Afghanistan Peace and Reintegration Programme (Window B) 2014 SECOND QUARTER PROGRESS REPORT UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

Transcription

1 Afghanistan Peace and Reintegration Programme (Window B) 2014 SECOND QUARTER PROGRESS REPORT UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

2 DONORS Denmark Germany Italy Japan Netherlands Spain Republic of Korea PROJECT INFORMATION Project ID: (NIM) Duration: August 2010 July 2015 ANDS Component: Security Contributing to NPP: Afghanistan Peace and Reintegration Programme CPAP Outcome: Capacity in the state and non-state institutions increased to contribute to overall stabilization and peace building. UNDP Strategic Plan Component: Crisis Prevention and Recovery Total Budget: USD 221,205, AWP Budget: USD 29,668, Unfunded Budget: USD 9,450,000 Implementing Partner: Joint Secretariat of APRP Key Responsible Parties: APRP Joint Secretariat Chief Technical Advisor : William Ozkaptan Responsible Assistant Country Director: Shoaib Timory Cover Photo: APRP Provincial Team in Kunar welcoming former fighters who joined the peace programme in June 2014 (Photo credit: UNDP)

3 ACRONYMS AGEs APRP ASPR AWP CSO FOCS FOC FRIC HPC IDLG ISAF JS LMs MA MAIL MTE MoF MoLSAMD MoPW MRRD PDP PFM PJSTs PPCs PWC RPC SGPs SOPs TA UNDP Anti Government Elements Afghanistan Peace and Reintegration Programme Agricultural Support to Peace and Reintegration Annual Work Plan Civil Society Organization Financial Oversight Committee Secretariat Financial Oversight Committee Force Reintegration Cell High Peace Council Independent Directorate of Local Governance International Security Assistance Force Joint Secretariat Line Ministries Monitoring Agent Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock Mid Term Evaluation Ministry of Finance Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs, Martyrs and Disabled Ministry of Public Works Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development Provincial Development Plan Public Financial Management Provincial Joint Secretariat Teams Provincial Peace Committees Public Works Corps Regional Programme Coordinator Small Grant Projects Standard Operating Procedures Transitional Assistance United Nations Development Programme

4 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY... 5 II. RESULTS:... 7 OUTPUT 1: All three windows of the Peace and Reintegration Trust Fund are effectively managed and monitored EXPENSES FOR THE QUARTER... 8 OUTPUT 2: APRP central structures effectively deliver planning, monitoring, coordination and reporting on key components of APRP EXPENSES FOR THE QUARTER OUTPUT 3: Subnational structures of APRP effectively deliver key components at the local level EXPENSES FOR THE QUARTER OUTPUT 4: Contributions made to sustainable peace and reintegration in provinces through financial and programmatic support to the line ministries' community recovery programmes EXPENSES FOR THE QUARTER III. GENDER SPECIFIC RESULTS IV. PARTNERSHIPS V. ISSUES VI. RISKS VII. LESSONS LEARNED VIII. FUTURE PLANS IX. ANNEXES A. ANNEX 1: FINANCIAL TABLE B. ANNEX 2: EXPENSES BY OUTPUT...35 C. ANNEX 3: EXPENSES BY DONOR D. ANNEX 4: RISK LOG for E. ANNEX 5: ISSUE LOG for

5 I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Since 2010, the Afghanistan Peace and Reintegration Programme (APRP) has worked to promote peace, reconciliation and security in Afghan communities through outreach, reintegration, and community recovery initiatives. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has provided support for the peace and reintegration efforts of the Afghan government through assisting the Joint Secretariat (JS) of the APRP, Financial Oversight Committee Secretariat (FOCS) and partner Line Ministries (LMs) in the implementation of this Afghan-led programme. UNDP supports the APRP in partnership with development partners, including the Force Reintegration Cell (FRIC) of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). APRP has three funding Windows A, B, and C which are funded through the Afghanistan Peace and Reintegration Trust Fund (APRTF). Within this funding configuration, Window B is managed by UNDP, but UNDP technical support is provided to support the management of all three windows. In 2014, UNDP is focusing on supporting the APRP in working towards the achievement of four main outputs: 1) All three windows of the Peace and Reintegration Trust Fund are effectively managed; 2) APRP central structures effectively deliver planning, monitoring, coordination and reporting on key components of APRP; 3) Subnational structures of APRP effectively deliver key components at the local level; 4) Contributions made to sustainable peace and reintegration in provinces through financial and programmatic support to the line ministries' community recovery programmes. Progress was made in Q2 towards the achievement of outputs as follows. 1. All three windows of the Peace and Reintegration Trust Fund are effectively managed: The FOCS was able to produce January-March Trust Fund summary reports in the second quarter, and finalized an April-May report, to be released in due course. The FOCS capacity for completing bank reconciliation was enhanced with the national trust fund manager taking on leadership after the international finance specialist phased out as planned. The monitoring capacities improved with the FOCS conducting various spot checks, and ensuring better management of on-budget funds. 2. APRP central structures effectively deliver planning, monitoring, coordination and reporting on key components of APRP: The transition plan, which was approved in Q1, was foundational for future programming discussion in Q2. With the result of the election not yet finalized, discussions on a new way forward are ongoing. More concrete plans are expected to be in place following the conclusion of the presidential elections. The focus in Q2 was to ensure ongoing APRP projects contribute to supporting the peace efforts. This was done through intensive work to review APRP Work Plan of LMs. 3. Subnational structures of APRP effectively deliver key components at the local level: Despite the uncertainty of the outcome of the presidential elections, reintegration of former insurgents has occurred in 24 provinces with 264 additional former fighters joining the programme in Q2. The total number of reintegrees that joined the programme since its inception is 8,634. Over 35 outreach activities were conducted by Provincial Peace 5 P a g e

