local populations

6.2.2 Preparing substantive support of Congolese authorities and local populations - first achievements in Pillars 2 to 5

This section provides information on the operational progress of ISSSS partners in setting up interventions and cooperation arrangements for the ISSSS thematic Pillars 2 to 5. Whereas the democratic dialogue process under Pillar 1 is meant to create commitment and buy-in of Congolese statutory authorities, customary / traditional leaders, and members and leaders of local communities in the stabilization process, the follow-on activities under the other ISSSS Pillars are intended to provide the tangible benefits in the form of know-how, skills and resources to ISSSS beneficiaries that are needed to improve address the key conflict drivers and to strengthen the capacities for conflict management in the ISSSS priority zones.

6.2.2.1 Overview of project coverage of ISSSS Pillars 2 to 5 in 2017

Table 1 below provides an overview the thematic coverage by ISSSS projects (i.e., those funded by the Stabilization Coherence Fund (SCF) and those with bilateral funding) of the four Pillars covered in this section.

A look across ISSSS pillars and Projects shows that partners are emphasizing the strengthening of government capacities and accountability in particular in security (i.e., under Pillars 2 and 3) and land / natural resource management (Pillars 3 and 4). These areas are targeted both by partners that have aligned their projects to the ISSSS and by partners whose interventions are receiving financing from the SCF.

Partners working on thematic areas related to Pillar 4 of the ISSSS have emphasized access to credit, social cohesion and the provision of income earning opportunities for vulnerable populations during 2017; followed by work on community-based solutions for resolving land conflicts, complementing efforts under Pillar 3 to develop the capacity of national, provincial and local authorities to provide access to secure land rights.

Table 2: Overview of ISSSS project coverage and project thematic focus in 2017 (SCF-funded and bi-laterally funded (“aligned” 10)

Priority Zone Project ISSSS Pillars

Title (lead)

Pamoja Kwa Amani Na Maendeleo (lead: UNHabitat) Donor P2 - Security P3 – Restoring State Authority

SCF N/A Strengthening the performance and accountability of the administration with regards to land management.

CISPE (lead: IOM) The Netherlands N/A Contribute to enhanced state‐community relations through improved security services performance and raised perception of services within communities

FARM (lead: Mercy Corps)

Lobi Mokolo Ya Sika - LMYS (extension) (SFCG)

Tujenge Pamoja kwa Ajili ya Amani / Construisons ensemble pour la Paix! (lead: International Alert) The Netherlands

United Kingdom N/A Strengthening performance and accountability of administration with regards to land management

Mutual trust and confidence between civilians and FARDC strengthened due to improved FARDC / security services accountability

SCF Strengthening performance and accountability of administration with regards to security and protection Strengthening of the performance and accountability of the administration with regards to land management

Lobi Mokolo Ya Sika - LMYS (extension) (SFCG) United Kingdom Mutual trust and confidence between civilians and FARDC strengthened due to improved FARDC / security services accountability P4 – Socio-Econ. Conflict Resilience P5 - SGBV

Creation of community-based alternative economic opportunities especially for individuals at risk (excombatants and youth) Access to land, conflict resolution, land use planning, awarenessbuilding of laws

N/A Changing gender norms and behavior

N/A

Access to land, conflict resolution, land use planning, awarenessbuilding of laws Addressing challenges and responding to food security

N/A N/A

N/A

Reduction of land conflicts, improvement of land management services Improvement of social cohesion Positive transformation of gender norms and behaviors

N/A N/A

Title (lead)

Consolidation du projet intégré de stabilisation du Nord Kalehe (lead: UNDP) Donor P2 - Security P3 – Restoring State Authority

SCF N/A Strengthening the performance and accountability of local authorities in the provision of services P4 – Socio-Econ. Conflict Resilience P5 - SGBV

N/A N/A

Lobi Mokolo Ya Sika - LMYS (extension) (SFCG) United Kingdom Mutual trust and confidence between civilians and FARDC strengthened due to improved FARDC / security services accountability N/A N/A

ARC (lead: ZOA) The Netherlands

Pamoja Kwa Amani (Ensemble pour la paix) (lead: UN-Habitat) SCF

Lobi Mokolo Ya Sika - LMYS (extension) (SFCG) United Kingdom

CISPE (lead: IOM) The Netherlands

Amani ni nyiya ya maendeleo phase II (lead: UN-Habitat)

