Civil Society Organizations Strengthening Project (CSOSP) Quarterly Report: FY 2020 Quarter 2 (Q2)

The project is led by FHI 360 and is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under Cooperative Agreement AID-72060318-LA-00001. PRECAD's objective is to strengthen civil society organizations to improve service delivery in education and health, advocate for gender equality, equitable service delivery, and the protection of vulnerable populations, while improving the enabling environment for civil society. The project supports Djiboutians to engage in constructive dialogue with government officials to improve service delivery. During the second quarter of FY 2020, PRECAD made progress in several key areas, including strengthening collaboration between government ministries and civil society, and supporting civil society partners to reach a level of professionalism where they can receive and manage donor funds directly. The project also adapted to the global COVID-19 pandemic by shifting to online capacity-building sessions. The four multi-sectoral Education Working Groups served as a venue for civil society and the government to collaborate on implementing a shared action plan for improving education services. The working groups came to consensus on the expected outcomes and objectives of each working group's thematic activity. Scores on collaboration within civil society and between civil society and the government improved thanks to the working group meetings and the WhatsApp networks facilitated by PRECAD. The global COVID-19 pandemic caused travel and meeting restrictions in Djibouti in March, prompting FHI 360 to adapt its implementation strategy. USAID granted PRECAD a no-cost extension of its program through September 30, 2020. PRECAD's implementation strategy focuses on three key outcomes: accountable governance better integrated into education and health sectors, civil society organizations more effectively advocating for gender equality, equitable service delivery, and protection of vulnerable populations, and an improved enabling environment for associations in Djibouti. The project also coordinates with other donor programs and monitors its progress through a Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Plan (PMEP). Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, PRECAD made significant progress in Q2 FY 2020, including strengthening collaboration between government ministries and civil society, supporting civil society partners to reach a level of professionalism, and adapting to the pandemic by shifting to online capacity-building sessions. The project's achievements demonstrate its commitment to strengthening civil society organizations and improving service delivery in education and health in Djibouti. PRECAD's planned activities for the next quarter build upon the accomplishments to date and aim to strengthen community-based structures, such as Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) and Health Committees, to better meet the demand of Djiboutian citizens for improved government services. The project's continued efforts will focus on improving collaboration between government ministries and civil society, supporting civil society partners to reach a level of professionalism, and adapting to the evolving context of the COVID-19 pandemic.