6 Committees (PPCs) and Provincial Joint Secretariat Teams (PJSTs), with a focus on advocating for peaceful and uninterrupted elections. The ongoing 54 Small Grants Projects (SGPs), which aim to support the reintegration of communities, are providing benefits such as the provision of livelihoods support, and improved access to community infrastructure. 4. Contributions made to sustainable peace and reintegration in provinces through financial and programmatic support to the line ministries' community recovery programmes: For Q2 2014, despite the reduction of LM s programmes due to the limited budget availability, APRP support the remaining activities of ongoing projects. The budget allocated for community recovery will not be sufficient to support any new projects and new reintegrees, except in Badghis. LM s programme implementation also had a slow start in 2014 as the work plan was not finalized until June However, it was encouraging that MAIL initiated support to APRP from their own resources. The new projects are only in Badghis they include some NABDP-initiated Women s Empowerment Projects, and a new Public Works Corps (PWC) project initiated by the Ministry of Public Work (MoPW). While APRP momentum was maintained, and progress was made in Q2, APRP faced a number of risks and issues in programme implementation, including: election disputes and the political transition; security deterioration in some areas; reduction in the community recovery budget; late approval of the 2014 LMs work plan; delay in recruitment of MA and uncertainty in future policy on APRP. Priorities for the upcoming quarters will include further work on the transition plan and the way forward for APRP, developing concrete planning to ensure ongoing and core activities are supported, and resource mobilization. 6 P a g e

7 II. RESULTS: OUTPUT 1: All three windows of the Peace and Reintegration Trust Fund are effectively managed and monitored. Indicator 1.1: % of monthly reports on APRP Trust Fund distributed on time; The monthly financial reports for all on-budget ministries were to be prepared by the FOCS based on data obtained from the national financial database system. The National Trust Fund Manager, with support from the UNDP Financial Management Specialist, prepared and provided the January-March 2014 Trust Fund (TF) report during the second quarter of The April and May 2014 TF updates are being finalized, and will be circulated in due course. With the approval of budgets in 2014, funds for the second quarter to LMs were provided in a timely manner, based on the LMs meeting requirements. LMs reported the financial progress for the second quarter and the solution devised to simplify the Window C reporting is yielding better results for the timely updating of TF summary. The arrangements and technical solutions have enabled faster obtaining of financial data to ensure TF summary updates are on time. Indicator 1.2: % of fund Reconciliations submitted by FOCS National Trust Fund Manager; The national financial database system (AFMIS) still faces technical issues, which delayed the May report from MOF, and UNDP is advised that these issues have been resolved as of June The system was only able to produce reports with all data elements during the month of May and June 2014 following the upgrades completed by the AFMIS technical team. Fund reconciliations for previous months were completed 100% by the Senior Finance Officer, after the system was upgraded with guidance from the National Trust Fund Manager. This enhancement of FOCS capacity has been achieved as planned. Indicator 1.3: % of FOCS Monitoring Reports submitted to JS, LMs and UNDP; The 2014 full year budget for LMs was submitted to FOC for final review and approval during the month of June 2014, after review of the budget details by the Technical Committee during the month of May Due to the unavailability of ministers for the FOC meeting, an request for approval from FOC members was circulated for the final review and approval of these budgets. All budgets were reviewed and approved at the FOC, including MRRD overall budget. However, the detailed plans of all projects were pending Technical Committee (TC) review. 7 P a g e

8 The FOCS has not conducted field monitoring (outside Kabul) during the quarter, however, there were spot-checks of documentation, financial and otherwise, of APRP Cells in the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD), the Ministry of Labour, Social Welfare, Martyred and Disabled (MoLSAMD) and MoPW. The FOCS also followed up on the MOI s long pending advances, in order to have the reports rendered and advances liquidated. From this effort, fifty percent of the outstanding advances have been cleared and the remaining fifty percent are under process. Indicator 1.4: SOP for on-budget fund management is available A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) related to on-budget fund management was developed in Q1. This SOP defines the operational framework for the fund inclusion into the Public Financial Management (PFM) system, better management of international assistance and, in particular, management of activities and financial transactions using the system. The SOP is applicable to processes of on-budget fund management, including funding requests and expenditure reporting. The SOP is a comprehensive guideline for onbudget fund management. As the document is prepared primarily for the APRP on-budget IPs, this SOP also provides guidance on effectively harmonizing APRP procedures to reflect both government and UNDP standards/rules/regulations as well as with other UNDP projects that are on-budget. Indicator 1.5: Gender responsive budget developed and monitored for programme components Communications are ongoing with JS Gender Unit and APRP leadership on achieving the implementation of a gender-responsive budget. The aim is to ensure that APRP s budget is gender-sensitive and that gender is mainstreamed in all APRP plans. In particular, the objective is to encourage women s participation in the peace programme. During the second quarter, the work focused on trying to ensure that some budget items were allocated in support of activities by non-state actors, including women s groups. EXPENSES FOR THE QUARTER During Q2 of 2014, a total of USD 127,588 was spent for this output. For more details, please see Annex 2. 8 P a g e

