Community Initiatives to Promote Peace (CIPP) Quarterly Report MAY 1, 2019- JUNE 30, 2019

Implemented by Mercy Corps, in partnership with Pastoral Resolve (PARE), Interfaith Mediation Centre (IMC), Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development (SCDDD), and Africa Radio Drama Association (ARDA), CIPP aims to promote peaceful coexistence and collaboration in Nigeria by mitigating violent conflict in at-risk communities in six states. CIPP's program approach is centered on empowering local stakeholders and government officials, private sector, and development partners in 24 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and at state and federal levels to prevent the outbreak of violence and respond in a timely, effective way to mitigate and de-escalate violence when it does erupt. The program will build strong linkages within and between local and state actors and strategic institutions, with explicit interventions to prevent violent extremism, focusing on the individual, contextual structures, and institutions. CIPP will facilitate youth-led action research on the spread of violent extremism, its drivers, and factors that prevent and motivate participation in violent extremism in the six program states. The program will also empower communities to prevent and respond to violence and violent extremism by strengthening key skills and relationships, and foster an enabling environment for peace through policy advocacy, media outreach, and linkages to development programs. During the first quarter of implementation, CIPP conducted key kick-off activities, including the partners' kick-off meeting in Abuja, selection of program intervention sites (LGAs), and began stakeholder and program introduction meetings. The field office in Kaduna became operational, and recruitment of staff commenced. The team submitted the annual work plan and received USAID's approval. Implementation of substantial program activities will commence next quarter. The Kaduna field office is up and running, and Mercy Corps staff in Kaduna will be located at the IMC offices together with IMC CIPP staff. The PARE Kaduna office is also in operation, and procurement of equipment is ongoing for both Mercy Corps and implementing partners. A kick-off meeting was held in late May, where CIPP presented the project and team to each other, set expectations, reviewed contractual, documentation, and reporting requirements, and had partners agree on modes of communication. Expectations were set among the program team, and the goals, scope, and risks were discussed. The meeting encouraged participation on factors that will make the project successful, including discussions on the work and AMEL plans, procurement needs, and human resources/recruitment of personnel, the project structure, budget, and security concerns. The CIPP program will build the skills and relationships required for violence-prone communities to mitigate and manage conflict, resist rising violent extremism, and proactively address root causes of conflict. The program will also foster an enabling environment for peace through policy advocacy, media outreach, and linkages to development programs.