USAID/OTI Liberia Field Report
February 2005
Program Description
The Liberia Transition Initiatives (LTI) supports efforts to advance prospects for an inclusive, peaceful, political transition in Liberia in the context of the 2003 Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA). By restoring critical transitional governance and civil society functions, increasing public understanding of key political transition issues, and promoting community reintegration and peaceful resolution of conflict, LTI is helping to build the momentum for peace. Creative Associates International, Inc. implements the $16,500,000 LTI program through a small grants component, the Youth Education for Life Skills (YES) program and technical assistance for the Accelerated Learning Program (ALP).
Country Situation
Additional Counties Opened – Seven additional counties have been declared by the Security Assessment Committee for Resettlement (SARC) as "ready to receive" returnees. They are: Lofa (northwest along the Sierra Leone border); Nimba (northeast along the Guinea and Cote d'Ivoire border); Grand Gedeh (southeast along the Cote d'Ivoire border); Montserrado and Grand Bassa (center); and, River Gee and Maryland (southeast). This brings to 13 the number of counties where the Security Assessment Committee for Resettlement (SARC) has indicated that UN agencies can respond to returnees. The SARC stated that the decision was not based on security conditions in the counties, but rather the ability of the UN to respond to the needs of returnees. The SARC declaration represents a positive signal that a majority of the 15 counties are conducive for return. Subsequently, it enables national and international agencies to accelerate resettlement efforts and to focus resources on community reintegration in the counties instead of in Internally Displaced and refugee camps. The acceleration of resettlement has significant implications for the success of community reintegration efforts as well as for the October elections because citizens must vote in their counties of registration rather than in camps in or outside of the county.
Presidential Candidacy Challenged – The Minister of Labor announced his intention to run for the presidency, which has caused concern because the Comprehensive Peace Agreement prohibits the National Transitional Government of Liberia (NTGL) leadership, including cabinet ministers, from running for elected office. At the urging of the Economic Community of West African States and the international donor community, the National Elections Commission quickly informed the Minister that he was ineligible to run for the presidency. It was widely believed that the Minister was simply testing the resolve of the NEC to deal with potential aspirants who are prohibited from standing for election.
New IDP Procedures Adopted – The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), UNMIL, the World Food Programme (WFP), and the Liberia Resettlement, Repatriation and Reintegration Commission announced that they opened four trial transit sites to facilitate the spontaneous return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who do not require transportation assistance. Three of the four sites are in the west of the country: Sinje and Bo Waterside in Cape Mount County and Tubmanburg in Bomi County. The fourth is in Gbarnga in central Bong County. The sites are easily accessible from Monrovia. Coupled with the fact that Sinje and Bo Waterside had existing temporary transit centers for refugees returning from Sierra Leone, and that Tubmanburg and Gbarnga were cantonment sites, the establishment of these distribution centers enabled rapid start up of the new plan to accelerate spontaneous return.
Curfew Lifted – A dusk to dawn curfew imposed in Maryland County in the remote southeastern part of the country was lifted, allowing the resumption of resettlement activities in this traditionally neglected area. The curfew was imposed following violence linked to residents' dissatisfaction with governmental and United Nations Mission in Liberia response to ritualistic killings in the county.
USAID/OTI Highlights
A. Narrative Summary
February marked the end of the first year of the Liberia program. Consistent with the LTI objectives of promoting community reintegration and increasing public understanding of key political transitional issues, the centerpiece over the next year will be reintegration via the Youth Education for Life Skills (YES) complimented by community focused grants. Along with Creative Associates, the expanded YES program is being implemented by Mercy Corps and a consortium of World Vision, Action Aid and Search for Common Ground.
LTI is delivering both the rural-based YES program and the abbreviated urban-based Youth Community Peace Education program in over 47 communities with the potential of reaching approximately 2,500 participants.
