SSD NORAD CRG Mid-Term Review Report – South Sudan (2015 – 2017)

In Country contact: Michael Mabior Mading

Email address: Michael.Mabior@savethechildren.org

Background: The project (Child Rights Governance) aims to support, and if necessary put pressure on, states to put in place the systems necessary to make children’s rights a reality and to facilitate a vibrant civil society (including children) to be able to hold the government accountable for its actions and inactions on children’s rights. We aim to raise the issues and status of children in all societies to ensure that they are treated as the citizens of today not just tomorrow. In doing so, we intend to push children and their rights up the political agenda. It is about supporting states to move forward faster in fulfilling children’s rights, about holding states to

account for what they have or haven’t done and about mobilizing civil society to promote and defend children’s rights and engaging with other actors who influence child rights realization. Child Rights Governance is structured in three subthemes namely; i. Child rights monitoring;ii. Strengthening child rights systems and structures;iii. Building capacity and awareness.The project has been implemented in the three of the former 10 states and at the national level (Juba). The CRG Norad funded project aimed at strengthening government systems, capacity building and awareness creation as well as support government budgeting processes to ensure that children benefiting programmes are prioritize in the budgets and in political agenda. Under Child Rights Governance programming, the project supported the government line ministries and Parliamentary Lobby Group for Children (a parliamentary platform of members of parliament established by Save the Children) to move faster in the implementation of child rights instruments.

Save the Children through CRG project, works on capacity building of stakeholders, children, civil society organizations and the government in order to strengthen child rights systems and structures to monitor, report and to promote the rights of children. SCI works closely with Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare and other stakeholders to influence fiscal space, decisions and programmes to increase public spending on children in three key sectors of health, education and social welfare.

Executive Summary:Following a Mid Term Review (MTR) conducted in the four areas of project implementation, the below were identified as the success of the project toward

achieving it results. Engagement with stakeholders and especially child rights coalition, community leaders, children and government on children related issues were found to promising in child rights and reality in the country as indicated in the findings table below. Through SCI capacity strengthening, Child Rights Coalition has capacity to monitor and report as shown during the preparation and submission of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR. In short, CRG key strategic partners increased knowledge and understanding on child rights monitoring and reporting according to the findings. The UPR report prepared and submitted by the partners d-linked in the table of the findings below is shown as an evident on partner’s increased capacity on child rights monitoring and reporting. The draft UNCRC independent children report to child rights committed is refer to as increased knowledge and capacity of children in monitoring and report on the violation of their own rights. This report is at the final stage and will be publish and launch toward the end of 2017. All these reports including position paper and petitions prepared and presented by CSOs and children, d-linked in the table below are evidences of the increased knowledge and capacity of the partners and children on child rights monitoring and reporting

Children have capacity and are able to engaged government and other stakeholders on child rights, especially on the matters that affect them. Children are able to lobby the decision makers for changes on the laws and policies that do not favor them as shown during the two conferences held in Bor and Rumbek. In addition to the UNCRC draft independent children report, children were able to engage the policy/decision makers in different forums where they had raised and presented issues and matters affect them. The evidence of increased knowledge and capacity on their engagement are found in the table of findings below where children own prepared and presented petitions are d-linked for references. Children led speeches and delivered powerful and compelling messages while demanding their rights from the authorities on things that need to be put in place for them to enjoy their rights e.g. free and quality education, access to health and social protection services among others. In that regard, Child Rights Clubs are capable and they are able to carry out advocacy and campaigns on child rights.

Child Rights Coalition is able to interact and take lead on child rights issues e.g. developed UPR advocacy plan that aimed at engaging with difference stakeholders including government, foreign embassies, UN agencies and International Organization in order to support UPR recommendations

Domestication of ratified children instruments as shown during Lakes state constitution review, were children issues (rights to survival, development, protection and participation) were clearly highlighted in the law has been one of the achievement as compare to pervious constitution which did not favor or reflect child rights issues.

SCI intention is with the aim to empower both CSOs and Coalition, community leaders and children so that they are able to influence the laws, policy and decision

makers to improve allocation and spending on the sectors such as Education, Health, and Child Protection in order to improve and promote the rights of the children and have capacity to hold government accountable in case of misused of funds allocated for children programs or when child rights is violated in the country.

State government officials from line ministries of Social Development, Education and health have knowledge, skills and better understanding on budgeting process, including fair allocations and spending on children’s benefiting programmes, but lack of resources to allocate for child focused programmes and to spend on children, remained as a challenge despite the capacity the government officials have. According to findings on the Mid Term Review (MTR) carried out by SCI staff and it partners.

