REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE Context (P155339) Strengthening …documents.worldbank.org › curated › en › 763511503524828894 › ... · 2017-08-23 · combating the short-term effects

Document of

The World Bank

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FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

DRAFT

PROJECT PAPER

ON A

PROPOSED GRANT

IN THE AMOUNT OF US$3.0 MILLION

TO THE

REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE

Strengthening Community Mobilization and Local Council Service Delivery in the Post-Ebola Context (P155339)

June 22, 2016

Social Protection and Labor Global PracticeAfrica Region

This document has a restricted distribution and may be used by recipients only in the performance of their official duties. Its contents may not otherwise be disclosed without World Bank authorization.

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Vice President: Makhtar Diop Country Director: Henry G. Kerali

Senior Director: Arup BanerjiPractice Manager: Stefano Paternostro

Task Team Leader: Randa El-Rashidi

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DATA SHEET

Republic of Sierra Leone

Strengthening Community Mobilization and Local Council Service Delivery in the Post-Ebola Context (P155339)

Africa Region

Basic Information

Date: 06/22/16 Sectors: Social Protection - Other social services: (65%); Sub-national government administration (35%)

Country Director: Henry G. Kerali Themes: Participation and civic engagement (50%); Social inclusion (20%); Social risk mitigation (15%); Other social protection and risk management (15%)

Practice Manager/Director:

Stefano Paternostro / Arup Banerji

EA Category: C- Not required

Project ID: P155339Instrument: Investment Project

FinancingTeam Leader(s): Randa El-Rashidi

Joint IFC: No

Project Implementation Start Date: September 30, 2016 End Date: September 29, 2019

Project Financing Data

[ ] Loan [X] Grant[ ] Credit [ ] Guarantee

[ ] Other

For Loans/Credits/Others (US$M):Total Project Cost: 2.75

Total Bank Financing: 3.0

Total Cofinancing: 0.0 Financing Gap: 0.0

Financing Source AmountBORROWER/RECIPIENTIBRDIDA: NewIDA: RecommittedOther (JSDF) 2.75

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Financing GapTotal 2.75

Recipient: Integrated Program Administrative Unit, at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development of Sierra Leone

Contact: Adams Kargbo Title: Acting Program Coordinator

Telephone:

(232-22) 88030114 Email: [email protected]

Project Development Objective(s)

The PDO is to deliver an immediate response to the post-EVD needs at the local level in Sierra Leone by building community resilience through social mobilization and adequate service delivery from Local Councils.The PDO will be achieved through: (i) community sensitization activities to enhance social cohesion in the four (4) districts most affected by EVD; (ii) effective social accountability and community-based monitoring instruments in the two (2) districts most affected by EVD; and (iii) a participatory budgeting initiative in the two (2) districts most affected by EVD.

Components

Component Name Cost (US$ Millions)

Component 1. LC social sensitization activities. 1

Component 2. Tailoring LC service delivery through social mobilization. 1.6

Component 3. Project management, monitoring and evaluation, and knowledge management. 0.5

Compliance

Policy

Does the Project depart from the CAS /CPS/CPF in content or in other significant respects? Yes [ ] No [ X ]

Does the Project require any exceptions from Bank policies? Yes [ ] No [ X ]

Have these been approved by Bank management? Yes [ ] No [ X ]

Is approval for any policy exception sought from the Board? Yes [ ] No [ X ]

Does the Project meet the Regional criteria for readiness for implementation? Yes [ X ] No [ ]

Safeguard Policies Triggered by the Project

Environmental Assessment OP/BP 4.01 Yes [ X ] No [ ]

Natural Habitats OP/BP 4.04 Yes [ ] No [ X ]

Forests OP/BP 4.36 Yes [ ] No [ X ]

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Pest Management OP 4.09 Yes [ ] No [ X ]

Physical Cultural Resources OP/BP 4.11 Yes [ ] No [ X ]

Indigenous Peoples OP/BP 4.10 Yes [ ] No [ X ]

Involuntary Resettlement OP/BP 4.12 Yes [ ] No [ X ]

Safety of Dams OP/BP 4.37 Yes [ ] No [ X ]

Projects on International Waters OP/BP 7.50 Yes [ ] No [ X ]

Projects in Disputed Areas OP/BP 7.60 Yes [ ] No [ X ]

Bank TeamRanda G. El-Rashidi Social Protection Specialist, TTL GSPDRDaniel Kajang Senior Procurement Specialist GGODRSydney Godwin Financial Management Specialist GGODRSaki Kumagai Governance Specialist GGODRGloria Mahama Social Development Specialist GSURRStephen M. Mukaindo

Country Lawyer for Sierra Leone LEGAM

Mazhar Farid Legal Analyst LEGAMAbu Kargbo Operations Officer GSPDRSheikh A. Y. Sesay Operations Officer AFMSLAndrew Asibey Senior M&E Consultant GSPDRDaniel Dupety Architect and Engineer Consultant GSPDRCerni Escale Decentralization and Service Delivery Consultant GSPDRFranklin Gavu Environmental Consultant GENDRNathaniel King Governance Consultant GSPDREbo Sey Local Level Governance Consultant GSPDRLydie A. Billey Program Assistant GSPDRAllan Dunstant Program Assistant AFMSL

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SIERRA LEONE

Strengthening Community Mobilization and Local Council Service Delivery in the Post-Ebola Context (155339)

I. Introduction and Context

A. Country Context

1. Sierra Leone experienced a protracted decade long civil war until 2002, with the killing of 20,000 people and the displacement of half of the country’s population. Peace has come accompanied with the stabilization of the Sierra Leonean economy, societal reconciliation, and the beneficial effects of periodic, free and fair elections. According to World Bank Group (Bank) data from 2003 to 2011 the poverty ratio declined in Sierra Leone from 66.4 to 52.9 percent and per capita GNI surged from US$200 in 2002 to US$660 in 2013.1 Sierra Leone made impressive economic gains in 2012 and 2013, with the country growing at a double-digit real GDP rate of 15.2 and 20.1 percent respectively. This very positive tendency was reversed in 2014. The economy suffered shocks from the Ebola outbreak and from the simultaneous sharp decline of the iron ore prices (which resulted in financial difficulties for the two largest mining corporations in the country, African Minerals Limited and London Mining Companies). The GDP growth rate for 2014 dropped from 11.3 percent at the beginning of the year to 4.6 percent overall at the end of the year, and the Bank estimates GDP contacted by between 13 and 24 percent in 2015. Other macroeconomic indicators have remained unstable: inflation has been heightened, exchange rates have become volatile, and interest rates are expected to rise in the near future. Sierra Leone ranked 181 out of the 188 countries evaluated by UNDP in the 2014 Human Development Index, with a score of 0.413.2 Development indicators in the areas of education, health, and nutrition are amongst the lowest in the world. The Bank estimates life expectancy at 50 years, the lowest in the world after Lesotho and Swaziland (8 years less than the average for Sub-Saharan Africa countries), and the adult literacy rate at 46 percent (compared to an adult literacy rate of 64 percent in the Sub-Saharan Africa region).3 The Bank estimates the maternal mortality ratio in Sierra Leone is by far the highest in the world, standing at 1,360 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 2015.