Lobi Mokolo Ya Sika - LMYS (extension) (SFCG) SCF

United Kingdom Strengthening trust and collaboration between security services (FARDC) and communities

Mutual trust and confidence between civilians and FARDC strengthened due to improved FARDC / security services accountability

Mutual trust and confidence between civilians and FARDC strengthened due to improved FARDC / security services accountability

N/A

N/A

Mutual trust and confidence between civilians and FARDC strengthened due to improved FARDC accountability Strengthening performance, accountability and collaboration of Local Administration and Conseil de Securité re. security & protection

Reinforcing the technical capacity and state – citizen relation within land, mining, and local security governance and good governance at chefferie/sector level.

N/A Access to land and creation of community-based alternative economic opportunities focus on vulnerable groups

Creation of community-based income generating activities for youth at risk, ex-combatants, women, and survivors of sexual violence Access to credit and improved financial planning More resilient agriculture, fishing, and farmer sector for increased social cohesion

N/A

Contribute to enhanced state‐community relations through improved security services performance and raised perception of services within communities

Reinforced land, security and administrative governance as well as state – population accountability and collaboration.

Mutual trust and confidence between civilians and PNC strengthened due to improved PNC accountability as well as improved governance through local security committees and plans N/A

Increased access to credit Social cohesion and resilience through economic opportunities

N/A N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Changing gender norms and strengthening SGBV assistance

N/A

With progress in democratic dialogue (Pillar 1, see Section 2 above) as a necessary prerequisite for substantive support in other ISSSS Pillars, many ISSSS project partners focused their attention on the completion of the inception phases for their subsequent work in ISSSS Pillars two to five. That notwithstanding, several project partners had successfully moved beyond the inception phase of their projects, and were able to start offering substantive support to beneficiaries and substantively engage with counterparts at local, provincial and national levels.

For this report, it was important for the Technical Secretariat to emphasize progress of ISSSS partners not for each Pillar, but also across Pillars; i.e., to make more visible the different ways in which the ISSSS is setting up its engagement with local populations, representatives of the State and with traditional, customary authorities.

For this reason, the main operational achievements of the ISSSS are presented below grouped in four thematic areas: i. Preliminary work to ensure contextualized project implementation, through feasibility studies or needs assessments for instance; ii. Support to improve of the relationship between the state (in a broad sense: institutions, administration, security sector, etc.) and the civil society; iii. Institutional strengthening, including in the security sector; iv. Empowerment of the local populations, notably through awareness raising, training and improved access to livelihood means. Table 2 below shows how each of these achievement areas relates to ISSSS thematic Pillars two to five11

Main achievement areas 2017

1. Feasibility Studies / Needs Assessments

2. Strengthening State accountability and responsiveness

3. Institutional Strengthening

4. Empowering local populations Table 2: Overview of main ISSSS achievement areas for 2017 across ISSSS Pillars

Pillar 2 (Security)

Supporting better and closer relationships between FARDC units and the communities: reconciliation activities; local security committees.

Increasing the awareness of FARDC of their PoCrelated responsibilities Changing the incentive structures (including disciplinary mechanisms and military tribunals) that influence the actions of individual soldiers and officers ISSSS Pillars

Pillar 3 (Restoration of State Authority) Pillar 4 (Socio-Economic Conflict Resilience)

Meetings, field missions, identification of existing structures and workshops within all the sectors to ensure an inclusive and participatory process. Institutional diagnosis and typology study on land conflict. Coordination with other projects. Engagement with beneficiaries to identify needs, constraints and opportunities for income generating activities. Establishment of community-based committees for the selection of beneficiaries. Elaboration of a conflict sensitive market and chain value analysis.

Reinforcing the state – citizen relation within land, mining, and local security governance. Reconciliation activities between the population and FARDC to re-build trust and confidence. Capacity development actions for administration and security forces; training on responsible conduct and behaviour towards civilians. Material and equipment distributions. Creation of joint commissions. Multipartner consultations. Development of alternative methods of conflict resolution

Activities to increase implication of youth in the public space. Access to land and conflict resolution. Improved, more equitable access to socio-economic opportunities, resources and assets. Supporting credit cooperatives. Reinforcement of capacities for those participating in income generation activities. Pillar 5 (SGBV)

Support to courts

Customary and local leaders trained on international SGBV laws/ conventions.

