Civil Society for Social Cohesion


Lack of political pact on power sharing and misallocation of national resources generate exclusion and regional asymmetries intensifying potential conflict and fragility. The project to be implemented by three civil society organization will deepen social cohesion in the three conflict-volatile provinces in Northern Mozambique, promoting meaningful civic engagement of youth and women in political and socio-economic spaces and citizen centric accountable governance. It builds on Switzerland’s experience in contributing to a peaceful society, leaving no one behind, strengthening the social contract and by developing a joint future. 

Pays/région Thème Période Budget
Mozambique
Governance
Conflit & fragilité
nothemedefined
Participation démocratique et société civile
Prévention des conflits
Médias & liberté de l’information
01.01.2019 - 31.12.2024
CHF  9’403’000
Contexte The governance system is centralised and authoritarian in nature,   based on elite privilege and limited access to economic opportunities for all, reproducing regional asymmetries, poverty, fragility and conflict. The Northern Provinces of Cabo Delgado, Nampula and Niassa are rich in natural resources however, the residents are poorer (59.6%) than those in the south, which have 36.2% living below the poverty datum line (IOF 2015). Public institutions are generally perceived as weak, captured, unaccountable, illegitimate, and are generally mistrusted by youth. The violent youth-led Islamist insurgency that has taken root in Cabo Delgado is adding new dimensions to the social and political fragmentation along religious and generational fault lines. The conflict has drawn in a critical mass from both Nampula and Niassa and continues to expand and escalate, causing the death of more than 2'800 people and the displacement of over 800'000 (involving youth and affecting significantly women), in addition to the destruction of public and private infrastructure and people's livelihoods.
Objectifs Contribute to strengthening social cohesion in the three volatile provinces of northern Mozambique by fostering youth and women´s civic engagement in more inclusive social, political and economic spaces to promote accountable governance.
Groupes cibles The final beneficiaries of the project are 10'000 youth and women aged 14 to 28 from these provinces, engaged and included in political and local socio-economic development processes, empowered to identify, and aggregate local needs influencing responsiveness governance.  People within the local committees such as Village Development Organisations (VDO) & Saving Groups (SG) will be selected to receive small "social cohesion grants". Others indirect or system level project target groups will be selected staff from local governments and local assemblies from Cabo Delgado: Municipalities and Districts of Montepuez; District of Chiure; Nampula: Municipality and District of Angoche, District of Moma; Niassa: District and Municipality of Cuamba and District of Chimbonila). They will be trained and capacitated on leadership and accountable governance supporting inclusion for social cohesion in the territorial areas where they  operate.
Effets à moyen terme

Outcome 1:    Improved responsiveness of local formal and informal decision-making institutions to youth and women-led community concerns and initiatives for improved public services, local development, and accountable governance (supply side).

Outcome 2:    Improved Youth (14-28) and Women's participation in decision-making and social development processes at the local/community level (demand side).

Résultats

Principaux résultats attendus:  

Supply side:

1.    Sub-national government and assemblies’ capacity developed for effective engagement with citizens at various levels;

2.    Improved multi stakeholder dialogue and joint action spaces for local governments, youth and women to advance common good.

 

Demand side:

1.    Communities groups are selected and trained in leadership, civic engagement/livelihoods and are operationalised;

2.    Youth are selected and trained in leadership, civic engagement, contemporary leadership skills & entrepreneurship;

3.    Community needs are identified and local responses implemented in a participatory and inclusive way, anchored on gender iquality approaches;

4.    Youth hubs are created to advance youth’s active participation in  community decision making proceses , enhance entrepreneurship and enhance social development projects in Districts;

5.    Communities groups and youth hubs are assisted in accessing local government decision-making and priority setting;

6.    Multi stakeholder dialogue and joint action platforms for local governments, youth and women to advance common good are improved.


Principaux résultats antérieurs:  

-    Bringing together 3 main national organisation’s strategic plans within a unique programme is complicated but very relevant and impactful:  know-how, expertise and networks are adding up;

-    Weak institutionalization of decentralization reforms, control mechanisms, exclusion from access to income opportunities, and under-representation of large groups in policy dialogue, reinforce distrust in formal democratic processes, aggravate inequality, promote a widespread feeling of political and economic injustice, hinder the participation of young people and women and negatively influence the relationship between state institutions and youth and women;

-    Social cohesion can be strengthened through a combination of individual leadership skills building, community-level organisation and collaboration, democratic mediation by youth leaders and community-based organisations, supply-side capacity-building;

-    The more citizens and local communities have a common interest in addressing a common issue, and are cognizant of their rights and duties, the more community is able to organise themselves for interaction with formal and informal authorities in public decision making

-    The articulation and coordination of local development processes with different institutional levels (Districts, Municipalities, Provinces and central) enhances government's capacity to respond to citizens' demands and improves confidence in dialogue and problem-solving forums


Direction/office fédéral responsable DDC
Crédit Coopération au développement
Partenaire de projet Partenaire contractuel
ONG internationale ou étrangère
Secteur privé
  • Sectreur privé étranger Sud/Est


Autres partenaires

1.    Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD);

2.    Mechanism for Civil Society Support Foundation (MASC Foundation);

3.    Institute for Social and Economic Studies (IESE).

Coordination avec d'autres projets et acteurs Government entities at the national, provincial and district level; Integrated Development Agency for the North (ADIN); Provincial programs of USAID and European Union; Key actors in the sector: International Organisation for Migration (IOM), Aga Khan Foundation (AKF); Swiss programmes in health/Water, economic development, and decentralization in Niassa, Nampula and Cabo Delgado; Thematic working group on Governance (DDLGN).
Budget Phase en cours Budget de la Suisse CHF    9’403’000 Budget suisse déjà attribué CHF    6’055’465
Phases du projet Phase 1 01.01.2019 - 31.12.2024   (Phase en cours)