9 Below is a snapshot of where Output 1 is in relation to its quarterly targets at the end of Q Table 1: Peace and Integration Trust fund management 2014 Baseline 2014 Annual Targets Q2 Planned Q2 Actual Comments 1. 60% of monthly APRP TF reports distributed on time (Window-A information as shared by the WB/MRRD); 2. Fund reconciliation on 50% cases done by the National Trust Fund Manager 3. 60% of the FOCS monitoring reports are shared with JS and relevant LMs; 4. No SOP for APRP onbudget fund management; % of monthly APRP TF reports distributed within two weeks of the subsequent month (Effective coordination with MRRD for sharing of Window-A expenditure reports timely) 2. Fund reconciliation on 100% cases completed by National Trust Fund manager % of FOCS regular monitoring reports shared with UNDP, JS and LMs on time; 4. SOP for on-budget fund management finalized by April 2014 Monthly APRP TF reports during the 2 nd quarter are being finalized. Fund reconciliation on 100% cases completed by National Trust Fund manager. At least 3 Monitoring visits made by FOCS and Spot checks arranged as and when the Financial Reports available from onbudget entities. Draft SoP for on-budget fund management was finalized and endorsed. The reports for the month of April and May 2014 are ready and awaiting Window C bank statements for finalization. Windows A and B of financial information and C are already tabulated. Fund reconciliation was completed by National Trust Fund Manager 100% of cases for the quarter. FOCS conducted monitoring of LMs in Kabul and performed spot-checks of financial and other documentation of APRP Cells in MRRD, MOLSAMD, MoPW. Concrete monitoring plans are in place for the field visits to Badghis, Khost, Kapisa, Baghlan, Kunduz, Badakhsan, Faryab, Kandahar and Herat. Draft SoP has not yet been finalized and endorsed by FOCS as there were no FOC The National Trust Fund Manager has consistently been able to complete this task since the beginning of the second quarter. FOCS has allocated funds for independent M&E activities for the remaining period of P a g e

10 2014 Baseline 2014 Annual Targets Q2 Planned Q2 Actual Comments 5. No gender responsive budget 5. Gender responsive budget developed and monitored for new projects (SGPs and LMs) and nonstate actors component Gender responsive budget developed by LMs and JS as part of their work plan. meetings in the second quarter. Gender responsive budget is partly reflected in LMs and JS budget, but further consultation is required between JS Management, JS Gender Unit and UNDP to ensure the implementation of gender responsive budget. 10 P a g e

11 OUTPUT 2: APRP central structures effectively deliver planning, monitoring, coordination and reporting on key components of APRP The second quarter was the period when the APRP management finalized work plans and the allocation of resources in While the first quarter was covered under the emergency budget, the second quarter (until the end of 2014) is covered under the Annual Work Plan (AWP) for APRP reviewed the work plan from all LMs and JS to ensure it accords to priorities and the target conceived by APRP itself. Since there is a gap between resources needed for continuing the programme and what is actually available, the plans and budget allocation required APRP to prioritize activities so as remain within the budget, but without compromising core objectives of the programme. Indicator 2.1: Percentage of planning documents developed reflecting clear commitment and plans to support peace and reintegration The finalized overall APRP work plan was done in the second quarter of Planning was decided based on various criteria, such as the commitment to support reintegrees and the community in the area where reintegration is happening. The 5 work plans submitted to JS, and discussed in the Technical Committee on 8 June 2014 (MRRD, MoLSAMD, IDLG, MAIL and MoPW), clearly demonstrated how peace and reintegration would be supported. However, there were questions concerning the NSP programme, which was funded through Window A, where MRRD was urged to show the relevance of the NSP for APRP. Since the LMs programming is not new, but ongoing, the approach was to ensure the building of a close relationship to APRP. In the case of MoPW s work plan, there was shown to be support for reintegration through the provision of employment of reintegrees on the road maintenance crews, where at least 60% of the workers are reintegrees. IDLG s work plan was finalized after inputs were provided. Key issue was they need to ensure the plan for 2014 discussed the transition strategy on how APRP provincial structures could be sustained in the future, including the possibility to integrate them into the local governance structure. For MRRD, the work plan needs to reflect how the existing NABDP and NRAP projects support APRP. For new projects in Badghis, this means that planning will be done in a consultative manner with the line departments, with PPC and PJST working with JS on deciding the new projects in Badghis. Overall, in this quarter, 80% of planning documents demonstrated clear commitment and plans to support peace and reintegration before approval. Indicator 2.2: Reports developed and/or were verified and disseminated as per project reporting criteria (based on the reporting template, with clear criteria on measuring program impact) The JS regularly releases various reports, including APRP quarterly reports (separate from the UNDP quarterly report). The 2014 first quarter report was not released. However, JS will combine the 1 st quarter and the 2 nd quarter reports into one, covering a six month reporting 11 P a g e

12 period. In this six month version, JS will also use various indicators and the target agreed in the final UNDP AWP for It means JS is also to capture the relevant indicators of the AWP in their reports, so as to shift from anecdotal evidence to focusing on results and impact. With this plan, it is expected JS and UNDP reports will become more consistent with indicators in the AWP. However, JS will still report on the activities of Window A and C. Indicator 2.3: Key policy documents reviewed for gender sensitivity and adjusted if required During the second quarter, the JS Gender Unit reviewed the full year 2014 AWP and some of the LMs plans. The JS Gender Unit was represented at APRP meetings and regular JS meetings, where they provided direct input on planning, programme implementation and policy decisions by APRP leadership. Since there were no major policy documents developed by APRP, during this quarter, the focus of JS Gender Unit was to assist the JS in the implementation of APRP activities based on the existing work plans. Indicator 2.4: APRP transition plan developed to ensure peace and reintegration is mainstreamed in the government policies, programmes and activities beyond APRP programme While the earlier draft of the transition plan was presented and acknowledged on 12 March, 2014 Technical Committee meeting, APRP transition planning is an ongoing process that has to be in light of the new government and further revision based on continuing discussion on the new way forward for APRP. In the second quarter, JS (in consultation with HPC) has conducted various internal discussions on preparing the briefing for the new government on the peace programme. The new priority for JS is to work on the future strategy of APRP under the new leadership in the country. JS leadership believes there is a need to prepare for the second phase of APRP, which is to focus on reconciliation and reintegration activities by closely connecting the two activities. However, the final decision on the future of APRP will be taken by the new government, which will be determined by the final result of the election process. Indicator 2.5: Number of independent monitoring reports produced by Monitoring Agent During this period, the Monitoring Agent (MA) developed a database, recording all relevant internal and external reports, GIS mapping and meeting minutes, to provide an institutional history of the monitoring process thus far. The monitoring implementation methodology and rationale was presented and discussed with the APRP Line Ministries, international donors and RPCs. Monitoring data for the indicators on the domains matrix (1, 2, 4, 5) was also collected from the development line ministries. Throughout this period, the monitoring agent s team leader has continued to work on the procurement process within UNDP for a local monitoring 12 P a g e