Increasing access to justice for survivors of SGBV, support to judicial clinics. Building rehabilitation, sensitization activities on behavioral changes, norm transformation and identification of SGBV. Supporting credit cooperatives. Reinforcement of capacities for those participating in income generation activities.

Governor of Ituri launching the SCF funded program in South Irumu (Ituri)

Table 3: Selected feasibility studies, needs assessments and preparatory activities carried out during 2017

Priority Zone Leading ISSSS Partners Type of Achievement Details on Achievement

Sud Irumu

UN-Habitat, ISSSS Technical Secretariat; Implementation of Capacity Diagnosis (Local Authorities) With the objective of reinforcing the administrative capacity of local authorities, ISSSS partners carried out a diagnosis of the capacity related needs of State agents that will need to be addressed to improve their ability to provide quality public services. Chiefly among the identified weaknesses were a) insufficient procedures to govern administrative correspondence and the production of official documents; b) the mismanagement of local public finances, and c) the lagging collection of revenue by the Decentralized Territorial Entities.

Sud Irumu

UN-Habitat, consortium members Participatory Needs Identification Project partners launched engagement with beneficiaries, especially youths and women, to identify needs, constraints and opportunities for income generating activities, including need for capacity building. Partners conducted an inclusive and participatory conflict sensitive market and chain value analysis trough focus groups and key informant interviews with producers, sellers, transporters, technical agents of the State (agronomists and veterinarians of chiefdoms), customary and administrative authorities. They also set up community based committees for the selection of beneficiaries.

Ruzizi

Kalehe

International Alert, ZOA, IRC, SFCG, Handicap International

IOM Aid Coordination

Efficiency and sustainability In order to avoid the duplication of efforts, project partners for Pillar 4 thematic efforts conducted a joint assessment of their projects’ activities in the zone, and started to coordinate with ZOA, IRC and SFCG on progress in market research; or with Handicap International on road rehabilitation.

IOM conducted an assessment to update the road conditions and identify major rehabilitation needs. From the mission report, IOM discussed with the provincial authorities about possible cooperation to jointly conduct the works and plan for maintenance.

a) Feasibility studies and Needs assessments (Pillars 3 and 4)

Across all Pillars, and in all priority zones, partners carried out feasibility studies and needs assessments to prepare targeted substantive work under the ISSSS in 2018 and beyond. Findings of these assessments fed into the design and refinement of project activities, helped to determine priorities for capacity building and training, and to identify the needs in the provision of infrastructure, equipment and supplies.

Throughout these initiatives, ISSSS project partners and the ISSSS Technical Secretariat have shown themselves to be able to flexibly respond to the respective contextual needs of beneficiaries. In Mambasa, when the proceedings of a participatory workshop showed the previous delineation not to be optimal, partners agreed to finance future key priority actions through a flexible project fund overseen by a committee made up of local chiefs, local civil society, representatives of the community and religious leaders, and the project partners.

Other examples of achievements through these preparatory activities are detailed in Table 3 below.

ISSSS partners started to work on creating structures and processes to increase the accountability and responsiveness of State agents to their constituents, partly by creating opportunities of citizens to become involved in political processes, and partly by reinforcing the relationships between public officials and community members at an individual level. This was mainly done by bringing together the different groups through reconciliation events, participatory decision-making process, shared agendas, or the creation of committees including security forces and civil society.

Other partners focused their activities on the Congolese security forces. This included the re-installation and restructuring of Local Security Councils in four chefferies12 in Ituri and four others in South Kivu13. Partners also established two Base Committees for the national police (PNC) in the Sud Irumu priority zone, to create additional opportunities for citizen engagement (Pillar 3). Under Pillar 2 (in Sud Irumu), the re-dynamization of four Comités Local de Sécurité Proximité (CLSP), including FARDC and the civil society, had an important role as the committees allowed for the improvement both in terms for information as well as accountability towards the FARDC performance. In Ituri and South Kivu, an aligned ISSSS partner implemented reconciliation activities between the population and FARDC to re-build trust and confidence, resulting in updated security diagnosis for six chefferie level and five local security plans validated.

Table 4 below provides information on additional achievements related to strengthening of state accountability mechanisms and its capacity for responsiveness to its constituents.

