Stability in Key Areas (SIKA) South Quarterly Report for January 01 – March 31, 2014

The program's primary objective is to support the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA) at the district level, while coordinating efforts at the provincial level, to implement community-led development and governance initiatives that respond to the population's needs and concerns. The program focuses on key districts prioritized by the United States Government (USG) Regional Platform-South (RP-S) and aligned with the GIRoA Key Terrain District (KTD), District Delivery Program (DDP), and other priority districts as determined by the relevant provincial governments. The program's intermediate results include provincial and district entities addressing sources of instability, understanding organizations and provincial line departments, improving communication between provincial and district authorities, and enhancing basic service delivery. The SIKA South program is highly Afghanized, demand-driven, and owned by GIRoA counterparts. It is integrated with existing programs such as the National Solidarity Program (NSP) and the National Area-Based Development Program (NABDP). The program supports, mentors, and empowers GIRoA, builds the capacity of provincial and district entities, and procures goods and services locally whenever possible following the Afghan First policy. Recognizing the importance of women's involvement in good governance, the program promotes the GIRoA's National Action Plan for Women of Afghanistan (NAPWA) and the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development's (MRRD) Gender Policy. The program builds on the successful efforts of other initiatives, such as the MRRD District Development Assemblies (DDAs) and the Community Development Councils (CDC) of the NSP, which promote participation of women. The program covers the southern region of Afghanistan, with a focus on 14 districts and four districts in Kandahar that participate in the Capacity Building Initiative. The program's geographic coverage is extensive, with a focus on building the capacity of provincial and district entities to address sources of instability and improve basic service delivery. The SIKA South program has made significant progress in achieving its intermediate results. Provincial and district entities have increased their ability to address sources of instability, and there has been an improvement in communication between provincial and district authorities. The program has also enhanced basic service delivery, with a focus on labor-intensive projects and productive infrastructure. The program's capacity building initiative has been successful in building the capacity of provincial and district entities. The program has also promoted the participation of women in governance initiatives, with a focus on targeting awareness initiatives and training programs, improving women's access to District Entities (DEs), and identifying opportunities to support projects for women. Overall, the SIKA South program has made significant progress in promoting stabilization in key areas of southern Afghanistan. The program's focus on building the capacity of provincial and district entities, promoting the participation of women, and enhancing basic service delivery has been successful in achieving its intermediate results.