2. Although Sierra Leone was declared Ebola-free by the World Health Organization (WHO) on November 7, 2015, the disease has not only damaged the economy, but also provoked important social capital losses and a decrease in service delivery effectiveness. The number of health service delivery beneficiaries decreased 23 percent during the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak. Education also coped with pervasive effects of the disease, with schools closed to avoid contagion and some educational facilities being used as EVD holding and treatment centers. Other services, such as water and sanitation projects, were disrupted, expert personnel fled the country following the outbreak, and public works were generally put on hold in many parts of Sierra Leone. The strain of EVD on the provision of government services has particularly affected the poor, vulnerable and disadvantaged, making pro-poor development responses necessary. The Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) will require strong international backing to respond to this crisis, as the economic impact of EVD has reverberated in increased fiscal deficits due to the discrepancy between higher government spending to combat the disease and weakened revenue positions. These fiscal gaps will remain unless assistance from the international community is sustained.

1 All World Bank data in this paragraph is provided from the Bank’s country data repository: data.worldbank.org/country/sierra-leone.2 The last HDI report (2015) assesses results for 2014. This will remain the most recent HDI results until the release of the 2016 report on December 14, 2016.3 Developing only: Equatorial Guinea not included.

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3. The EVD outbreak undermined some of the poverty reduction gains achieved since the end of the civil war. It is also likely that landmark achievements such as reaching the Millennium Development Goals on nutrition, health, access to water, and education will be reversed. This is in large part due to the increase in food prices (derived from a drop in food supply), a significant decrease in employment, a health system that overreached its capacity limit, reduced government funding for water and sanitation services, and the closing of schools. There has been a 47 percent disruption in agricultural activities and a 30 percent decline in agricultural output. The private sector has been severely affected with a 50 percent job loss, 60 percent decline in manufacturing, and the suspension of five new investment ventures with an estimated value of approximately US$1.2 billion.4 Cross-border trade came to a standstill (with a greater impact on women) and transport (both by air and sea) remained impaired during the length of the epidemic.

4. The demographics of Sierra Leone show a country composed primarily of young people. The GoSL estimates that as of 2015, 41 percent of the country’s 6 million inhabitants are under the age of 18.5 The bourgeoning demographics of Sierra Leone provide an opportunity for economic growth but also present a challenge for the adequate provision of social services. Youths tend to be more severely impacted by exogenous shocks such as EVD, and the history of Sierra Leone shows they are a key group to fostering social stability. Reports indicate at least 12,000 children lost their primary caregiver to EVD. Sierra Leone’s primary schools are struggling to function and many of them do so in inadequate conditions. About 26 percent of children with ages 6-17 do not attend primary or secondary school.6 This has led to the proliferation of child labor and other related social anomalies.

B. Sectoral and Institutional Context

5. The Project adheres to the World Bank’s Ebola Emergency Response Plan (EERP) and social protection policies designed to foster equity and access to basic services while building resilience. The World Bank Group has been a leader in the fight against EVD in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea, and committed US$1.62 billion by May 18, 2015, through a coordinated effort of IDA and IFC. EERP provided treatment and care for infected individuals, and strived to contain and prevent the spread of the disease, helping communities cope with the economic impact of the crisis, and improving public health systems. The Project is closely aligned with the Bank’s EERP strategy and its overarching goals of poverty reduction and shared prosperity, with a focus on continuing to foster equity and access to the delivery of social services for the poor and vulnerable after the disease has been contained. It is also aligned with the Africa Region’s emergency EVD activities and standing social protection policy, which supports the strengthening of social protection responses by promoting social mobilization, thus building resilience and protecting families and communities.

6. Several Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) offered psychosocial responses to EVD, framed in the context of active transmission of the disease. Lowering the number of infected cases and combating the short-term effects of EVD was the main objective of these interventions, which focused on psychosocial first aid. The Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender, and Children’s Affairs (MoSWGCA) acted as Chair of the Child Protection, Psychosocial Support, and Gender Pillar of the GoSL’s EVD response strategy. MoSWGCA was one of the primary actors involved in responding to the EVD crisis, mobilizing resources along with UNICEF and CSO partners to provide support to children and families affected by the disease. MoSWGCA also promoted one-day psychosocial community interventions (workshops) for groups of approximately 15 participants in all affected districts. The Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS)

4 Data from the National Ebola Recovery Strategy in Sierra Leone, by the Government of Sierra Leone: (http://ebolaresponse.un.org/sites/default/files/sierra_leone_recovery_strategy_en.pdf)5 Data according to the National Strategy for the Reduction of Teenage Pregnancy, an initiative by the GoSL: http://hivhealthclearinghouse.unesco.org/sites/default/files/resources/Sierra_Leone_National_Strategy_for_the_Reduction_of_Teenage_Pregnancy.pdf6 Data according to the UK based charity Street Child (Ebola Orphaned Report; April 2015).

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contributed in the psychosocial response to EVD by providing psychological support through devolved staff at Peripheral Health Units (PHUs).7

7. Donor community response to EVD. The donor community effectively mobilized hundreds of millions of dollars in resources to halt the spread of EVD. International help from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and UN agencies during the phase of active spread of the epidemic focused in providing adequate care in field hospitals, Ebola treatment units and training facilities, and in tracking infected individuals. Some of the main CSOs involved in this effort were the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the International Medical Corps (IMC), the International Rescue Committee (IRC), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Plan International, and Save the Children. They mobilized along with UN agencies, most visibly, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), and the World Food Program (WFP). Sensitization campaigns to inform about the disease continue to be provided by most of these organizations and a psychosocial response lead by the GoSL (see section I.C of this report; paragraph 16) is being implemented.

8. Need for the JSDF intervention. While the GoSL’s and the donor community intervention strategy was effective to curtail active transmission of the disease in the country, Sierra Leone is currently in need of additional support to ensure social reconciliation within communities that have been divided by the strains caused by EVD (information on the strains caused by the disease, both at the individual and collective level, can be found under section I.C). The GoSL is currently mobilizing resources to mitigate some of the trauma and other psychosocial effects of EVD, but no comprehensive local level, grass-roots, LC-led interventions are currently taking place to mobilize citizens and to strengthen social cohesion. These are the two main objectives of the proposed grants, which would also improve the quality and adequateness of LC social services. These gaps will be filled by mobilizing resources in sensitization activities, developing social accountability and citizen feedback mechanisms, and by piloting innovative measures that stimulate monitoring of public services and allocation of resources at the local level closer to citizen priorities.

