer GON Government of Nepal GBV Gender-based Violence HEAD Health, Education, Agriculture and Disaster Risk Reduction HR Human Rights HRPLSC Human Rights Protection and Legal Service Center HRTMCC Human Rights Treaty Monitoring Coordination Center ICNL International Center for Not-for-Profit Law ICT Information and Communications Technology IJ Investigative Journalism INGO International Non-Governmental Organization INSEC Informal Sector Service Center IVR Interactive Voice Response LDAG Listening, Discussion, and Action Group LDTA Local Development Training Academy LGTBQI Lesbian, Gay, Transgender, Bisexual, Queer or Intersex MCC Millennium Challenge Corporation M&E Monitoring and Evaluation
MOFAGA Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration MOU Memorandum of Understanding MuAN Municipal Association of Nepal MELP Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plan MTER Mid-term Evaluation Report NARMIN National Association of Rural Municipality in Nepal NEOC National Election Observation Committee NHRAP National Human Rights Action Plan NHRC National Human Rights Commission NFN NGO Federation of Nepal OCA Organizational Capacity Assessment OGP Open Government Partnership OLGDS Open Local Government Digital System OPMCM Office of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet of Ministers PFMSP Public Financial Management Strengthening Project PEAR Participatory and Evidence-based Action Research PET Public Expenditure Tracking PIJ Public Interest Journalists PIR Public Interest Reporting PPP Public-Private Partnerships PSA Public Service Announcement RTI Right to Information SA Social Accountability SOCH Nepal Society for Humanism Nepal SMS Short Message Service SSMK Saathi Sanga Manka Kura TA Technical Assistance UML Unified Marxist-Leninist UN United Nations USAID United States Agency for International Development WHO World Health Organization
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abbreviations and Acronyms 2 Table of Contents 4 Executive Summary 5 1. Context 6 2. Overall Approach 7 a. Current Partnerships and Results Framework 7 b. Follow-up to 2018 Mid-Term Review 8 c. Sustainability 9 d. Applying Lessons Learned 11 i. General Approach 11 ii. AWP-VI Strategies 12 iii. Assumptions 16 3. Overview of Key Results 16 4. Activity Description 29 5. Incorporation of Cross-Cutting Interventions 46 6. Coordination and Collaboration 49 7. Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plan 50 8. Anticipated Challenges and Mitigation Measures 51 9. Deliverables 55 10. Travel Plan 56 11. Financial Plan/Budget 56 12. Activity Summary Matrix 56 13. Close out plan 56
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This is the sixth Work Plan (‘AWP-VI’) in CS:MAP’s five-year intervention to “foster a more legitimate, accountable, and resilient Nepali civil society that is capable of advancing the public interest” (CS:MAP goal). This intervention aligns with USAID’s Development Objective 1 – “more inclusive and effective governance” – through the strengthened engagement of CSO and media partners in the public sphere. As set out in sections 1 and 2, below, the overlapping public interests in a politically and legally defended ‘civic space’ of democratic participation and, second, in more transparent and accountable subnational governance, have not changed since 2016. The COVID-19 crisis, however, will magnify and shape the response to these public interests throughout AWP-VI.
AWP-VI envisions a 4-part focus: (i) implementing sustainability strategies (section 2.c); (ii) learning and documenting lessons about ‘what works and doesn’t work’ (section 2.d); (iii) ensuring that all possible efforts are made to make the CS:MAP program relevant to the COVID-19 crisis while remaining within the agreed scope of work (see boxes next to each objective in section 3); and (iv) documenting – as a ‘capstone’ report – the results of efforts in a limited number of geographic areas (section 2.d). This report will elaborate on successful approaches, lessons learned, and adaptable models for scaling up elsewhere.
AWP-VI continues to engage with the long-term challenges of inclusion. The traditional and enduring incentive structures of centralized rule, for example, are frequently observed to limit the federal decentralization of power. Top-down, closed-access patterns of public decision-making tend to reinforce historical patterns of discrimination that the Constitution (2015) enumerates at the level of constitutional challenges. COVID-19 is exposing these challenges even more starkly. The burden of the health crisis and its consequences are falling disproportionately on the shoulders of the most vulnerable and marginalized. The health crisis is also demonstrating the relevance of CS:MAP achievements to date and the importance of efforts outlined in AWP-VI.
First, previous interventions related to law and policy have better-positioned national media and CSO partners to contribute to the national response to COVID-19. This includes continuing advocacy and constructive engagement with government on legislative initiatives that are raising concerns about the rights to freedom of expression and association, as well as access to information on public decision-making. Second, subnational civic engagement mechanisms and norms supported by CS:MAP are now showing their relevance to building public trust. This is a critical determinant, in addition to capacity, of the effectiveness of the COVID-19 response. AWP-VI activities will build on these advances and seek to strengthen their institutionalization.
CS:MAP results to date suggest that the nascent municipal sphere, when combined with district- level coordination and broader provincial and federal coherence, is sufficiently close to citizens to foster vibrant civic engagement with elected representatives. AWP-VI envisions further efforts to strengthen these vertical linkages in keeping with the constitutional principle of federal cooperation, co-existence, and coordination. This includes ward level youth forums (Listening, Discussion and Action Groups – LDAGs), Common Assemblies, municipal-level Partnership Forums, and district level HEAD Coalitions as permanent mechanisms, as well as support for processes of consultation like the UPR or transitional justice that arise periodically. AWP-VI also envisions continuing support to ‘civic champions’: diverse actors who play a vital role in catalyzing civic engagement. AWP-VI implementation will support leadership processes for more 5 equal and equitable participation in democratic life of women and marginalized groups, particularly in municipalities that will be featured in the culminating ‘capstone’ report.
1. CONTEXT
The Year VI Work Plan was prepared in August 2020, six months into the COVID-19 global public health crisis. This context necessarily shapes all aspects of AWP-VI. By August 2020, Nepalis were experiencing a second period of severe government restrictions on movement and assembly. The impact of the health crisis extends far beyond the immediate victims of the disease, and its grave economic consequences are still unfolding. A disproportionate burden is carried by the most vulnerable populations: migrant workers, women, girls, the poor, and marginalized caste and ethnic groups. Moreover, the crisis magnified and amplified the underlying issues that are the original justification for the Civil Society: Mutual Accountability Project (CS:MAP), in that informed citizens, engaged civil society, and evidence-based media are critical factors determining the strength of any democracy in normal times. In a public emergency, these elements only become more crucial. In this sense, the relevance of CS:MAP’s work is increasing, but in an unanticipated context. Strategic adjustments elaborated in this Work Plan are necessary for two reasons: first, to ensure relevance in response to the evolving crisis; and, second, to ensure effectiveness and sustainability in the consolidation of CS:MAP results as the project draws to a close (on April 3, 2021).
Longstanding Challenges The COVID-19 crisis is magnifying the challenges of equal citizenship and responsive service delivery, democratic inclusion, and the accountability of the state to fundamental and constitutional rights through the rule of law. The CS:MAP response to these challenges – supporting Nepali leadership for a more robust civil society and accountable public decision- making – has acquired even more relevance in the COVID-19 context. In August 2020, for example, public media and, internally, CS:MAP partners, reported increasing incidents of stigmatization and social exclusion of people suffering from COVID-19. These pressures are disproportionately experienced by those already carrying the burdens of gender, caste, ethnic, and religious discrimination and poverty. CS:MAP is working with other Democracy and Governance (DG) partners to address these issues, as elaborated in this Work Plan.
National Politics The landslide 2017 victory of the Nepal Communist Party (NCP; comprising the former Unified Marxist-Leninist [UML] and Maoist parties) in Nepal’s first federal elections did not lead to the political stability that majority rule might otherwise imply. Since 2017, tensions internal to the NCP have risen and fallen intermittently, at times overshadowing even the COVID-19 crisis during the months of July and August 2020 when a collapse of the government was viewed by many as imminent. Meanwhile, the geopolitical environment generated widespread nationalist sentiment in 2019-20 related to Nepal’s contested northwestern international border and to objections raised by some political actors against parliamentary approval of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) agreement.
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The current context is also marked by notorious cases of high-level corruption, broader concerns about transparency in the use of public funds and authority that benefit private actors, worries that corruption has taken hold at the municipal level in systemic ways, and complaints about the arbitrary and unpredictable use of public authority at all levels, including police action, in response to the pandemic. The latter concern is heightened by legislative action that the Government has advanced since 2018 to restrict rights to privacy, speech and association in the name of public morals, national security, and social harmony. Many organizations and leaders criticize these provisions as over-reaching and non-compliant with Nepal’s human rights obligations (most recently reflected in a Supreme Court injunction against the legislative and executive attempt to reduce the independence of the Nepal Press Council). Continuing CS:MAP partner support regarding the right to information affirms Nepal’s constitutional values of responsive and accountable governance, including the right of citizens to know and question the reasons for any restrictions on their fundamental rights.
Economy In its 2020-21 report, the World Bank designated Nepal a “lower-middle income” economy. However, Nepal’s weak industrial base and its dependence on tourism (8 percent of GDP) and remittances (a quarter of GDP) make it especially vulnerable to the economic impact of COVID- 19. A drop in GDP from between 7 and 8 percent in the previous three years to between 2 and 3 percent in the 2020-21 period is forecast by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Remittances may fall by more than 10 percent (World Bank) while tourism is completely eliminated due to COVID-19 travel restrictions and the forced closure of unessential businesses for extended periods in the period between March (beginning of the peak tourist season) through August 2020. The Government’s 2020/21 budget (introduced on May 29th, 2020) attempts to address the COVID-19 impact on the health and agriculture sectors. It also provides tax relief for COVID-19 victims, pharmaceutical companies, the tourism sector, and small industry, and addresses the situation of frontline healthcare workers through health insurance.
Subnational Governance CS:MAP efforts are linked to all levels of federal governance, but there is an emphasis on local levels dynamics. AWP-VI implementation will take place in diverse local governance contexts that share some common and long-term challenges: weak technical capacity to plan and execute budgets; traditional patterns of decision-making that marginalize women, Dalits, and minorities; unprecedented levels of corruption due to new rent-seeking opportunities and weak financial controls; the enormous additional technical and political burdens placed on local governments by COVID-19 (testing, tracing, quarantine, and treatment); and the need to protect civic space and implement fundamental rights related to expression and association. The growing perception and reality of rising infection rates and deaths is driving inconsistent local (ward and local governments) responses, including restrictions on movement and assembly, exacerbated by a scarcity of accurate epidemiological data and lack of coordination among different levels of governments.
2. OVERALL APPROACH a. Current Partnerships and Results Framework
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Since April 3, 2016, CS:MAP has contributed to USAID/Nepal’s Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) Objective 1: “More inclusive and effective governance, with the goal of fostering a more legitimate, accountable, and resilient Nepali civil society that is capable of advancing the public interest.” CS:MAP provides grants, technical assistance (TA), and mentoring to 22 Nepali civil society organizations (CSOs) and media organizations (organized within 25 separate partnership agreements). Two international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) will continue to play important leading roles in CS:MAP’s final year; in relation to the media, Equal Access International (EAI); and regarding law and policy reform needed to protect and promote an enabling environment for civil society, the International Centre for Non-Profit Law (ICNL). A fifth objective related to human rights was added in the previous Work Plan V.
b. Follow-up to 2018 Mid-Term Review The 2018 Mid-Term Evaluation (MTE) affirmed the CS:MAP theory of change but recommended actions to correct structural weaknesses in the program that undermined the effectiveness of that theory’s implicit strategy. To optimize the impact of civic engagement on matters of public interest, the MTE urged CS:MAP to: (i) develop strategies of engagement with government to more effectively connect the work of media partners and support for civic engagement (a criticism of “one-size-fits-all” approaches) to actual decision-making; (ii) support “civic champions” and ensure meaningful engagement of women and marginalized groups in agenda-setting; and (iii) in order to improve overall strategic coherence and impact, vertically link national and subnational law and policy reform efforts and their implementation and reduce the geographical coverage in order to develop deeper and more coherent results.
Effective engagement
Beginning in late 2018, CS:MAP shifted its focus under federalism to the municipal level where it established “partnership forums” (Sajhedari Manch) aimed at influencing relevant influencers and decision-makers. CS:MAP also generated productive dialogue at the district level through ‘HEAD (health, education, agriculture, disaster risk reduction) coalitions’. This forum promotes engagement vertically upward or downward depending on the issue.. This initiative is complemented by CS:MAP support for issue-driven coalitions (ranging from health, education and agriculture to disaster risk reduction) that link local evidence-driven reporting to national-level advocacy on law and policy.
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Leadership and meaningful inclusion
From 2018, CS:MAP internally strengthened its ability to track the quality of participation by women and marginalized groups in Common Assemblies (CAs); Listening, Discussion and Action Groups (LDAGs); and Partnership Forums. CS:MAP also identified more than 150 “civic champions” at sub-national level through a mapping, consultations and assessment process. These are influencers from a broad cross-section of civil society (lawyers, journalists, teachers, CSO members, etc.), mainly engaged through district level coalitions. AWP-VI envisions further support for leadership that is organically linked to local constituencies for civic participation on a range of public interests. The situation of women and marginalized groups is a critical focus in AWP-VI.
c. Sustainability AWP-VI applies lessons learned since 2016 about the key factors driving and sustaining results. One set of factors relates to improvements in CSO and media partner legitimacy, capacity and resilience (Objectives 2 and 4). A related second set of factors involves processes of change aimed at protecting and nurturing civic space nationally and enabling civic engagement at the subnational level (Objective 1, 2, 3 and 5). The theory of change suggests that these are mutually reinforcing factors that depend on each other for sustainability. In other words, the influence of CSO and media partners depends partly on public perceptions of legitimacy that, in turn, depend largely on publicly perceived relevance and effectiveness. Resilience, particularly where social and political norms are being challenged, will depend on the strength of constituencies for change and their linkages to legitimate and capable CSO and media leadership.
Normative commitments
Two indicators of sustainable results are the growing, everyday acceptance and use by CSO and media partners of: (i) self-regulation according to agreed ethics standards (for example, CS:MAP partner FNJ, substantially contributed on the ‘Journalism Code of Conduct’ developed by Press Council of Nepal); and (ii) evidence-based policy and human rights advocacy as a criterion of legitimacy and effectiveness, adopted and put into used by CS:MAP partners and coalitions. A corresponding, supply side indicator of sustainable change is the incremental adoption and integration of human rights based approaches by local governments. AWP-VI envisions the consolidation of these advances through strengthened vertical and horizontal linkages.
Putting norms into practice
These normative commitments continue to be tested in practice through AWP-VI, including: (i) a guideline on civic engagement prepared by CS:MAP partners and endorsed by government (MOFAGA); (ii) institutional governance standards and guidelines incorporated into organizational policy by all 14 local CSO partners and further disseminated through peer learning at the district level; (iii) GESI Minimum Standards for Formulating and Implementing Laws and Policies disseminated to parliamentarians, government actors, and CSOs at all levels, to be followed up in FY6 with a GESI audit; (iv) online digital platforms and radio programmes that are successfully supporting evidence-based advocacy and citizen participation; (v) the adoption by
9 local governments of the Good Governance Barometer and its principled link to Open Government Partnership principles; (vi) a request by the Prime Minister’s Office (OPMCM) to develop information systems for tracking human rights performance in addition to indications of a more robust UPR process linked to OPMCM. The sustainability of these change pathways depends, in large part, on informed citizen expectations and demands.
Sustaining norms and practices through citizen expectations
Citizen expectations are shaped by awareness and accessible mechanisms of engagement, but also, importantly, through the catalyzing role of civic champions. This is a third area of CS:MAP intervention that will contribute to the sustainability of results envisioned in AWP-VI. This includes: (i) national-subnational coalitions of civil society and media partners committed to ensuring that locally-generated issues that require action in the provincial and federal legislative and executive spheres are not ignored; (ii) the convening power of a coalition of influencers (journalists, lawyers, CSOs, private sector, and others) at the district level who identify health, education, agriculture and disaster risk reduction (HEAD) issues and advocate appropriate solutions at the lower municipal and higher provincial and federal levels (“HEAD Coalition”); and (iii) youth-led Listening, Discussion and Action Groups (LDAGs) at community or ward level that interaction with other citizen engagement mechanisms and allow space for youth leadership. Cutting across and driving these mechanisms are leadership processes of different kinds. CS:MAP identified more than 150 civil society influencers across all sectors in 34 districts, and will continue through FY6 to support their efforts.