13 partner. The financial evaluation is now being finalized for the received bids from the organizations who responded to the request for proposal (RfP). As the actual fieldwork did not start during this quarter due to the ongoing procurement process of a local monitoring partner, no monitoring reports were produced. Indicator 2.6: Number of monitoring visits and reports produced by JS M&E team The monitoring visits were reduced during the election to avoid unnecessary risk. However, the M&E team managed to visit North East Region (Kunduz, Takhar and Badakhshan). Kunduz was monitored by M&E central office, but Badakhshan was visited by the regional M&E team. The purpose of the visit was to ascertain information on the implementation of some projects of Line Ministries and SGPs, particularly the forestry project. While the visit by the M&E central team was reduced, JS regional M&E teams did regularly visit provinces, including Herat. The visit to Herat was conducted to assess project implementation of NRAP, MoPW and MAIL. General findings include coordination issues amongst provincial stakeholders to ensure the implementation was completed within the timeline. The M&E team managed to work with the local team on ensuring the projects are being supported and implemented. M&E reports were submitted to the leadership of JS and it will be highlighted in the six months APRP report to be released by JS. In this quarter, there were 5 monitoring visits conducted and 5 internal reports produced. Monitoring visits were planned to Helmand, Kandahar, Uruzgan and if possible, to Zabul. The focus of the visits will be to check financial documentation and aspects of project implementation. Most of this will be done in the third quarter. In addition, M&E plans to visit Logar, Paktiya and Ghazni. All of which are expected to be done in the third quarter. EXPENSES FOR THE QUARTER During Q2 of 2014, a total of USD 194,267 was spent for this output. For more details, please see Annex P a g e

14 Below is a snapshot of where Output 2 is in relation to its quarterly targets at the end of Q Table 2: Support to APRP Central Structures 2014 Baseline 2014 Annual Targets Q2 Planned Q2 Actual Comments 2.1: 50% of the annual work plans developed by APRP partners demonstrated clear commitment and plans to support peace and reintegration 100% of planning documents demonstrate clear commitment and plans to support peace and reintegration before approval 100% of planning documents by LMs demonstrated clear commitment and plans to support APRP 80% of planning documents by LMs demonstrated clear commitment and plans to support peace and reintegration The target could not be achieved as MRRD (1 out of 5 line ministries) did not manage to submit their plans properly, especially on NSP 2.2: APRP reports developed and disseminated were based on unclear results, framework and criteria/definitions of program impact. At least 2 regular JS reports were developed and disseminated using clear results framework and criteria of program impact APRP 2nd quarter report developed and disseminated using clear results framework and criteria program impact APRP developed a six month progress report (combining the first and second quarter) and disseminated them using clear results framework and criteria program impact Since APRP did not release the 1st quarter report, JS will release a six month progress report 2.3: No document systematically reviewed for gender sensitivity At least 2 policy documents were systematically reviewed for gender sensitivity and adjusted if required. JS Gender Unit will review any new policy documents developed by APRP There was no new policy documents produced in this quarter. However, JS Gender Unit continued to follow planning processes and contributed to assessment on gender sensitivity. 2.4: No transition /sustainability plan APRP transition/sustainability APRP transition plan was Overall transition plan is 14 P a g e

15 2014 Baseline 2014 Annual Targets Q2 Planned Q2 Actual Comments developed plan developed endorsed and agreed by all stakeholders. continued to be discussed in the context of the new way forward for APRP 2.5: No monitoring and reports by MA 2.6: Eighteen visits to 18 Provinces conducted. 18 Provincial reports produced. Ten weekly reports by monitoring agent from 4 provinces, including monitoring gender impact. 6. Eighteen visits to 18 Provinces (joint teams) and 18 reports produced No weekly reports plan. Visits planned to 5 provinces and 5 reports produced. No weekly reports produced. JS M&E and the regional M&E teams visited 5 provinces and produced 5 internal reports. 15 P a g e

16 OUTPUT 3: Subnational structures of APRP effectively deliver key components at the local level Indicator 3.1: Reconciled AGEs biometrically enrolled and Transitional Assistance distributed During the second Quarter of 2014, the momentum of APRP Field Operations continued to accelerate through various engagements with insurgent groups in key provinces in Afghanistan. Reintegration of former insurgents occurred in 24 provinces throughout Afghanistan, resulting in a total number of 264 people being biometrically enrolled. This brings the cumulative number of reconciled AGEs to TA was distributed to 476 reintegrees during the quarter, bringing the total number of reintegrees receiving TA in 2014 to 902. (This figure includes reintegrees enrolled during 2013 who are receiving TA in 2014). Negotiations are underway to enroll an additional 641 AGEs into the programme. The context for reintegration during this time period was affected by the uncertainty of the outcome of the presidential elections, leading to a wait and see attitude by some prospective reintegrees. In some parts of the country, including provinces in the Western Region, threats of violence prevented AGE s from travelling to the sites of biometric enrolment, and delaying their participation in the programme. On the other hand, reports from the field have suggested that some areas where reintegration has taken place saw a positive impact in the increased number and access to voting stations during the presidential election and run-off. Reintegrees Demobilized by APRP team in Kapisa 16 P a g e