9. All Project efforts are aligned with Sierra Leone’s Agenda for Prosperity (A4P). The A4P remains the defining program for the overall development of Sierra Leone and is the main GoSL anchor for dealing with the medium- to long-term challenges posed by the disease. The program is broad in scope and seeks to address the primary challenges the country is facing by diminishing youth unemployment, ensuring the provision of appropriate free health care and adequate nutrition, conducting interventions in education, agriculture, infrastructure, energy, water and sanitation, and building a social safety net. The A4P also seeks to guarantee good governance by fighting corruption and ensuring equality of opportunity regardless of gender.

10. The Project will support priorities outlined in the GoSL’s Post-Ebola Recovery Strategy (PERS). The strategy focuses on maintaining zero cases of new EVD-infected individuals, implementing immediate recovery priorities, and transitioning back into the A4P calendar and agenda. The PERS advocates for community engagement as a strategic response mechanism designed to answer to the long-term impact of EVD, which is one of the priority areas under the Project.

11. The Project will underpin the decentralization process in Sierra Leone and complement

7 Each District in Sierra Leone has an average of fifty PHUs. The management team is responsible for planning, organizing and monitoring health provision, training staff, working with communities, and supplying equipment and drugs, and is under the responsibility of MoHS. PHUs are designed to be the delivery point for primary health care, which is a functional area devolved to LCs. There are three types of PHUs: Community Health Centers, Community Health Posts, and Maternal and Child Health Posts.

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activities conducted under the Bank’s Decentralized Service Delivery Program (DSDP). The GoSL committed to the transfer of power, authority and resources to local level institutions in 2004. The devolution process has improved service delivery, bringing political, administrative and fiscal control and responsibility over services closer to constituents. Devolution has brought a tectonic shift in Sierra Leone’s institutions, with citizens taking more ownership of their local development agenda. The 19 democratically elected Local Councils (LCs) have quickly assumed major responsibilities in the areas of education (delivery of primary and junior secondary education), health and sanitation (delivery of primary and secondary health care), solid waste management, rural water, and social assistance services. Ward Committees (WDCs) have also been consistently elected under LCs since the beginning of the decentralization process and have boosted community level dialogue, mobilizing residents and feeding into LC development planning activities. Support from the Bank under DSDP, now in its second phase (DSDP2), has been instrumental in strengthening the capacity of LCs and WDCs and in improving the allocation of resources from the central level (via direct transfers to LCs). One of the flagship activities conducted under DSDP2 has been the piloting of a Community Monitoring Intervention (CMI) in four districts (Bo, Kenema, Tonkolili and Bombali) in order to create community ownership and align local services in the health, water, social assistance and waste management sectors with the needs of the community.

12. The Decentralization Secretariat (DecSec) and the Integrated Program Administration Unit (IPAU) are the two actors in the GoSL that have been at the foreground of the decentralization process in Sierra Leone. DecSec is a department of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD) and one of DSDP2’s implementing agencies. It is the GoSL department in charge of the decentralization process, providing capacity building and backstopping support to LCs, coordinating nation-wide strategic discussions on devolution, and monitoring local level service delivery. DecSec has its own staff and proven expertise in M&E, environmental and social safeguards, civil works, and IEC. It has also one Resident Technical Facilitator (RTF) in each LC as DecSec’s focal point. RTFs provide feedback and report on local-level challenges/capacity gaps to DecSec for prompt intervention. IPAU is the second implementing agency and the recipient of funds of DSDP2 and acts as a supervising entity at the project level. It supports capacity building to strengthen fiduciary management, intergovernmental coordination, monitoring, administration, supervision, and auditing. IPAU has its own staff and proven expertise in the areas mentioned.

13. Local leadership is a key element in rebuilding social cohesion in Sierra Leone. Engaging local leaders is critical given the country’s historically complex State-society relation, marked by years of political instability, a clear ethno-regional divide, and the frailty of the civil war period. There are two different local authorities that play important roles in Sierra Leone: Chiefdoms and LCs. The Project will work to ensure buy-in by both democratically elected leaders (LC councilors and WDC members) and traditional authorities (community and paramount chiefs) while taking into account the prevailing strains resulting from hierarchical and resource tension among these leaders.

C. The Effects of EVD on Community Trust and Social Stability

14. The U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that EVD claimed 3,956 lives in Sierra Leone.8 The CDC estimates 14,123 individuals suffered from EVD, of which 8,705 cases are laboratory confirmed. The impact of the disease is not only limited to those directly affected by EVD, but reverberates in the Sierra Leonean society, generating trauma and psychological stress, depriving families of income and devastating the economy. The EVD outbreak is expected to have a negative impact on the mental and psychosocial health of individuals. The loss of family and friends, the inability to mourn the dead because of the prohibition of public burials, and the disruption of standard community life with school inactivity,

8 Data last updated on November 7, 2015. Information from CDC’s EVD response in Sierra Leone website: http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/2014-west-africa/case-counts.html.

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curfews or quarantines, is severally impacting the country at large. Furthermore, the inability to cope with traumatic events (directly or indirectly associated with EVD) may lead to negative behaviors, such as substance abuse and poor self-care. The disease can also generate hopelessness about the future, damaging productivity and entrepreneurship. Among the vulnerable groups that will require special attention are EVD survivors and their families, as well as relatives of the deceased.9

15. On the community level, the strain of EVD has disrupted social cohesion and stability. The consequences of the disease are reflected in general disaffection, a lack of collective efficacy and mistrust for formal institutions. The World Bank’s Joint Country Assistance Strategy for 2009-2012 noted that Sierra Leone “has taken important strides in distancing itself from the extremely fragile status of the war years, (but) these gains are yet to be consolidated.” In order to ensure stability, it is essential to generate social trust by sensitizing communities on what the causes of the disease are, by creating mechanisms of social deliberation and social accountability, and by reducing any animosities generated during a period of great distress between neighbors, friends and families. The suffering of death is coupled with the stigma individuals face from their communities and health personnel, and violence against aid workers. Social stigma and repudiation are especially strong toward the vulnerable within affected population groups: women, people with disabilities, and children.

16. The GoSL has conducted comprehensive assessments on the psychological welfare of survivors. In some districts, such as Moyamba, the GoSL has acted in close partnership with international organizations (Doctors of the World, Solidarités International, and UKaid) to address existing issues. The conditions and general situation of survivors were assessed several weeks after their discharge from health centers, focusing on their psychological state, economic condition, and on their reintegration into their communities. Data from Moyamba District shows that almost half of survivors lost a family member to EVD. According to the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale,10 27 percent of EVD survivors have a mild mental disorder, 10 percent a moderate mental disorder, and 11 percent a severe mental disorder. 28 percent of survivors affirm to suffer stigmatization by their communities. There is limited information on the impact of EVD on societal levels of trust because of the absence of surveys on the matter. A comprehensive survey that will make data available on interpersonal and institutional trust, conducted by the second phase of the DSDP Program, is expected to be released by March 2016.11

17. MoSWGCA facilitated the setting up of a National Association of Ebola Survivors (NAES) as a community-based organization in May 2015. Its purpose is to be a platform for advocacy and lobbying for the interests of EVD survivors, and to serve as a conduit for sensitization and mapping of survivors for skills development throughout the country. MoSWGCA has supported the organization with office space in the regions and motorbikes to ease their movements. The proposed Project will coordinate with NAES for the development of psychosocial activities.