Defending norms through law and policy
The pathways described above can be enabled or closed off by national law and policy. The sustainability of these pathways depends on consistent vigilance and demand for the constitutional protection of fundamental and human rights through the rule of law. AWP-VI continues to rely on a four-pronged approach to this aim. First, a coalition of the largest and most influential CSO and media partners will continue to be supported to draw red lines and proactively engage with decision-makers whenever constitutional protections are threatened.
Second, the same coalitions will continue to engage constructively with government through processes like the Universal Periodic Review to ensure a shared understanding of human rights vulnerabilities and applicable international standards.
Third, CS:MAP will provide targeted support to civil society leaders/activists linked to leadership processes that are focusing on women and marginalized groups. This will enable the further development of civic champions and related pathways to democratic participation that might not otherwise be available.
Fourth, the ‘capstone’ initiative of AWP-VI will endeavor to demonstrate the overall vertical and horizontal coherence of this approach from the perspective of federal restructuring: from local to municipal, district, provincial and federal level and, horizontally, across wards and municipalities in areas with share socioeconomic and cultural dynamics. 10
d. Applying Lessons Learned CS:MAP results to date flow from the implementation of a range of strategies that have been tested and evaluated since 2016. AWP-VI continues to apply many of the same strategies, but also makes adjustments based on lessons learned about “what is working and not working.” The development of AWP-VI occurred in June and July 2020 with the active involvement of CS:MAP partners, FHI 360’s Asia-Pacific Regional Office (APRO) and Washington, DC technical team, and with USAID. CS:MAP’s general approach is complemented by more tailored strategies set out below. i. General Approach CS:MAP’s theory of change is that improvements in the “legitimacy, accountability and resilience” of civil society and the media will be associated with their increased ability to advance “the public interest.” The “public interest” is determined by evolving local and national governance challenges and related political events, the federal restructuring process, and a trio of deeper historical challenges set out in the Constitution’s Preamble (2015): more inclusive democratic participation through federalism, the equal protection of fundamental rights under the rule of law, and equitable economic development. The two key “public interests” driving efforts to build CSO and media capacity have not fundamentally changed since 2016, although they have new relevance in light of the COVID-19 pandemic; the strengthening and protection of ‘civic space’ and, second, the promotion of civic engagement at the municipal level as a support to inclusive and effective governance. First, CS:MAP supports partner-led efforts to protect and strengthen civic space conducive to the public interest role of CSOs and the media. Public concerns about the protection of democratic rights and freedoms (i.e., expression, assembly, association, and access to information) increased after 2016 in light of a series of restrictive statutory initiatives. The recent public health emergency has further magnified the focus on these issues in light of imposed restrictions. This has emerged as the key “public interest” advanced by relevant CS:MAP partners, mainly at the national level. Second, CS:MAP supports civic engagement at the subnational level, recognizing the critical importance of fairness, responsiveness and accountability for successful federal restructuring. This, in turn, is the foundation for democratic development under Nepal’s Constitution (2015). This second general public interest is supported through collaborative media and civil society efforts to support a more vibrant public sphere; support for civic champions and broader leadership processes that attract public trust but often lack mechanisms for influence; technical support for transparent and equitable governance; and organizational support for partners who can help to achieve all of these goals. Since the beginning of CS:MAP in 2016, the role of non-governmental organizations has been understood as part of a larger conception of civil society that also includes community-based and other social organizations and movements. Civic champions and many of the current women and Dalit elected municipal leaders tend to emerge from these local spheres of civic engagement. In its support for efforts that target these two main public interests, AWP-VI aims to ensure that all of CSMAP partner activities are consistently viewed through a human rights and GESI lens. Under Objectives 1 (civic space) and 5 (human rights), this includes human rights in the formal legal sense, related to freedom of expression, association, and assembly. Beyond this more narrow formal sense, however, CSMAP promotes a cross-cutting focus on human rights as an ‘approach’ 11
(the ‘human rights based approach’ to development). This includes GESI principles within a broader approach that aims to be empowering and participatory. . ii. AWP-VI Strategies Seven overlapping, mutually reinforcing lessons learned by CS:MAP during the previous years give further nuance to the theory of change and inform AWP-VI strategies. Most of these lessons involve insights discussed in the 2018 Mid-Term Evaluation at the 18-month point in CS:MAP’s history.
1. Aligning public expectations with constitutional norms and government commitments CS:MAP results empirically confirm a hypothesis noted by the 2018 Mid-Term Evaluation (p.11); namely, that more informed citizen expectations exert pressure on government to become more responsive, leading to positive changes in actions and attitudes at the institutional level. These results mitigate the risk that new political representatives or recently rotated civil servants will roll back advances under previous authorities. This points to a virtuous cycle of (i) CSO and media efforts leading to improved service delivery and rights protections which, in turn, (ii) improves public perceptions of CSO legitimacy, (iii) empowering further civic engagement. Resilience, legitimacy and capacity steadily increase as CSOs interact successfully with the public and engage constructively with government. CS:MAP will continue to leverage this strategy in AWP-VI. Key contemporary as well as longstanding areas of public interest that drive this approach during AWP-VI are: (i) the transparency and accountability of the Government’s COVID-19 response, particularly regarding the legitimate expectations of women and marginalized groups to receive equal and equitable protection of rights under the law; (ii) public awareness and expectations regarding the legality, necessity and proportionality of the Government’s restrictions on expression, assembly, movement, and access to information in the name of public health, safety, national security, and morals; (iii) civil society and media awareness of and responsiveness to the dysfunctionality of independent constitutional commissions mandated to monitor and report on rights protections, especially those focused on inclusion and non-discrimination.
2. Optimizing the role of subnational civic engagement mechanisms The 2018 Mid-Term Evaluation (pp. 12-17) coincides with CS:MAP field experience that local mechanisms created to support civic culture and engagement (e.g., CAs, LDAGs, PPWGs and later Partnership Forums and HEAD Coalitions) are not, on their own, sufficient. The limitations arise from dominant social norms and related political practices. While formal inclusion in civic engagement structures has been achieved, as well as improvements in the quality of participation by individuals from marginalized groups, CS:MAP is aware of the continuing need to strengthen this participation in a sustainable way. One example of strengthening sustainability is the adoption by the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration (MOFAGA) of the Civic Engagement Resource Book and related documentary film in Year V. These resources have given further legitimacy to CS:MAP-supported civic engagement mechanisms and practices. AWP-VI relies on this buy-in and uptake to scale up the adoption of related norms, principles, and practices.
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A second related example is the link between support for civic engagement through media and civil society and the Local Governance Institutional Self-Assessment (LISA, the framework adopted by MOFAGA). LISA includes civil society and citizen engagement (related to annual planning and budget, social inclusion, and coordination and collaboration indicators). CS:MAP partners are able to offers support to local representatives who are obligated to report on these indicators. This existing governance framework enables a synergy between civic champions and public engagement mechanisms and government. This incentive structure becomes even more important as 2022 elections approach and as the COVID-19 crisis unfolds. These will be the main drivers of national and subnational political processes during the next two years. AWP-VI is designed to be responsive to these processes, viewing them as opportunities to consolidate past results and to further institutionalize norms of transparency, inclusion and accountability. An informed public (see Lesson 1, above) can send the message to their respective municipal authorities that such self-assessments should be taken seriously, and that meaningful compliance will build public trust (see Lesson 2, above).
3. Strengthening vertical and horizontal linkages The complexity and multi-jurisdictional nature of many issues (such as freedom of expression, public security, health and safety during partial or full lockdown situations due to COVID-19) mean that the effectiveness of CSOs and the media depend partly on issues-based linkages vertically and horizontally. This is a challenging area of CS:MAP efforts already identified in the 2018 Mid-Term Evaluation (p. 17). Advancing the public interest requires collaboration across federal jurisdictions with both discrete and overlapping functions. This applies to advocating for law and policy reform, special measures to address critical access issues (for example, to reproductive health care or gender-based violence [GBV] protection during the crisis), or the proactive sharing of good practices horizontally across municipalities.
One challenge is to overcome the tendency of national and subnational CSOs to work in silos and only connect in a mechanical way where required by agreed-upon donor deliverables. A related challenge is to convince relevant donors to adopt common standards in order to create CSO incentives for collaborative leadership. This strategy must contend with political interests and practices that rely upon an ineffective subnational civil society delinked from actual law and policy influencers and decision-makers. CS:MAP will build on recent success in this area related to COVID-19 and to freedom of expression and association.
4. Strengthening Subnational leadership processes CS:MAP support to media and CSOs regularly shines a light on existing and emerging leaders with varying levels of connection to constituencies for strengthened civic engagement. The Mid- Term Evaluation properly pointed out the significance of “civic champions” for CS:MAP impact and sustainability of results (p. 20). Since 2018, CS:MAP has engaged at the national and subnational level with a wide range of existing and emerging civic champions. One of the key lessons is to view individual leaders within larger processes of change. No single individual will bring about desired change; it is, rather, the capacity to catalyze processes of civic engagement that receives CS:MAP support. The ability to catalyze change processes also depends upon dominant public discourses and local narratives that can both limit and enable civic engagement. 13
CS:MAP’s media partners are helping to connect constituencies and leadership for civic engagement with the wider public and authorities. This is a critical dimension of CS:MAP’s response to COVID-19 in AWP-VI. On the question of civic leadership, there is a clear distinction in CS:MAP’s experience between, on the one hand, CSO members who are not typically playing advocacy roles (for example, they may be engaged in service delivery or tend to view project implementation as a mechanical rather than transformative exercise); and, on the other hand, other leaders who are able to articulate shared challenges, catalyze a shared visions of change, and nurture resilience among members of their organization and network. For example, in response to the pandemic, youth leadership emerged at the national level to request information and ask for reasons behind Government decision-making. There are many other domains of leadership relevant to CS:MAP objectives, each with distinct challenges. For example, among the “civic champions” identified by CS:MAP, many are challenging patterns of exclusion based on gender, caste and ethnicity (see next strategy, below). Support for this leadership must be adaptive and flexible, rather than applying a blanket approach to all “civic champions.” CS:MAP will provide support to at least 100 civil society champions (at least 30%, women) with the aim of strengthening their ability to advance public interests. In the final months of the project, CS:MAP will focus on civic champions who are engaged in leadership and governance processes responsive to the COVID-19 crisis. This requires a specific focus on efforts that can bridge the digital divide and promote equitable relief and recovery.
5. Addressing the marginalization of women, Dalits and other marginalized groups CS:MAP’s efforts to make civic engagement mechanisms inclusive and to better measure their performance (see CS:MAP Monitoring and Evaluation [M&E] strategy) has contributed to inclusive participation in decision-making. CS:MAP continues to promote meaningful participation through other institutions, as well. Support for the role of Deputy Mayors is one example of this work. Many of these elected representatives formerly participated in CSOs and the media and maintain those networks of influence. This has proven to be an important entry point for challenging discrimination and exclusion from public life. Support in this area is particularly important as federal elections approach in 2022. Media partners with CS:MAP support will play a key role in creating an environment conducive to public recognition of the challenges and contributions of elected women and Dalit representatives. CSO and media partners directly and indirectly will promote a vibrant public sphere and related discourse conducive to a transparent, participatory, and equitable electoral process. This will include recommendations and lessons from past election observation and engagement with the Election Commission of Nepal. . As the Mid-Term evaluators pointed out in 2018, the creation of an environment conducive to the leadership of women and marginalized groups also depends in part for its success on linkages with the national and international level. Public advocacy related to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process, for example, under Objective 5, is an example of the necessary international- national-subnational linkages.
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CS:MAP will continue to consolidate mechanisms for the meaningful political participation of women and marginalized groups in agenda setting and throughout the whole law and policy process. In the immediate term, the COVID-19 issue, viewed through a human rights lens, is one important entry point for agenda setting by women and marginalized groups, particularly as they bear a disproportionate burden and suffer from restrictions to essential healthcare and other social services.
6. Protecting and nurturing civic space CS:MAP partners leading advocacy in defense of freedom of expression, association, and assembly, and access to information, play a unique role within the broader civic culture. This uniqueness requires distinct donor strategies and approaches to measuring success. Improvements in the protection of “civic space” are difficult to measure. This often amounts to a counter-factual, assessing “what would have resulted” in the absence of these efforts. In the case of democratic rights and freedoms, particularly freedom of expression and association, CS:MAP efforts arguably have contributed to “holding the line,” rather than advancing these rights protections. Reliable experts affirm, nonetheless, that these efforts have made an important difference in delaying or weakening regressive legislation. In other instances, it is readily apparent that advocacy supported by CS:MAP directly and positively impacted on law and policy choices by decision-makers. In still other instances, court action was required to resist statutory restrictions. AWP-VI focuses on two areas critical to sustaining these efforts: training on human rights monitoring and reporting (a key continuing weakness that undermines advocacy), and support for subnational human rights leadership (see points 3 to 5, above) that is strategically linked to national-level advocacy.
7. Capstone Initiative In response to the 2018 Mid-Term Evaluation Report suggestion that CS:MAP’s resources were “spread too thin,” CS:MAP identified 16 districts meriting focus, while attention to the other 18 could be reduced by continuing a minimum set of activities. To give a comparative sense of scale, USAID’s Support to Federalism project manages a similar budget with only 10 municipalities at the moment and plan for 30 municipalities in total which is around half of total CS:MAP working municipalities. CS:MAP is attentive to this divergence and the need to find a balance. Greater focus in the most promising geographic areas (based on the quality of CSOs, local leadership, processes of change, and achievements to date in engaging government) will allow more robust and rigorous learning from experience in the richest result areas. This will provide a more solid basis for scaling up in other areas.
In FY21, CS:MAP will initiate a “capstone” activity in select geographic areas where skills, networks, the most promising civic champions, and local government leadership all coalesce in a an area of social, cultural and political coherence. This will highlight learning and adaptable ‘lighthouse’ models of civic engagement. For example, there are several examples in which municipal leadership, recognizing the gains in a CS:MAP-supported ward, has now sought to expand Common Assemblies to all wards as a way of increasing civic participation and ultimately strengthening the legitimacy of local government leadership. This capstone approach and the ‘lighthouse’ models it highlights will be a useful reference point for further collaboration with other DG partners. 15
iii. Assumptions 1. Relevance: There are effective ways to support organic leadership – “civic champions” – on matters of public interest. This assumption takes into account the regular complaint of civic leaders in Nepal and in many other contexts that formal development project frameworks often fail to recognize success at the ‘process’ level while weakening the impact of leadership processes through too much rigidity. CS:MAP is fortunate to be in a position to have a set of targets and related activities that are well established and effective (particularly in relation to organizational strengthening, public oversight, and law and policy advocacy). At the same time, CS:MAP’s work with ‘civic champions’ at the subnational level can be more tailored and targeted, flexible and adaptive, in order to ensure effective linkages to public interests. The ‘capstone report’ will focus on geographic and jurisdictional areas that are demonstrating this potential, particularly in relation to the still growing COVID-19 crisis. 2. Path dependencies: Despite the acute scarcity of resources to support non-traditional leadership processes, and despite the dominance of traditional forms of political authority, there are viable alternative pathways that can challenge gender, caste and other identity-based exclusion and marginalization from public life. This assumption is weak to the extent that traditional forms of patronage and coercion limit political participation in CS:MAP “intensive” geographic areas. 3. Public expectations: As elections approach in CS:MAP geographic “intensive” focus areas (post-Mid Term Review selection), municipal representatives will be increasingly receptive to public expectations of transparency, responsiveness and accountability. Other neighboring municipalities will seek to emulate these positive examples of strengthened public trust as a pathway to building constituencies. This assumption is weak to the extent that traditional forms of patronage and coercion limit political participation in CS:MAP “intensive” geographic areas. 4. Donor collaboration: Donors adopt common standards of accountability as prerequisites to support CSO, media, and public institutions, and otherwise avoid doing harm. To the extent that this assumption is reasonable, incentive structures will favor the sustainability and continuing relevance of CS:MAP training and sensitization results. 5. Civic Space: Civil society and media will continue to play a role in raising the voice of citizens and oversight of democratic governance. The space for CSO will not be significantly curtailed by new policy and practices to the point that media and civil society partners are not able to carry out their work.