Objectives of the MTRThe purpose of Mid-term Review was to identify the project achievement and failure against the indicators that will be used to inform the next project design and plans. The project started on 1st January 2015 and run up to 2018, but this review look at the success and failure from 1st of January 2015 to Mid-2017

MethodologyThe method used during data collection was reviewing, interviewing and checking of the copies of budget petitions, reports prepared and submitted by CSOs and CRC to CRC committee and to other institutions in the country. We had interviewed 3 members of the Coalition, 24 members of child rights clubs and reviewed the resolutions passed by coalition for children’s rights, press releases, minutes, & budget review report. We also interviewed the Director of Child Welfare in the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare and reviewed desk on international instrument ratified by the Republic of South Sudan, policies & legislations with support from SCI including National Plan of Action with children participation. We also interview the Chairperson of the South Sudan Parliamentary Lobby Group for Children (SSPLGC) and reviewed of Bills passed through by both national and state legislatives with participation of SCI supported CSOs and children. The respondents are those who in one way or the other involved either directly or indirectly during the implementation of the Norad funded project and that is how selection came about, because this exercises was aimed at collecting the exact results the project produced in which those who did not participated and take part during the implementation cannot know.

I would like to acknowledged and thank CRG staff, and our partners (Action for Children Development Foundation (ACDF) and Child Rights Coalition (CRCR) for the role they had played during data collection exercise especially during interviews and desk review processes. Most importantly, I wish to thank our supportive MEAL team, Rozita and Naeem for the revision and comments on the report. My especial thanks

go to Joseph Akech a former CRG Technical Specialist and a Current Advocacy and Policy Director for his wonderful support and for his technical inputs on the report. I had played a leadership and coordination role during data collection and compiling of the report, without good leadership, this exercise would have not been possible. This work would not have been possible or done successfully without the financial support from our Donor (Norad) through Save the Children Norway (SCN), this kind of generosity should not go without acknowledge it, this is really appreciated

Data quality; This Data has been checked by both SCI staff and other implementing partners as of quality, accurate and reliable. The data quality was confirmed by checking the indicators against the data collected documentation which proved the validity of the data. The data collected during MTR exercise was found to be up to the standards set to measure the results against the indicators and that assure the reviewers of the data of it quality and this data can be used for future planning.In addition, this data report being the information collected from those partners and stakeholders who are currently and previously involved either directly or indirectly during project implementation period, gave this data a credibility of being of good quality

Scope and limitations: Data collection exercises were conducted in the four areas of project implementation namely: Lakes, Northern Bahr Al gazal, Jonglei and National level Juba. The implementing partners and stakeholders e.g. Action for Children Development Foundation (ACDF) and Child Rights Coalition (CRC) were involved during data collection. Children clubs were also involved in reviewing the number of petitions and reports prepared submitted by them to any institutions within and outside

FINDINGS

Key achievements:During the period of project implementation, SCI together with its partners and especially Child Rights Civil Society Coalition played a great role in influencing the government policies with the aim of ensuring domestication of all the ratified child rights instruments and their incorporation into national’s laws and policies. With generous funding from Norad, CRG team has achieved a lot of progress despite the challenges of political and economic crisis befalling the young country and its peoples.

With SCI support, the partners demonstrated collaborative partnership and commitment to lobby and advocate for budget increment so that all children and especially the most deprived and the marginalized groups of children benefit from public spending. Though the government and other stakeholders have knowledge the importance of budgeting for children, no much achievement has been realized in this area, and this is due, in part, to the current political and economic crisis in the country.

Achievement as per outcomes:Outcome 1: Civil society organizations and Child Rights Coalition have capacity and knowledge to monitor and report on child rights: Child Rights Coalition and civil society organizations have knowledge and capacity to monitor and report as shown during the preparation and submission of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR. In short, CRG key strategic partners increased knowledge and understanding on child rights monitoring and reporting according to the findings. The UPR report prepared and submitted by the partners d-linked in the table of the findings below is shown as an evident on partner’s increased capacity on child rights monitoring and reporting. The draft UNCRC independent children report to child rights committed is refer to as increased knowledge and capacity of children in monitoring and report on the violation of their own rights. This report is at the final stage and will be publish and launch toward the end of 2017. All these reports are evident of the increased knowledge and capacity of the partners and children on child rights monitoring and reporting

