Programming Effectively Against Conflict and Extremism (PEACE) IQC

The project is implemented by Management Systems International (MSI) with two subcontractors, International Alert and International Rescue Committee. The overall goal is to develop processes that produce effective solutions to conflict, empower marginalized groups to participate in community-based decision-making, and promote inclusive and participatory community decision-making. The project focuses on seven priority territories, including Walungu, Kabare, Kalehe, and Bukavu City in South Kivu, and Masisi and Goma City in North Kivu. The project's approach is based on three hypotheses: enabling communities to analyze conflict will lead to effective solutions, empowering marginalized groups will result in better and more sustainable solutions, and inclusive and participatory community decision-making will lead to better solutions and greater social cohesion. During the reporting period (April – June 2020), the SPR project pushed forward with the planning, organization, and startup of option period activities approved in the project's Year 4 (Y4) workplan. The project supported the development of a COVID-19 three-month response plan, which included community monitoring of gender-based violence incidents, radio broadcast dissemination of visual media, sensitization awareness campaigns, and dissemination of peace messages through local media. The project also revised the Kahuzi Biega research proposal to incorporate COVID-19 restrictions, conducted an induction of local grantees on COVID-19 data collection using harmonized tools, and successfully implemented local peace and development committee (LPDC)-led community-based conflicts mediation. Additionally, the project completed an operational assessment of women leadership mentoring clubs in North and South Kivu, updated and validated women's leadership mentoring and coaching booklets, and introduced SPR approaches and new zones to new partners. The project's overall achievement against its revised performance indicator table rose from 89% to 90% at the end of Q3. Progress toward targets is at 96% for Objective 1, 102% for Objective 2, and 70% for Objective 3. The project faced various challenges, including the continuous threat of COVID-19 and delay in implementation of Y4 project activities and achievement of targets. However, the project team and local implementing partners worked on solutions to address challenges and developed strategic approaches to maximize opportunities in favor of SPR's objectives. The project took several actions to address the challenges, including preparation and submission of the SPR COVID-19 Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP), authorized all-staff remote working, continued communication with project staff and local partners, developed and submitted a three-month COVID-19 response plan, and organized weekly project senior management team coordination meetings and senior team calls to discuss updates and priorities. The project also conducted a COVID-19 impact assessment survey and began a review of the Y4 workplan and targets achievement analysis.