SRI LANKA DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT (SDGAP) QUARTERLY REPORT JULY 31, 2017 – SEPTEMBER 30, 2017 CONTRACT: AID-OAA-I-12-00003 ORDER: AID-383-TO-16-00002 OCTOBER 31, 2017 This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by DAI. Sri Lanka Democratic Governance and Accountability Project (SDGAP) QUARTERLY REPORT JULY 31, 2017 – SEPTEMBER 30, 2017 Program Title: Sri Lanka Democratic Governance and Accountability Project Sponsoring USAID Office: USAID/Sri Lanka & Maldives Contract Number: AID-OAA-I-12-00003 Contractor: DAI Date of Publication: October 31, 2017 Authors: DAI Staff TABLE OF CONTENTS PROGRAM OVERVIEW ........................................................................................................................................... 1 PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS ................................................................................................................................ 1 PROGRESS IN ACHIEVING CONTRACT DELIVERABLES .................................................................................................................. 3 SUMMARY OF PROGRESS ...................................................................................................................................... 4 TASK 1 – STRENGTHENING PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEMS .................................................................................................. 4 TASK 2 – IMPROVING STRATEGIC PLANNING AND COMMUNICATIONS, POLICY REFORM AND PLANNING PROCESSES ............ 7 TASK 3 – INCREASING POLITICAL PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN AND UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS IN DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE ............................................................................................................................................................................ 11 CHALLENGES AND REMEDIAL ACTIONS ..................................................................................................................................... 14 PLANS FOR QUARTER 1, Year 2 ............................................................................................................................ 19 PROGRAM ACTIVITIES ................................................................................................................................................................ 19 TASK 1 – STRENGTHENING PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEMS ................................................................................................ 19 TASK 2 – IMPROVING STRATEGIC PLANNING AND COMMUNICATIONS, POLICY REFORM AND IMPLEMENTATION ................ 20 TASK 3 – INCREASING POLITICAL PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN AND UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS DEMOCRATIC FOVERNANCE ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 20 ANNEX 1 – RESULTS SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................... 22 ANNEX 2 – PROJECT ORGANIZATIONAL CHART ................................................................................................... 27 ANNEX 3 – SUCCESS STORIES ............................................................................................................................... 28 ACRONYMS CDF Constituency Development Fund CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women CIABOC Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption COPF Committee on Public Finance GOPAC Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption ILC International Labor Conference IPU Inter Parliamentary Union IRBMS Integrated Results Based Management Systems MPCLG Ministry of Provincial Councils and Local Government MEP Monitoring and Evaluation Plan MMDA Muslim Marriages and Divorces Act MNPEA Ministry of National Planning and Economic Affairs MOPA Ministry of Public Administration and Management MPRMM Ministry of Parliamentary Reform and Mass Media MSDW Ministry of Sustainable Development and Wildlife NBD National Budget Department NMO New Member Orientation NPC National Police Commission OGP Open Government Partnership PAFFREL People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections PBO Parliamentary Budget Office PSC Public Service Commission RTI Right to Information SDG Sustainable Development Goals SDGAP Strengthening Democratic Governance and Accountability Project SLIDA Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administrators SLILG Sri Lanka Institute of Local Governance SO Standing Orders SOC Sectoral Oversight Committee SOCWG Sectoral Oversight Committee on Women and Gender TAMIS Technical and Administrative Management Information System TBD To Be Determined TI Transparency International WFD Westminster Foundation for Democracy PROGRAM OVERVIEW The USAID-funded Strengthening Democratic Governance and Accountability Project (SDGAP) is a three- year, $13.7 Million project that goes from October 1, 2016 to September 30, 2019. SDGAP seeks to support the Government of Sri Lanka in its efforts to increase transparency and accountability, and improve effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery of public services; support the government to strengthen its ability to communicate with the public and incorporate public participation in policymaking; offer support for high priority institutional strengthening and reform initiatives under the direction of the Government of Sri Lanka; and improve participation and decision making in political processes by women and underrepresented groups. The Project Outcome is: More Effective and Accountable Governance supported by three project objectives; strengthened public accountability systems; improved strategic planning and communication, policy reform and implementation processes; and, increased political participation of women and underrepresented groups in democratic governance. These objectives have been converted in to three overlapping project tasks to strengthen public accountability systems; improve planning and communications, policy reform and planning processes; and increase political participation of women and underrepresented groups in democratic governance. The three tasks are now being implemented in collaboration with a number of project partners including the Parliament of Sri Lanka, Oversight Committees, Members of Parliament, Women’s Caucus, Ministry of Sustainable Development, Ministry of Parliamentary Reform and Mass Media, Ministry of Public Administration and Management, Ministry of Provincial Councils and Local Government, Ministry of Women and Children, Ministry of National Policies and Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Independent Commissions and Agencies. The implementation of the grants component with Civil Society Organizations (CSO) is pending approval of the Annual Program Statement and Grants Manual by USAID. SDGAP completed the final quarter of its first year of operations. During the months of July to September, the political environment in which SDGAP implemented its activities was stable yet dynamic, as an active opposition exercised its democratic rights for demonstration and for strong debates in parliament. The government steadfastly continued its agenda for peace and development by continuing the drafting process of the new constitution. The Steering Committee held meetings to draft a policy paper for release in October. Local and provincial level discussions were a subject of debate in the Parliament and throughout the country. The Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government announced that the elections will be held early next year. Sri Lanka also continued to be a focus of attention for having fallen short of implementation of the UN Human Rights Council recommendations. There was a further change in the cabinet during September when the newly appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, Honorable Ravi Karunanayake, resigned from his post amidst allegations of corruption. This will affect SDGAP’s work with the OGP as the newly appointed Minister had begun to take charge of the OGP and chaired the quarterly NGO partner meeting with enthusiasm. Honorable Tilak Marapane a legal luminary and former Attorney-General of Sri Lanka, was appointed as the Minister of Foreign Affairs. PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS During the quarter, SDGAP made progress in all life of project anticipated results areas including Sustainable Development Goals; Open Government Partnership; Right to Information; Independent Commissions; Parliamentary Reform; and Public Administration and Management. However, due to 1 USAID SDGAP QUARTERLY REPORT changes in the institution beyond the control of SDGAP, and fluctuation in the level of interest placed on a development agenda by institutions due to competing priorities, the progress was sometimes uneven. The following is a summary of our progress in each of the key areas this quarter: Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). During the quarter, SDGAP continued discussions with the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Wildlife (MSDW) to finalize the strategic plan developed by the ministry. As a follow on to the workshop held with ministry officials to discuss the plan, SDGAP supported a similar meeting to present the plan to senior level stakeholders in the government and international donor agencies. SDGAP and MSDW also created capacity development programs to train national, provincial and district level planners for integration