9 MoSWGCA notes in its manual for Psychosocial Support for Ebola-Affected Communities in Sierra Leone that there is an increased vulnerability of children to abandonment, neglect, violence, and abuse. This is especially true for children living in poor households.10 The Kessler scale is based on a 10-item questionnaire that yields a global measure of distress based on questions about anxiety and depressive symptoms that a person has experienced in the most recent 4-week period. 11 Trust is measured under the Integrated National Public Services Survey (conducted under DSDP2) by asking survey participants whether “in general, people in the community are honest and can be trusted” and whether “in general, people from outside the community are honest and can be trusted.”

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II. Proposed Project Development Objective (PDO) / Results

A. Proposed Development Objective

18. The PDO is to deliver an immediate response to the post-EVD needs at the local level in Sierra Leone by building community resilience through social mobilization and adequate service delivery from Local Councils.

19. The PDO will be achieved through: (i) community sensitization activities to enhance social cohesion in the four (4) districts most affected by EVD; (ii) effective social accountability and community-based monitoring instruments in the two (2) districts most affected by EVD; and (iii) a participatory budgeting initiative in the two (2) districts most affected by EVD.

B. Key Results

20. It is estimated that 50,000 direct beneficiaries will be reached by the Project, of which 50 percent will be female:12

• 25,000 participants in LC trauma and sensitization interventions (of which 50 percent female).• 20,000 participants in community monitoring activities in new districts in which the CMI is piloted

(of which 50 percent female).• 5,000 participants in the participatory budgeting pilot (of which 50 percent female).

21. Progress toward the achievement of the PDO will be measured through the following outcome indicators:

• Percentage of beneficiaries who affirm social sensitization activities have been positive toward bringing people together in the four (4) districts in which sensitization activities are conducted.13

• Number of sectors in CMI piloting districts periodically assessed and managed considering citizen feedback.14

• Percentage of beneficiaries who affirm public budgeting processes generated a positive social mobilization effect in the two (2) districts in which participatory budgeting is conducted.15

22. The Project will monitor the following output indicators, which are essential to achieving the PDO:• Number of beneficiaries reached through LC trauma and sensitization interventions (of which

percentage are female).• Number of participants in social accountability initiatives in new districts in which the CMI is

piloted (of which percentage are female).• Number of participants in the participatory budgeting pilot (of which percentage are female).

12 Figures are calculated drawing from the estimate number of beneficiaries of other DSDP2 activities with a similar scope, bearing in mind activities under this grant proposal will be piloted in a limited number of LCs. The number of participants in the participatory budgeting pilot is equivalent to the minimum participation threshold required under Component 2: at least 2,500 participants per LC.13 As measured by an additional question to be included in DSDP2’s Integrated National Public Services Survey (INPSS). INPSS is an annual survey that assesses beneficiary perception of local public services and local institutions.14 As measured by a new variable to be included in DSDP2’s Comprehensive Local Government Performance Assessment System (CLoGPAS). CLoGPAS is an annual survey that monitors capacity developments at the LC level, assesses LC performances on a comparative basis, and identifies capacity needs.15 As measured by an additional question to be included in INPSS.

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23. For a complete list of PDO and intermediate level indicators please refer to the results framework and monitoring under annex 2.

III. Project Context

A. Concept

24. The EVD epidemic tested the effectiveness of service delivery at the community level and has led to revisiting the decentralization programs and redoubling efforts in this direction. LCs are good interlocutors with communities and their local knowledge can help them reach the most vulnerable population groups. The project seeks to build trust and intra-communal cohesion where it has been compromised, increase social mobilization, and make local social services more responsive to citizen needs in the post-EVD environment.

25. The Project has three interdependent components.

26. Component 1 – LC social sensitization activities. The component seeks to promote social cohesion and resilience through strengthening LC capacity and by implementing community-wide sensitization meetings, forums and health talks, diminishing the negative effects of Ebola on social trust and providing much needed support to the victims.

27. Component 2 – Tailoring LC service delivery through social mobilization. The component focuses on building community resilience in the two districts most affected by EVD by: i) creating social accountability and community monitoring mechanisms for the effective delivery of social services; ii) promoting direct citizen engagement in the monitoring of LC services; and iii) piloting participatory budgeting.

28. Component 3 - Project management, M&E and knowledge management. The component focuses on the operational support geared towards project management, M&E and knowledge management.

29. The proposed Project was designed in close partnership with staff from DecSec, IPAU, EVD first aid psychosocial response teams in MoSWGCA, CSOs,16 and representatives from all 19 LCs and members of WDCs. The Project team met with representatives from the Embassy of Japan in Accra (responsible for Sierra Leone), JICA Sierra Leone, and other partners.

30. Project Location: Community sensitization activities under Component 1 will be undertaken in the four (4) districts most affected by EVD judging by the total number of EVD laboratory-confirmed cases (these are Western Area Urban District / Freetown LC, Port Loko District, Western Area Rural District, and Bombali District), which represent close to 70 percent of all EVD cases in the country. A community monitoring intervention and a participatory budgeting initiative will be piloted in the two districts most affected by EVD, according to the total number of EVD laboratory-confirmed cases (these are Western Urban District / Freetown LC and Port Loko District).

31. Components: The expected Project duration is 36 months, with a proposed investment of US$3.0 million (US$2.75 million Recipient Grant and US$0.25 million Grant for Bank Supervision).

16 Bilateral consultations were held in June 2015 in Freetown with representatives from some of the most active CSOs at Sierra Leone’s community level: (i) the Centre for Accountability and Rule of Law; (ii) the Campaign for Good Governance; (iii) the Centre for the Coordination of Youth Activities; (iv) the Network Movement for Justice and Development; and (v) the Civil Society Movement of Sierra Leone.

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Table 1: Estimated Cost by Component

Project Components Est. Funding (US$m)LC social sensitization activities 1Tailoring LC service delivery through social mobilization 1.6Project management, monitoring and evaluation, and knowledge management 0.15

Total Project Cost (Recipient Grant) 2.75Bank Incremental Cost 0.25Total Grant Amount 3.00

32. Project Beneficiaries: The key beneficiaries of the proposed Project are: (i) EVD–affected individuals; (ii) communities and CSOs; and (iii) LC councilors, LC officers, RTFs, and WDC members receiving training and capacity building support. It is expected that 50,000 individuals will directly benefit from the Project through participation in activities planned: (i) 25,000 participants are expected to be reached through sensitization interventions; (ii) 20,000 participants to take part in community monitoring activities; and (iii) 5,000 individuals to engage in the participatory budgeting pilot.