Outcome 2: The capacity of partner organizations, a Child Rights coalition and community leader to advocate and monitor child rights implementation is strengthened: Partner capacity has improved as they strongly engaged with policy and decision makers during project implementation period as they continued lobbied for the improvement on policies and laws that had negative effect on children. CSOs influenced law review process in Lakes state and ensured that the ratified children instruments especially from UNCRC and ACRWC though not fully ratified by then, were domesticated and reflected in the state constitution (CSOs participated in the review process and engaged policy makers to incorporate child rights elements in law according to the UNCRC, ACRWC and Child Act, 2008). The Coalition was able to advocate for the implementation of recommendations from the UPR report through public engagement with government, communities and wider civil society movement. The advocacy plan of the coalition as d-linked in the table below shown that, the partner organization and especially child rights coalition had capacity to advocate and monitor the implementation of children in the country. Child Rights Coalition work harder to ensure that, children issues at all time and at all level. In that regard, coalition had prepared and presented a Position paper on the budget to the National Parliament through the Parliamentary Lobby Group for Children at national level demanding for an increase of budget for child focused line ministries. Local community leaders are willing and confident that they will be able to promote and advocate for children rights in their respective communities and counties for a better change in children’s life. The leaders are influential figures of civil society organization’s whom we works with, and they had shown this commitment during various capacity strengthening workshop on their roles in child rights promotion in order to make child rights a reality in South Sudan

Outcome 3: Government of State of South Sudan ratifies and domesticates the UNCRC, the ACRWC and all optional protocols, monitors and reports their applications: Through SCI strong advocacy works with its partners such as child rights coalition and the South Sudan Parliamentary Lobby Group for Children (SSPLGC) resulted to the ratification of the UNCRC and ACRWC. The Republic of South Sudan with both financial and technical support from SCI ratified UNCRC and ACRWC without any reservation. The country did not yet ratify the three optional protocols, but the plans are underway and SCI will continue lobbying the government for the ratification of the optional protocols.

Outcome 4: Improved level and quality of child focused spending especially on health, education and Social welfare and improved revenue base for government to finance investment in children: Through child rights governance advocacy work and commitment of the Civil Society Organizations, Parliamentarian Lobby Group for Children and the Specialized Committee during the budget process, we had strongly lobbied and advocated for the budget increase for the child focused government sectors. During the project implementation, the results achieved in this case were very minimal and this was due to political and economic crises that engulf the country after 2013 incident. Before the economic worsen in 2015, there were some slight increases of budget allocations to programs that are beneficial to children (health, education and social welfare) in 2015 – 2016 budgets as a result of SCI advocacy work, but declined in 2016 – 2017 budgets due to continuous economic downfall in the country. The little allocations for children programmes is hard to track due to the lack of budget information on how it is spent and whether it make impact on children or not. In this case, and to have a fact on budget impact on children, SCI is hiring a consultant this year (2017) to do study on government and aid budget impact on children

Main challenges:The project has experienced major achievements as well as setbacks. Notable of the challenges, is the worsening security situation, economic collapse, famine and fragmentation of societies.

• Lack of involvement of children in any decision making process at household and community level as well as in the government was also a gap/challenge and lesson learned during project implementation. In most cases, children are not consulted nor involved in any decision making processes and that resulted always on their priorities being left out of government priorities. Cultural norms & customs also did not encourage child participation at any level

• Economic crises: The key issue affected most of the activities; especially activities to do with budget since the start of the crisis are to do with the broader political and economic crisis in the country. The government overwhelming concern is the lack of access to dollars as the oil prices declined globally which resulted to the increase in dollar exchange rate on the black market. This is also the biggest obstacle to increasing budget allocation for children focused programmes as the country relies heavily on oil revenues. The effect of the current economic crisis in South Sudan on SCI CRG work, is lack of commitment from the government especially lack of resource allocation to complement what SCI is doing on child rights in order to make it realized and become a reality. SCI advocacy work seem to be like falling in the deft ear and the situation of children kept worsening due to lack of implementation of the child rights ratified instruments (UNCRC and ACRWC) including national law (Child Act 2018), because lack of resource to use to implement those laws remain as a challenge and that made results of our work not being realized since there is no any support from the government as the primary duty bearer.