B. Grant Activity Summary
During the month of February, LTI grants focused on efforts to alleviate potential sources of violent conflict. One grant provided critical support for the establishment of the Peace Institute at the Cutttington University in Bong County. Headed by distinguished academic, Dr. Joseph Guannu, the Peace Institute will bring together academics from Liberia and the sub-region to research root causes of conflicts in the sub-region. The Institute will also conduct peace education training.
Another grant will support the development of a code of religious and ethnic conduct for Nimba County residents that is being facilitated by the Inter-Religious Council (IRC). The IRC is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious group founded in 1990 to stem the escalating tensions between the then government, and rebel groups who were largely divided along ethnic lines. Today, the IRC is using its proven methodology to ensure more cordial relationships between and among all ethnic and religious groups by developing a code of tolerance that will contribute to a more successful reintegration of citizens and residents in their communities.
| Civil Society Org. Support |
|
$ 242,987 |
|
15 |
| Community Impact Activities |
$ 6,651 |
$ 793,537 |
1 |
24 |
| Conflict Management |
$139,221 |
$ 858,848 |
4 |
32 |
| Election Process |
$ 47,534 |
$ 71,319 |
2 |
4 |
| Justice/Human Right |
$ 52,082 |
$ 452,469 |
1 |
17 |
| Media |
|
$ 360,081
| |
11 |
| Good Governance |
|
$1,089,903 |
|
35 |
| Youth Training/Reintegration |
|
$ 16,642 |
|
2 |
| TOTAL |
$245,487 |
$3,885,785 |
8 |
140 |
C. Indicator of Success
The LTI program achieved its first objective of restoring critical governance and civil society functions by the close of the reporting period, which also marked the end of year one. Key government ministries, agencies and commissions including the Ministries of Internal Affairs, Labor and Information, the Bureau of the Budget, the Liberia Refugee, Repatriation and Resettlement Commission and the National Elections Commission received support to resume services. Similarly, a number of civil society organizations resumed operations and jointly conducted a national survey of Liberian views on transitional justice issues. Groups involved in conducting the survey held a strategic retreat to plan its campaign.
D. Program Appraisal
Having met the first objective of restoring critical governance and civil society functions, OTI and its implementing partner, Creative Associates, have been working on how best to implement an expanded YES training program with a significant small grants component.
The YES Curriculum Advisory Committee met to review lessons learned from staff and implementing partner assessment of training during the initial phase. It concluded that the curriculum was too advanced. The CAC followed its review with field visits and will revise the curriculum in March with the assistance of a short term consultant.
During the reporting period, staff noted a decline in the number of enrollees in YES trainings. This decline was attributed to not paying participants to attend as is the practice in a number of educational programs being conducted in Liberia, the lack of lighting as most training is conducted in the evening and to the objection by some Learning Facilitators to what they consider a low incentive payment of US $15 per month. A YES partners meeting was held to address these issues.
With respect to paying participants, LTI made clear that those enrolled in YES do so voluntarily and expect implementing partners to convey this to them. It was also reinforced that OTI is not prepared to authorize and make funds available to increase the incentive payment for Learning Facilitators. Further, it is anticipated that as part of the community sensitization and selection processes, communities will be urged to provide additional support for Learning Facilitators as part of their contribution to YES. Finally, LTI had previously authorized the purchase of lighting systems and reinforced the expectation and urgency that implementing partners procure the necessary items and arrange for appropriate training in utilizing the items.
Efforts to more fully engage the Ministry of Education in the implementation of the Accelerated Learning Program have not been as successful as desired. The USAID Mission Director agreed to hold further discussions with the Ministry as the ALP component of the LTI country program is directly funded by the USAID Mission.
NEXT STEPS/IMMEDIATE PRIORITIES
- Implement first round of YES community grants.
- Operationalize the integrated action plan for scaling up YES.
- Finalize with Program Design Team LTI monitoring and evaluation plan.
For further information, please contact:
In Washington: John Gattorn, Liberia Program Manager, 202-712-4168, jgattorn@usaid.gov
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