Priority Zone

Mambasa

Sud Irumu Table 4: ISSSS Progress and achievements in strengthening state accountability and responsiveness in 2017

Leading ISSSS Partners

UN-Habitat, ISSSS Technical Secretariat

UN-Habitat

UN-Habitat, ISSSS Technical Secretariat

SFCG / OIM Type of Achievement Details on Achievement

Collaborative dispute resolution The ISSSS supported two Territorial Commissions by training their members in alternative methods of conflict resolution and public awareness-raising. Commissioners used their newly acquired skills to document a total of 30 land disputes involving 326 households14. 14 of these conflicts were subsequently resolved.

Fostering State-Civilian engagement The ISSSS has launched its support for a series of sports tournaments to strengthen the relations between security forces (including the PNC) and local communities and for a series of Open Days to disseminate information on state services including land administration (cadastre, land affairs, urban planning and housing), territorial administration, services available for women and children and the role of the police15 .

State accountability with regards to land management and mining activities ISSSS consultations resulted in the development and signing of a road map that committed the provincial land administration and customary authorities to seven formal steps towards resolving open land disputes.

Building trust and confidence between civilians and security forces Validation of seven Local Peace and Development Plans to reinforce the local administrations, prioritizing their planning and resource mobilization. The ISSSS partner has already initiated the establishment of an advisory committee at the Territorial level to support the implementation of three priorities outlined in the plans.

A partner launched a participatory decision-making process on constructing a PNC “sous-commissariat” in the chiefdom Burasi, South Irumu, facing complex conflict dynamics, security and technical issues. Through several bilateral meetings with sectorial actors (Minister of Interior, PNC), consultations with communities16 provisions in the Sud Irumu “compact”, and a technical workshop organized by ISSSS implementing partner the process gained the trust of the involved parties. As a result, the construction of the police station can start in early 201817 .

Mambasa / Sud Irumu

ISSSS Technical Secretariat, UN-Habitat, State accountability in the mining sector The ISSSS has been able to kick-start multi-partner consultations on the oversight arrangements for mining activities, an issue tied closely to access to mineral resources, and the associated opportunities for more equitable, sustained and sustainable income streams from these activities. Through a series of meetings both at political and technical level with governmental and non-governmental partners, the SCF-funded partner and the ISSSS Technical Secretariat were able to garner the political support of the provincial governor and the provincial minister of mines and hydrocarbons for the set-up of a provincial commission for the monitoring of mining activities.

12. I.e., in Bahema-Boga, Banyili Tshabi, Bahema-Sud and Bahema-Mitego. 13. I.e., in Kabare, Ngweshe et Kaziba and Buhavu. 98 of which were female headed. 14. 98 of which were female headed. 15. Both event series are schedule to take place in early 2018. 16. Link to democratic dialogue / Pillar 1. 17. Project partner also carried out reconciliation activities between the population and FARDC to re-build trust and confidence, resulting in updated security diagnosis for 6 chiefdoms and 5 local security plans validated.

Kalehe

Ruzizi

SFCG

SFCG Building trust and confidence between civilians and security forces

Building trust and confidence between civilians and security forces Installation and reinforcement of 3 Local Security Councils and 1 Local Committees of Proximity Security aligned to the national community security strategy, the development of 1 local security plan. Training provided to partners (police, FARDC, civilian authorities, representatives of the communities) to improve dialogue between civilians and security forces, and to allow civilians to participate in the management of the security sector.

Installation and reinforcement of 6 Local Security Councils and 3 Local Committees of Proximity Security aligned to the national community security strategy, the development of 1 local security plan. Training provided to partners (police, FARDC, civilian authorities, representatives of the communities).

c) Institutional strengthening (including security sector) (Pillars 2, 3 and 5)

ISSSS partners used in particular the second half of 2017 to start seeking the engagement with state agencies, local administration and security sector actors to help strengthen their capacities with a view of improving the services offered to local populations in the ISSSS priority zones. These initiatives support the effort by the Technical Secretariat to ensure Government implication in ISSSS projects and the overall ISSSS process.