• Governance/Administration: Changes in governance both at Legislature and executive have at some points affected the coordination, programming and implementation of CRG project. During the reporting period, there have been a lot of changes at all level of the government both at national and state level which has affected and slow down the implementation of some activities that involved officials from the government e.g. exchanges visits, budget tracking study and activities aimed at supporting budgeting processes including budget hearing becomes harder to implement and if implemented, the results are not immediately realized and that make the achievement we had invisible. Not only that, changes of government administration take as back to stage of start building the capacity of the newly administration for them to understand the nature of the project and that time require a lot of times for SCI to fully engage with the new administrators and that effect the progress of toward achieving its result.

Recommendations: Despite all the challenges mentioned above, CRG sector and its partners will continue engage with the government at all level in order to ensure that, there is change in the ways the government and the entire nation views children issues.

In the next CRG 2018 period, SCI will increases its advocacy and collaboration with child rights clubs, CSOs, traditional leaders and Government officials or institutions at national and states level so that children issues are brought up to the political agenda through involvement of all stakeholders in all the government processes.

The next approaches will be both ways, bottom up approach where SCI will increases capacity building and awareness creation on child rights and advocacy work with communities and civil society organizations at local level in order to equip them with knowledge and capacity to lobby, advocate and demands for child rights

Top down approach where SCI will engage with policy and decision makers through capacity building and system strengthening so that systems and institutions that are child friendly are established including children independent commission.

SCI will continue engage the South Sudan Parliamentary Lobby Group for Children (SSPLGC) in order for them to lobby and advocate for the ratification of the three optional protocols and push for the full implementation of child rights

Midterm progress against outcomesOutcome 1: Civil society organizations and Child Rights Coalition have capacity and knowledge to monitor and report on child rights:

Indicator: Child-informed supplementary reports are being prepared or have been

The target were 1 supplementary report by coalition to UN CRC in 2017 and 1 children report with support of CSOs to CRC in 2017 Results achieved:

SCI built the capacity of coalition members on child rights and on UNCRC and UPR reporting processes. And with

submitted by civil society partners and children’s networks

financial and technical support, Child Rights Coalition prepared and submitted the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) report in March 2016 (www.info@upr.org)

As a result, Child Rights Coalition developed the UPR Advocacy Plan (UPDATED) Coalition Advocacy plan.docx1 to lobby the government and other stakeholders to implement the recommendations

3 Child Rights Clubs with support from SCI prepared and presented 3 budget petitions to Legislative Assembly in 3 states of Jonglei, Northern Bhar el Ghazal and Lakes2 as a demand from children to increase budget allocated to child focused programmes. These Children petition.docx children petition budget Jonglei state Bor.docx CSOs & Children Petition_2016.pdf3 petitions were presented during 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 budgeting cycle with an intention for the government to increase budget allocations in order to benefit all children. From the previous years, (2015 – 2016) budget increased to (7%heath, 7%education) from the recent year (2016 – 2017) budget decreased to 3.67% education, 1.5 health and 0.46% social protection respectively.

SC also supported children to prepare first ever children’s own report to the Committee on the Rights of the Child which report will be presented along with periodic and complementary reports on October 2017 to be prepared by the government of South Sudan and CSOs respectively

Specific challenge: Political instability and economic crisis made it harder to

work with the government and diplomacy missions in South Sudan especially on UPR advocacy which aimed to lobby the government and other service providers to address or implement the recommendations of the UPR report (Advocacy plan ), but interrupted by July 2016 fighting

Outcome 2: The capacity of partner organizations, a Child Rights coalition and community leader to advocate and monitor child rights implementation is strengthened:Indicator: Coalitions for children’s rights supported by Save the Children and partners have

The target were the Minutes of meetings, Budget Speech, Training Needs Assessment report and Policy Brief Report; Advocacy Monitoring Tool; Baseline study; Mid-term Evaluation; Final Evaluation Results achieved:

With financial support from SCI, CSOs influenced law review process in Lakes state and ensured that the ratified

1 Child Rights Coalition Advocacy plan2

33Children petition

demonstrated influence on laws and budgets

children instruments (UNCRC and ACRWC) are domesticated and reflected in the state constitution (CSOs participated in the review process and engaged policy makers to incorporate child rights in law according to the UNCRC and Child Act, 2008)

Three partners (Action for Children Development Foundation (ACDF), Disabled Agency for Rehabilitation & Development Agency (DARD) and Child Rights Coalition (CRC) conducted three forums to discuss child rights issues of concerns in the country that led to the preparation and submission of the coalition position paper demanding for budget increases especially on child focused programmes

Children and Civil Society groups with both financial and technical support from Save the Children during a children’s conference had speeches calling upon all actors including government’s ministers and parliamentarians to act on to address issues raised by children including education, social protection, and health services in the state. And as a result, government officials made promises that will be well measure in the next government budget allocation (2017-2018 budget)