3. OVERVIEW OF KEY RESULTS The following immediate outputs and outcomes contributing to CS:MAP intermediate results (IRs) are anticipated in this Work Plan period: Objective 1: Strengthened enabling environment for civil society and media Result 1.1: Improved legal and policy framework, based on international standards that leads to better operating environment and strengthened capacity for civil society CS:MAP partners including ICNL will continue to deliver direct technical assistance (legal and policy briefs, guidelines, standards, etc.); support advocacy efforts targeting influencers and
16 decision-makers (policy dialogues with stakeholders, awareness-raising with parliamentarians); develop and implement media strategies aimed at shifting public perceptions and expectations; enhance collaboration within civil society, academia and training institutes to promote COVID-19 Responses Highlights Under civic space and transparent governance; and CS:MAP Objective # 1 provide mentoring support to civic champions and their networks. The FNJ is combating misinformation about COVID-19 by training journalists to public To further increase the likelihood that this result ethical and evidence-based stories (see will be sustained, CS:MAP will support partner Activity 1.3.2). CS:MAP partners are efforts to formalize coalitions and best practices collaborating with the NHRC to monitoring developed during the project period. This will restrictions on freedom of association and include Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) expression (see Activity 1.1.7). CS:MAP between key stakeholders. The other aspect of partners are developing strategies to deal with sustainability relates to legislation and policy the broader livelihood and civil rights that are beyond the control of CS:MAP consequences of COVID-19, including partners. However, the practice of working in vulnerable and marginalized groups (see coalitions, and sharing policy proposals and Activity 1.2.8). advocacy ideas, has been welcomed by CS:MAP partners and received strong uptake. These actors (CSOs, parliamentarians, and government leaders) will regularly continue to exert their influence as civic champions on decision-makers. Result 1.2: Improved public understanding and confidence in the role of CSOs and media CS:MAP partners will continue to generate this result through direct technical support (media and CSO guidelines and their implementation) and the development and implementation of strategies to enhance public perceptions and understanding of CSOs and the media. In the immediate term, this effort will focus on the role of CSOs and the media during the pandemic. CS:MAP perception surveys, which show positive change, suggest that the Year VI public outreach campaigns will continue to generate meaningful results. Illustrating this change in perception, national-level media opinion-makers manifest a more constructive orientation now toward civil society, exemplified at the national level in the improved relationship between the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) and the NGO Federation of Nepal (NFN). CS:MAP and its partners are confident that even incremental changes in public perception make it more difficult for spoilers to discredit civil society unfairly. Result 1.3: Improved self-regulation of the sector and internal governance of CSOs and media CS:MAP and its partners will continue to generate this result through sensitization and training on standards and guidelines. Building on the dissemination of guidelines (through NFN) in Year V, in Year VI CS:MAP will assess ongoing implementation with a view to adjusting strategies to optimize the uptake of the guidelines beyond the CS:MAP period of performance. The practice of self-regulation has been taken up as “regular business” by national partners NFN and FNJ). This is a positive result in itself, and is also indicative of the potential more widely for this uptake. Once the importance of self-regulation is internalized as a value by national actors, the 17 specific tools used to effect self-regulation will vary. However, the embrace of self-regulation has the potential to transform sectoral operations and public perceptions of civil society. The sustainability of these efforts will also depend upon CS:MAP efforts to socialize the value of self- accountability mechanisms among INGOs and donors as well as other key leadership in the media and civil society. Advocacy by the Association of International Non-Government Organizations in Nepal (AIN) supports this strategy, with CS:MAP support. Key Outputs – Objective 1 Civic participation in policy development ● 200 stakeholders participate in policy dialogues and provide inputs on key fundamental rights legislation, including freedom of expression, assembly and association. (R1.1) ● More than 100 parliamentarians from federal and provincial parliaments sensitized to the importance of civic engagement in the law-making process through 6 interactions and discussions. (R1.1) ● A new media guideline produced to support social media campaigns promoting civil society’s role in a democratic society. (R1.2) ● 3 policy briefs (focused on freedom of association and expression) prepared by CS:MAP/ICNL and implementing partners (FNJ, NFN) and shared virtually with more than 1000 stakeholders with the aim of strengthening civic participation in the defense of fundamental rights, and of raising awareness and increasing advocacy-preparedness in civil society and among stakeholders. (R1.1) COVID-19 Response ● More than 100 CSOs with strengthened capacity to advocate for a transparent and accountable COVID-19 response. (R1.1) ● A civil society strategy for the post-COVID-19 crisis in Nepal developed and shared with more than 1000 CSOs, including members of the NFN. (R1.2) ● A "Guideline for journalists for reporting during COVID-19" shared with 2000 journalists, and at least 100 journalists oriented on the same during the COVID-19 pandemic. (R1.3) ● Six COVID-19 bulletins prepared describing civil society’s response and its impact. (R1.2) Training, Coaching, and Knowledge Products ● At least 20 journalists from CDCS districts trained on public interest reporting and connected to the national network on Public Interest Reporters group. (R1.2) ● At least 36 events attended by 25 participants each promote an understanding of the role of CSOs at sub-national levels (Palika, Districts and Provinces). (R1.2) ● At least 20 local governments will have received technical support through NFN, the Municipal Association of Nepal (MuAN) and the National Association of Rural Municipality in Nepal (NARMIN “to implement "CSO Coordination Guidelines for Local Government." (R1.1)
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● One assessment report on implementation of “CSOs' internal governance and self- regulation" will have been prepared through a survey of 600 CSOs from seven provinces; the report will have been shared with stakeholders and support will have been provided for improved implementation. (R1.3) Objective 2: Improved civil society and media capacity for effective policy advocacy and government engagement Result 2.1: Strengthened CSO initiatives to coordinate with the GON and to implement constructive advocacy strategies Cumulative achievements under this result established a foundation for CS:MAP’s rapid COVID-19 Responses Highlights Under COVID-19 response. CS:MAP partners are CS:MAP Objective # 2 engaging with government at the local level to CS:MAP partners are facilitating shared strengthen the response to COVID-19 as a health public information and experiences crisis and in relation to its broader consequences through radio (Sajha Sabha) and other for education, agriculture, and disaster risk joint actions of civil society and media reduction. partners (See Activity 2.1.3 & 2.2.1). AWP-VI continues to equip local CSOs with the Other CS:MAP partners trained in policy investigate skills to generate evidence (through advocacy are working with local approaches like Participatory and Evidence- governments to strengthen COVID-19 based Action Research [PEAR]), and the responses (See Activity 2.2.2). CS:MAP technical skills to constructively interact with partners are supporting solidarity in the government based on a thorough knowledge of public sphere through publication of existing laws and institutions. Engagement of informative and inspiring COVID-19 CS:MAP partners with academia is providing an stories in blogs, print media, and reports expert perspective on policy inputs recommended (See Activity 2.3.2 & 2.3.4). by CSOs, giving those policy ideas more chance of being adopted. CS:MAP training for CSOs engaged in a wide range of advocacy strategies with local government creates capacity that will sustain efforts beyond the period of CS:MAP. Civic champions identified through CS:MAP trainings subsequently have demonstrated their motivation and capacity to play a long-term leadership role. Result 2.2: Improved coalition building between the local and national CSOs, and between CSOs and the media, that leads to joint actions undertaken on selected policy priorities across sectors CS:MAP support for CSO advocacy coalitions is helping to build synergies between subnational and national levels. The subnational level requires national-level support for policy reform to navigate the complex subject-matter jurisdiction. But there is a built-in trust deficit to overcome, and a desire by many subnational actors to operate autonomously. AWP-VI allows for continuing support to coalition-building. The sustainability of this result depends in part on the success of health, education, agriculture and disaster risk reduction (HEAD), coalitions as well as the ability of civic champions to find needed
19 support. CS:MAP is facilitating links between promising leaders and academic institutions for this purpose. AWP-VI also supports innovations like open-access learning platforms to link with peers and to share knowledge and skills. Virtual meetings with universities in Year V demonstrated the promise of this kind of initiative, including a commitment by Kathmandu University along with the Society for Humanism (SOCH) Nepal to participate in this process. Result 2.3: Improved CSO and media capacity to conduct participatory and evidence-based research on issues, policies, and enforcement in order to benefit marginalized groups MeroReport proved its value as a CS:MAP achievement when it became instantly available to contribute to public awareness of the COVID-19 crisis and response, and to raise awareness about the situation of women and marginalized groups. AWP-VI continues CS:MAP training support for CSO research and for the exchange of information through media platforms. All CS:MAP partners working locally have adopted evidence-based approaches and internalized this at the organizational and institutional level. This is now considered a prerequisite of partner messaging strategies in the media. Journalist and civil society actors use the MeroReport web-portal and its social media extension, to share evidence- based reporting and encourage audience interactivity. Journalists and community action researchers (CARs) trained by CS:MAP will sustain their activities through links with CS:MAP partners. CAR leadership at the local level and the HEAD Coalition at the district level are closely connected to constituencies and motivated by locally- generated issues to continue this work. Key Outputs – Objective 2 Civic participation in policy development ● Formulation of policies and related campaigns on COVID-19 and at least 39 other areas of public interest (R2.1). ● Local government business processes improved and institutionalized with policies and guidelines (R2.1). ● Strengthened Common Assemblies (CAs), Sajhedari Manch and HEAD/CSO coalitions through capacity building and resource mobilization for their functioning with the aim of sustaining these functions (R2.1). ● Support for policy-level engagement between CSOs and local governments (R2.1). ● 34 Sajha Sabhas (Public Fora) conducted with CSOs, media, political leaders and other stakeholders, including focus on COVID-19 at the policy level (R2.1). ● CSO joint oversight carried out related to public service delivery and public resource use (R2.2). ● Anti-corruption advocacy strategies developed with a focus on disallowed local government budgets (R2.2). COVID-19 Response
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● Sample COVID-19-related strategy developed by local governments in consultation with MOFAGA and local government associations (R2.3). Training, Coaching, and Knowledge Products ● Resource materials on public policy advocacy made available to universities and colleges in Nepal (R2.1). ● Coaching delivered to support policy research and writing, including related to COVID-19 issues (R2.1). ● 14 CSOs trained to develop advocacy plans that incorporate coaching through CS:MAP (R.2.1). ● At least three successful advocacy interventions documented by CS:MAP interns (R2.3). ● At least 300 public interest blogs and articles focused on HEAD sectors, on GESI and youth, with a focus on COVID-19 response and impact, published on MeroReport.(R2.3) ● Publication of at least 10 comprehensive investigative case studies on public interest issues (COVID-19, HEAD issues, GESI, resource distribution, etc.) (R2.3). Support to Organizational development, Leadership, Coalitions and Networks ● CSOs and media coalitions formalize their collaboration through documented procedures and MOUs (R2.2). ● Joints actions by CSOs and media partners raise issues to appropriate levels of decision-making (R2.2) ● District-level coalitions operationalize training on “system leadership and strategic advocacy tools” (R2.2). ● At least five policy dialogue held among academia, practitioners, media, activists, students and other stakeholders (R2.3). Objective 3: More coordinated and effective civil society and media oversight of public resource use and public service delivery Result 3.1: Improved capacities of local CSOs, media, and community-based organizations to monitor and report on cross-sectoral public service delivery, based on common standards applicable to each sector AWP-VI envisions continuing efforts to strengthen public service oversight through local CSOs. CS:MAP will continue to support HEAD (health, education, agriculture, and disaster risk reduction) coalitions at the district level and the MeroReport web-portal and its social media extension. At the subnational level, social audits, public service oversight (checklist format) and other accountability tools are familiar modes of engagement between CS:MAP partners and governments. Civic champions from civil society are facilitating these engagement processes. Local governments representatives are required by law to conduct public hearings and audits, but their engagement with CS:MAP partners is not merely compliance-based. CS:MAP partners have identified leadership within government that is proactively advancing the public interest in responsiveness, transparency and accountability against the tide of widespread corruption widely
21 reported since 2017. The application of the Good Governance Barometer (GGB) will continue and culminate in endline assessments in 2021. The sustainability of this result is indicated by the COVID-19 Responses Highlights strong uptake of these approaches by both CSOs Under CS:MAP Objective # 3 and government. Some governments have included CS:MAP partners, building on years of GGB in their governance policies and even strengthened capacity and the trust of allocated budget to GGB Action Plans, which is local governments, are ensuring public critical to their implementation and effectiveness. service oversight of COVID-19 related In addition, HEAD coalitions (noted below) are services (see Activity 3.2.3). This establishing relationships and dynamics that will be includes local institutional buy-in to sustained in the long run at the district level. conduct public expenditure tracking (see Coalitions include CSOs working across priority Activity 3.3.3). The sustainability of sectors. As such, their respective mandates exist this approach is supported by well- independently of CS:MAP while benefitting from accepted mechanisms of civic project support. Meanwhile, social media platforms engagement at the ward, municipal, and supported by CS:MAP are amplifying and shining district level (see Activity 2.1.2 & critical light on this engagement (MeroReport). 2.1.3). Audience demand is sufficiently strong to sustain this platform, as indicated by the frequency and regularity of use. Result 3.2: Improved bottom-up coordination between community, district, and national formal and informal CSOs engaged in public service oversight Coalition-building efforts were a key part of the CS:MAP response to the Mid-Term Review, which noted the disjuncture between subnational and national levels when it comes to law and policy advocacy. This aspect is described in part above under Result 3.1. The Common Assembly at the ward level is now linked to the Partnership Forum at the local level, headed by the Mayor or Deputy Mayor, based on the need to address issues that cannot be resolved more locally. A similar role is played by the HEAD coalition in raising issues from local level to district and federal levels. These mechanisms filled a vacuum after federalism was established and now are viewed by most beneficiaries as responsive to citizen and government expectations and needs. The networking of media partners and actors across CS:MAP districts will be continued as a means of sustaining the practice of collective oversight and shared learning. For example, the importance and value of networked collective efforts will continue to be emphasized among partner radio stations, trained producers, journalists trained in public interest reporting, and Community Reporters. The sustainability of these bottom-up mechanisms is indicated by the demand to expand these mechanisms to all wards in CS:MAP working local levelss (CS:MAP covers one ward in each local level). This will not occur in all 34 districts, due not to the failure of the mechanism but rather to other factors that are the subject of continuing research and analysis by CS:MAP partners. Where incorporated, CS:MAP has documented proactive and enthusiastic ownership and use of these mechanisms. Result 3.3: Improved citizen awareness and use of available GON social accountability mechanisms 22
Under this result, CS:MAP partners are also tracking COVID-related budget expenditures. CS:MAP’s ability to promptly respond through its partners to the crisis is due to the foundation established in previous years for the use of accountability tools (e.g., public expenditure tracking and community score cards). Other tools include public hearings, public audits and social audits. Also undergirding the COVID-19 response is prior work by CS:MAP partners on raising awareness about the right to information (RTI) and engaging with public authorities on the need for proactive disclosure. CS:MAP CSOs are well versed in the procedures for making full use of RTI, and partners are preparing to file RTI requests on COVID-19 expenditures. This result has been advanced through media platforms and productions including Sajha Boli, a radio program that invites listeners to learn and discuss issues of transparency, accountability, service delivery, inclusion and non-discrimination. Program are contextualized in terms of content at the district level, which has received positive listener feedback because of the local relevance. A central level program covers federal issues. Complementing this program are youth-driven activities at the community level (e.g., Listening, Discussion and Action Groups). Civic champions among youth then participate in raising issues at the local level, operating as oversight bodies at the community level. Sustainability of these processes may not occur through the same mechanisms, but rather through the leadership processes and public expectations that are now able to advance public interests. Sustainability in this sense relates to processes of social change and the formation of stronger civic culture at the community level that CS:MAP and its partners have documented. Result 3.4: Improved citizen engagements in media and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) tools to strengthen public participation and oversight This result involves the use of ICT to promote civic participation. Early success included MOFAGA‘s circular to all local governments to adopt a mobile app supporting citizen participation (feedback, access to information) in all local governments (after piloting in two local governments). CS:MAP will follow up on the continuing use of this app. A related social media mechanism supported by CS:MAP is SMS My Voice, which is a mechanism to capture issues later informing the content of radio programming (Sajha Boli). CS:MAP’s Community Reporters (CRs) initiative is a second source of stories generated by youth that are shared through Sajha Boli. The CRs are already journalists affiliated with local media houses who advance their investigative journalism skills through CS:MAP training. The sustainability of these results will be pursued by CS:MAP through follow-up with MOFAGA on the use of mobile apps. This has a high potential to serve local governments, particularly during the COVID crisis. In the longer term, the increased capacity of locally-based journalists will continue to serve the public interest in oversight. Key Outputs – Objective 3 Civic participation mechanisms ● Institutional level: o Oversight indicators/checklists for the oversight of public service adopted as common standards across CS:MAP working areas. Participation by youth clubs, CSOs and community groups will improve the uptake and sustainability of these standards (R3.1). 23
o Implementation of GGB action plans in 11 gaunpalikas (Triveni and Bafikot gaunpalikas in Rukum, Rupakot gaunpalika in Salyan, Gulmi Durbar, Chhatrakot and Isma gaunpalikas in Gulmi, Tripurasundari, Sunkoshi and Balefi gaunpalikas in Sindhupalchowk, and Suddodhan and Buddhabhumi in Kapilvastu districts) (R3.1). o Monitoring through the GGB Technical Monitoring Committee held every quarter to track progress in the implementation of jointly-formulated action plans (R3.1) o Public expenditure tracking and community score cards used to track spending on priority issues, including COVID-19 (R3.2). o Support provided for proactive self-disclosure policies for public authorities and CSOs (R3.2) o Dissemination of oversight findings by CSOs to government (R3.3) ● Organizational level: o Strengthened secretariats of to HEAD/CSO coalition to facilitate communication of recommendations (R3.1). ● Media: o At least 300 public interest blog posts will have been published on CS:MAP thematic or cross-sectoral issues (MeroReport) (R3.1) o Three episodes (120 broadcasts) of the youth radio program Saathi Sanga Manka Kura (SSMK). All broadcasts of SSMK episodes accompanied by a robust short message service (SMS), Interactive Voice Response/Voice of Youth (IVR/VOY) and social media platform that promotes audience interactivity with radio episodes (R3.2). o 10 critical listening and feedback sessions (CLFS) conducted (R3.2). o Nine central and 70 local-level episodes of the Sajha Boli radio program broadcast from 10 local FM radio stations and EAI. A total of 633 (360 central and 273 local episodes) broadcasts of radio program Sajha Boli completed through Radio Nepal and 39 local FM radio stations. Audience interactivity with radio episodes enabled through current technology (R3.2). o 66 PSAs produced on a fortnightly basis will have augmented messaging within Sajha Boli as well as address COVID-19 response needs, highlighting GESI and other social justice- related concerns. These PSAs will be shared via MeroReport, the Sajha Boli radio program, Sajha Boli Facebook page and Ma Khaandina Facebook page. (R3.3) o 34 Community Reporters (CRs) contribute 100 public interest-related photographs through the MeroReport social media platform depicting the status of public service delivery and resource utilization in their communities, and photographs showcased on the Ma Khaandina Facebook page. (R3.3). o MeroReport, Facebook pages of CS:MAP radio programs and Ma Khaandina and IVR increase the number of youth and women participating in the promotion, sharing and uptake of campaign messages, oversight-related videos, photos, events, and activities (R3.3).