Description

Component 1: LC Social Sensitization Activities (US$1 million)

33. This component will help improve long-term social sensitization and community resilience in the post-EVD environment, building on interventions by MoSWGCA and international partners during the active transmission stage of the disease. Specifically, the interventions implemented under Component 1 will seek to engage citizens to promote social cohesion, trust, and collective efficacy. Social mobilization and community engagement are essential to reduce stigma towards individuals and households affected by EVD: aversion behavior by those not infected impedes a wide spectrum of economic and social activities and contributes to economic losses. This is in line with early recommendations by the GoSL encouraging institutional support to focus not only on victims, but also on the families and communities of affected victims, as dialogue with family members and peer groups is one of the main coping mechanism for survivors.

34. Activities at the local level to build social cohesion will include the organization of community-wide meetings and forums (community dialogues, community support, and anti-stigma activities) as well as health talks at clinics and common areas of assembly. They will address social distance (through facilitated engagement with survivors), and raise awareness on the origin and characteristics of EVD and other related diseases. Community support activities will also aim to foster grieving and mourning processes (e.g., community-wide memorial services, planting trees or dedicating community projects in honor of victims of EVD). Community sensitization is key in terms of awareness creation to prevent EVD and other diseases through proper behaviors, such as promoting adequate personal and household hygiene. Local traditional and religious healing practitioners will be engaged to help implement the activities, in line with the 2015 PERS, which stresses the need to establish sub-regional forums for EVD survivors to share their experiences. In addition to other interventions mentioned above, a nation-wide forum will be organized for EVD survivors and their families to share their experiences. Since the Project does not plan to offer individual psychological support, participating actors in LCs and WDCs will refer individuals with serious mental health conditions to Peripheral Health Units and ensure follow up support is provided to beneficiaries. Additionally, a subproject grant of US$25,000 will be given to one CSO in each implementation district to conduct additional social sensitization activities. Participating CSOs will be

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chosen based on prior involvement in addressing EVD, adequate capacity on psychosocial support and proven record of involvement in Freetown City, Port Loko District, Western Area Rural District and Bombali District. Selected CSOs will provide quarterly progress reports to DecSec.

35. One of the fundamental aspects of an adequate social sensitization response is providing citizens with balanced and objective information, which in turn provides a base for mobilization and engagement. This will be partly attained through sensitization meetings and forums, but it is also essential to ensure adequate dissemination of key information in the local media. The use of paraphernalia and visual communication materials is also instrumental to spread knowledge about the disease and fight against its negative effects. The Project will develop culturally sensitive and appropriate IEC materials under Component 1 and ensure its distribution. This will be done in close coordination with ongoing EVD IEC activities in the country, and relevant IEC materials used in psychosocial first aid interventions by MoSWGCA during the EVD outbreak will be utilized to strengthen the quality and reduce associated costs for the Project.

36. Training and capacity building will be required for traditional and religious healing practitioners, WDCs and LC Environment and Social Safeguards Officers (ESOs). ESOs will in turn manage community sensitization activities with IEC officers and RTFs, and will involve WDCs and CSOs in the process. DecSec will coordinate the technical assistance aspect of the component, including capacity-building and IPAU will monitor progress in close consultation with communities and CSOs. The Capacity Building Unit of DecSec will assess the optimal training curricula for both the facilitator training and community sensitization events, in collaboration with MoSWGCA and in consultation with organizations conducting similar programs in Sierra Leone. New materials designed for trainers training and community interventions will strongly draw from the Psychosocial Support for Ebola-Affected Communities in Sierra Leone training manual, published by MoSWGCA in September 2014. Where possible, the Project will complement information with other existing materials, such as the WHO psychological first aid Ebola guide,17 or the psychosocial training manual by Terre des Homes.18 Steps will be taken to ensure that all training and capacity building materials are culturally and contextually appropriate and that all individuals are provided with the support needed to ensure the requisite expertise to enable quality services and effectively engage with beneficiaries. Sustainability of Project benefits over time will be guaranteed by capacity improvements of LCs (knowledge and skills) and stronger, more cohesive communities.

Table 2: Component 1 - Proposed Interventions

Intervention Direct BeneficiariesSensitization activitiesOrganization of community-wide sensitization meetings and forums: community dialogues, community support, anti-stigma activities and collective memorial services.

Community members

Health talks in clinics, markets and other places of assembly. Community membersTraining and technical supportTraining of WDC members and LC councilors on trauma healing and social sensitization. LC and WDC members

Training of relevant LC officers and RTFs on trauma healing, social sensitization and personal/household hygiene. LC officers and RTFs

17 Snider, Leslie, and Mark Ommeren. Psychological First Aid: Guide for Field Workers. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization, 2011.18 O’Connell, Ruth, Michèle Meuwly, and Jean-Pierre Heiniger. Child Protection Psychosocial Training Manual. Toolkit. Lausanne, Switzerland: Terre Des Hommes, 2008.

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Training for traditional healers and religious leaders to reinforce the response to EVD’s psychosocial effects.

Traditional healers

Other activitiesOrganization of a nation-wide forum for EVD survivors and their families.

EVD survivors and their families

DecSec, MoSWGCA and CSOs to assess the relevant curricula for training and sensitization activities. LCs, WDCs and RTFs

Maintain permanent communication with DHMTs, CSOs, and representatives for the PERS and EERP to ensure an integrated response to the EVD crisis.

DHMTs, EERPS, PERS and other actors in the fight against EVD

Component 2: Tailoring LC Service Delivery Through Social Mobilization (US$1.6 million)

Subcomponent A: Community Monitoring and Social Accountability (US$800,000)

37. Component 2 will support the deepening and expansion of social accountability mechanisms. Interventions will be carried out to strengthen trust in the beneficiary community, creating new opportunities for citizens to influence the direction of policy and generating social capital in the two districts most effected by EVD (Freetown and Port Loko). Local participatory monitoring will be promoted through open training to communities in a range of skills related to communications, advocacy and conflict resolution. Training will be provided in the form of workshops organized by RTFs, LC monitoring and evaluation (M&E) officers and ESOs, and will prioritize vulnerable groups when targeting potential beneficiaries. Workshops will clarify the nature and current services of LCs and present the various instruments available to citizens at the local level to participate in community life, instilling a sense of ownership over local public services. In addition, specific workshops tailored for capacity building of CSOs will be organized to ensure alignment with general Project strategies.