Child Rights Coalition prepared and presented a position paper Position paper CRC.docx on the budget to the National Parliament through the Parliamentary Lobby Group for Children at national level demanding for an increase of budget for child focused line ministries

SCI through a hired consultant conducted the baseline survey and have report which is currently being used to measures the results against the indicators

Specific challenge:

Shrinking operating (the Enactment and implementation of NGO Act, 2016) space for the civil society organizations to interact freely among themselves and with the government on child rights issues remains as a challenge, and this is due to current state of affairs that restricted freedom of speech of CSOs and other human rights activist.

Outcome 3: Government of State of South Sudan ratifies and domesticates the UNCRC, the ACRWC and all optional protocols, monitors and reports their applications:Indicator 1: # of policy or legislative changes to institutionalize children’s rights has taken place.

The target for this outcome were 4 Policies such as Child Act, Budget Books, Social protection Policy, National Plan of Action, Development Plans, Child Friendly Version of Child Act, UPR report Results achieved:

South Sudan developed the National Plan of Action Republic of South Sudan National Plan of Action for Children4 for children that will

4 Republic of South Sudan national Plan of Action for Children

be used as guidance in the implementation of child rights related activities with children and CSO participation. This document is pending deliberation by the National Legislative Assembly before it can be operationalized in programming.

SCI Developed simplified version of Child Act, 2008 which is being disseminated across the country so that to informs children’s about their rights as outline in the law.

SCI Printed and distributed 1,000 copies of simplified version of United Nation Convention on the Rights of the child that are used for the dissemination and use by the duty bearers and rights holders

In collaboration with Advocates Without Borders(South Sudanese legal organization) , a legal challenge by way of Petition to Supreme Court (sitting as Constitutional Court) of South Sudan has been prepared ready to be filed in Mid-June seeking declaratory orders to End Child Marriage in South Sudan. With support from SCI.

Specific challenge: The ratification of UNCRC did not follow up appropriate

government commitment to implement critical parts such as article 4 which obliges state parties to progressively allocate sufficient budget towards their social programmes

Indicator 2: # of child rights instruments ratified by SS

The target for this indicator was 3 Optional Protocols and ACRWC ratified and domesticated

Results achieved: The Republic of South Sudan ratified the UNCRC on Feb

2015.without any reservation and currently preparing to ratify the optional protocols

South Sudan Legislative Assembly passed the ratification of ACRWC on 2016, but currently pending for the President’s signature,

The government also ratified CEDAW on 3rd of September 2014 which promotes women’s rights and calls for equality between males and females.

Indicator 3: # of State Party Reports submitted following the ratification

The target for the indicator were 2 reports submitted (ACERWC after ratification and UNCRC Committees in 2017) and one UPR report in 2016Results achieved:Save the Children is working with government, UNICEF and CSOs to prepare periodic and complementary reports to the CRC committee that are to be submitted on July – August 2017. Children are also being supported to submit an independent report on matters that affect them insofar as the ratified child related treaties are concerned.

Outcome 4: Improved level and quality of child focused spending

especially on health, education and Social welfare and improved revenue base for government to finance investment in children:Indicator 1: # of policy, legislative and administrative changes made on tax matters and exploitation of natural resources as a result of advocacy by SC and its partners in order to improve resources available to invest in children

The target was # of fiscal policies, Mid-term expenditure plan, National budget book and Public spendingResults achieved:

Disseminated and distributed Child Responsive Budget Guide to Policy/Decision makers that is used to guide the child rights actors during resources mobilization and distribution in order to advance or promote child rights in the country

Specific challenge: Lack of adequate fiscal policies that allow for active participation of

citizenry in economic policy formulation. The tax policies are neither implemented nor disseminated by the government giving rise to a surge in corruption and lack of transparency

Indicator 2: Proportion of government allocations/expenditure to child-focused programmes and sectors at national and local level

The target was 6 Counties in 3 states (NBeG, Lakes & Jonglei) with ministries and child departments conduct budget tracking & impact assessmentThis indicator is not achieved due to the challenges mentioned below:

Tracking the government budget allocation and spending at all level to see how it impacts children’s lives remain as a challenge as there has been no budget information on actual spending available to collect and analyze.

