CIVIL SOCIETY: MUTUAL ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT Quarterly Progress Report October 1-December 31, 2017
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
CIVIL SOCIETY: MUTUAL ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT Quarterly Progress Report October 1-December 31, 2017 January 31, 2018 Cooperative Agreement Number AID-367-A-16-00007 Project Start and End Date: April 4, 2016 to April 3, 2021 Submitted to: Krishna Pathak, Agreement Officer’s Representative USAID Submitted by: Bishnu Sapkota, 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. Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................ 1 1. CONTEXT .......................................................................................................................................... 5 2. PROGRESS AGAINST TARGETS PER OBJECTIVE ................................................................ 7 3. ACTIVITY PROGRESS ................................................................................................................. 14 3.1 DEVELOPMENT AND SUBMISSION OF DELIVERABLES ..................................................... 14 3.2 PROGRESS ACHIEVED TOWARD PROJECT OBJECTIVES ................................................. 15 OBJECTIVE 1: STRENGTHENED ENABLING ENVIRONMENT FOR CIVIL SOCIETY AND MEDIA. .............................. 15 OBJECTIVE 2: IMPROVED CIVIL SOCIETY AND MEDIA CAPACITY FOR EFFECTIVE POLICY ADVOCACY AND GOVERNMENT ENGAGEMENT ............................................................................................................ 24 OBJECTIVE 3: MORE COORDINATED AND EFFECTIVE CIVIL SOCIETY AND MEDIA OVERSIGHT OF PUBLIC RESOURCE USE AND PUBLIC SERVICE DELIVERY ..................................................................................................... 29 OBJECTIVE 4: STRENGTHEN ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY AND SUSTAINABILITY OF CSOS WORKING IN USAID PRIORITY SECTORS TO ADVANCE LOCAL SOLUTIONS ................................................................................ 38 4. INCORPORATION OF CROSS-CUTTING INTERVENTIONS .............................................. 39 5. COORDINATION AND COLLABORATION ............................................................................. 46 6. MONITORING, EVALUATION AND LEARNING (MEL) ...................................................... 47 7. ACTIVITY PROGRESS SUMMARY ........................................................................................... 49 8. PRIORITIES FOR QUARTER 2 (JANUARY 1-MARCH 31, 2018) ......................................... 49 9. SUCCESS STORY ........................................................................................................................... 50 10. CHALLENGES AND MITIGATION MEASURES ..................................................................... 50 11. LESSONS LEARNED ..................................................................................................................... 50 12. ANNEX .............................................................................................................................................. 51 Abbreviations and Acronyms AOR Agreement Officer’s Representative ARI Advocacy Readiness Index AWP Annual Work Plan CA Common Assembly CAG Content Advisory Group CAHURAST Campaign for Human Rights and Social Transformation Nepal CAR Community Action Researcher CDC Community Development Center CDCS Country Development Cooperation Strategy CDJMC Central Department of Journalism and Mass Communications CEO Chief Executive Officer CS:MAP Civil Society: Mutual Accountability Project COP Chief of Party CR Community Reporter CSO Civil Society Organization DCC District Coordination Committee DCOP Deputy Chief of Party DEC Development Exchange Center DQA Data Quality Assessment DRR Disaster Risk Reduction EA Equal Access ECN Election Commission of Nepal FNCCI Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry FNJ Federation of Nepali Journalists FOA Freedom of Association FOE Freedom of Expression GESI Gender Equality and Social Inclusion GGB Good Governance Barometer GoGo Good Governance Foundation GoN Government of Nepal HEAD Health, Education, Agriculture and Disaster Risk Reduction HHS Household Survey HRPLSC Human Right Protection and Legal Services Center HURADEC Human Right Awareness and Development Center HURON Human Rights Organization in Nepal ICNL International Center for Not-for-Profit Law IRDC Indreni Rural Development Center ICT Information and Communications Technology IHRICON Institute of Human Right Communication Nepal IIP Institutional Improvement Plan INSEC Informal Sector Service Center INWOLAG Indigenous Women’s Legal Awareness Group IRDC Indreni Rural Development Center Nepal IRDS Integrated Rural Development Society ISO Intermediary Service Organization IVR Interactive Voice Response KLL Kathmandu Living Labs LDAG Listening Discussion and Action Group MAG Media Advocacy Group M&E Monitoring and Evaluation MITRA Samaj Measures for Intervention Training Research and Action Samaj MoAD Ministry of Agricultural Development MoFALD Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development MoU Memorandum of Understanding MoWCSW Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare NEOC National Election Observation Committee NEPAN Nepal Participatory Action Network NFN NGO Federation of Nepal NGO Nongovernmental Organization NIC National Information Commission NMCP National Mass Communication Policy NNSWA Nepal National Social Welfare Association NPC National Planning Commission NRA National Reconstruction Authority OCA Organizational Capacity Assessment OMOD Online Media Operation Directive PEAR Participatory and Evidence-based Action Research PETS Public Expenditure Tracking System PPWG Public-Private Working Group PSA Public Service Announcement PSO Public Services Oversight RADO-Nepal Rural Awareness and Development Organization – Nepal RTI Right to Information RWDC Rural Women Development Center SA Social Accountability SAP-Nepal South Asia Partnership Nepal SBC Sajha Boli Chautari SMS Short Message Service SOCH Society for Humanism Nepal SSMK Saathi Sanga Manka Kura SWC Social Welfare Council SWDB Social Welfare and Development Bill TA Technical Assistance ToT Training of Trainers USAID United States Agency for International Development USC Nepal Unity Service Center Nepal VDC Village Development Committee Executive Summary Nepal entered the phase of implementing the new constitution in a full-fledged way with the election of national parliament and provinces held in November and December 2017. With the 753 local government units already elected earlier in the year, the country began to move towards a stable democratic course, ending the political transition of more than a decade. Although the elections have taken place and the new three-tier structures of government have come into place, it is going to take several months for the new representatives at local and provincial levels to figure out their effective roles, draft all required laws and regulations and begin to function effectively. While this is not unique in this region, the local government units in the CDCS districts are at an early phase in shaping their own roles, defining working relationships with the province and national government, and in building their own capacities. In the earth-quake affected districts, the election of local government has given a positive message in general, as in other districts. However, post-earthquake reconstruction and recovery efforts have been slow, and earthquake victims’ grievances have not addressed as expected. In the first quarter of Year III, the Civil Society: Mutual Accountability Project (CS:MAP) carried out intensive advocacy and lobbying activities at the national level to improve the civil society and media enabling environment as Nepal enters a new phase in its state restructuring process. CS:MAP civil society and media coalitions on civil society and media contributed to vibrant policy debate on the legal framework for these two sectors, with additional help from a new local partner and grant to Nepal’s largest university. CS:MAP also supported national election observation efforts for national and provincial elections, held in November and December 2017. And, activities in 34 districts now have the necessary structures in place to promote civic participation in local government planning and enhance civil society and media’s role in service delivery oversight, transparency and accountability. CS:MAP’s five intermediary support organization (ISO) partners continued to provide capacity-building support, technical assistance and mentoring to 14 local civil society organizations (CSOs) engaged in advocacy and oversight activities. National-level achievements: CS:MAP facilitated national policy discussions on role of civil society and media have been instrumental in bringing together key actors of the sectors to discuss the status of policy issues. The policy discussion platform and the national level advocacy and lobby work carried out through CS:MAP’s partners have resulted in making the advocacy work informed and coordinated. Major civil society and media actors have carried out their advocacy work jointly, organized larger public discussions, interacted with government and political actors