38. The ability of citizens to participate in framing service delivery at the local level will be further strengthened by promoting the CMI framework currently implemented by DecSec. To this end, the proposed project will provide a subgrant to DecSec (the agency in charge of the CMI pilot) for scaling up the project to the Western Urban Area (Freetown) and Port Loko districts. In the last three years, DecSec has piloted a successful CMI and initiated the scale up in several localities, with the aim of progressively implementing the system in all localities in Sierra Leone.19 The CMI Pilot was evaluated by Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) in 2013. The IPA determined that the CMI holds significant potential for improving service delivery by adapting local services to beneficiary preferences. In addition, it found that citizens are more demanding toward the provision of quality services by their respective LCs and social accountability is strengthened. The monitoring under Component 2 will focus on the delivery of services in the health, water, waste management, and education sectors. Social accountability teams will be created at the district level (with members including RTFs, LC M&E officers and DPOs) and community-monitoring groups will be established at the ward level (composed of WDC members).

39. LC councilors and WDC members will ensure that women, youths, and marginalized groups participate in the informative workshops organized and in the CMI (in selected districts). Transparent decision-making and new opportunities for participation should create greater trust towards WDCs and LCs, and strengthen social capital between citizens in the community. Inclusion of groups that face risk of

19 In CMIs, LCs use community scorecards to monitor public services at the provider level. The CMI was first piloted during the first phase of DSDP in the health sector in one district and further expanded to the health, water, waste management, and education sectors in four districts. Currently, the CMI scheme is operative in Bo, Kenema, Tonkolili, and Bombali District Councils.

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exclusion is especially important and will be a priority under the Project.

Table 3: Subcomponent 2.A - Proposed Interventions

Intervention Direct BeneficiariesTraining and capacity buildingTraining in the form of workshops for citizens, presenting local institutions and their services, and introducing opportunities for effective participation in community life (organized by RTFs and relevant LC officers).

Community members and CSOs

Up-scaling the CMI in two new districts (Freetown and Port Loko). Community membersSpecial training to RTFs and LC officers on social accountability tools. RTFs and LC officers

Other interventionsJoint monitoring visits to LCs by relevant MDAs (especially by IPAU and DecSec). LC administrations

Promotion of IEC campaigns for the CMI in the two districts. Community members

Subcomponent B: Piloting LC Participatory Budgeting (US$800,000)

40. Participatory Budgeting (PB) is an innovative mechanism that aims to involve citizens in the decision-making process of local institutions by allocating resources to their preferred public sector activities. It is useful to align service delivery with the priorities of beneficiaries and can be instrumental in making the allocation of government resources more inclusive and equitable. The PB pilot in Sierra Leone will take place at the LC level, including all wards in the two (2) districts most affected by the EVD outbreak (Freetown and Port Loko), and is expected to enhance social mobilization. A PB subgrant with a total value of US$300,000 will be allocated to each LC to be spent in the projects determined by community participants. Subprojects will be accepted for the purchase of goods for the community, the payment of services, and rehabilitation works that do not require land acquisition. A minimum participation threshold of 2,500 votes cast in each LC will be needed for the deliberation process to be considered valid, in order to avoid elite capture and to guarantee an acceptable level of community involvement. PB will be executed in several phases: (i) a public information campaign to promote PB is organized in district wards; (ii) ward deliberation processes to discuss proposals take place; (iii) proposals are compared at the LC level, costed, and options that are duplicated or not feasible are eliminated; (iv) public meetings at the ward level and a grassroots communication campaign are organized in order to inform citizens about proposed projects; (v) citizens vote for their preferred projects at the ward level; and (vi) projects with the highest support are implemented by the LC.

41. Guaranteeing adequate information dissemination is essential in order to effectively mobilize communities, to involve the poor and vulnerable in the process, and to avoid asymmetric/incomplete information challenges. In order to guarantee adequate information dissemination, specialists at DecSec and IPAU will present an IEC strategy to be implemented jointly between LCs and WDCs. Since this Project places a premium in the participation of women, youths and marginalized individuals, the public information campaign will specifically target these population groups. Communication campaigns will be conducted at three different times: (i) initially, to make citizens aware of the existence of the PB process; (ii) when a clear list of feasible proposals is ready, so citizens can understand the projects and make informed decisions upon voting; and (iii) after voting takes place, in order for citizens to know the results of the PB process and to be aware of the selected projects that will be implemented. Any grievances arising from the participation process or subsequent subprojects will be assessed by using the Grievances Redress

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Mechanism currently being scaled-up by DecSec.

42. Deliberative processes are at the center of PB and a democratic, structured dialogue needs to be guaranteed at the ward level. To this end, an initial meeting will be organized with participation of LCs and WDC members to explain the PB process, to collect feedback for an adequate communications strategy and to ensure WDC members conduct inclusive deliberation processes at the ward level. WDCs will meet in a series of meetings open to the public in the initial stages of the PB process, in order to identify areas of priority investment in the district. Discussions need to be coordinated by a WDC member, elected by and among their peers to collect the main ideas expressed and to prepare a list of proposals after each meeting based on public deliberations. Sierra Leone is one of the countries with the lowest literacy rates in the world and it is thus essential for inclusion of all citizens to be guaranteed by complementing written materials with verbal messages through local radio stations and structured dialogue during WDC meetings. Participation of DecSec and IPAU will be instrumental when proposals are sorted at the LC level, in order to provide complementary expertise for the adequate costing of proposals and to ensure the impartiality of the process (so no proposals are eliminated without reasonable cause). Proposals that are duplicate or that imply land acquisition will be eliminated from the process when the cost of WDC subproject proposals is assessed at the LC level.

43. The voting process for PB needs to take place at the ward level and to be supervised by several members of the community, along with WDC members. When the vote count is finalized at the ward level results are transmitted to LCs for locality-wide aggregation. LCs use the subgrant provided under this subcomponent to implement the proposals with support from the highest number of individuals in the district, regardless of their ward of origin. The proposal with most votes will be selected first, and its cost discounted from the total allocation of the PB subgrant. The process shall continue by selecting further proposals with cost values inferior to the remaining PB subgrant allocation, until all funds have been disbursed. This provides an incentive for wards to present projects with different costs in order to maximize chances of success and obliges community members to have the interest of the locality in mind in order to receive a higher number of votes cast in favor of their proposal (rather than promoting the development of one or a few wards only).

Intervention Direct BeneficiariesPB deliberation processWDC meetings open to the public are organized to discuss proposals for PB.

Community members and WDC members

WDC meetings open to the public are organized to discuss the list of final proposals.

Community members and WDC members

Voting process to select the projects that will be implemented in the locality. Community members

Communication campaignsInitial IEC campaign to spread the word on the PB process. Community membersIEC effort to make proposed projects (subject to PB voting) known to community members and ensure participation in the voting process. Community members

Final IEC campaign to inform of the results of the PB process. Community membersOther interventionsCapacity building training exercise with all WDC members before the start of the PB process. WDC members

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Component 3: Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation, and Knowledge Management (US$0.15 million)

44. Component 3 will support the Project implementing agencies (DecSec and IPAU) to carry out the day-to-day activities of the Project, including the requisite procurement, financial management, auditing, monitoring and evaluation, and knowledge management activities, in line with the Project Operations Manual, which will be developed by the Bank in coordination with DecSec and IPAU.

