USAID Systems to Uphold the Credibility and Constitutionality of Elections in South Sudan (SUCCESS) Annual Progress Report

This year, SUCCESS focused on advancing objectives under Component Three, given that Components One and Two of the project remained on hold per United States Agency for International Development (USAID) guidance. SUCCESS continued to implement activities based on the Year 8 Implementation Plan (IP) with the incremental increase in funding received in Y8. With this funding, SUCCESS strengthened civil society engagement in key political and peace processes and fostered CSO, strategic partner, and Civic Engagement Center (CEC) sustainability in South Sudan. As Y8 was the last year of programming, SUCCESS reduced its activities and staffing level during the year. As a result, all national staff contracts transitioned to consultancies in FY2021 Q4. The six SUCCESS CECs in Aweil, Juba, Rumbek, Torit, Wau, and Yambio continued to serve as critical platforms for citizen engagement and access points for SUCCESS programming. In Y8, SUCCESS issued new subawards to six strategic partners and the Organization for Responsive Governance (ORG) to implement activities related to the constitution-building process, trauma awareness, psychosocial support (PSS), and peacebuilding interventions. This year, SUCCESS also permitted Education Advocacy grantees that were not able to complete implementation of their grants in Y7 due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic to extend their period of performance with no cost increase. In Q1Y8, SUCCESS conducted an Education Impact Assessment (EIA) to measure the impact of its education interventions. The assessment mainly focused on SUCCESS's interventions on Parent Teacher Associations (PTA) capacity-building through grants and direct implementation. SUCCESS continued to work with its coalition partners the Women's Monthly Forum on the Peace Process (WMF), the Voluntary Civil Society Taskforce on the Implementation of the Peace Agreement ("the Taskforce"), and the Transitional Justice Working Group (TJWG) to present a unified civil society voice to push for peace through regular press statements and forums advocating for full implementation of the revitalized peace agreement (R-ARCSS). During this implementation period, SUCCESS continued to adhere to the Government of South Sudan (GoSS) restrictions to combat the spread of COVID-19. CECs continued to comply with the COVID-19 directives and ensure the safety of its staff and partners. For instance, CECs enforced that all DI staff and partners wear face masks, adhere to social distancing measures, and wash their hands regularly. SUCCESS also worked closely with partner organizations to adapt activities to the COVID-19 context by transitioning in-person events to virtual forums and increasing radio programming. The SUCCESS program continued to work with its coalition partners to present a unified civil society voice to push for peace through regular press statements and forums advocating for full implementation of the revitalized peace agreement (R-ARCSS). SUCCESS also continued to support the development of a comprehensive peace agreement that addresses the root causes of the conflict in South Sudan. The program's efforts focused on promoting inclusive peace processes, government accountability, and national cohesion in South Sudan. The SUCCESS program's work in South Sudan was supported by a range of partners, including the Women's Monthly Forum on the Peace Process (WMF), the Voluntary Civil Society Taskforce on the Implementation of the Peace Agreement ("the Taskforce"), and the Transitional Justice Working Group (TJWG). These partners played a critical role in promoting inclusive peace processes, government accountability, and national cohesion in South Sudan. The SUCCESS program's work in South Sudan was also supported by a range of international organizations, including the United Nations (UN) and the African Union (AU). These organizations provided critical support to the program's efforts to promote inclusive peace processes, government accountability, and national cohesion in South Sudan. The SUCCESS program's work in South Sudan was also supported by a range of local organizations, including the South Sudanese Network for Democracy and Elections (SSuNDE) and the Organization for Responsive Governance (ORG). These organizations played a critical role in promoting inclusive peace processes, government accountability, and national cohesion in South Sudan. The SUCCESS program's work in South Sudan was also supported by a range of local leaders, including the Governor of Aweil State and the Governor of Wau State. These leaders played a critical role in promoting inclusive peace processes, government accountability, and national cohesion in South Sudan. The SUCCESS program's work in South Sudan