17 Reintegration Summary (Source: JS) TOTAL as of the end of 2013 TOTAL for Q TOTAL for Q TOTAL for Q1 + Q Cumulative TOTAL as of the end of Q Reintegrees Biometrically Enrolled 7, ,634 Key Commanders Ongoing Negotiations Weapons Collected/Registered 6, ,787 Total number of Transitional Assistance packages Delivered 7, ,528 Indicator 3.2: No. of provinces undertaking conflict mapping and incorporating it into Provincial Development Plan (PDP) The conflict mapping and analysis will provide guidance on relevant programming in provinces. In order to coincide with the annual provincial planning process, APRP will start the conflict mapping exercise in the third quarter by working closely with PPCs and PJSTs in five pilot provinces, namely Herat, Nangahar, Mazar, Kunduz and Kandahar. These provinces were chosen by JS in consultation with the Regional Programme Coordinators who will conduct the conflict mapping together with PPCs and PJSTs. Indicator 3.3: No. of outreach activities conducted by PPCs in support of peace and reintegration that is recorded More than 35 outreach activities were conducted by PPCs during the quarter. PPCs were active with a major focus of outreach during this quarter (and in quarter 1) was on advocating for peaceful and uninterrupted elections. In Herat province, PPC organized an outreach event to encourage women s participation in the presidential election. Other outreach activities focused on reducing the targeting of civilians in the conflict, radio round-tables to discuss local conflict resolution and the role of women in peace and conflict resolution. Indicator 3.4: No. of activities organized by APRP provincial teams aimed at promoting women's participation in peace process Unlike Q1, in Q2 APRP did not have major events to promote women s participation in the peace process, as the key focus in provinces is to ensure a successful election and participation. However, in Faryab, coordination with the Women s Network on Peace was done by local PJST. In Jalalabad, as part of peace education for university student, a workshop for female students was conducted in June APRP provincial teams in Herat, Badghis, Kunar and JS Gender Unit initiated internal discussions to nominate some prominent women and men from 17 P a g e

18 their provinces as N-Peace Awardees. In total, five activities were organized by the APRP provincial team related to women s participation in peace process. Indicator 3.5: % of community development projects that contribute to mitigating local conflicts The data collection and analysis related to this indicator will commence in the 3 rd Quarter, when the independent monitoring activities begin. However, as the number of new community development projects being funded in 2014 is limited, the assessment will only be conducted for completed projects. Indicator 3.6: Number of community members benefited through SGPs The funding support for SGPs in 2014 is predominantly budgeted to complete ongoing projects from New SGPs developed in Badghis province are the exception to this. The PJST in Badghis has identified 11 SGP projects and is now working on obtaining the required documentation, such as engineering reports, drawings and bill of quantities. The remaining SGPs under implementation were started in 2013 and will be completed throughout As such, the figures for community members benefited through SGPs are cumulative for all SGPs funded by APRP, and include community members benefitting both directly and indirectly from the projects. Small Grants Projects As of June 30, 2014 Total number of SGP proposals approved 160 Number of projects currently ongoing or waiting for first funding tranche 54 Number of projects completed 106 Number of provinces where SGPs are being implemented 25 Number of Districts where SGPs are being implemented 85 Number of community members benefitting from SGPs 181,939 SGP Summary (Source: JS) While PJSTs have been encouraged to diversify the type of SGP being implemented, most of the projects have fallen into one of three categories irrigation, roads and bridges and water supply. The chart below shows the distribution of SGPs by type. 18 P a g e

19 Indicator 3.7: Number of different kinds of groups participating in peace dialogue or advocacy initiatives In order to help root and sustain peace in communities, APRP supports the inclusion of a broad range of groups in peace dialogue and advocacy initiatives. During this quarter a wide range of groups were involved in these activities, including women s groups; writers and poets; local elders; Ulema and religious scholars; youth groups; human rights groups and media. Highlights of participation include the following: In Herat, an exhibition on peace was held to familiarize university students with themes of peace. The PJST in the Ghor province facilitates a weekly radio show on peace and conflict resolution. Islamic scholars and youth gathered together in Badakhshan to discuss peace initiatives. Jawzjan PPC and PJST continued to work with local elders to ensure humanitarian access to victims of flooding. Students and youths attending Peace Education Programme in Jalalabad in June P a g e

20 Indicator 3.8: Number of regions with working partnerships between PPCs/PJSTs and CSOs Partnership activities between PPCs/PJSTs and CSOs took place in all regions during the reporting period. These activities were varied in their focus, from coordination activities to event implementation. Highlights from the regions include: Western Region: Coordination between Herat PPC, PJST, and CSOs has become standard practice for peace-related events, with each party being included in ceremonies and gatherings related to peace. Northern Region: In Samangan, APRP stakeholders and CSOs worked together on an event to encourage local poets and writers to include messages of peace in their poems and writings. Eastern Region: A CSO in Jalalabad partnered with PPC/PJST in a peace education workshop attended by 50 university students. Northeastern Region: Baghlan partnerships were extended not only to CSOs but are now inclusive of Ulema as well. EXPENSES FOR THE QUARTER During Q2 of 2014, a total of USD 1,481,732 was spent for this output. For more details, please see Annex P a g e

21 Below is a snapshot of where Output 3 is in relation to its quarterly targets at the end of Q Table 3: Support provided to APRP subnational structures 2014 Baseline 2014 Annual Targets Q2 Planned Q2 Actual Comments former AGES reintegrated into APRP 7626 TA packages were distributed 1. 1,500 new AGEs biometrically enrolled and 1,500 TA packages distributed 375 new AGEs biometrically enrolled and 375 TA packages distributed 264 AGEs are biometrically enrolled and weapons handed over and registered. The disbursement of TA was provided to 476 reintegrees. The figure for TA includes TA distribution to reintegrees enrolled in previous quarters 2. Only initial conflict mapping was conducted 3. Insufficient data available on outreach activities conducted by PPCs in support of peace and reintegration 4. Insufficient data available on activities aimed at promoting women s participation in the peace process 2. At least 5 provinces undertake conflict mapping and integrate into PDP outreach activities conducted by PPCs in support of peace and reintegration activities organized by APRP provincial teams aimed at promoting women's participation in peace process N/A N/A Systematic conflict mapping exercise will be initiated in the 3 rd quarter 25 outreach activities conducted by PPCs 2 activities organized by APRP provincial team to promote women s participation More than 35 outreach activities were conducted by PPCs during the quarter Two key small activities organized to promote women participation in peace process in Faryab and Jalalabad, and three related to N Peace work in Herat, Kunar and Badghis. 21 P a g e