Subcomponent A: Project Management and Administration

45. IPAU will be the recipient of Project funds and will be in charge of coordinating procurement, financial management and auditing processes. During Project implementation, IPAU and DecSec will ensure the complementarity of activities pursued in relation to DHMTs, PERS, EERP and other relevant strategies in the fight against EVD. In this sense, permanent communication will be maintained with the MoHS so information on new EVD developments is retained and scientific evidences appropriately inform all activities under the Project. The support for these new interventions will serve to strengthen the devolution process (the transfer of functions and responsibilities from the central level to LCs). Moreover, LCs and MDAs will coordinate with the National Task Force for Devolution to ensure the alignment of services and activities in relation to the decentralization process.20 DecSec and IPAU have qualified staff to implement all activities specified under this section.

46. An independent audit by an external firm (selected by IPAU and agreeable to the Bank and to the JSDF) will be conducted once a year, complementing internal auditing by IPAU. IPAU will establish a designated account denominated with a commercial bank acceptable to the IDA and the Government of Japan. The designated account will be denominated in US dollars to receive disbursements from the grant account on behalf of the beneficiary and will be used to fund all three components of the Project. The financial management and procurement arrangements of the Project will be satisfactory of the Bank‘s minimum requirements.

Subcomponent B: Monitoring and Evaluation

47. DecSec will be responsible for data collection and will provide the requisite technical support to LCs and WDCs as specified under Components 1 and 2. It will also liaise with other departments in the GoSL (especially units of the MoHS and MoSWGCA) when needed. DecSec will conduct site visits to discuss and address issues related to the progress of activities being implemented by LCs and WDCs. IPAU will be in charge of updating the project results framework in consultation with DecSec, and assessing progress in terms of the Project’s indicators. IPAU will, in consultation with DecSec, produce annual progress reports and an implementation completion report at the end of the Project for submission to the Bank and to the Government of Japan. Albeit DecSec and IPAU have qualified staff to implement all activities specified under this section additional help will be provided in the form of a consultant that will be specifically tasked with monitoring of the Project.

48. The Integrated National Public Services Survey (INPSS) and the Comprehensive Local Government Performance Assessment Survey (CLoGPAS), currently conducted annually under DecSec will be used to monitor progress for the PDO-level indicators mentioned under the key results section of this report. This will require of the active collaboration of DecSec, which conducts the CLoGPAS and supervises the consultancy firm in charge of INPSS. The four LCs that participate in activities included under Components 1 and 2 (Western Area Urban District / Freetown LC, Port Loko District LC, Western Area Rural District LC, and Bombali District LC) will provide quarterly monitoring reports of the mentioned activities. CSOs

20 The National Task Force for Devolution is composed of members selected by the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD). Its aim is to engage key stakeholders in the devolution process across MDAs.

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implementing subprojects under Component 1 will also report to DecSec and provide quarterly monitoring reports.

Subcomponent C: Knowledge Dissemination

49. Lessons learned, manuals, guidelines and general Project documentation will be shared with the GoSL, the JSDF, the Embassy of Japan and other partners. Sensitization and social mobilization activities described under Components 1 and 2 will be transparent and publicly shared by DecSec. DecSec’s media and advocacy staff currently has a functional working relationship with media outlets, notably newspapers and radio stations, which regularly disseminate information on DSDP2. Materials produced and activities conducted under the Project will be publicized in media outlets. DecSec has qualified staff to implement knowledge dissemination activities specified under this section. The consultant recruited under Subcomponent 3.B will also be DecSec’s focal point for Project knowledge dissemination.

Key Risks and Issues

50. Table 4 below outlines the key risks associated with the Project and presents mitigation measures extensively discussed with the Embassy of Japan, JICA Sierra Leone, DecSec, IPAU, LCs, WDCs, CSOs, communities and other partners operating in Sierra Leone.

Table 4: Risk and Mitigation Measures

Risks Mitigation Measures

Lack of trust among Project stakeholders given community mistrust in light of EVD.

The Project employs a community-based approach to strengthen community ownership and participation and foster sustainability.

Social stigma surrounding EVD may prevent community buy-in and acceptance of the Project.

Given the strong reliance on local providers and the deployment of resources by LCs and WDCs, a high level of confidence and trust in the activities supported under the Project is expected. Local leaders and traditional healers will participate in sensitization activities, and LCs will formulate by-laws to deal with offenders.

Social trust outcomes are difficult to monitor and are generally long term in nature.

The design of the Project’s results chain focuses on indicators that are measurable during the life of the project (for more information see “key results” section). Efforts to monitor results will continue to be undertaken by the GoSL under other initiatives, such as the Community Monitoring Initiative (partially financed under this project) and a Grievances Redress Mechanism currently being scaled-up by DecSec.

Possibility of fraud and corruption.

Relevant Bank specialists will closely monitor service providers and accounting records to identify and mitigate any fraudulent procurement or financial management behavior. The Bank will ensure the use of procedures (FM and procurement) that are less susceptible to fraud and corruption relative to government systems. The Grievances Redress Mechanism can also be instrumental in preventing fraud and corruption.

Subgrants entail potential misadministration risks.

Subgrants are presented under Subcomponents 2.A and 2.B of the Project and are allocated to DecSec to scale up the CMI in two new districts (Western Area Urban and Port Loko), and to LCs in the same two districts to implement selected participatory budgeting subprojects.

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B. Implementation Arrangements

51. The project maximizes the use of current institutional structures and does not require the creation of a new project coordination unit. IPAU and DecSec will be the implementing agencies, with IPAU being the recipient of funds. Both agencies will work in close collaboration with MDAs, LCs, WDCs and CSOs, and have ample experience operating at the local level by providing technical assistance to LCs for the delivery of decentralized social services. They have experience coordinating World Bank projects and have adequate fiduciary mechanisms in place to implement the Project. IPAU and DecSec are the most suitable institutions to ensure that essential basic social services at the local level are tailored to respond to challenges in the post-EVD context.

52. Other key actors will provide guidance and effective implementation assistance to support the planning, management, and delivery of activities under the Project. These include relevant MDAs, notably MoWSGCA for the design of adequate communication materials under Component 1, and the MoHS, PHUs and DHMTs to ensure adequate synergies for sensitization activities. Civil Society Organizations will also receive grants to participate in sensitization activities under Component 1. LCs will be active in the provision of sensitization workshops, in the implementation of the CMI, and in the development and execution stages of participatory budgeting. WDCs will be instrumental in holding the participatory budgeting processes under Component 2.