In Ituri Province, a productive relationship was established with the provincial authorities in order to sustain and facilitate subsequent capacity building efforts through: i. Continuous bilateral and sectorial meetings between the ISSSS Technical Secretariat and implicated implementing partners and provincial authorities on case-specific issues; ii. The operational Comité Technique Conjoint - a provincial Government mechanism - coordinating and informing the stabilization process, iii. The operationalization of a monthly Stabilization Working Group with technical experts from each Ministry represented, iv. The compact on political engagement strategy between the Government, ISSSS partners and the ISSSS Technical Secretariat; and v. The strong involvement by provincial authorities, including the representatives of the government of Ituri Province It was a combination of all these factors that ultimately led the Governor of Ituri to commit to the dialogue process, which resulted in the convening of the Cohesive Leadership Forum in October of 2017 (see Section 2). All these continuous and parallel processes will ultimately have an impact on the engagement by authorities in substantive work under Pillars 3, which is a crucial pre-requisite for subsequent results in relation to the restoration of state authority in the province.

Partners and the ISSSS provincial secretariat in South Kivu pursued a similar approach, also centered on the establishment of a productive relationship with provincial authorities through continuous meetings and the establishment of a Stabilization Working Group at provincial level. However, South Kivu experienced a change of political leadership in 2017. For 4 months (i.e., July to October 2017), the interim government was not able to actively support the implementation of ISSSS projects. The provincial Technical Secretariat and ISSSS partners needed to defer efforts to liaise with the new provincial authorities until early November 2017. This also delayed the follow up to the signing of the first-ever compact under the ISSSS in the Eastern DRC (see section on political engagement on page 12).

ISSSS partners also launched their work aimed at improving knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of PNC, FARDC and other national or local authorities on Protection of Civilians (PoC), taking important steps in 2017 to advance the training of individual FARDC officers and soldiers on PoC principles. The same applies to institutional strengthening of land administrations and the courts. In Ituri Province (priority zones of Mambasa, South Irumu), SCF funded ISSSS projects18 under Pillar 4 are in the preparatory stages to support the development of the organizational capacities of land administrations in the priority zones.

Table 5 provides additional details on ISSSS operational progress related to the development of organizational capacity and institutional strengthening of the State in ISSSS priority zones.

UN-Habitat

SFCG

UN-Habitat

Sud Irumu

UN-Habitat

UN-Habitat

Mambasa

UN-Habitat

Kalehe

Kalehe & Ruzizi

UNDP Provision of material and equipment The provision and transportation of solar panels and furniture to the local police station, aiming at improving the working environment of 60 police officers. Accompanying training is planned in the first quarter of 2018 to refresh and upgrade the technical capacities of the police officers.

ISSSS Technical Secretariat, MONUSCO Security Sector Reform, MONUSCO Civil Affairs Section

ISSSS Technical Secretariat and all partners Establishment of PNC & FARDC Base Committees Establishment of two FARDC Base Committees, which train members of FARDC on standards and practices for the protection of civilians. Each Base committee aims at training around 2400 FARDC soldiers.

PoC training, establishment of Base committees

The ISSSS aligned project led “Lobi Mokolo Ya Sika IV” has reached over 100,000 civilians and FARDC through establishing six Base Committees within the FARDC that train soldiers on PoC and on responsible behavior. Training on decentralization 15 Entité Territorial Décentralise (ETD) agents in each of the five chiefdoms / sectors re-trained on issues related to citizen participation in decentralization and local governance; the storage and management of administrative documents, the territorial administrative practice and rules of ethics, local public finance and the code of conduct of the public agent of the state. ISSSS partners started to engage public officials in first rounds of training activities directed at the Decentralized Territorial Entities. In Mambasa, staff of the ETDs were trained in land access procedures and land-related legal clauses19 .

Provision of material and equipment

Support to courts Provision of equipment to ETDs, such as a generator, laptop computer, and printer-photocopier as well as office supplies. Material support of the Police in the zone with transport, communication and the improvement of the building to allow police officers to work in an environment with appropriate working conditions.

Training through legal clinics and youth associations with the aim of changing negative behaviors and attitudes of men towards women. Support of the Mobile Courts process that tried 14 cases of sexual and gender based violence. A total of 12 perpetrators were sentenced to prison time, one was dismissed due to lack of evidence and one trial had to be delayed due to illness. Additionally, 19 cases of sexual violence were investigated by the prosecutor's office at the Mambasa Peace Court and transferred to the High-Level Prosecutor's Office of Bunia. Based on these investigations, 10 cases were tried at the Tribunal for the High Court of Bunia resulting in 6 judgments: 4 prison sentences, 1 acquittal and one case was referred to the children's court. The remaining cases are still under investigation.