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o Formation of inter-district media network for evidence-based advocacy and oversight on public resource use and public service oversight. (R.3.2) COVID-19 response ● Refresher orientation conducted for HEAD/CSO coalitions, strengthening their contribution to the COVID-19 response. Training, Coaching, and Knowledge Products ● Continuing support provided to 57 local governments aimed at increasing the quality and frequency of public hearings and audits (R3.2). Organizational development, Leadership, Coalitions, and Networks ● CS:MAP partners enhanced capacity to apply social accountability tools (R3.2). ● HEAD coalitions and their vertical linkages and dynamics strengthened (R.3.3) ● Youth leadership (through LDAG mechanisms) plays an increasing role in raising inclusion and accountability issues at the governance (R3.2) Objective 4: Strengthen organizational capacity and sustainability of CSOs working in USAID priority sectors to advance local solutions Result 4.1: Improved institutional governance of selected CSOs and media organizations Improved capacity through training on disaster risk COVID-19 Responses Highlights reduction (DRR) and crisis management will Under CS:MAP Objective # 4 enhance CSO capacity and resilience capacity to respond to COVID-19. CSOs will use their CS:MAP has a longstanding expertise to support local government and other commitment to supporting local civil CSOs to promote COVID-19 responses. CSOs society engagement on health, supported by CS:MAP are in general maintaining education, agriculture, and disaster risk the minimum standard for internal governance. reduction activities. This is now a Institutionalization of these standards is supported foundation for ongoing training on crisis by instructions from CSO boards and general management related to COVID-19 (see assemblies. This AWP-VI envisions for further Activity 4.1.3.). CS:MAP learning strengthening of CSO capacity for documentation highlights the importance of tailored and report writing. This will in turn increase CSO support through coaching and mentoring impact and perceived legitimacy. (see Activity 4.1.1). Result 4.2: Improved capacity of select CSOs and media organizations to mobilize social and financial resources for sustainability AWP-VI continues CS:MAP support to CSOs begun in 2017 to conduct CSO financial self- assessments, develop resource mobilization guidelines, form resource mobilization committees, and raise funds. CS:MAP also helps CSOs engage with potential funders through open house meetings with donors. All of these approaches contribute to the sustainability of CSO efforts supported by CS:MAP. Result 4.3: Improved capacity of CSOs and media organizations to advance local solutions on priority development issues across sectors and to promote peer-learning opportunities 25
AWP-VI envisions continuing efforts to promote CSO adoption of minimum standards for internal governance and to share these practices with other civil society peers. The NFN plays a key role in this regard. The District Development Committee (DCC) is also a channel for disseminating awareness of these standards. In addition, the Organizational Capacity Assessment (OCA) continues to be positively accepted and operationalized by CSOs. The Biannual Summit supported by CS:MAP allows these and other best practices to be shared and discussed critically. Key Outputs – Objective 4 Institutional governance ● Comprehensive capacity building support to CSOs delivered through the CS:MAP team, resulting in institutionalized minimum standards for internal governance, review of strategic plans, and implementation of policies and guidelines. (R4.1) ● 3-day training for CSOs on Good Practices and Lessons Learned (GPLL), and documentation training to improve report writing and documentation capacities. (R4.1) ● 3-day training for CSOs in Disaster and Pandemic Resilience and Crisis Management to improve their resilience to work in DRR, pandemic response and other crises. (R4.1) Financial sustainability ● Needs-based support to CSOs provided based on the results from Financial Sustainability revenue forms completed in FY 2020. (R4.2) ● Open house meetings held between CSOs and donors to share learning, best practices, and future plans among donors, which will provide CSOs with opportunities to establish partnerships with new funders. (R4.2) Local Solutions and Learning ● Bi-annual all-partners’ review and reflection meetings as a part of CS:MAP’s monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) plan, and monthly and quarterly review meetings (internal), will have served as additional platforms for CS:MAP partners to share experiences and learn from each other. (R4.3) ● Minimum standards for internal governance prepared and disseminated at the district level in at least 12 CS:MAP working districts. (R4.3) ● Customized OCA tool replicated with other non-CS:MAP CSOs in target districts using increased CSO capacity through training of trainers (ToT) in the OCA tool held in FY 2020. (R4.3) Objective 5: Improved enforcement of fundamental human rights enshrined in the Constitution Result 5.1: Improved the ability of human rights organizations to advocate and engage with government at the federal and subnational level CS:MAP’s interventions under this result will continue to focus on human rights (HR) monitoring and reporting. In the COVID-19 context, this allowed CS:MAP quickly to initiate COVID- and HR-related reporting on a weekly and biweekly basis. In Year VI, as the pandemic continues, and as reports increase of rights violations suffered by women and marginalized groups, CS:MAP will 26 support partner reporting on COVID-19 through a human rights lens. This includes a range of issues: stigmatization and discrimination against vulnerable groups, the right to access to essential healthcare and social services, and protection against rising incidences of GBV.
The level of human rights monitoring and COVID-19 Responses Highlights Under reporting in Nepal remains generally CS:MAP Objective # 5 weak. CS:MAP will make available innovative regular training opportunities CS:MAP’s national and subnational CSO and to address this weakness. A related focus media partners form a strong coalition for that raises the issue of sustainability is the monitoring and reporting on COVID-19 through a need for independent and effective human human rights lens. CS:MAP will support the rights institutions, including the National assessment of the impact of COVID-19 on the Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and right to education, taking into account the the equality commissions (women, differentiated impacts on women, Dalits, and Muslims, Dalit, Tharu, “Indigenous members of marginalized communities (Activity Nationalities,” “Inclusion”) that are not 5.1.1). CS:MAP is also supporting webinars to yet functional. Without these strengthen a shared public understanding of the mechanisms, human rights grievances human rights dimensions of COVID-19 and the remain at the level of media and civil government response (Activity 5.1.5). Work Plan society reports. Similarly, CS:MAP will VI envisions a series of training opportunities for continue to support the Human Rights human rights defenders on how to monitor and Treaty Monitoring Coordination Center reporting on human rights violations and on (HRTMCC) process to strengthen the related policy implications (see Activity 5.2.2). impact of the UPR in Geneva (January 2021). Result 5.2: Increased knowledge and understanding of subnational government about how to incorporate protections of rights into their functioning. This result focuses on the integration of human rights-based approaches by local governments. CS:MAP will continue to support partners that are raising awareness and engaging with local authorities to reform policy and strengthen mechanisms of accountability. CS:MAP takes into account the widely accepted view that the effectiveness of human rights protections depends on active civic engagement. This result area therefore also includes the empowerment of youth and community watch groups to hold public authorities to account. Complementing the focus on human rights institutions under result 5.1, CS:MAP will also continue to strengthen Judicial Committee members and procedures to reduce the risk of unfairness typically suffered by vulnerable groups. Key Outputs – Objective 5 Claiming Rights ● HRTMCC – UPR. Building on the improved capacity of CSOs and their technical expertise to develop shadow reports on major UN treaties, AWP-VI envisions further support to this networking and advocacy by Human Rights Defenders. CS:MAP sees this collaborative process as one way of overcoming divisions that arose in the past between rights defenders regarding priority issues. (R5.1)
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● COVID-19 human rights impact assessments and related briefing notes will be produced through partners, highlighting the situation faced by women and marginalized groups. (R5.1) ● Weekly and ad hoc reporting on priority human rights issues will be prepared that will support development partners, implementing partners and stakeholders in navigating and addressing the human rights situation appropriately. (R5.1) CS:MAP will support partners in engagement with government offices based on their requests for human rights assessments for different purposes. This includes engagement with the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers; the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens; and national human rights institutions, such as the NHRC, the National Dalit Commission, the National Women Commission, and the National Inclusion Commission. (R5.1) ● A human rights MIS will have developed, training provided to the partners on MIS to document the data relating to implementation of fundamental rights. (R5.1) ● Three equality bodies (Dalit Commission, Madheshi Commission and Land Commission) will have been provided with technical assistance in ensuring Dalits perspective while developing their strategy document. (R5.1) Fulfilling Rights Obligations ● The five violence watch groups formed in five municipalities will have continued providing necessary assistance to marginalized individuals to register cases in order to seek justice. (R5.2) ● 16 citizen and CSOs trainings will be delivered where at least 300 participants will have been given opportunities to understand the functioning modality of local government and improve their ability to demand their rights. (R5.2) ● A minimum of 240 CSO representatives will have improved their capacity to monitor and report on human rights and to engage and lobby with governments and stakeholders. (R5.2) ● At least 500 youth will be educated based on the human rights resource book and materials developed by CS:MAP partners on fundamental human rights enshrined in the Constitution and the laws to implement them. (R5.2) ● Five municipalities will continue applying a human rights-based approach in planning and public service delivery for marginalized populations, based on the capacity building, assessments and technical inputs delivered by the project. They will collaborate with CSOs to protect and promote the fundamental rights of women, Dalits and Lesbian, Gay, Transgender, Bisexual, Queer or Intersex (LGBTQI) populations. (R5.2) ● Based on the 15 local government law/policy reviews carried out by CS:MAP, CSOs will engage in advocacy with stakeholders focused on law implementation as well as improvements to those laws/policies from a human rights perspective. (R5.2) ● Judicial Committee members of at least five municipalities will have been provided with opportunities for learning and sharing through project-created social media platforms and peer learning sessions. The Committee will incorporate the human-rights based approach into their handling of cases relating to human rights violation. (R5.2)
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● Two provincial governments will have been provided with technical assistance to develop Dalits empowerment bills. (R5.2)
4. ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION Objective 1: Strengthened enabling environment for civil society and media Result 1.1 Improved legal and policy framework, based on international standards that leads to better operating environment and strengthened capacity for civil society Activity 1.1.1: Implement advocacy action plans focused on regulatory reform issues that impact CSOs and media CS:MAP implementing partners Freedom Forum and FNJ will prepare policy briefs on the Bill on Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) based on the review they have completed. Similarly, NFN will review the draft Bill on Social Development Act and prepare a policy brief based on international standards and minimum standard prepared under CS:MAP. CS:MAP including its international partner ICNL will provide support to NFN, FNJ and Freedom Forum to review at least two provincial laws/policies that impact freedom of association and expression. In total, at least three laws/policies (one federal and two provincial) will be reviewed and policy briefs will be prepared. CS:MAP will share the prepared policy briefs with more than 200 stakeholders, including federal and provincial parliamentarians, CSO leaders, government officials, media representatives, women and other marginalized communities’ rights advocates by organizing policy discourses and dialogues. Activity 1.1.2: Policy dialogue and discussions with and among CSOs, media, political parties, government and Parliament CS:MAP national advocacy partners FNJ, NFN, Informal Sector Service Center (INSEC), Good Governance (GOGO) Foundation and Freedom Forum will organize at least six policy dialogues and discussions at the federal level with 200 stakeholders from parliamentary committees, the civil society section of political parties, GON officials, civil society leaders, women’s rights activists, advocates, lawyers, journalists, CSO champions, academicians – including those focusing on GESI – and intellectuals focused on project policy priorities and the need to ensure freedom of association and freedom of expression.. CS:MAP partners will receive support to organize these dialogues, with technical support from ICNL regarding international best practice. While conducting these dialogues, CS:MAP will collaborate with USAID's Niti Sambad Project, which closely works with parliamentarians and political parties. Activity 1.1.3: Support to civil society, media and local governments to enhance capacity and develop and implement civil society and media-related laws CS:MAP will support CSO and media leaders to sustain their understanding and skills related to policy advocacy. Additionally, CS:MAP will provide knowledge resources to enhance their expertise and skills for further policy advocacy, contributing to an improved enabling environment for media and CSOs at the federal and sub-national level. CS:MAP will reach at least 100 of those individuals to provide one-on-one support, coaching and mentoring services, considering participant needs and willingness.
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In Year V, NFN prepared a draft "Model CSO Coordination Guidelines for Local Governments" in coordination with MuAN and NARMIN. NFN will further discuss these guidelines with at least 10 local governments, selected in consultation with MuAN and NARMIN, through their representatives, and will organize consultation meeting with MuAN and NARMIN to finalize the Guidelines. CS:MAP will share the Guidelines with all 753 local governments and provide technical support to at least 20 local governments through NFN, MuAN and NARMIN to adopt and implement them. Activity 1.1.4: Promotion of Open Government Partnership (OGP) principles at the national and sub-national level CS:MAP will organize two OGP dialogues in collaboration with other USAID projects, especially Niti Sambad and Sajhedari. These collaborative dialogues will provide an opportunity to assess civil society readiness for OGP and bring civil society and government together to reinforce the OGP agenda in Nepal, in addition to encouraging the GON to join OGP. Additionally, CS:MAP partner Freedom Forum will collaborate with Niti Sambad and Sajhedari implementing partners and include them in the already-functional national network of CSOs advocating for OGP principles. NFN and Freedom Forum will organize four CSO capacity building events to enhance existing knowledge of OGP and to promote collaboration among CSOs advocating for transparent response and recovery related to COVID-19. Activity 1.1.5: Support to continue and sustain civil society and media coalitions FNJ and NFN will continue to organize coalition meetings and institutionalize their coalitions. In total, four coalition meetings will be organized to discuss issues related to civil society and media space, freedom and roles in various contexts. These meetings will also be instrumental in bringing CSOs and media together and increasing understanding of the linkages between freedom of expression and freedom of association, resulting in the initiation of joint campaigns to expand civic space. Additionally, CS:MAP will support NFN and FNJ to sustain the coalitions’ work beyond the project period. CS:MAP will support these coalition to draft the coalitions’ guidelines, MOUs among the members and secretarial support to coalition lead organizations to improve coalition functioning and advocacy for policy issues related to freedom of association and expression. Activity 1.1.6: Promote civic engagement, open government partnership, freedom of association and freedom of expression through government training academies or universities CS:MAP has produced multiple knowledge resources to promote civic engagement, OGP, freedom of association and freedom of expression and disseminated the resources to stakeholders through Year V. CS:MAP will provide additional support to institutionalize these knowledge resources in academic institutions, government and other training academies. To accomplish this, CS:MAP will organize informal meetings with relevant government training academies like Nepal Administrative Staff College (NASC) and Local Development Training Academy (LDTA), and relevant departments of Tribhuvan University. CS:MAP will use these meetings to assess existing courses that cover relevant material and the possibility of integrating civic engagement, freedom of association and freedom expression principles in these existing courses or trainings. Similarly, CS:MAP will work with the Mass Communication and Journalism Departments of different universities to implement the recommendations of CS:MAP-supported research on “media self- regulation and credibility,” which was carried out in Year III.