Economic crisis contributed negatively in achieving this indicator as the country from the onset of this project experienced a series of issues (political and economic crisis)

Indicator 3: Percentage change in allocations/expenditures to basic education, child health and child welfare budgets

The target was 20% increase adjusted for inflation in public allocations and expenditure on child focused programmes and sectors (primary education, new born health care & social protection)Results achieved:As a result in the first year (2015) of project implementation through SCI advocacy works with key strategic partners, there was slight increases in budget allocated to programs that benefit children

Ministry of Health received 7% of the government budget for the general health with nothing spent on vaccination

Ministry of Education received 7% for the general education and the entire budget spent on salaries and operations which did not benefit children in any way

Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare received 1% for social welfare which was also spent on salaries and

operations in the Ministry During the budget process, it was revealed that the annual budget for 2016/2017 was 38.07 Billion SSP with 40% Budget deficit.

Education sector received about 3.67% of 2016-2017, and this allocation is largely for payment of teachers and capitation grants for schools.

Health Sector received 1.5%. Was no mention of the vaccination programs which the country badly needed?

Social Development received less than 0.46% of the budget. This budget goes entirely for salaries.

Refer to Child Rights Coalition budget analysis report Budget Analysis report by CRC.docx5 Specific challenges:

It is difficult to measure the entire % of budget allocated to children benefiting programmes due to lack of the government budget information

Current economic crisis and the dollar inflation against SSP made it difficult for the government to allocate adequate budget to children benefiting programmes such as education, health and social protection

Drop of oil prices in the world market and slow oil product due to conflict in the country affected the government budget as a result, and children benefiting programmes remain not a government priority.

Security sector received a lion share and with less focus to children benefiting programmes and is due to the war in the country. This made it harder and harder to influence policy/decision makers to increase budget for children focused programmes

Lack of political will with economic crisis contributing as majority of government officials lost hope and commitment to their obligation

Recommendations for the next CRG framework:- In the next phase, CRG advocacy work is going to predominantly anchored

on formal and informal modes. This will be done by identifying the influential elements, and top decision-makers as the currently political crisis stabilized. Will focus on organizing and conducting meetings based on the underlying importance of proper investment in children and how significantly improved spending on sectors directly benefiting children would bear results that the country/and or state can benefit in the long run

- There will be need for an inclusion of different stakeholders at initial stage of project implementation process in order to make them own and contribute to

5 Budget Analysis Report prepared by CRC

success of the project goals and objectives which in several ways will be the best strategy for services delivery as their participation will be help to easy the implementation of the project.

- Continue with regular consultation meetings with key strategic partners in order to monitor the progress of project implementation, challenges so that changes are reflect early for the success of the project toward achieving it objectives

- CRG project is designed to ensure that the government and other stakeholders are encourage to engage children in governance through consultative meetings with children so that their views are listened to and reflected in policies, planning and children are as well involve in decision making process including budgeting. CRG project in areas of implementation will aim at empowering children in order for them to have capacity to be able to participate and hold those in power accountable for the promises they do or don’t, for children

- During the planning period, there was slight change made to the budget especially on budget tracking study which require some changes. During the 2016 of project implementation period, it was difficulty to carry out budget tracking study due to instability and economic crisis as there was no data available for this particular study. In that regard, budget tracking study was postpone. In 2017, we propose to use the budget which was allocated for budget tracking study for the similar activity, but in a different approach, instead of budget tracking, it will be on study the impact of government budget had on children.

- Insecurity has led to serious challenges associated with capacity-building within the government; an escalation in violence could erode government capacity further and lead to the displacement of key stakeholders. Future changes in the government structure in the project areas, associated with the national-level conflict and related decisions over the number and boundaries of states are possible. This may hamper coordination between government authorities and the project staff, as well as further limiting the effectiveness of capacity-building measures targeting state ministries. The project intervention participation and advocacy in government decision-making would also be likely to face additional challenges. Violence elsewhere in the country especially in areas of project implementation (Bor, Rumbek & malualkon) may also affect project implementation.

- In order to minimize and mitigating the above mentioned risks, the project will have to remain flexible in order to adapt to the shifting security context. The project design allows for a reasonable degree of flexibility in order to achieve the results and target even with existing of the challenges. The project staff will keep reviewing the context to identify any major contextual shifts in order to ensure project viability and staff safety, including through

increasing activities in some areas and reducing them in others based on the context. The project should be sensitive to the needs of new actors, especially IDPs, given significant internal displacement in the project areas. A consideration of the impact of significant IDP flows on local dynamics would be necessary.