22 2014 Baseline 2014 Annual Targets Q2 Planned Q2 Actual Comments 5. No data on percentage of community development projects contributing to mitigating local conflicts ,959 community members benefited through SGP projects 7. No data available on kinds of groups participating in peace dialogues 8. No data on working relationships established at the regional level 5. 25% of community development projects contribute to mitigating local conflicts 6. 70,000 of community members benefited through SGP projects 7. At least 6 different kinds of groups (youth, women, peace, disabled, media, Ulemas groups, etc.) participate in peace dialogue or advocacy initiative 8. All 6 regions have working relationships between PPCs/PJSTs and CSOs N/A N/A This indicator will be measured from Q3 through various visits and assessment exercises in provinces 20,000 community members benefited through SGP projects 2 different kinds of groups participate in peace dialogues or advocacy initiative 4 regions have working relationships/engagement s between PPCs/PJSTs and CSOs Cumulatively 181,939 community members have benefited through SGP projects 6 different kinds of groups (youth, women, media, human rights, authors and Ulema) participated in peace dialogues and advocacy All 6 regions jointly planned and implemented activities between PPCs/PJSTs and CSOs 22 P a g e

23 OUTPUT 4: Contributions made to sustainable peace and reintegration in provinces through financial and programmatic support to the line ministries' community recovery programmes Since 2011, LMs programs have supported reintegration through the provision of livelihood and vocational training opportunities for reintegrees and community members, as well as improvement in community infrastructure. In 2013, according to LMs reports, these programs provided 3,400 reintegrees and 34,000 community members with direct benefits, such as access to improved services, livelihoods and vocational training opportunities. For 2014, due to the reduction in budget allocated for LMs community recovery programmes, there are few new projects planned. One exception to this is Badghis province, where some donor funds are earmarked. There are some success cases and encouraging trends for LMs programmes in For example, in line with the priority of community recovery programmes emphasized in the transition plan for APRP, the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) is supporting APRP projects with its own resources. Agricultural Support to Peace and Reintegration (ASPR) Programme has supported the reforestation of 1,200 Ha of land in eight provinces through the transplanting and watering of pistachio saplings since For 2014, MAIL has taken the responsibility of watering of 1,200 Ha of land (57 projects) in order to make a contribution to peace and reintegration. In addition, in Q2, National Area Based Development Programme (NABDP) formulated women s empowerment projects with the purpose of increasing livelihood opportunities for women from communities where reintegration takes place through carpet weaving and literacy courses. Indicator 4.1: % of developing projects (by LMs) planned at the provincial level and signed by PPC and PJST Due to the limited funds allocated to community recovery programs implemented by LMs, new projects were to be formulated in the Badghis province alone. Bottom-up planning at the provincial level and coordination between LMs and APRP (PPCs and PJSTs) is critical to ensuring that projects are relevant to reintegration. In Q2, the Ministry of Public Works (MoPW) initiated a PWC project in Badghis. In coordination with PJST, PWC started to recruit workers to be trained to carry out routine maintenance work of roads. In addition, in consultation with PJST in Badghis, NABDP formulated five new women s empowerment projects, with the aim of improving women s livelihoods through carpet weaving training course. Out of the six new projects planned during Q2, 100% (six projects) were planned at the provincial level, endorsed by PJST. 23 P a g e

24 Indicator 4.2: No of reintegrees benefitting directly through ASPR/reforestation projects As mentioned above, in 2014 MAIL is taking responsibility for the watering of pistachio forests, established by ASPR in support of APRP. This entails the watering of pistachio saplings covering 1,200 Ha of land in 57 re-forestation projects in 8 provinces (Herat, Samangan, Kunduz, Faryab, Badghis, Takhar, Baghlan and Kunar). Following preparation by MAIL and Department of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock offices in these provinces, watering activities started in June, except for Faryab. In June, 91 reintegrees and 805 community members worked to help the watering activities in these projects as direct beneficiaries. These projects created 6,985 labour days during the reporting period. Indicator 4.3: No. of Ha of land reforested and irrigated In Q2, MAIL supported APRP by taking the responsibility of watering of 1,200 Ha of pistachio reforestation project sites. In Q2, out of 1,200 Ha, MAIL irrigated 779 Ha of land in eight provinces. Watering season usually starts around April. Due to larger rainfall than usual this spring, as well as the time it took for MAIL to make arrangements in all 8 provinces, watering for this year started in June. Out of the eight provinces, watering activities started in seven provinces, while they will start in July in Faryab. In Q3, all 1,200 Ha are going to be irrigated. Indicator 4.4: % of MoLSAMD VET trainees that have employment (self or wage) following training (including from previous years' projects) One of the main activities of the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Martyrs and Disabled (MoLSAMD) this year is to conduct a tracer survey of vocational education training (VET) trainees to determine the % of trainees that are employed (either self or wage) following the completion of training. According to MoLSAMD, VET was delivered to 5,400 trainees (1,965 reintegrees, 2220 male community members and 1,215 female community members) since The survey exercise has not yet started, as MoLSAMD s work plan for 2014 was only endorsed in June by the Technical Committee. The exercise is envisaged Women from reintegree communities attending a tailoring course in Saripul 24 P a g e