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Activity 1.1.7: Support civil society and NHRC-led mechanism to monitor citizen rights and freedom of association and expression In responding to COVID-19, different governments have implemented different measures that threaten to limit/violate civil rights. Civil society networks, including NFN, Nepal Bar Association, and FNJ, and the NHRC have come together to monitor civic rights violation in Year V. CS:MAP is also supporting NFN to produce two federal-level reports and 14 provincial-level reports as a part of this civil rights monitoring initiatives. CS:MAP will continue to support these civil rights monitoring initiatives in Year VI. NFN and FNJ will work within this network and produce two reports based on civil rights monitoring, in addition the report produced by NHRC. Activity 1.1.8: Support to enhance civic engagement in law making and parliamentary affairs CS:MAP will develop and share a civic engagement resource guide in the law-making process for CSOs, including CS:MAP national advocacy partners. CS:MAP partner INSEC will organize four provincial-level and one national dialogues with parliamentarians, along with government, civil society representatives, and other concerned stakeholders to enhance civic engagement, and increase stakeholders’ participation in developing public policies, thereby increasing inclusion of their issues in final policies. NFN, FNJ and Freedom Forum will organize at least one event each to promote civic engagement in the law and policy-making processes. Result 1.2: Improved public understanding and confidence in the role of CSOs and media
Activity 1.2.1: Launch outreach campaign to improve public understanding and confidence in CSOs and media and use social media to promote civil society Given the need to boost public understanding of CSOs and media, CS:MAP will launch a customized public outreach campaign based on findings from the project’s mid-line perception survey. For this, CS:MAP has selected an outreach campaign partner to design a series of messaging activities regarding civil society’s role, pending approval from USAID. Similarly, CS:MAP will continue its social media campaign using new media to strengthen and promote CSOs’ role, and disseminate CS:MAP’s video on civic engagement at the sub-national level through CS:MAP partners and other channels. CS:MAP will also use its online media platforms, including MeroReport, to strength and promote CSOs’ role. CS:MAP will develop new media guidelines for public outreach campaign including social media campaign. Activity 1.2.2: Discourse on civil society and public interest issues In Year VI, CS:MAP partners will organize five discourse (two at the federal level and three at the provincial level) focused on civil society and development issues, with approximately 20-25 participants in each discussion. The participants will include civil society actors, CSO leaders, journalists, sociologists, development practitioners, academicians, and representatives from the health, agriculture, DRR and emergency preparedness and response sectors at the national and sub- national levels. The discourses will allow representatives of different schools of thought to discuss the importance and role of civil society in Nepal. These structured discourses will involve representatives from diverse sectors and will, therefore, strengthen broader understanding and
31 perception of civil society and the media. Similarly, CS:MAP will organize two discussions with media and CSO stakeholders to enhance understanding of digital rights and practice thereof in the changed context of COVID-19. Activity 1.2.3: Training and technical support for public interest reporting In Year VI, CS:MAP will continue its engagement with Freedom Forum- and FNJ-trained journalists to advance public interest reporting. Since the trained journalists have already formed a Public Interest Journalists Group (PIJG), CS:MAP will support their efforts through FNJ to facilitate its institutional setup, as well as proactive story production in CDCS districts. CS:MAP will further expand the concept of public interest reporting in CDCS districts and organize a training for journalists so that they are able to produce public interest stories and raise issues that may be targeted through advocacy interventions. Twenty participants from CDCS districts will attend the training. Activity 1.2.4: Proactive civil society initiatives to resolve social issues CS:MAP partners will jointly organize two public interest campaigns addressing two national- level issues. CS:MAP CSO partners will coordinate campaign initiatives with other CSOs working in different districts. These events will convince stakeholders to address priority issues including corruption, good governance, integrity and malpractice, transparency and civic engagement. Activity 1.2.5: Organize interactions to promote understanding on the role of CSOs CS:MAP local partners will continue organizing interactions/discussions on the role of civil society in all 34 districts. Representatives from CSOs, government agencies, political parties, media, and the private sector, as well as other stakeholders, will discuss potential interventions to strengthen civil society and promote its role in the changing context. There will be a total of 36 events in Year VI with at least 25 participants in each event. Activity 1.2.6: Media and civil society collaboration to advance public interest CS:MAP partners GOGO Foundation, NFN and FNJ will organize at least four dialogues and collaboration meetings to strategically reinforce the agenda for expanding the civil society and media space. At least 15-20 participants will attend each event, discuss issues of public concern, and develop strategies to address them. Activity 1.2.7: Document and disseminate information and positive impact stories related to COVID-19 CS:MAP implementing partners, at both the national and sub-national levels, will collect and compile firsthand information about civil society’s involvement in the COVID-19 response, their impact stories, and engagement with different tiers of government. These stories will be collected through phone calls, email, and other digital channels and disseminated to the wider civil society through various digital platforms. Based on the same stories, the CS:MAP team will analyze the information and produce regular COVID-19 bulletins on a biweekly basis with both quantitative and qualitative information. CS:MAP will produce a total of six bulletins in Year VI which will be disseminated digitally. Activity 1.2.8: Develop CSOs’ strategy for post-COVID-19 crisis in Nepal
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NFN will develop a CSO strategy for the post-COVID-19 period in collaboration with other CS:MAP partners, based on the COVID-19 impact study carried out in Q4 of 2020. The strategy document will guide CSOs to play an effective role in COVID-19 response. NFN will further share and disseminate the CSO strategy with 60 participants from CSOs, media, social welfare councils, representatives of parliament, representatives of government and other stakeholders through virtual platforms. Activity 1.2.9: Improve civil society capacity in electoral reform CS:MAP will work with different platforms that can convene diverse actors - including from political parties, civil society and media - to assess the electoral process and develop plans for electoral reform. For this, CS:MAP will organize dialogues and discussions at the federal level among political parties, civil society representatives and the Election Commission of Nepal (ECN) to identify challenges and ways to improve electoral governance and make future elections more credible. These dialogues and discussions will also explore the possibility of fostering civil society-led electoral violence prevention mechanisms at different levels. Result 1.3: Improved self-regulation of the sector and internal governance of CSOs and media. Activity 1.3.1: Support to implement internal governance and self-regulation tools NFN will disseminate internal governance and self-regulation guidelines and civic charters to more than 2000 CSOs and support them to adopt and abide by these standards. Additionally, NFN will assess their implementation status, including by identifying issues relating to the implementation of CSOs' internal governance and self-regulation through a survey of 600 CSOs from seven provinces. Further, GoGo Foundation will finalize the accreditation system indicators in collaboration with NFN and other CSOs. NFN and GoGo Foundation will carry out advocacy efforts to implement the system beyond the project. Freedom Forum will encourage and provide support to establish an ombudsman in two media outlets in consultation with FNJ. Activity 1.3.2: Counter disinformation, misinformation and stigma, and support to journalists for effective reporting during COVID-19 using information technology CS:MAP partner FNJ has developed guidelines for journalists for reporting during COVID-19. CS:MAP will continue to provide special/focused orientation to 100 journalists to use these guidelines and disseminate them to more than 2000 journalists in Year VI. Objective 2: Improved civil society and media capacity for effective policy advocacy and government engagement Result 2.1: Strengthened CSO initiatives to coordinate with the GON and to implement constructive advocacy strategies Activity 2.1.1: Strengthen advocacy and government engagement capacity of 14 district-based CSOs and media organizations Activity 2.1.1.1: Continue coaching CSOs and media organizations to build their capacity for advocacy and government engagement CS:MAP will support 14 CSO partners to implement the advocacy capacity building plans prepared during the final round of Advocacy Readiness Index (ARI) assessment held in FY 2020. 33
CS:MAP will coordinate with EAI to link CSOs efforts’ with media and collaborate with local media to scale up those efforts. Support to CSOs will include assistance in conducting evidence- based action research, implementing advocacy plans and strategies, and overseeing the areas of public services delivery and resource use. In addition, CS:MAP will provide periodic follow-up for CSO advocacy efforts and initiatives to expand district-level advocacy efforts, and increasing CSO and media collaboration in advocacy at the district level. Activity 2.1.1.2: Develop academic resources for university and college on Public Policy Advocacy and Practices CS:MAP will develop academic resources on Public Policy Advocacy and Practice which will be used by faculty members and students of public policy studies of different universities. This resource materials will cover the concept of advocacy, policy advocacy, the emergence of social movements, strategies and actions of social movement, etc. Activity 2.1.2: Mobilize Sajhedari Manch (Partnership Forums) and Common Assemblies (CAs) In FY 2021, an estimated 25-30 individuals, including mayors/chairs, deputy mayors/vice chairs of working gaunpalikas/municipalities, HEAD leads in each local unit, all Ward chairs, and CSO representatives active in local units will be invited to attend Sajhedari Manch meetings. Each of these fora will meet three times a year, or more as needed. Provincial/federal legislators will be invited to Sajhedari Manch meetings as well. Through these meetings, CAs and Sajhedari Manch will address at least 50 issues related to HEAD and GESI. Also, CSO partners will facilitate Partnership Forums and CAs to strengthen and institutionalize best practices through sharing and enacting policy guidelines. CS:MAP will identify the best CAs and Partnership Forums to receive sustainability support and handovers. Activity 2.1.3: Conduct Sajha Sabhas, or Public Forums CS:MAP partners will organize at least one Sajha Sabha in each district in FY 2021 for a total of 34 events. Sajha Sabhas will not only serve as another platform for civil society and government engagement, but also ensure citizens provide input on the planning and implementation of CA and Sajhedari Manch action plans. Provincial and federal legislators, mayors/chairs, deputy mayors/vice chairs of working gaunpalikas/municipalities, and HEAD leads in each local unit will be invited to attend Sajha Sabhas and to make commitments to address issues discussed in those Sabhas. Sajha Sabhas will be organized physically or virtually based on the local context. Activity 2.1.4: Capacity building to the facilitators of CS:MAP supported local structures CS:MAP will provide a three-day training in facilitation, negotiation, and system leadership to 35 possible and existing facilitators from seven districts in Karnali cluster and will continuously provide coaching and mentoring during their visits to each district. This will help in building knowledge and capacity at the local level that can continue beyond the life of the project. Similarly, one policy review and development training will be conducted in Q1. A total of 28 participants from 14 CSOs will participate in this three-day training. This training will assist in sustaining CS:MAP policy advocacy processes at the local level. Activity 2.1.5: Policy Advocacy Learning Group
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CS:MAP will form a policy advocacy learning group of 20-25 participants comprised of selected advocacy activists, professionals, academicians and CSO leaders in Kathmandu. This group will focus on issues of public policy advocacy, analysis of ongoing advocacy work and different social movements, and draw learning. The learning outcomes of the discussion will be documented and shared among group members and other stakeholders. This group will meet and reflect on the theory and practice of advocacy attempts of CSOs and current social movements. This discussion will be informal and facilitated by CS:MAP local partners. The discussion will be based on contemporary civic movements and responses by authorities. The group of people will be selected based on their experiences, as well as current involvement in advocacy efforts and social movements to increase likelihood that the work will be continued beyond the CS:MAP project period. Five events will be organized in Year VI. Result 2.2: Improved coalition building between local and national CSOs, and between CSOs and media that leads to joint actions undertaken on selected policy priorities across sectors Activity 2.2.1: Strengthen coalitions and networks to undertake joint advocacy actions on policy priorities across sectors CS:MAP will provide TA (through orientation, training, coaching and mentoring) to coalitions and networks to promote oversight of public service delivery and public resource use. CS:MAP will support at least one virtual orientation in FY 2021 in all 34 program districts. Additionally, CS:MAP will support CSO partners in building the capacity of HEAD networks for issue mapping, policy analysis, and effective government engagement, thereby supporting the development of horizontal and vertical linkages. Activity 2.2.2: Support local governments to develop and implement Disaster Risk Management strategies that include preparedness for pandemics COVID-19 has revealed that current local government DRR/M fail to address issues related to the pandemic. There is an urgent need to revise and amend these polices. In response, CS:MAP will develop and share a sample DRM local government strategy; and provide technical support to adapt and implement locally. Physical and virtual meetings, wherever appropriate, will be used by local partners to share DRM strategies. Result 2.3: Improved CSO and media capacity to conduct participatory and evidence-based research on issues, policies, and enforcement in order to benefit the marginalized groups
Activity 2.3.1: Mentoring and coaching provided to journalists who receive Advocacy and Monitoring/Oversight (AMO) Training EAI will continue to provide mentoring and coaching to 25 AMO trainees, who have been covering topics such as reporting responsibly, engaging with government officials on sensitive issues, and amplifying the issues and voices of women and minority groups to mobilize AMO. Activity 2.3.2: Mentoring and coaching provided to Investigative Journalism (IJ) trained journalists and media professionals EAI will continue to provide mentoring and coaching to 20 trained journalists and media professionals, including IJ trainees, study visit participants and fellowship recipients who have been involved in investigative reporting on CS:MAP priority themes/issues. The 60 stories and
35 reports generated by these trainees in Year VI will contribute to support local-level advocacy efforts to improve local authorities’ responsiveness and accountability, and to highlight policy gaps within HEAD thematic areas and local development. The stories will be shared via national/local media platforms, including on the MeroReport website. Activity 2.3.3: Document advocacy case studies from CSOs and publish academic article CS:MAP will develop advocacy case studies with information gathered from two effective advocacy initiatives from the project districts. Activity 2.3.4: Publish civic monitoring report of local government response to COVID-19 CS:MAP local partners, including media and coalition members, will collect, analyze, and publish data of local government responses to COVID-19. This civic monitoring report will be developed by CSOs and media in at least five districts. The major findings of the data will be shared by CSOs and media locally. Activity 2.3.5: Share CS:MAP advocacy strategies, tools and techniques between academia and practitioners CS:MAP local partners, in partnership with academic institutions, will organize sharing meetings between academia and practitioners which will also help to sustain CS:MAP’s approach and advocacy tools in the future. The discussions will be based on presentations made by academia and practitioners in each forum. There will be 25 participants in each discussion, drawn from academic institutions, social movements, media and CSOs. Objective 3: More coordinated and effective civil society and media oversight of public resource use and public service delivery Result 3.1: Improved capacity of local CSOs, media, and community-based organizations to monitor and report on cross-sectoral public service delivery, based on common standards applicable to each sector Activity 3.1.1: Conduct GGB in select local governments CS:MAP local CSO partners Samudayik Sarathi, Integrated Rural Development Society (IRDS), HRPLSC and Indreni Rural Development Center (IRDC) will continue GGB implementation in seven gaunpalikas (Triveni and Bafikot gaunpalikas in Rukum district, Gulmi Durbar and Chhatrakot gaunpalikas in Gulmi district, Triputrasundari and Sunkoshi gaunpalikas in Sindhupalchowk district and Suddhodhan gaunpalika in Kapilvastu district). In FY 2021, the remaining GGB workshops in newly-expanded gaunpalikas will be organized in Salyan, Gulmi, Sindhupalchowk and Kapilvastu. Activity 3.1.2: Conduct research to generate evidence for advocacy Evidence generated from the field will continue to be discussed during HEAD/CSO coalition meetings to validate the information gathered, inform advocacy initiatives and increase local uptake of evidence-based advocacy at the district level. Based on the evidence collected in FY 2020, the coalitions will continue to conduct meetings or send delegations to relevant authorities, which can also be fed into local media programs for wider outreach through media advocacy and campaigns.
