The Und Development Programe in Swat
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The UNDP Development Programme in Swat: Impact on Peacebuilding and Social Cohesion An impact assessment study conducted by: Mujtaba Muhammad Rathore Research analyst Islamabad, Pakistan +92-301-5183354 Email: [email protected] Presented to: United Nation Development Programme (UNDP) 4th Floor, Serena Business Complex, Islamabad, Pakistan Tel: (92-51) 8355600 Fax: (92-51) 2655014-15 www.pk.undp.org Submitted on: 22 November, 2013 The UNDP Development Programme in Swat: Impact on Peacebuilding and Social Cohesion The UNDP Development Programme in Swat: Impact on Peacebuilding and Social Cohesion Executive Summary Mainly relying on the needs assessment made in the Crisis Early Recovery Initial Needs Assessment report, the Post Crisis Needs Assessment (PCNA) report of KP and FATA, and the Flood Early Recovery Needs Assessment report, UNDP launched a “Community Infrastructure Restoration and Rehabilitation” project in District Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) in July 2011. The UNDP project was very closely aligned to achieve the objectives set out in the PCNA assessment, i.e. build responsiveness and effectiveness of the State to restore citizen trust; stimulate employment and livelihood opportunities; ensure the delivery of basic services; and counter radicalization and foster reconciliation.1 Physical infrastructure in Swat was among the sectors worst affected by militancy and conflict in 2009 and devastating floods in the subsequent year. According to Flood Early Recovery Need Assessment report around 2,000 kilometers of roads, 170 bridges, 700 educational and 150 health facilities, and 158 government buildings were completely destroyed. Immediate restoration and rehabilitation of community based infrastructure was the foremost post-conflict strategy adopted by national and international development and peace actors. As part of this project, UNDP in coordination with the KP government rehabilitated damaged community infrastructures schemes including link roads, drainage channels, culverts, bridges, and streets in six tehsils of Swat; Babozai, Charbagh, Kabal, Khawazakhela, Matta Khararai and Matta Sebujni. This assessment study was commissioned in order to examine the impact of rehabilitation of community based infrastructure schemes in Swat on peacebuilding and social cohesion. It covers three tehsils of Swat where the CBI schemes have been restored and rehabilitated and handed over to the local community. The assessment is based on empirical findings of extensive fieldwork conducted in Kabal, Charbagh and Babozai including a survey, semi-structured interviews, and a focus group discussion besides personal observations and literature review. Outcome of the UNDP’s implemented programme in three tehsils cited earlier entails rehabilitation and reconstruction a total of 207 CBI schemes including 123 streets, 51 culverts, 19 drainage channels, 12 small bridges, and two link roads. Over 178,388 people, 1 The document can be downloaded at http://www.khyberpakhtunkhwa.gov.pk/Departments/PnD/mne/MnE/Download/7.%20PCNA %20Report.pdf. Page 1 The UNDP Development Programme in Swat: Impact on Peacebuilding and Social Cohesion including women, the disabled and children are direct beneficiaries of the completed infrastructure schemes, as described by the UNDP project reports.2 While respondents counted different factors of conflict in Swat, which they said called for comprehensive state-level interventions, they also believed that UNDP’s rehabilitation of CBI schemes had significantly contributed towards socioeconomic recovery, provision of employment, livelihoods and a sense of security, increased mobility, and enhanced interaction among people. As many as 44 percent of total respondents of the survey conducted for this assessment ranked the role of UNDP’s rehabilitation of CBI schemes in peacebuilding and social cohesion as ‘very good’, about 12 percent regarded it ‘excellent’, and another 14 percent termed the contribution ‘good’. Only about four percent were of the view that the contribution of UNDP’s rehabilitation project was ‘low’ while 26 percent termed it ‘average’. On the whole there was a general feeling among the people as recorded through interviews, field observations and focus group discussion that law and order situation in Swat has significantly improved over the past few years. Some however said that an environment of fear of militants and kidnappers still exists. UNDP’s peace and development programs implemented during these years have given a significant boost to overall economy of Swat including tourism. Economic recovery has also given a boost to real estate business and as a result land prices in Swat have significantly appreciated. The interviewees and participants of focus group discussion were found in agreement that UNDP schemes have created livelihood and employment opportunities for the local people. First, what they described as “process benefits” included involvement of labor and material, flourishing of construction-related businesses, and revival of overall economic activity and employment. Secondly, they referred to “end benefits” that included enhanced mobility, transportation, access to market, and economic interaction as a result of rehabilitation of infrastructure. UNDP’s development schemes entailed community involvement, and have rendered a great sense of collective responsibility among people to build peace and contribute towards socioeconomic development of their areas. That sounds great for the overall environment of harmony and social cohesion among the people. Most of the people surveyed and interviewed for this study commended the UNDP development schemes for their greater outreach to usually ignored, or hard-to-reach areas, as compared to other such programmes. According to a youth leader Saleem Athar, “The UNDP’s work for peacebuilding and rehabilitation stands distinguished among about 60 organizations working in Swat for the same purpose.” 2 UNDP, “Community Infrastructure Restoration and Rehabilitation in 6 tehsils of District Swat,” March 20, 2013, http://www.undp.org/content/dam/pakistan/docs/CPRU/Peace%20and%20Development/SFD%20Progre ss%20Report%20as%20March%2020-%202013.pdf. Page 2 The UNDP Development Programme in Swat: Impact on Peacebuilding and Social Cohesion CONTENTS List of Tables/Figures .............................................................................................. 4 Abbreviations ........................................................................................................... 5 Glossary ...................................................................................................................... 6 District Swat: Population and Geographical Location ........................................ 8 1. Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 10 1.1 Purpose of the Study .............................................................................................. 12 1.2 Scope of the Study .................................................................................................. 12 2. Methodology ...................................................................................................................... 12 2.1 Data Collection ...................................................................................................... 13 3. Development Perspective of Peace: A Literature Review .............................................. 17 4. CBI Interventions: Impact and Effectiveness .................................................................. 21 4.1 Link between Development and Peacebuilding in Swat ................................... 22 4.2 Impact of UNDP Project on Peacebuilding and Social Cohesion .................. 26 4.2.1 Impact Indicators and Field Responses ................................................. 26 a. Peace and Security .................................................................................... 26 b. Socioeconomic Recovery ......................................................................... 30 c. Livelihood and Employment ................................................................... 32 d. Reconstruction of Physical Infrastructure ............................................. 33 4.3 Effectiveness of CBI Interventions ..................................................................... 36 4.3.1 A Review of Outcome of CBI Interventions ........................................ 36 4.4 Influence on Vulnerable Groups .......................................................................... 39 5. Prospects for Project’s Impact Sustainability ................................................................... 41 6. UNDP CBI Interventions: A Critical Review .................................................................. 42 6.1 Context-Relevance .................................................................................................. 42 6.2 Objectives-Relevance ............................................................................................. 43 6.3 Lessons learned ....................................................................................................... 43 7. Recommendations ............................................................................................................... 44 7.1 For the current project of UNDP ........................................................................ 44 7.2 The future projects that contribute to peacebuilding and social