Provision of material and equipment

Training on community security and coordination of security support

Coordination and efficiency in land management In Mambasa, SCF-fund were used to start the rehabilitation of the Mambasa Peace Court and the attached public prosecutor's office, as in 2015 a fire had damaged the building severely. Potential contractors intending to bid for the job participated in a site visit in November 2017. The rehabilitation is meant to improve the working conditions of the judges and judicial personnel and to create better access to judicial services.

Various trainings and thematic workshops on community level security, targeting representatives of the implementing partners, the civil society and the line ministries. Training conducted under the leadership of the ISSSS Technical Secretariat. The workshops supported the improved alignment of the projects’ community security components with the national security rules and regulations. ISSSS stakeholders in the priority zone improved the planning of their interventions both technically and geographically, by maximizing complementarity and synergies with the final objectives to increase efficiency and impact. Thematic workshop on land management issues and other related interventions in land sector to improve awareness and understanding of division of labor in land sector, and of opportunities for coordination of efforts to improve synergies and complementarity. Decision was taken to join efforts towards the vote of a provincial bill on land management to protect the rights of the most vulnerable populations.

19. Such as for handling of land transfer documents when meditations over land rights result in re-defining land access between the parties.

Finally, ISSSS partners directly supported and empowered members of the local populations in the ISSSS priority zones; in particular in ways covered by Pillars 3, 4 and 5. Partners began to raise awareness amongst communities of their rights and responsibilities and to empower them in order to ensure access to land, natural resources or legal services, and to improve access to credit.

Projects used different ways to raise awareness among the population of their civic rights and duties. The SCF-funded project partner in South Irumu (Pillar 2) is engaging civilians through mobile cinemas and radio programs to raise awareness of their roles and responsibilities in supporting a peaceful and safe environment. A project under Pillar 5 in Ituri produced 40 broadcasts with Radio Amkeni, to promote positive changes to social norms such as gender equality, prevention of sexual and gender based violence and other relevant thematic areas. Half of the broadcasts were recorded by representatives from the Judicial Defenders, Legal Clinic, Public Prosecutor's Office and the Court. The project also hosted three large public trainings and awareness raising sessions on the fight against child marriage and the physical and legal ramifications of rape, reaching a total of 730 people (121 women, 161 men, 197 young women and 251 young men).

Responding to the needs of vulnerable women and girls, the SCF-funded ISSSS partner in Sud Irumu launched a campaign to promote changes of social norm and behavior related to SGBV. The project set up 3 men’s groups, reaching 45 men (15 men per group) in the chefferies of Walese Vonkutu, Andisoma and South Bahema. A training was held for 105 customary and local authorities on international SGBV laws and conventions. This same training was given 18 times throughout 2017 and reached a total of 2329 people in the chefferies of Walese Vonkutu, Andisoma and Bahema. The consortium also took a specific gender based approach to the recruitment of its staff.

Improving the secure access to land and natural resources and overcoming conflict-related constraints on the ability of beneficiaries to generate income from land through agricultural activities have been among the focus areas for ISSSS partners in 2017. Some of the efforts fall both under Pillar 3 and Pillar 4. More broadly, several projects worked on improving access to publicly provided quality services, in the areas of land administration, but also in the field of public safety (i.e., police and justice).

ISSSS partners further promoted improved access to justice for DRC citizens, notably through the provision of legal aid. The Mambasa ISSSS partner (Pillar 5) supported Judicial Legal Clinics where a total of 74 cases of sexual violence were recorded (68 female victims and 6 male victims). Of these cases, 53 cases are currently under investigation. 28 of these are in front of the Public Prosecutor's Office which is linked to the Ituri Garrison Military Court, 13 are under investigation by the Ituri High Court; 12 cases in front of the Tripaix of Mambasa. The project signed a memorandum of understanding with legal clinics and trained a total of 40 community leaders to support survivors of SGBV through the process of registering, preparing and following up with the judicial process.

Another focus of ISSSS partners in 2017 was the launch of activities to improve access to credit in the ISSSS priority zones, an issue that represents an acute need in for the population in these areas. Data from the ISSSS baseline shows that on average only about 1 in 10 adults in the priority zones report have access to credit when required.

Table 6 provides additional information and details on the work of ISSSS partners aimed at socio-economic support and social and political empowerment of local populations.