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Activity 3.1.3: Utilize online collaboration platform (MeroReport) to monitor and report on cross-cutting issues In this work plan period, at least 300 blog posts will have been published on CS:MAP thematic or cross-sectoral issues, including 50 blog posts on youth and social accountability mechanisms. The blog posts will be published through MeroReport and will lead to an increase in dialogue and discussion on the importance of public participation and oversight. Increased participation and interaction with MeroReport will indicate an increase in the number of people engaging via ICT tools.
Activity 3.1.4: Support local governments to draft specific laws/policies/guidelines for effective civic-government engagement To strengthen and institutionalize opportunities for civic-government engagement, CS:MAP, through its local CSO partners, will work with local governments in formulating local policies that affect citizens and public services. CS:MAP will conduct research, gather evidence and draft the policy and work with 57 local governments and relevant stakeholders to develop the governance policies/guidelines of at least five local governments and five HEAD-related policies and guidelines. Result 3.2: Improved bottom-up coordination between community, district, and national formal and informal CSOs engaged in public service oversight Activity 3.2.1: Strengthen coalitions and networks for public service oversight by conducting an orientation for HEAD coalitions/networks on common standards/checklists for public service oversight CS:MAP’s local CSO partners will organize a refresher orientation for HEAD/CSO coalitions on public oversight checklists/indicators. The refresher is expected to reinforce the HEAD/CSO coalitions’ technical knowledge and capacity for oversight of health, education, agriculture, and disaster risk reduction public services in CS:MAP working districts. CSOs will receive technical support from FHI 360 while conducting refresher orientations for coalitions/CSOs on oversight skills/capacity. Please refer to Activity 2.2.1 for more details. Activity 3.2.2: Organize coordination meetings of the HEAD coalition for oversight HEAD/CSO coalitions will meet every two months to discuss priority areas for advocacy and oversight in their district. During the meetings participants will also chart out future courses of action that they need to take for oversight and advocacy campaigns. HEAD/CSO coalition meetings serve twin purposes – first, participants will identify and discuss priority HEAD areas and forge consensus for oversight activities; and second, coalition meeting participants will review minutes from earlier meetings, discuss evidence generated by CARs and prepare plans and strategies for effective advocacy on public interest issues. Activity 3.2.3: Conduct public service oversight through the HEAD/CSO coalitions The HEAD/CSO coalitions will carry out oversight of public resource use and public services based on checklists/indicators developed by FHI 360. The checklists were designed in FY 2019 by FHI 360 in consultation with subject matter experts. Given the public service delivery and resource use by local governments in containing COVID-19 pandemic, oversight actions will also
37 focus on these areas in the new context. The HEAD/CSO coalitions will carry out oversight on a quarterly basis and share findings among coalition members for further advocacy in the districts. The coalitions will also share oversight findings with relevant agencies or local governments for improving service delivery systems in the district. Activity 3.2.4: Organize district-level interactions focused on increasing vibrant civic space, the role of civil society and policy priority issues As in FY 2020, CSO partners will organize district-level civil society interactions on various topics and themes like role of civil society in changed context, sectoral improvement of civil society and media, promoting civic engagement in advancing public interests. These interactions will be held among CSOs, government agencies, political parties, media and the private sector to reinvigorate civil society at the district level and emphasize civil society’s role in society. Each interaction will be issue- or agenda-based. Given the new and evolving context of COVID-19, such interactions will also focus on civil society’s role in the response to the coronavirus pandemic. Each discussion will be action-oriented, not only highlighting civil society’s role for positive changes but also informing HEAD advocacy efforts. Identified CSO champions will lead these discussions in each district. Activity 3.2.5: Conduct strategic coalition-building meetings between CSOs and media to initiate joint actions District level-interactions (see Activity 3.2.4 for more information) to promote vibrant civic space and emphasize the role of civil society and policy priority issues will include discussions of identified issues, including district laws or policies that impact civil society, service delivery or social issues and require joint civil society-media advocacy or campaign actions. These issues or agendas that emerge from district-level interactions will be discussed during strategic coalition- building meetings among CSOs and media. These strategic meetings will be used to finalize the issue or agenda under discussions and identify relevant joint actions or advocacy in the district. To encourage a sustained culture and practice of sharing, learning and joint advocacy and oversight efforts, EAI will support the networking of partner radio stations, trained radio producers, Community Reporters, and trained public interest reporting journalists within and across project districts. The target will be to have established such networks across at least 17 of the 34 project districts by the end of the project period. EAI will hold online orientation and capacity building sessions to highlight the importance of such networks for furthering joint public interest advocacy and oversight efforts. Activity 3.2.6: Hold Bi-annual Summits CS:MAP will convene one thematic summit that will bring together local and national organizations to discuss public service oversight and advocacy activities. The bi-annual summit will be held in Q2. The summit will convene approximately 40-50 participants from all districts. The summit will focus on sharing the oversight results and ensuring that follow-up advocacy actions are developed to make the initiatives sustainable. Result 3.3: Improved citizen awareness and use of available GON social accountability mechanisms Activity 3.3.1: Conduct orientation for citizens on Social Accountability (SA) Tools 38
CS:MAP partners will organize orientations for citizens to use available social accountably tools, including the tools’ legal provisions. FHI 360 will provide orientation support whenever needed. Orientations will encourage citizens to increase demand for implementation of public hearings, public audits, social audits and RTI, among others. A total of 17 orientations will be organized at the gaunpalika/ municipality level. Activity 3.3.2: Institutionalize and regularize Social Audits and Public Hearings in target gaunpalikas/municipality at a fixed venue As in previous years, CS:MAP CSO partners will continue to provide technical support to local governments to conduct public hearings, public audits and social audits as required by existing law/guidelines. In response to local government complaints regarding a lack of trained facilitators in their districts who can assist in implementing public hearings and social audits, trained CSOs will continue their collaboration with local governments to hold public hearings, social audits and public audits as and when there are requests from gaunpalikas and municipalities. Activity 3.3.3: Conduct public expenditure tracking (PET) at the local level CSO partners will continue public expenditure tracking (PET) at the local level in the areas of education, health and/or agriculture, as well as COVID-19. Since local governments are expending large sums in setting up quarantine and preparations against COVID-19, PETs will be used to track the expenses related to the pandemic. PET is currently being used to track how targeted funds are being spent and how public service entitlements are being delivered. PET will also provide an opportunity for citizens to access information on how the budget is being spent, and for improving fiscal transparency in resource management and mobilization. Activity 3.3.4: Apply Community Score Cards at the local level CS:MAP CSO partners will continue applying community score cards (CSCs) in priority areas such as health and education. FHI 360 will provide technical support to CSOs in applying CSCs as and when needed. CSCs will offer a platform for service users and service providers to identify gaps, strengths, and weaknesses in service delivery and design action plans for improving the services. Application of CSCs will also provide space for civic engagement for citizens and service providers. Activity 3.3.5: Conduct Social Audit of CSOs CSOs will continue Social Audits to improve their institutional accountability and transparency. As in the Year V, at least five institutional Social Audits will be conducted by CS:MAP partners through an independent facilitator in FY 2021 Q1. The Social Audits of the organizations will be conducted as per the Social Audit Guidelines 2067 prepared by the MoFAGA. The practice of conducting Social Audits will help improve CSOs’ public images and further build their legitimacy. Activity 3.3.6: Conduct Right to Information (RTI) Campaign CSO partners FMDC and IHRC will organize RTI campaigns/clinics, and RTI orientations in Kailali, Doti, Achham, Banke and Bardiya districts. These RTI campaigns will raise citizens’ awareness about their rights and the process to access information from public agencies. These RTI events will promote accountability, transparency and access to information from public
39 bodies. CS:MAP CSO partners will also file public interest litigation (PIL) and RTIs seeking information on public interest issues. Activity 3.3.7: Radio programming to raise citizen awareness of social accountability mechanisms A total of seven central episodes and 60 local episodes of Sajha Boli will be produced, with 514 broadcasts. Aside from raising awareness of available social accountability mechanisms in the oversight of COVID-19 and disaster risk management, the radio episodes will complement the SMS My Voice campaign through a “call to action” for LDAG members, youth, and audiences generally. Youth- and CSO-led advocacy and oversight actions will be promoted through dissemination of successful actions taken and reported by youth groups through IVR, the Facebook pages of radio program Sajha Boli and SSMK or CS:MAP CRs. EAI will work with local radio stations to lead co-production and broadcasting of a 30-minute interactive radio series that will highlight a local-level challenge that needs to be resolved and showcase the social accountability mechanisms available to encourage citizens to act. Activity 3.3.7.1: Hold Content Advisory Group (CAG) meetings EAI will organize quarterly CAG meetings with project stakeholders, including media representatives, CSOs, media, CSO umbrella organizations or other existing networks and coalitions, government officials, and sector experts to determine the main themes and topics to be covered in Sajha Boli throughout the work plan period. With technical support from EAI, 10 local program-producing partner FM radio stations will also organize CAG meetings. Activity 3.3.7.2: Carry out Sajha Boli program production, broadcast and audience engagement EAI will continue to produce and broadcast two episodes of the local and central version Sajha Boli episodes every month. The central episode will be produced every two weeks in Kathmandu, for a total of nine episodes. The 10 radio partners will also produce seven episodes (every two weeks) in local languages other than Nepali. EAI will produce 11 Sajha Boli episodes (out of 79) with an outdoor discussion format, and 22 episodes with a call-in or study-based discussion segment. The remaining episodes will use a magazine or docu-drama format. EAI will carry out online orientations for radio station-based producers to build their capacity to effectively produce these episodes through outdoor discussion and interactive call-in formats. This will enable local radio partners to hold interactive public discussions between citizens, their elected representatives, and public officials for improved accountability and transparency. Additionally, CS:MAP will organize a two-day learning sharing workshop during which station managers and producers from partner FM stations will share knowledge based on four years of implementation, and discuss program sustainability. EAI will also organize a one- day fund- raising workshop with 29 broadcast radio partners to help them prepare their and implement a strategic plan aimed at sustainability. Activity 3.3.7.3: Conduct critical listening feedback sessions (CLFSs) EAI will conduct 10 CLFSs through 10 local FM radio stations to review Sajha Boli technical and content quality for each radio episodes. CRs and local CS:MAP CSO partners will provide support to local producers for coordination and collaboration with district stakeholders. 40
Activity 3.3.7.4: Produce and broadcast public service announcements (PSAs) To enhance messaging within Sajha Boli, and to address COVID-19 response and highlight GESI issues and other social justice-related concerns, CS:MAP will work with its 10 local partner FM radio stations to produce and broadcast 66 PSAs on a bi-weekly basis; these will be broadcast from 39 partner FM radio in the 34 project districts. The PSAs will be shared via MeroReport, the Sajha Boli radio program, Sajha Boli Facebook page and Ma Khaandina Facebook page. Activity 3.3.8: Listening, Discussion and Action Groups (LDAGs) to engage citizens in social accountability CS:MAP international partner EAI will organize two day-long capacity building trainings on transformative leadership and documentation to the 50 most-active LDAG facilitators/coordinators to enhance their capacity to carry out effective advocacy or oversight. Trainings will also enable participants to conduct bi-weekly group meetings and make an action plan for participating in the local-level planning process and engaging on local development. EAI will also conduct learning, sharing and planning or virtual meetings with 14 local CSOs on a continual basis to ensure sustainability of LDAGs as youth oversight groups. In addition, a field-based video documentary will be produced on how radio programs and other capacity building programs have assisted in maintaining social accountability, and the role local youth have played. Activity 3.3.9: Engage youth in social accountability initiatives To encourage youth engagement with social accountability mechanisms, CS:MAP will produce three episodes of the popular and trusted youth radio program SSMK. The program is designed to empower young people with the knowledge and skills. Three episodes will be broadcast nationally over Radio Nepal and locally through the 39 broadcast partner FM radio stations, with a total of 120 SSMK broadcasts in FY 2021. Result 3.4: Improved citizen engagement in media and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) tools to strengthen public participation and oversight Activity 3.4.1: Conduct SMS My Voice campaigns EAI will continue the SMS My Voice campaign targeting issues related to CS:MAP priority areas, sectoral issues and COVID-19 response as identified by citizens through IVR, MeroReport and social media platforms such as Sajha Boli, SSMK and the Ma Khaadina Facebook page. Citizens’ participation in identifying priority areas for campaigning will be promoted through the Sajha Boli broadcasts, MeroReport and LDAG meetings. EAI will collect messages received from participants in this campaign and use them to analyze the local governance context and prepare a paper for presentation and publication within Nepal, or within an international journal or conference publication. The campaign will gather at least 300 responses from youth and other audiences during Year VI. Activity 3.4.2: Organize Public Service Delivery Photo exhibits The CRs of CS:MAP have been trained to identify and capture high-quality photographs of public service delivery, highlighting the service gaps that affect the daily lives of women and other traditionally marginalized groups, prompting local authorities to action, and raising awareness
41 about service delivery issues through photography. Thirty-four Community Reporters (CRs) will capture public interest-related photographs depicting the status of public service delivery and resource utilization in their communities, showcase the photographs via the Ma Khaandina Facebook page, thereby raising awareness and holding public authorities accountable for more responsive and transparent service delivery. These photographs will also be shared and featured through the MeroReport web portal. Activity 3.4.3: Update online collaboration platform (MeroReport) MeroReport is used to engage citizens in media through ICT to strengthen public participation and oversight. In Year VI viewers and members will engage with MeroReport content through its Facebook page and Twitter. On average, MeroReport will generate 10,000-page view per quarter in FY 2021. Objective 4: Strengthen organizational capacity and sustainability of CSOs working in USAID priority sectors to advance local solutions Result 4.1: Improved institutional governance of selected CSOs and media organizations Activity 4.1.1: Train and provide technical assistance and coaching to partner CSOs and media organizations CS:MAP conducted the final round of OCAs in FY 2020 to establish CSOs’ final capacity scores and prepare institutional improvement plans (IIPs) for the next year. Based on the IIPs developed in the final round, CS:MAP will provide comprehensive coaching and mentoring to CSOs to implement the IIPs by FY 2021 Q2. Activity 4.1.2: Conduct training on Good Practices and Lesson Learned (GPLL) documentation and report writing CS:MAP will conduct a three-day training in GPLL and report writing to improve CSOs’ capacity to document case studies, success stories, good practices and lessons learned from the project implementation and report writing in the first quarter of the workplan period. Activity 4.1.3: Conduct training on DRR and crisis management CS:MAP will conduct two training events, 3 days’ each, for all CS:MAP partners to improve CSOs’ capacity in crisis management during disasters, pandemics, and other circumstances to make them more resilient and effective in instances where CSOs’ role and involvement is expected in the community. Result 4.2: Improved capacity of select CSOs and media organizations to mobilize social and financial resources for sustainability Activity 4.2.1: Analyze Financial Sustainability Plans (FSPs) and make necessary changes CS:MAP has completed Financial Revenue Forms (FRFs) on an annual basis since FY 2017 to assess the revenue streams of 14 local CSOs and analyze their financial sustainability. In Q3, FY 2020, all 14 CSOs completed the FRFs. The CS:MAP capacity building team will analyze the status and prepare the finding report. Based on the FSP 2020 findings, CS:MAP will provide need- based support to CSOs for their funding diversifications and track their efforts in funding diversification on a quarterly basis.