25 to start in Q3, for the duration of three months. Indicator 4.5: No of reintegrees trained and employed by MoPW PWC projects and kms of road routinely maintained In 2013, MoPW s PWC employed 1,878 workers (820 reintegrees and 1,058 community members) who worked on routine road maintenance in eight provinces (Baghlan, Kunduz, Faryab, Herat, Nangarhar, Paktia, Uruzgan and Badakshan). For 2014, due to a reduction in budget, MoPW was only allocated with enough resources to support 1,343 workers (from May). Following the endorsement of PWC work plan for 2014 in May, an evaluation was conducted to select workers, including continuing and new MoPW employing reintegrees in Herat and Badghis province under Public Work Corps scheme workers. As a result, by the end of Q2, 922 workers (531 reintegrees and 391 community members) were employed and working on routine maintenance of 384 km of road in seven provinces. As of the end of Q2, the recruitment process in Badakhshan was ongoing. The process was also ongoing in Badghis province, which is a new province for PWC for Summary of PWC workforce as of end of Q2 (Source: MoPW) Reintegrees Community Members Total Baghlan Kunduz Faryab Herat Nangarhar Paktia Uruzgan Badakshan Badghis Total P a g e

26 Indicator 4.6: % of development projects with females in project management/decisionmaking level As mentioned above, there were six projects formulated in Q2, all in the Badghis province (one project for PWC and five women -empowerment projects by NABDP). The projects implemented by NABDP are aimed at promoting livelihood opportunities for women in communities where reintegration takes place, through training in carpet weaving and literacy, for five months. Each project will train 40 women. As these projects are targeted at women, supervisors and trainers will be females. For the PWC project, as this is very labour-intensive, there will be no women involved. Thus, five out of six new projects for this year (83 %) will have females in project management level. EXPENSES FOR THE QUARTER During Q2 of 2014, a total of USD 1,032,053 was spent for this output. For more details, please see Annex P a g e

27 Below is a snapshot of where Output 4 is in relation to its quarterly targets at the end of Q Table 4: Line Ministry community recovery programmes 2014 Baseline 2014 Annual Targets Q2 Planned Q2 Actual Comments 4.1: No data available 100% of development projects (by LMs) planned at the provincial level are signed 100 % of development projects planned at the provincial level are signed by PPC and PJST 100 % of development projects planned at the provincial level are signed by PPC and PJST 4.2: 825 reintegrees benefitted directly through ASPR/reforestation projects (Source: ASPR) 1,000 reintegrees benefitting directly through ASPR/reforestation projects 144 reintegrees benefitting directly through ASPR/reforestation projects 91 reintegrees benefitting directly through ASPR/reforestation projects Q2 Actual is slightly off target due to the time it took for project mobilization and late start of watering activities 4.3: 1,200 Ha of land reforested and irrigated (Source:ASPR) 1,200 Ha of land reforested and irrigated 1,200 Ha of land irrigated 779 Ha of land irrigated Q2 Actual is slightly off target due to the time it took for project mobilization and late start of watering activities 4.4: No data available 25 % of VET trainees have employment (self or wage) following training 4.5: 820 reintegrees trained and employed by MoPW PWC projects and 1,500 kms of road routinely maintained (Source: MoPW) 700 reintegrees trained and employed by MoPW PWC projects and 480 kms of road routinely maintained The survey was not planned for Q2 500 reintegrees trained and employed by MoPW PWC projects and 350 kms of road routinely maintained The survey was not planned for Q2 531 reintegrees trained and employed by MoPW PWC projects and 384 kms of road routinely maintained Survey exercise is planned to start in Q3 27 P a g e

28 2014 Baseline 2014 Annual Targets Q2 Planned Q2 Actual Comments 4.6: No data available 15 % of development projects have females in project management/decision making level 15 % of development projects have females in project management/decision making level 83 % of development projects have females in project management/decision 28 P a g e

29 III. GENDER SPECIFIC RESULTS In Q2, some prominent Afghan women and men, with support from UNDP, were being nominated for N-Peace Awards. N-Peace Awards were first launched in 2011 to recognize and profile female and male leaders/peace-builders in Asia. Coordinated by the N-Peace Network across Asia Pacific, the awards are to honour women and men who demonstrate leadership in building peace and empowering their communities. Through the APRP network, UNDP and JS nominated five candidates (two women and three men) from HPC and PPC. Outside this network, Afghan local NGOs and Civil Society groups also nominated prominent Afghans for the award. Even though the number of winners is limited, it will be an opportunity for Afghan representatives to connect with various other N-Peace networks from other Asia Pacific countries. The winner will be announced late July In consultation with the JS Development Unit, NABDP designed the Women Empowerment Project in Badghis province (the only province where APRP have enough resources to implement new projects in 2014). Five Gender Empowerment Projects through NABDP were proposed by the PPC and PJST from the province while the selection of the beneficiaries was conducted collectively with other provincial stakeholders. Under the current plan, it is expected that 200 Afghan women will benefit from carpet weaving skills, supporting trade and access the market, while at the same time receiving literary training skills. The overall objective of this project is to improve the livelihood of Afghan women in Badghis. The implementation of this project will be done in the third quarter. In this quarter, UNDP Country Office initiated the Women Leadership Training for Afghan women. The aim is to train female leaders who will help to further move the gender equality agenda within high-level decision making, peace talks, peace building and conflict resolution. While the final preparation is being done for its implementation in autumn, the UNDP APRP support team is working with the UNDP country office on finalization of the concept behind the training. The next step will be to work with the JS Gender Unit and JS leadership to ensure that APRP fully benefits from this initiative, and that the approach is helpful in providing Afghan women with an opportunity to networking on peace issues. IV. PARTNERSHIPS In Q2, APRP worked closely with partners in the finalizing of the work plans of various ministries for With the limited budget available, the engagement is on how to give priority to key and core components of the programme, mainly: reintegration of former fighters, the provision of TA, the commander programme and outreach activities of PPCs. In addition to the work plan approval, the focus is on initiating discussion of the transition and the future of APRP. While donors have expressed their commitment to continue supporting for APRP, lack of clarity on the new way forward and the mainstreaming of some line ministries projects are a concern for many donors. 29 P a g e