- SCI will continue lobby for more funds from other donor or members in order to ensure that, there is continuity of the project

- The project’s sustainability is as well premised on on-going projects aimed at building and strengthening child rights coalition and other CSOs so that they have capacity on resource mobilization.

Annex: Case studies

SUBJECT: CASE STUDY:

Case study title: Success story on “Child rights clubs’ participation”

Child right club or group name: Bor girls’ child rights club.

Village/school Bor Girls primary school formed in 2013

A description of the situation before this club was formed: The situation before this clubs was form was that children participation was not a priority in the community and at the state level, and as such no one believes that children can express themselves in a right manner. Although South Sudan Government has the law for children “the South Sudan child Act-2008” as well as UNCRC but there are still level where children are not listen to nor respecting their rights and children continues to suffer from all forms of abuses, however Save the children as a child focus organization has been fighting for children rights at different level in the state and a country as a whole to ensure that children rights are promoted or push up the political agenda.

Save the children through it projects/programs in the state is working hard to ensure that children survive, learn and be protected.Problem: Descript the problem which the clubs faced and helped by SCI/CRG:In the past Children involvement/participation in Bor community was not that free because the concept people were having here was that, children were considered to be people without reasoning capacities when it comes to decision making, and this has make it difficult for them (children) to express their issues of concern at any level starting from the family to the public. However SCI under CRG sector came up with the idea of forming and training child rights clubs groups at various locations in the state, these groups were trained on child rights so that they know their rights and how to claim them, this support from SCI/ CRG helped these group a lots in dealing with child rights advocacy, and as per now the groups/clubs are capable of making advocacy on children rights on their own in Bor. NB: In Bor There are 4 active child rights clubs each with 24 members totaling to 96 in which 60 are girls and 36 boys. These groups are directly or indirectly involved in child rights dissemination in the state.

Objective of the case study: To gauge the participation of children to inform CRG strategic plan on how to strengthen children’s involvement at different levels in the state.Quotes of the clubs describing their problem in their own words:

Adults sometime oppose our ideas that are of our best interest instead they decide things on our behave which some time doesn’t solve our needs or problems

We girls are seen as family property or wealth and as such some of us are denied of going to schools and kept at home to do domestic work.

We girls need support in term of our education by providing us with things like dignity kits, schools bags, playing materials, pens and exercise book etc.

Intervention:Descript how Save the children has specifically support or solved the above mentioned problem. Save the children CRG sector have provided several trainings on child rights to the following groups so that they are aware and be able to respect children rights at all level.

• Children rights clubs• Community leaders• Government officials• Social workers• Civil Society organizations

NB: The trainings provided to the above groups had a positive impact on children lives in the state, and the proof is that children now a day are given chance to express/present their issues during government occasions, or celebration. Government officials and Parents listen and encourage children to expresses their views on issues affecting them, but the challenge is that children request are not always fulfill due to the current economic crises, however the government at state level always remain positive to support children at all levels. Quotes from the club members on how save the children reached them or how they heard about save the children.

• Save the children voluntarily came to our school and organized us with the support from our head teacher and teachers

• We heard about save the children through it programmes on children rights Impact: (positive results of SCI/CRG work)Describe how the activities of the club help or solved the problem of child participation and/or improved their lives. As a result of Save the children support in term of trainings the followings have been realized.

• The activities of child rights clubs have paved ways of children’s participation in the state, now a days children are allow to participate freely during official gathering e.g. Day of the African child ( DoA) and independent day etc.

• The routine Child rights clubs awareness creation on the importance of education in Jonglei F.M radio has greatly contributed to the enrollment of girls’ child into schools.

• Children are able to advocate on issues affecting them without fear and they do it through radio talk’s show, dramas, poems and songs.

• Children have gone to the level of holding government, parents and other stake holders accountable, and the example is that they (children) convene their meeting on their own to discuss issues affecting them, and they can even write petition to the state Assembly asking for budget allocation to children programs under the ministry of education and Health in the state.

• Children’s hygiene in schools and community has improved.

Quote from beneficiary/group on how they feel Save the Children has helped or support them?

• We appreciate Save the children for letting us known our rights• Save the children is one of the organizations that campaign for our rights • Save the children and UNICEF are the right partners for our issues as

children and we shall always be remembering them.Quote from beneficiary on how their lives have changed as a result of Save the Children’s work

• We the club’s members are now able to know what our rights are and what is not.