Priority Zone

Kitchanga

Sud Irumu

Mambasa

Kalehe

Mambasa Table 6: ISSSS Progress and achievements in supporting and empowering local populations in 2017

Leading ISSSS Partners

ISSSS Technical Secretariat

UN-Habitat Type of Achievement

Conflict Transformation The Technical Secretariat is currently the hosting section for two CVR projects in North Kivu, one in Rubaya (Masisi) and one on the Bunagana and Nyamilima axes (Rutshuru). These projects have made it possible to complement existing interventions in these areas which are both conflictsensitive and which address conflict dynamics. The Rutshuru project follows on the roll-out of a German-funded Stabilization project complimentary to ISSSS that is reinforcing and capacitating local organizations contributing to conflict transformation in the area. In the Rubaya case the project serves to diminish conflicts over natural resources (water) in a way that is tangible.

Access to credit

UN-Habitat

UNDP

UN-Habitat Access to credit

Creating income generating activities Details on Achievement

Strong demand among the population for the establishment and revitalization of credit cooperatives (known as Mutuelles de Solidarité (MUSO’s)) led the responsible ISSSS partner20 to overenroll groups in their credit programme, beyond the initially foreseen upper limits. Eventually, the partner selected 94 groups for support in October 2017; i.e. 71 new groups and 23 existing groups that were in need of revitalization21. Women represent close to 40 percent of the approximately 1700 members of these

ISSSS partners were able to build on their work started under the PBFfunded pilot phases of two ISSSS projects. Highlighting the ability of credit cooperatives to sustain themselves after the end of external support, approximately 80 to 85 percent of MUSOs that had been established during the first phase of the ISSSS projects there were still operating upon the launch of the new phases; i.e., 34 cooperatives in Kalehe, and 36 in Mambasa.

20. I.e., the SCF-funded consortium led by UN-Habitat. 21. Main identified needs where training and sensitization on the concept of credit cooperatives; set up appropriate management structures; identification of leaders for the cooperatives.

Mambasa & Sud Irumu

UN-Habitat Regaining access to land ISSSS partners initiated a mediation process with local and customary authorities to improve access to land for Pygmies, producer groups (composed of mainly women) and female heads of households. Partners were able to facilitate the signing of a formal agreement between formerly conflicting parties that allowed them to recover and secure their land rights through a Certificate of Registration. 160 out of the 165 beneficiaries who participated in the project (i.e., 97 percent) have been able to regain access to land through this mediation process.

Finally, an important and integral element of the ISSSS approach and philosophy is its cross-cutting approach to gender mainstreaming in all relevant efforts and interventions. Box 1 provides an overview of the ISSSS gender mainstreaming approach, and highlights several key achievements of 2017.

Box 1: Gender Mainstreaming in the SCF portfolio ISSSS

ISSSS’s approach to gender mainstreaming emphasizes the importance of integrating gender at every step of the project cycle, from baseline analyses and staff recruitment to monitoring and the final project evaluation. SCF implementing partners were trained on gender mainstreaming this year with concrete suggestions on how to mainstream gender into their projects, which is supported by the new Introduction Kit as well as the revised Operations Manual. Gender-responsive budgeting, which is a requirement for all partners, further enhances the emphasis on gender mainstreaming at every step of project implementation. This approach requires partners to monitor and report on the minimum 15% of their budget which is dedicated to addressing women’s specific needs, advancing gender equality or empowering women.

Additionally, the Technical Secretariat staff plays a key role in mainstreaming gender in all project activities. For example, in the framework of the ISSSS program in South Irumu (Ituri), during a workshop on security governance organized by IOM from 24 to 25 October, the PNC and Administrative authorities committed to at least 30% female police officers in the deployment of new personnel to the new Commissariat in Burasi (Ituri). The Technical Secretariat Ituri also initiated the elaboration of a consortium wide “gender strategy” defining the responsibilities of each organization, as well as the consortium as a whole, in line with the ISSSS Gender marker. The implementing partner that is responsible for Pillar five has identified and trained one gender focal point for each organization that will support the implementation of the strategy.

Most ISSSS partners foresee plans to work towards the strengthening of positive social norms around SGBV. The SCF-funded projects in Mambasa and Sud Irumu already started implementing relevant activities in 2017. The other projects are planning to start their corresponding activities in early 2018.