30 Q2 was a quarter with further reduction of support from FRIC/ISAF, now left with only 2 fulltime and 1 part-time staff. However, FRIC continued to be part of the tripartite discussions, and together, the work on coordinating for planning and shaping the future direction of APRP is continuing. In order to accelerate the process and accommodate the availability of various donors, the Virtual Project Board was also planned in the second quarter, and organized in the third quarter on 7 July The agenda of the virtual project board was to seek the swift approval of 2014 AWP. However, it was agreed that the future project board is to be done properly, with all stakeholders expecting to participate in person. In Q2, the UNDP APRP Support Team worked closely with the donor representatives to APRP, the UK and Japan. Formal and informal consultations were organized to brief donor representative on the status of various outstanding issues, and to ensure common understanding on topics relevant to the programme. A meeting was organized with Japan to engage on their future commitment, as well as the overall issues on APRP new way forwards. V. ISSUES Election and political transition The presidential election disputes continue to have an effect on APRP planning for the next year and resource mobilization. Funding commitment from donors requires APRP clarity on the plan for next year. Additionally, the election process occupied all attention from the Afghan and the international community. It also slowed down the current implementation, as both rounds of the election were in the 2 nd quarter. Most of the monitoring visits could not be conducted, as provincial stakeholders are focusing on ensuring the election implementation. The plan for a unified government might also affect how the peace programme looks in the future. Security impact Reports indicated that the security situation is getting more tense in some provinces that were previously peaceful. Some media reports highlighted that the intensity of fighting was higher this quarter than the first one. The deterioration of the security situation in some places will have a serious impact on the security of reintegrees and APRP work in general. Reduction in Community Recovery Budget With the budget reduction of APRP, the allocated budget is just enough to sustain on-going projects and limited amount of new projects. This means that new reintegrees that join the program except for Badghis will not benefit from the same level of support as previous 30 P a g e

31 ones, as most new reintegrees will not benefit from LM projects. Any messaging or outreach to potential reintegrees must take this into consideration, so that expectations are managed and potential reintegrees are aware of the level of support available. With only Badghis having funds to implement new projects this year, it will also mean unequal benefit packages for communities between Badghis and the rest of the country. Discrepancy between Badghis and other provinces will have an impact on equity perception. Late Approval of 2014 Work Plan Despite the approval of the budget by FOC in March, the approval of the LMs work plan only happened in June. With the late planning and approval of the LMs work plan, the result has been slower programme delivery. It is expected that this year will also see slow delivery of the program. VI. RISKS Resource Mobilization for 2015 For 2015, donors have expressed an interest in continuing their support of the programme. In order to ensure their commitment, APRP must formulate next year s plan as soon as possible. Since the new government has not been established, a complete plan for next year and beyond will be unlikely in the immediate future. The other option is to have some tentative plans that could be discussed with donors, to ensure timely financial commitment for next year while we wait for the future government to endorse the new way forward. Delay in recruitment of Independent Monitoring Agent While the arrival of the MA Team Leader helped with the planning and design of the monitoring framework, the recruitment of the monitoring agent itself continues to delay the actual exercise of monitoring in the field. Having to balance between accelerating the process and compliance with internal UNDP system is still the main reason for the slow process of the recruitment of a local partner, and thus MA work. A delay in this process reduces the period for monitoring, as well as opportunities for using data gathered to improve program activities. To speed up the process, UNDP CO facilitated a speedy procurement process. At the end of the second quarter, request for proposals had been announced, and some local NGOs had submitted their proposals. 31 P a g e

32 Uncertainty in Future Policy for APRP While some ideas for the future APRP are currently in the works, uncertainty in the outcome of the presidential elections makes planning for 2015 and beyond difficult. The overall strategic direction for outreach, reconciliation and reintegration will be dependent on the outcome of the elections. While a concrete planning process is subject to election results, some options should be developed that can inform policy decisions. VII. LESSONS LEARNED LMs mainstreaming The mainstreaming of community recovery activities by LMs is the commitment made at the beginning of the project. Through a persistent effort to build stronger coordination with Line Ministries, continued support to new reintegrees has been facilitated to an extent. In the second quarter, intense discussions with some Line Ministries on mainstreaming led to some LMs especially MAIL and IDLG to agree to support the APRP through their own national programme, not funded by APRP. MoPW is exploring various possibilities to sustain their Public Work Corps for next year using their own national programme. Improved Coordination with Stakeholders Since the arrival of the new CTA in the second quarter, there was an increase in the frequency of engagement between the APRP UNDP support team, government stakeholders and key donors. It resulted in the coordination of work, and the development of mutual understanding and a common approach to the program implementation, as well as discussion of future funding and programming. If the coordination continues to be intensified and improved, it would have positive impact on overall programme coordination. VIII. FUTURE PLANS The main focus in Q2 was the finalization and approval of 2014 APRP work plan. It was also to ensure that the work plan was based on the approved budget, and ensure the on-going projects are supporting the Peace and Reintegration Activities. Despite the late approval, the work plan and budget management ensured core APRP activities were supported and implemented on the ground. The key issues that affected the implementation of the core programme were neither the work nor the fund release, but rather an issue beyond our control, that of the election, as well as the security situation. 32 P a g e

33 In the upcoming quarter, the priority is on the continuation of the work of APRP s new way forward. The APRP mandate may end in July of next year, after the new government is formed and a decision is made for new direction in the peace programme. It is critical for a transitional plan to lay out a future framework for peace and reintegration beyond July While uncertainty in the outcome of the presidential elections makes concrete planning difficult, JS will continue to work with security agencies, LMs and IDLG on the plan. Another priority during the upcoming quarter will be to secure financial commitments for next year, to ensure that the programme can be continued until July Work on resource mobilization will be a priority for JS and the UNDP in the next quarter. 33 P a g e

34 IX. ANNEXES A. ANNEX 1: FINANCIAL TABLE 34 P a g e

35 B. ANNEX 2: EXPENSES BY OUTPUT 35 P a g e

36 C. ANNEX 3: EXPENSES BY DONOR 36 P a g e

37 37 P a g e