• The trainings we received from SCI/CRG have opened our mind on how to protect ourselves from harm full things

• We are able to respect others people rights• We have gain knowledge on child rights and we becomes confident on

what to claim or present during any occasion.• Through radio Jonglei we are able to advocate on our rights

Any other relevant quote from parents/Government/ patron/matron etc.…Save the children is one of the best NGO in the state and it programs are equally beneficial to children and community as well, patron, John Achiek Mabior said.Photos/evident: These photos were taken in Bor during the celebration of the day of the African child on 16-June-2016, and some were taken during the state children conference. In the pictures below two are for child rights club members presenting issues affecting children in the state while the other two pictures are for the state top senior government officials including the governor listening to children and also giving speech on children rights promotion in the state.

Jonglei state Governor H.E Philip Aguer giving a speech during the state children’s conference in Bor

Photo: By John Manyuon

Author name and designation: John Manyuon Chol

Child Rights Governance Assistant Project Manager

Case story for CRG work in South Sudan (Rumbek)

Cholhok (not the real name)

Cholhok is eighteen years old. She’s the sixth born of the three brothers and two other sisters in their family. Her parents are pastoralists and farmers and are economically deprived due to ongoing communal clashes in Rumbek hence unable to cultivate sufficient food crops for sustainability. This profoundly crippled and disrupted the livelihood of the local population and triggered by the already existing poverty.

Her parents’ hometown is located in Jiir Payam of Rumbek Central County in Lakes state. Lakes State is an area where inter-communal violence was/is aggravated by cattle rustling and raiding and culminated into a cycle of revenge killings leading to a massive loss of lives and properties. It also led to internal displacements and closures of a quarter of schools as teachers are targeted for revenge killing. The communities inhabiting this area are largely dependent on cattle keeping and farming as means of livelihood and as these socio-economic activities are hampered by insecurities, poverty unfolds forcing parents to use children as source of survival more especially girls.

After passing primary seven to primary eight in 2014 at Rumbek Girls Primary School, Cholhok voluntarily accepted and became member of Child Rights Club and started participating in Child Rights Advocacy and community sensitization. She is a self-confident and interacts well with different people. She readily takes on responsibility and uses her initiative. She is very brave and strong. She actively participates in any dance, drama or creative activities in the name of child rights and other development aspects. Due to the believe that daughters/girls are the source of wealth in Dinka culture which couples with poverty, Cholhok’s parents and brothers informed her of a plan to conduct her marriage for a man who announced to the parents to marry her. Cholhok bravely told the meeting of her intention to reject the deal, a move that is rarely practice in Dinka Culture to reject decision of your parents as a daughter. At an overwhelmingly arguments after parents warned of removing her from school if she refuses their demand, Cholhok courageously convened a meeting with members of a school-based Child Rights Club and shared the concern.

With support from CRG sector and School administration, a team of Child Rights Club members and a patron visited parents’ home and held a pleading discussion that Cholhok should first be allowed to continue with Education with “SLOGAN EDUCATION FIRST AND MARRIAGE LAST FOR CHOLHOK FUTURE AND STATE DEVELOPMENT”. After a two-week long series of advocacy and lobbying by the Child Rights club team, the parents surprisingly accepted to cancel the marriage deal and allowed Cholhok to continue with her education.

In 2015, she joined Rumbek National Senior Secondary School after passing Primary Leaving Examination brilliantly. Cholhok is now in senior three doing science subjects with dreams that she wants to be doctor to serve the community. She

passed at number one position with the second position at seven point’s difference from senior two to senior three this year.

Her parents are thankful to the team and urge the members of Child Rights clubs to do more awareness to help more children from being driven off their studies for cultural beliefs and norms. They also thank Save the Children for their continued support since the civil war decades to date.

This case study helps to inform of the impacts of our work in Rumbek before the program was introduced and now. Cultural, traditions and norms were deeply rooted in this community and it took SCI and its partners a turbulent walk to sensitize this community on the rights of children and importance of giving children a chance to education and other development needs first before marrying them off for richness. Now, someone can accept that the community’s attitude towards children has changed significantly, apparently as a result of SCI CRG continued advocacy, awareness and sensitization on issues affecting and facing children. SCI will continue to exert efforts on issues of child marriages as long as funds are available.

This case was chosen given its sensitivity. This is an area if it changed completely then our girls now have their rights promoted and never happened for a father and family members to get convinced not to marry off their daughter in this culture. This demonstrates that local community here is moving away from cultural way of treating their children and especially girl child to a world where children are given their rights.

By: Gabriel Diardit Ngor

CRG Project Officer - Rumbek