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Activity 4.2.2: Conduct open houses to expose CS:MAP partners to new donors In Q1 FY 2021, CS:MAP will organize a one-day open house meeting with donors, during which CSOs share their learning, best practices, and plans in an effort to identify opportunities for future donor support. Donors including AIN members and partners working on advocacy and governance will attend the meeting. These opportunities will help CSOs build relationships with donors and INGOs to support funding diversification and financial sustainability of their organizations. Result 4.3: Improved capacity of CSOs and media organizations to advance local solutions on priority development issues across sectors and to promote peer-learning opportunities Activity 4.3.1: Train and provide technical assistance (TA) to selected CSO and media partners to improve technical and organizational development capacities In addition to the TA provided to support organizational development and institutional capacity improvements, bi-annual summits, and MeroReport, CS:MAP’s bi-annual all-partners’ review and reflection meetings and monthly and quarterly review meetings (internal) will serve as additional platforms for CS:MAP partners to promote cross-sectoral as well as national-to-local peer learning. Activity 4.3.2: Strengthen the local marketplace of capacity development services To expand the use of internal governance systems by CSOs in CS:MAP working districts, CS:MAP partner CSOs conducted orientations for non-CS:MAP CSOs in 14 districts in FY 2020. The orientation was focused on the effectiveness of CS:MAP’s institutional capacity-building support as well as the project’s ability to provide support to replicate OCA tools by non-CS:MAP partner organizations in project districts. Based on requests from non-CS:MAP CSOs for OCA support, CS:MAP will work with partner CSOs to facilitate the assessments. The assessments will be conducted through a customized OCA tool developed by the CS:MAP capacity building unit for non-CS:MAP partners. Activity 4.3.3: Promote internal governance standards at local and district levels To promote the minimum standards for internal governance at the district level, in FY 2021, 12 CS:MAP partners will organize district-level interactions on the importance of minimum standards for CSO internal governance with local government officials, media and representatives from other CSOs in the district. CS:MAP will also identify and provide expert TA to local CSOs in developing guidelines for CSO internal governance, and then organize discussions with local governments to improve sectoral credibility. Objective 5: Improved enforcement of fundamental human rights enshrined in the Constitution Result 5.1 Improved ability of human rights organizations to advocate and engage with government at the federal and subnational level Activity 5.1.1: Assess impact of COVID-19 on human rights COVID-19 impacted every aspect of life in Nepal, including the exercise of fundamental rights and civic freedoms. The impact will affect the exercise of those rights not only in the present situation but also for years to come. As a result, CS:MAP proposes an assessment on the impact of COVID-19 on fundamental rights. The assessment on the status of the impact of COVID-19 in right to education will provide clear and actionable guidance to stakeholders, including 43 government agencies at the national and sub-national level. This assessment will look into government and private schools’ approach in providing education, as well as the digital learning exercise, and explore how the pandemic has affected the right to free and compulsory education ensured by the Constitution. Activity 5.1.2: Human rights situation reporting CS:MAP will continue human rights situation monitoring in FY 21 and prepare weekly and ad hoc reporting on priority human rights issues. The reports covering human rights-related legal and policy developments, HR violations and news relating to impact of COVID-19 on the exercise of fundamental rights ensured by the Constitution will be shared with USAID, CS:MAP partner organizations and other stakeholders. Activity 5.1.3: Development of briefing notes on fundamental rights laws In Year V CS:MAP-HRS reviewed five Acts relating to implementation of fundamental rights. These include those relating to compulsory and free education, the Crime Victims Protection Act, the Right to Employment Act, Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Rights Act, and Caste- based Discrimination (Offense and Punishment) Act. In Year VI, CS:MAP-HRS will develop a series of briefing notes on those Acts and use the notes for wider advocacy for implementation of laws, as well as to push for necessary amendments. The briefs, originally developed in English, will be translated and printed in Nepali and widely shared with the civil society members at both the federal and sub-national levels. Activity 5.1.4: Capacity building of CSOs for human rights advocacy CSOs play a key role in advocating for the rights of people and engaging with government to fulfill its commitments. Thus, building civil society capacity will allow CS:MAP-HRS to increase support for human rights protections and government compliance with constitutional provisions and international treaties. CS:MAP-HRS envisions that improving the ability to human rights organizations to advocate and engage with government at the federal and sub-national levels will improve the human rights situation in the country. Activity 5.1.5: Webinars on impacts of COVID-19 on human rights CS:MAP shall conduct, through its implementing partners, two workshops/webinars on the "Impact of COVID-19 on Human Rights” at the national and province level. The events will take stock of the human rights situation, challenges emerging, and possible ways to address those challenges, with 25-30 participants per workshop. Activity 5.1.6: Develop and implement management information system (MIS) for human rights situation reporting CS:MAP has started the process of developing a Management Information System (MIS) in consultation with the Human Rights and International Treaty Division under the Office of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet of Ministers (OPMCM), constitutional commissions and other relevant government agencies to systematize human rights information sharing among different tiers of governments. In Year VI, CS:MAP-HRS will roll out the system in five target municipalities. Likewise, CS-MAP-HRS will build the capacity of five municipalities by providing an orientation on its use. At least 15 people from each municipality will be trained on the MIS system. 44
Activity 5.1.7: Support to NHRIs and Land Commission to prepare Strategy Despite their constitutional status, newly-formed national human rights institutions (NHRIs) such as the Dalit Commission and Madheshi Commission are struggling to perform their functions, including promotion of marginalized communities’ rights. Recently, the GON has also formed a Land Commission to implement constitutionally-guaranteed land rights. CS:MAP-HRS has been coordinating with these commissions through national partner Dalit NGO Federation (DNF) and has developed strategic relations. These commissions have sought to collaborate with DNF in developing their strategy papers. In response, CS:MAP-HRS will organize six workshops to support them in developing their strategy papers. The project will engage with the commissions through partners to lobby for the adoption of the strategy papers developed by the commissions. Result 5.2 Increased knowledge and understanding of subnational government about how to incorporate protections of rights into their functioning. Activity 5.2.1: Build capacity and provide technical assistance to the elected representatives In year V, CS:MAP-HRS provided technical assistance to develop human rights guideline to the local level governments. The guidelines development processes were facilitated by the implementation partners in close collaboration with the local government officials and the elected representatives. The guidelines will provide standards and framework to prioritize human rights and adoption of human rights based approaches in regular functioning of the municipalities. In FY 21, two local governments will adopt the guidelines. Activity 5.2.2: Build capacity of local CSOs and human rights defenders CS:MAP-HRS will continue supporting the CSOs and human rights education programs for secondary schools and colleges through capacity building trainings and workshops in target municipalities. As the reopening of the schools is still uncertain, appropriate measures and approaches, including virtual platforms, will be utilized to conduct the trainings.
Activity 5.2.3: Facilitate peer learning among human rights advocates and elected representatives for human rights-friendly local governments CS:MAP-HRS will promote peer and cross-learning and sharing opportunities among human rights defenders, CSO representatives, elected representatives, members of Judicial Committees, and community mediators. The learning and sharing opportunities will be available in person as well as through virtual platforms. CS:MAP-HRS will facilitate collaboration among the stakeholders through these learning and sharing platforms, which will provide opportunities for stakeholders to share resources to advance common causes. At least one in-person peer learning event will be organized among deputy mayors, elected representatives and members of Judicial Committees in each of the select five municipalities. Additionally, two learning summits will be organized among the stakeholders of five municipalities. There will be approximately 25-30 participants at each event. Activity 5.2.4: Formation and mobilization of violence watch group
In Year V, CS:MAP-HRS formed violence watch groups (VWGs) and build their capacity to advocate for the rights of marginalized communities, which will continue to function and will
45 engage with communities to educate them and raise awareness against violence in Year VI. This year the project will continue with the remaining five activities to build capacity of the members of the VWGs. The project will also continue to provide legal and technical support to 15 survivors. In order to sustain and expand this function, CS:MAP partners and VWG members together have been planning to register the VWG at the municipal level. This would formally provide more legitimacy and recognition, but its ultimately sustainability will depend on two things: leadership and the responsiveness of VWG to local needs, both of which are supported by this activity..
Activity 5.2.5: Enhance the capacity of community members to demand their rights In Year V, CS:MAP-HRS provided trainings to citizens to help them understand their rights, and the roles and responsibilities of citizens and local government to protect rights. The project worked with community members to improve collaboration between citizens and government, and improve the participation of marginalized communities in budget-making processes, ensuring participation of marginalized communities. The activities will be continued in Year VI, with six events organized having approximately 150 participants in total. Activity 5.2.6: Technical support to Provinces to draft Dalit empowerment legislation Allocation of resources by relevant government entities (federal, provincial and local) is imperative for the implementation and promotion of the rights of marginalized communities, such as Dalits. A coordinated budget advocacy effort in relation to Dalits needs is required among Dalit CSOs, Dalit parliamentarians and government officials, both at the federal and provincial levels. In response, Chief Ministers of Province One and Gandaki province have invited CS:MAP-HRS national partner DNF to provide support in developing Dalit Empowerment Bills. The project will prepare a draft bill, organize workshops and provide support in endorsing the bills. Under this activity two draft bills will be prepared and two workshops with 25 participants each will be organized.
5. INCORPORATION OF CROSS-CUTTING INTERVENTIONS Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) GESI is an integral aspect of CS:MAP’s strategic approach. CS:MAP recognizes GESI as a prerequisite for achieving a legitimate, accountable and resilient Nepali civil society that can advance the public interest. The concept of “Mutual Accountability” in CS:MAP necessitates that CSOs realize their commitment to practicing GESI to be considered credible and to secure public confidence that they have legitimate grounds to advance the public interest, carry out their public oversight role and hold the government accountable to deliver services to its people. Without robust and tangible internal GESI commitments, CSOs significantly risk their credibility, legitimacy and accountability. Hence, CS:MAP accords a high importance to GESI and continues to incorporate GESI across project activities. Building onto achievements to date, CS:MAP will give continuity to GESI mainstreaming and integration efforts in Year VI. In order to sustain/achieve effective mainstreaming and integration outcomes, CS:MAP will reiterate the significance of practicing GESI and strengthen GESI capacity through refresher training as well as formal and informal coaching and mentoring.
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Also, CS:MAP will continue prioritizing participation and perspectives, and elevating the voice and concerns of women and other excluded groups in all project activities, empowering local actors by improving their access to information/knowledge and enabling them to express and engage in dialogues and decisions that affect them. CS:MAP will offer technical support to local governments to develop and adopt GESI policies, working through partners in order to promote policy-level commitment to GESI. CS:MAP will also share GESI audit tool with local governments to help them identify GESI gaps within their institutions and their plans, programs, laws and policies and work to address them to ensure GESI- responsive governance. Simultaneously, CS:MAP will assess the effectiveness of the interventions and document outcomes, changes, and lessons learned. CS:MAP will also promote increased use of GESI resources developed under the project. CS:MAP will continue incorporating GESI across all five objectives. Under Objective 1, CS:MAP has analyzed laws and policies related to civil society and media from a GESI perspective and provided GESI inputs, and will continue doing so as new laws, policies and guidelines are formulated. CS:MAP will promote the use of the Checklist for GESI in Policy Analysis developed previously. In addition, CS:MAP will promote the participation of women and other excluded groups in dialogues and discussions of CSO- and media-related law and policy-making and reviews to inform, empower and engage these groups in legal and policy formulation, review processes and advocacy. CS:MAP will also engage women and other excluded groups in activities aimed at improving public understanding and confidence in the role of CSOs and media as well as their internal governance and self-regulation initiatives. Under Objective 2, CS:MAP will strengthen partners’ capacity on advocacy and policy review using a GESI lens. CS:MAP will involve women and other excluded groups and marginalized communities in all stages of identifying and prioritizing issues, generating evidence and engaging with government through CS:MAP-supported local structures. In order to inform women and other excluded groups on governance issues and government services, CS:MAP will disseminate the information through local radio stations in local languages. Under Objective 3, CS:MAP will continue its oversight of public service delivery and public resource use and advocacy from a GESI perspective. CS:MAP will continue involving women and other excluded groups in the implementation of social accountability tools. The project will continue promoting youth engagement in governance issues to inform, engage and realize their role in promoting good governance. Under Objective 4, CS:MAP has conducted GESI audits of its implementing partners to assess their political will, technical capacity and organizational culture in creating gender-responsive and inclusive institutions. This has resulted in the adoption of GESI policies, and increased membership of women and members of marginalized groups in general assemblies and executive boards. Further, anti-harassment training delivered to all the implementing partners has led to establishment of complaint mechanisms. This year, CS:MAP will carry out the second round of GESI audits for partners to assess their progress, gaps and challenges and to identify areas of improvement and action points to promote GESI. CS:MAP will hold refresher trainings on various GESI-related issues including safeguarding activities, unconscious bias, and GESI-sensitive communication. At the programmatic level, CS:MAP will help partners develop GESI integration plans through refresher training in GESI integration throughout the project cycle. And, CS:MAP 47 has been prioritizing the participation of female staff and board members from marginalized communities in OCAs and will continue doing so in follow-up activities to make them familiar with different dimensions of institutional strengthening, thereby preparing them for leadership positions. CS:MAP’s Objective 5 emphasizes support for women, Dalit and sexual and gender minorities and has been working to protect and promote their rights as part of its overall focus on human rights. In Year VI, CS:MAP will continue its work to foster systems and mechanisms at all three tiers of government to strengthen human rights protection and promotion. Additionally, CS:MAP realizes civil society’s public interest responsibilities in this unprecedented time, particularly in representing the needs, concerns and interests of women and other excluded groups. In this context, CS:MAP will ensure that GESI perspectives are included in the implementation of the project’sCOVID-19 response plan and CSO Strategy in the post-COVID- 19 crisis. Further, CS:MAP partners will engage in advocacy for GESI-responsive recovery plans, policies and programs. Youth Engagement In order to increase youth involvement in social accountability initiatives, youth engagement will continue to be promoted through SSMK episodes and SMV campaigns calling for youth participation in public service oversight. Numerous examples from Years IV and V suggest that information, interactivity, and dialogue encourage youth to take collective actions to conduct oversight of public resource use and service delivery. As a result, in Year VI CS:MAP will prioritize youth-focused radio episodes, campaigns, and training to encourage youth to, first of all, ask questions, and then to act. While both Sajha Boli and SSMK radio programs will continue to prioritize youth issues, innovative approaches such as call-in radio segments, live broadcasts from social media platforms, field/community-based media production, LDAGs-of-the-month competitions, promotion of youth-icons, and weekly discussions on MeroReport will be continued. CS:MAP will ensure that CSO partners promote the participation of youth, including LDAG members, at different civic forums and interactions. Moreover, the LDAGs will be encouraged to target youth-related issues within their advocacy campaigns. Three episodes of SSMK will be produced in Year VI. As a result of these episodes, it is expected that at least 100 youth will interact with CS:MAP via IVR and VOY messages and the SSMK Facebook page to share their opinions and experiences using social accountability tools and youth engagement with government for improving transparency, accountability and participation. The messages will be analyzed by the EAI team and the queries will be addressed in future radio episodes. One SMS My Voice campaigns will be conducted, engaging citizens through an IVR platform to identify citizens’ priorities. Issues raised by citizens will lead to discussions with concerned stakeholders within the central and local versions of Sajha Boli and through SSMK episodes. Each campaign will gather at least 300 responses from youth and other audiences, totaling 300 messages received via IVR and social media, or through the MeroReport platform. The CRs of CS:MAP, all youth, have been trained to identify and capture high-quality photographs of public service delivery, highlighting the service gaps that affect the daily lives of women and 48 other traditionally marginalized groups, prompting local authorities to action, and raising awareness about service delivery issues through photography. Fifty youth will be trained on youth participation on local development and proposal writing for advocacy and oversight, leading to increased youth engagement in the local-level planning process and local development. Use of Information, Communication, and Mobile Technologies With the objective of encouraging more youth participation in advocacy and public service oversight, CS:MAP will continue extensive promotion of ICT tools and platforms such as IVR, MeroReport, and social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. There has been a significant increase in listeners’ participation in the IVR system of Sajha Boli, and MeroReport has also seen an ongoing increase in participants accompanied by a significant increase in the number of blog posts to the platform. CS:MAP, through its international partner EAI, will continue to ensure that this increase in participation in IVR, MeroReport, and other social media platforms is sustained. In Year VI, CS:MAP will work to ensure that MeroReport is accessed over 10,000 times per quarter by its users. Monitoring and reporting on cross-cutting issues will be done on MeroReport through 200 blog posts on CS:MAP thematic issues, 50 blog posts on youth and social accountability issues, and 11 interactive groups dedicated to sharing and potentially interactions. MeroReport will allow issue-based and sectoral groups of CS:MAP partners, other civil society actors, journalists, and the general public to share advocacy and oversight experiences and results, which will be communicated through videos and messages for broad mobilization. MeroReport will feature, monitor and initiate interactions, group discussions, and dialogue among youth, women, media, and CSOs. Focusing on cross-sectoral oversight of public resource use and service delivery, local CSOs will begin using ICTs in governance oversight. To improve CSO and media capacity to conduct participatory and evidence-based research with the use of ICT, CSOs will also share advocacy finding and post blogs and articles on HEAD thematic areas, highlighting issues and policy gaps from CS:MAP districts. These will be published on the MeroReport platform as part of the evidence-based advocacy done by the CS:MAP partners and trained individuals to promote sharing and learning among concerned stakeholders. To encourage youth to engage in ICT and mobile technologies, CS:MAP will organize two SMS My Voice campaigns targeting issues related to specific priority areas and sectoral issues of CS:MAP as identified by citizens through IVR, MeroReport and social media platforms such as Sajha Boli, SSMK and Ma Khaadina Facebook pages. Participants will be encouraged to use the IVR platform to voice their opinions and concerns, and these opinions and concerns will be analyzed and disseminated through radio programming and project Facebook pages. CS:MAP partners EAI will encourage youth to prepare a video about youth participating in local development and government engagement related to COVID-19 response and other DRR themes; this will then be shared with local youth and LDAGs members through the Ma Khaadina Facebook page. CS:MAP partner EAI will also design pictorial animations of PSA messages and share them through project Facebook pages.
