Engaging Communities for Peace in Nigeria: Annual Report #1/4th Quarter Progress Report

The program is implemented in partnership with Mercy Corps, Pastoral Resolve, and the INTER-GENDER Development Centre. The geographic coverage of the program is in Benue and Nasarawa states, with a focus on reducing violence in 20 farmer and pastoralist communities across the targeted states. The program has three objectives: to strengthen the capacity of farmer and pastoralist leaders to resolve disputes in an inclusive, sustainable manner; to leverage social and economic opportunities to build trust across lines of division; and to foster engagement among farmer-pastoralist communities, local authorities, and neighboring communities to prevent conflict. The program is built on the core theory of change that if farmer and pastoralist communities improve their skills in peacefully managing disputes, collaborate across conflict lines to address underlying tensions, and work with surrounding communities and government authorities to prevent conflict, then communities will increase their trust, economic interdependence, and capacity to monitor and prevent conflict, leading to reduced inter-communal violence. The program is focused on reducing violence in 10 conflict sites across the targeted states of Benue and Nasarawa through an integrated economic development and conflict management approach. The program is implemented in partnership with Pastoral Resolve and the INTER-GENDER Development Centre, both of which have over 10 years' experience operating in the Middle Belt at the intersection of livelihood enhancement, gender equity, governance, health, and development with diverse and often marginalized communities. In the reporting period from June 8 to September 30, 2015, no progress against indicators has been made as the activities have been devoted to starting up the program and implementing the baseline study. As shown in the table below, no progress is expected in this Fiscal Year (FY) due to the timing of the grant period. The program indicators include the number of reported incidents of violence in communities where ECPN is implemented, the capacity of communities to resolve disputes, and the number of communities that have established dispute resolution mechanisms. The baseline study is currently being implemented, and the results will be used to inform the program's activities and interventions. The program has a strong focus on sustainability, leveraging social and economic opportunities to build trust across lines of division, and fostering engagement among farmer-pastoralist communities, local authorities, and neighboring communities to prevent conflict. The program's approach is built on the core theory of change that if farmer and pastoralist communities improve their skills in peacefully managing disputes, collaborate across conflict lines to address underlying tensions, and work with surrounding communities and government authorities to prevent conflict, then communities will increase their trust, economic interdependence, and capacity to monitor and prevent conflict, leading to reduced inter-communal violence. The program's implementation is being monitored and evaluated through a robust monitoring and evaluation plan, which includes indicators such as the number of reported incidents of violence, the capacity of communities to resolve disputes, and the number of communities that have established dispute resolution mechanisms. The program's progress will be reported quarterly, and the results will be used to inform the program's activities and interventions. The program has a strong focus on gender equality and female empowerment, with a particular emphasis on engaging women in the conflict resolution process and promoting their participation in decision-making. The program also has a strong focus on youth development, with a particular emphasis on engaging young people in the conflict resolution process and promoting their participation in decision-making. The program's sustainability mechanisms include the establishment of a community-led dispute resolution mechanism, the promotion of economic opportunities to build trust across lines of division, and the fostering of engagement among farmer-pastoralist communities, local authorities, and neighboring communities to prevent conflict. The program's environmental compliance is also a key focus area, with a particular emphasis on promoting sustainable livelihoods and reducing the environmental impact of the program's activities. The program's public-private partnerships and global development alliance impacts are also being explored, with a particular emphasis on leveraging partnerships to promote economic opportunities and build trust across lines of division. The program's conflict mitigation strategies include the promotion of community-led dispute resolution mechanisms, the fostering of engagement among farmer-pastoralist communities, local authorities, and neighboring communities to prevent conflict, and the promotion of economic opportunities to build trust across lines of division. The program's science, technology, and innovation impacts are also being explored, with a particular emphasis on leveraging technology to promote economic opportunities and build trust across lines of division. The program's management and administrative issues are being addressed through a robust management and administrative plan, which includes indicators such as the number of reported incidents of violence, the capacity of communities to resolve disputes, and the number of communities that have established dispute resolution mechanisms. The program's lessons learned include the importance of engaging communities in the conflict resolution process, promoting economic opportunities to build trust across lines of division, and fostering engagement among farmer-pastoralist communities, local authorities, and neighboring communities to prevent conflict. The program's planned activities for the next quarter include the implementation