Community Cohesion Initiatives: Mid-Term Performance Evaluation Report

The program aimed to support the expanded International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) effort to stabilize key terrain districts viewed as a priority in countering the insurgency. CCI was developed through the lens of 'resilience', defined as the ability of people, households, communities, countries, and systems to mitigate, adapt to and recover from shocks and stresses in a manner that reduces chronic vulnerability and facilitates inclusive growth. The program was designed to strengthen ties between local actors, customary governance structures, and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA). CCI implemented projects in various districts, focusing on community development, vocational training, and public outreach. The program's objective was to increase cohesion among and between communities, with a particular emphasis on supporting women-headed households. CCI's implementation involved a shura mechanism, which played a crucial role in the project's implementation. The shura process allowed for community participation and decision-making, enabling the program to better understand local needs and priorities. However, the evaluation found that the shura mechanism faced challenges in terms of representation and inclusivity. The evaluation team conducted field research and interviews with Afghans across the country, gathering data on CCI's performance. The findings indicated that CCI's implementation supported the project's objective of strengthening ties between local actors, customary governance structures, and the GIRoA. The program also showed success in increasing cohesion among and between communities, particularly in areas where both agricultural and market access interventions were combined. CCI's vocational training activities were found to be effective in improving participants' opportunities for lawful employment. However, the program faced challenges in meeting its target number of female beneficiaries. The evaluation team noted that public outreach efforts were effective in communicating CCI activities to the communities where the program was active, but the communication was not always perceived positively within the communities. The evaluation team drew several lessons from CCI's implementation, including the importance of community participation and decision-making in project implementation. The team also recommended that CCI continue to focus on strengthening ties between local actors, customary governance structures, and the GIRoA, as well as increasing cohesion among and between communities. Additionally, the team suggested that CCI should prioritize vocational training activities and improve its public outreach efforts to better communicate with the communities where the program is active.