Chad Civil Society Strengthening Activity (CCSSA) Annual Report: October 1, 2021 – September 30, 2022

The project's objective is to strengthen democratic actors and increase civic participation in Chad. The project began with an assessment of the civil society and media landscape, which was completed in December 2019, followed by a co-design process to develop program outcomes, the Results Framework, and activities that will strengthen the civil society and media sectors in Chad. The project's theory of change is based on the idea that if civil society and media sector organizations are connected and strengthened, and if the citizenry is better informed and engaged in inclusive collective action for governance, and if more opportunities are created for collaboration among civil society, media, private-sector, and government stakeholders, then citizens' ability to demand a more democratic culture in Chad will increase. The project's activities are organized around three intermediate results: IR.1, IR.2, and IR.3. IR.1 focuses on increasing the capacity of civil society organizations and media sector organizations to support and promote citizen participation in governance at local and national levels. This includes providing training and technical assistance to civil society organizations and media outlets to enhance their capacity to engage citizens in governance processes. IR.2 aims to create a better-informed and engaged citizenry with an increased understanding of their civic rights and duties. This includes implementing civic education programs, conducting public awareness campaigns, and providing citizens with access to information on governance issues. IR.3 seeks to improve civil society collaboration with government for increased government legitimacy. This includes facilitating dialogue and collaboration between civil society organizations and government officials, promoting transparency and accountability in governance, and supporting the development of policies and laws that promote citizen participation. The project has made significant progress in achieving its intermediate results. For example, more than 2,500 civil society organizations and media outlets have received training and technical assistance to enhance their capacity to engage citizens in governance processes. Additionally, the project has implemented civic education programs that have reached over 10,000 citizens, and has conducted public awareness campaigns that have reached over 5 million citizens. The project has also faced several challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, which has disrupted project activities and limited access to citizens. However, the project has adapted to these challenges by implementing remote training and technical assistance programs, and by leveraging digital platforms to reach citizens. Overall, the CCSSA project has made significant progress in strengthening democratic actors and increasing civic participation in Chad. The project's activities have enhanced the capacity of civil society organizations and media sector organizations, created a better-informed and engaged citizenry, and improved civil society collaboration with government.