6. COORDINATION AND COLLABORATION Coordination and collaboration remains critical for sustaining CS:MAP capacity improvements, tools, approaches and structures. CS:MAP team and partners will continue to meet with the
49 chairpersons and members of relevant parliamentary committees to promote civic engagement in the law-making process. Additionally, CS:MAP will work with MOFAGA; the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology; and the Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens to strengthen civic engagement and the role of civil society. The resource books and video developed in collaboration with MOFAGA will be disseminated to all local governments and different training academies of the GON. CS:MAP will also continue to meet with the Nepal Law Commission and the National Information Commission to promote CS:MAP activities and engage GON champions in project interventions. At the provincial level, CS:MAP partners will engage with provincial legislators to improve laws and policies related to freedom of association and freedom of expression. At the local level, CS:MAP partners will work with local governments and other relevant agencies to explore the possibilities of the continuation of CS:MAP initiatives and structures like CAs, Partnership Forums, HEAD Coalitions and other civil society and media mechanisms. CS:MAP will collaborate with USAID/DGO projects Niti Sambad, Hamro Samman, Public Financial Management Strengthening Project (PFMSP) and Sajhedari - Support to Federalism (STF) to support higher-level USAID goals for the next year. As discussed in the Joint Program Reflection and Planning Workshop organized by USAID on August 13, 2020, CS:MAP will conduct follow-up meetings with these projects to develop plans that can be implemented jointly in overlapping and non-overlapping areas across a three-tiered government structure. More specifically, CS:MAP will organize joint events with Niti Sambad and PFMSP to promote civic engagement, OGP and open budget at the federal level, and with STF at the sub-national level. Similarly, CS:MAP will exchange resource materials, lessons and experiences related to protecting civic space, law and policy improvement, COVID-19 response, transparency and accountability. In addition, CS:MAP will work with all above-mentioned projects to address disinformation and misinformation related to COVID-19. For this, CS:MAP will share guidelines developed and implemented by FNJ, and provide necessary support to the media activities of these projects. CS:MAP will further consult with STF and Niti Sambad to collaborate in monitoring freedom of expression through a joint mechanism with NHRC, FNJ, NGO Federation and the Nepal Bar Association. CS:MAP will also collaborate with Niti Sambad and STF on how to foster collaboration between civil society and political parties to enhance accountability. Further, CS:MAP will work with AIN and other agencies to promote internal governance and self- regulation of civil society and media. To monitor the activities and draw lessons learned from past activities, CS:MAP will hold monthly and quarterly meetings and bi-annual summits with partners. Similarly, CS:MAP will use the COVID-19 bulletin, monthly newsletter and monthly activity plans as tools to understand the other projects’ activities, avoid duplication and create synergy
7. MONITORING, EVALUATION AND LEARNING PLAN CS:MAP has a robust Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) system that is guided by FHI 360’s monitoring and evaluation strategies and principles (e.g., transparency, accountability, participation). It provides feedback to the project implementers about project outcomes and progress made during the course of project implementation. It is an integral part of the project that serves to establish and strengthen linkages between effective program implementation and
50 achievement of results, while making CS:MAP information available for its stakeholders in a timely and reliable manner. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent restrictions, project activities are increasingly being conducted through virtual platforms. To maintain a robust database management and documents repository system, CS:MAP has redefined the documentation measures for all events hosted in virtual platforms. Its MEL unit will ensure entire team members, including partners, comply with these adaptive measures. In FY 2021, the CS:MAP MEL unit will focus on capturing learning and its documentation. It will document and share knowledge products on CS:MAP applied tools, approaches and best practices. Since this year marks the final year of project implementation, the CS:MAP MEL unit will ensure the compilation of all project deliverables, impact stories and relevant information for project endline surveys/studies. The CS:MAP MEL team will lead periodic data verification to ensure quality of data reported through the CS:MAP database management system as part of CS:MAP data quality assurances. USAID's Data Quality Assessment report 2020 is available and CS:MAP team will improve indicator reporting based on DQA recommendations and post-DQA action plan that CS:MAP has submitted to USAID. CS:MAP will also conduct data quality assessment (DQA) based on five aspects of data quality (i.e., validity, reliability, timeliness, precision, and integrity) and document the findings. These efforts will allow the team to compare reported data with records and documents onsite in partner offices. This activity will be bundled with other regular and relevant field visits or through application of virtual platforms due to COVID-19 restrictions. CS:MAP will also continue holding monthly and quarterly review and reflection meetings with its national and sub-national partners. For the local CSOs, the monthly and quarterly review and reflection meetings will be organized internally and CS:MAP team members will participate in these meetings whenever possible. In addition, CS:MAP will continue facilitating peer learning practices among partner CSOs and media organization through MeroReport, Facebook groups, bi- annual summits and review and reflection workshops, CS:MAP monthly calendars, and monthly newsletters. Further, to keep USAID abreast of programmatic progress, the CS:MAP team will hold separate meetings with the USAID AOR and/or AAOR on a monthly basis.
8. ANTICIPATED CHALLENGES AND MITIGATION MEASURES
The table below sets out anticipated challenges and mitigation measures. Annex 1 provides more detail regarding COVID-19 related scenario planning. AWP VI was prepared under the assumption that Scenario ‘B’ will prevail for the foreseeable future.
Anticipated Challenges Mitigating Measures
COVID-19 and related restrictions CS:MAP will use and support all partners to use imposed by government limits online platforms to engage and interact with engagement with policy makers, local stakeholders including parliamentarians, elected governments and stakeholders in policy representatives and other government officials. advocacy and other project activities. CS:MAP will promote the role of civil society and
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Anticipated Challenges Mitigating Measures
Similarly, discussion with and highlight its collaboration with government as part engagement of stakeholders may not be a of the COVID-19 response, which will help to priority for CSO/media-related laws. build trust and engagement on CSO/media-related laws and policy.
The law-making process may be delayed CSO and media will take advantage of delays to due to recent developments, possibly produce sample policies and guidelines and hindering freedom of association and promote the common position produced in Year IV, freedom of expression. For instance, the and share it with national policymakers and GON could redirect citizen attention to stakeholders to educate and sensitize them on the other national issues and wait until a later importance of laws with better provisions about time to advance the bills related to civil civic space. Additionally, CS:MAP will share society and media. details about the problems faced by CSOs due to a lack of proper laws with policy makers and stakeholders to facilitate the law making process.
Coordination among all CS:MAP actors CS:MAP will continue to emphasize the need for at the sub-national level has remained a CSO partners to facilitate coordination and continuous challenge, leading to a lack of integration among all project actors at the sub- integrated advocacy initiatives based on national level, and will include this facilitation as a sound evidence. discrete, regular activity within each CSO’s scope of work.
CS:MAP, through its CSO partners, will provide support for CAs, Sajhedari Manch and coalitions to coordinate their work, and identify monthly advocacy agendas based on meetings between CSO partners, partner radio stations, community reporters, CARs, LDAG facilitators, and journalists trained in IJ and AMO (Advocacy, Monitoring and Oversight).
Low motivation and participation of like- CSO partners will continue to perform a minded CSOs in HEAD/CSO coalition ‘secretariat role’ and adequately engage coalitions meetings that may ultimately affect to take the lead on making decision in all meetings public service oversight and advocacy for advocacy and oversight actions. campaigns.
HEAD coalitions might not take full CS:MAP will continue to provide necessary ownership of the issues selected for coaching and mentoring to CSO partners in advocacy and oversight. engaging HEAD/CSO coalitions through regular meetings and consultations, ranging from selection of advocacy issues to collection of evidence
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Anticipated Challenges Mitigating Measures
through CARs, seeking concurrence from HEAD coalition members to use the evidence for advocacy and oversight activities collectively.
CSO partners will continue to adopt participatory approaches in selection of issues for advocacy and sites for oversight action.
Government agencies/local governments’ CS:MAP will work with CSO partners to keep interest in the application of social local governments consulted and engaged in each accountability tools may be lesser than step while implementing social accountability expected and they might not exhibit tools. enough willingness to participate in the process.
Variation in implementation approaches CS:MAP has prepared a Strategic Guide to may create confusion among government harmonize partners’ understanding of the officials and elected representatives. terminologies and working approaches used by CS:MAP. This nurtures a common understanding among partners and helps them communicate messages in a uniform way across 34 districts. CS:MAP encourages partners to refer to the Strategic Guide to harmonize their understanding of working approaches and communicate messages in a uniform way.
Thematic articles posted on MeroReport CRs and trained journalists will be mentored and may not always be evidence-based. continually reminded of the importance of evidence-based reporting and publication.
CARs may not be able to get quality CRs will be engaged to encourage or collect audio videos with compelling messages. and video testimonies with quality messages. EAI will work with the CRs to consult and engage with local governments to encourage government responsiveness to youth participation and partnership. EAI will organize virtual meetings with LDAGs/active youth group facilitators to ensure a quality content and message collection process.
LDAGs/ active youth groups may not CRs and group facilitators of LDAGs/active youth take active interest in policy-making groups will perform a supportive role and processes and the LLPP at the local level effectively engage and mobilize youth groups.
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Anticipated Challenges Mitigating Measures due to other priorities.
Local FM radio stations may not be able CRs and radio program producers will be engaged to conduct qualitative assessments. to collect qualitative feedback as part of PSA assessments.
CS:MAP anticipates potential challenges CS:MAP will conduct a learning meeting with related to non-partner CSOs’ trust in the partners CSOs focused on internal governance capacity of CS:MAP partner CSOs to practices in target districts and will provide provide organizational development backstopping as needed to help CSO partners support as requested implement high-quality assessments and increase trust in their ability to deliver.
The state is the main actor responsible CS:MAP-HRS will facilitate meetings among for protecting human rights, which governments agencies, CSOs, and constitutional includes formulation of legal and commissions to further the protection of human institutional mechanisms, fulfilling rights that are already guaranteed by the constitutional and international Constitution. The meetings will provide an obligations, increasing the capacity and opportunity to discuss the responsibility of the awareness of citizens and other government as per the Constitution and stakeholders, and coordinating among international human rights treaties to respect, stakeholders. However, at present, the protect and fulfill human rights. The potential role government's approach is not convincing of CSOs and likely contribution to fulfill the human when it comes to human rights rights obligation of the state will be shared and protections, and collaboration among discussed in these meetings. civil society organizations is limited. Regular meetings and constructive engagement of Stakeholders’ participation in the law- CSOs with government will create a conducive and policy-making process is narrowed. environment for collaboration where mistrust will be minimized, and government will see the value of collaboration with civil society. This will minimize mistrust and promote collaboration to advance human rights, develop and implement the NHRAP, prepare state reports to submit to UN mechanisms, and implement the laws to fulfil fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution.
Local governments are overwhelmed CS:MAP-HRS will offer technical support to with multiple responsibilities, including elected representatives for formulating policies and activity development, institutional setup, standards on human rights and related learning formulation of different laws/policies and opportunities, focusing on deputy mayors and service delivery. Although Annex 8 of members of Judicial Committees. In addition, the Constitution has outlined multiple through different meetings, CS:MAP-HRS will rights that local governments are obliged education representatives of the local governments
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Anticipated Challenges Mitigating Measures to protect and promote, local officials are on the value of work on human rights and their often unaware of this charge. Elected related constitutional obligations. The opportunity representatives of local governments may to receive expert services from CSOs will in turn not be interested in dry "human rights" ease their work, and resources shared by CSOs will subjects. They may also have less time to motivate local governments to work on human focus on human rights against the rights issues in collaboration with CSOs. CS:MAP- backdrop of COVID-19. HRS will also pursue the link between human rights and other services that have been affected by COVID-19, and revise the contents of the intervention in consultation with government to reflect the present priorities.
Due to COVID-19, planned in-person CS:MAP will use as well as support all partners to events have been reworked and held as use online platforms as much as appropriate. Other virtual events. However, this is not an alternative methods such as phone calls or use of appropriate option for community-level laptops in small groups maintaining physical events, where access to technology, distance, sharing of devices by peers, or collection relevant infrastructure and knowledge is of views by a peer shall be used, as required. not available. As a result, members of CS:MAP will also provide data packages, as marginalized communities may lose their necessary, to overcome any challenges to access. opportunities to participate in the events CS:MAP will fully comply with Sanitize, Mask and or be part of the process. Social Distancing (SMS) practices and government regulations to minimize COVID-19 risks while conducting in-person activities.
9. DELIVERABLES During this Work Plan period, the following programmatic deliverables will be submitted to USAID for review and approval:
Deliverables Due Date Annual Report # 5 (October 1, 2019 - September 30, 2020) October 30, 2020 FY21 Quarterly Progress Report #1 (October 1, 2020 - December 31, 2020) January 29, 2021 FY21 Quarterly Progress Report # 2 (January 1, 2021 – April 3, 2021) May 3, 2021 Annual Report # 6 (October 1, 2020 – April 3, 2021) May 3, 2021 Project Completion Report (First Draft) February 15, 2021 Project Close-out Plan October 3, 2020
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10. TRAVEL PLAN S. # of # of No Activities Destination Person days 1 Program Orientation/Meeting - CoP KTM-BKK 1 7 Regional Finance/CMS/HR Technical and Capacity Building 2 Meeting/Training/Workshops KTM-BKK 1 7 3 Civil Society Learning Workshop KTM-BKK 1 7 Participate in program related 4 training/workshops KTM-BKK 1 7 Program Management Support and 5 Training BKK-KTM 1 7 6 Program management support-EAI DC – KTM 1 7 7 Technical Assistance - HQ USA-Nepal 2 20
11. FINANCIAL PLAN/BUDGET
Categories Q1 FY 2021 Q2 FY 2021 Q3 FY 2021 Total FY (Oct–Dec (Jan–Mar (Apr 1-03, 2021 (Oct 2020) 2021) 2021) 2020– Apr 03, 2021) Personnel 243,786 243,786 12,389 499,961 Fringe Benefits 79,657 79,657 42,486 201,800
Travel 25,450 22,905 2,545 50,900 Supplies 2,486 2,486 0 4,972 Contractual 732,538 488,358 0 1,220,896 Other Direct Costs 91,568 53,4145 7,630 152,613 Indirect Costs 220,329 189,485 25,909 435,723 TOTAL US$ 1,395,814 1,560,822 324,159 2,566,865
12. ACTIVITY SUMMARY MATRIX Please refer to Annex 2 for Activity Summary Matrix.
13. CLOSE OUT PLAN CS:MAP is actively preparing a close-out plan that will be available by 3 October 2020. The plan includes a step-by-step process that keeps programmatic and strategic partners at all levels of well- informed. Key among these actors are municipal representatives, subnational networks of organizations and civic champions, provincial and federal legislative actors, key ministries, and CSMAP media and civil society partners. The close-out will be attentive to FHI360 and USAID reputational issues, place a premium on learning and sharing lessons, and optimize any opportunities to sustain results through organizational and institutional mechanisms.
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