53. The Bank team explored the possibility of delegating implementing agency responsibilities to CSOs and/or LCs before drafting this proposal. However, CSO capacity has been overextended and fragmented during the EVD crisis, rendering this a less viable option. In parallel, the ongoing fiduciary risks stemming from the EVD outbreak have brought to light the need for strong, reliable financial management mechanisms that are vetted by the GoSL, the Anti-corruption Commission and the Bank. The team, in discussion with representatives from the Embassy of Japan and JICA, agreed that IPAU and DecSec are the best-equipped institutions to take on the role of implementing agencies in order for the Project to effectively deliver the expected inputs and outputs, given the current landscape and required capacity to deliver Project activities, and to ensure economies of scale and complementarity with other activities and programs.

54. List components.

Table 5: Roles and Responsibilities of the Implementing Agencies

Subgrantee status gives broader roam in the administration of the grant, which may make the Project more vulnerable to funds being invested in activities other than those intended. The Project institutes a condition under subcomponent 2.B for subgrantees to access the grant, establishing a threshold of 2,500 participants per district for the results of the participatory budgeting exercise to be binding and for ensuing implementation of selected subprojects. Further mechanisms will be in place to control adequate use of the subgrants, since the Bank closely monitors CMI interventions by DecSec. The Bank also monitors continuously the use of funds by LCs and has provided them with readily support, be it directly through Bank specialists and consultants or through DecSec.

Sole responsibilities of IPAU (i) Coordinating all procurement, financial management and auditing processes (this includes internal auditing, opening a designated account for the Project, and selecting an external auditing firm acceptable to the

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C. Project Stakeholder Assessment

55. The Government of Sierra Leone is strongly committed to the Project, as evidenced by its long-standing support to the decentralization process and its commitment to ensuring a better quality of basic social service delivery. A diverse array of measures has been promoted to strengthen local institutions since the start of the devolution process in 2004. Discussions with LCs, CSOs and WDCs confirm strong commitment and support to fostering social accountability and active citizen engagement in the fight against EVD. A brief summary of the roles and positions of the key country and sector stakeholders is presented in Table 5 below. Specific Project roles will be finalized in the Project Paper.

Table 6: Stakeholder Assessment

Integrated Project Administration Unit (IPAU)

IPAU will work closely with communities, WDCs, LCs, CSOs, other MDAs, the Bank’s Project Management Team, and technical advisors, and will be responsible for managing and documenting Project implementation. As the recipient of Project funds, IPAU plays an important role in ensuring a transparent and smooth resource allocation to local level institutions.

Decentralization Secretariat (DecSec)

DecSec will be a key stakeholder in the Project and will play a collaborative role in: (i) ensuring capacity building and training activities for LCs and WDCs are effectively programmed and provided; (ii) coordinating LC capacity building activity implementation; (iii) leading social accountability and community monitoring activities under Component 2; and (iv) ensuring adequate alignment of the Project with the decentralization process and with ongoing activities of the GoSL and key partners. DecSec will also play a relevant monitoring role and is the subproject grantee to scale up the CMI on the basis of the current pilot conducted by the agency.

Local Councils (LCs) and Ward Committees (WDCs)

LCs in selected districts are a central stakeholder in the Project and will manage along with WDCs a coordinated response by: (i) directing the implementation of Project activities; (ii) building general capacity and performing the training provided; and (iii) actively being involved in the social accountability activities promoted. The pinpointed scope of the Project (generating social cohesion and community mobilization) will be reiterated to LCs and WDCs. LCs in the two districts most affected by EVD (Western Urban Area and Port Loko) will also be subproject grantees to implement subprojects selected from the community participatory budgeting.

Bank and JSDF); (ii) updating the project results framework (in consultation with DecSec); (iii) assessing progress in terms of the Project’s indicators; and (iv) produce annual progress reports (in consultation with DecSec) and an implementation completion report at the end of the Project

Sole responsibilities of DecSec

(i) Data collection (including supervision of surveys by DecSec that provide relevant data for the Project); (ii) advice IPAU in updating the project results framework; (iii) advice IPAU when producing annual progress reports; (iv) conduct monitoring visits and produce relevant technical support (including on safeguards) to LCs, WDCs and MDAs as required; and (v) manage knowledge dissemination activities and media relations.

Joint responsibilities Ensure the complementarity of activities pursued in relation to DHMTs, PERS, EERP and other relevant strategies.

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Development Partners and CSOs

The Project will actively engage with the many development partners on the ground to ensure alignment and harmonization of Project-supported activities and to foster dialogue in order to develop partnerships that sustain the Project’s activities in the longer term.

Target Community The community will play a prominent role across the Project. Under Component 1, community leaders will engage with sensitization organizers at the LC level to develop and implement community-specific strategies to foster social cohesion. The high degree of involvement of the community will foster buy-in and ensure that interventions are culturally and contextually appropriate. Citizens will be enabled to take ownership of local services provided under the Project and to channel suggestions and grievances.

D. Safeguards

56. This project triggers World Bank Operational Policy 4.01 (environmental assessment) as a precaution to ensure that all subprojects approved under Component 2.B (Piloting LC Participatory Budgeting) are environmentally sound and sustainable. The environmental assessment is a process the breadth, depth, and type of analysis of which depends on the nature, scale, and potential environmental impact of the proposed subprojects and requires the preparation of an Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF). The existing ESMF for DSDP2, with a screening checklist, is however adequate to address any impact that may arise from subprojects under this project. All subprojects approved under Component 2.B will thus be screened using the environmental safeguards screening checklist currently applied to DSDP2 before final approval.

57. From the social safeguards standpoint, OP 4.12 is not triggered, as the Project is not anticipated to have major social risks relating to land acquisition and loss of livelihood. Project activities mainly include capacity building, disaster risk management, community engagement, citizen participation, and community monitoring. Subcomponent 2B however supports two LCs to fund subprojects determined by community participants through a PB grant of US$300,000 per LC. Given the relatively small funding window, the project is not expected to generate subprojects with adverse social impact. The project will by design also exclude any subproject that will result in involuntary resettlement as defined by the Bank.

58. The project’s design also emphasizes inclusive participation. Components 1 and 2 mainly include capacity building, community engagement, citizen participation, community monitoring, social accountability and participatory budgeting to build community resilience in the two districts most affected by EVD and for effective delivery of social services. The Operations Manual will provide detailed guidelines on how these mechanisms will be operationalized. The Project will also put in place a Grievances Redress Mechanism (GRM) to address stakeholder concerns stemming from the community sensitization and the subproject selection process. A GRM is currently being piloted in Freetown LC under DSDP2 and will scale up to include Port Loko District, the other LCs to benefit from the PB grant.

59. The Environmental and Social Safeguards Officer (ESSO) at DecSec will work with LC safeguards officers in piloting PB LCs to screen and approve proposals for PB from community members. The ESOs and his Team at the LCs will initiate the process of carrying out an Environmental and Social Screening of the agreed proposals for PB and subsequently complete and submit the Environmental and Social Screening Checklist for review and approval by the ESSO at DecSec. IPAU has worked with large multilateral organizations and with the World Bank and is used to complying with social and environmental safeguards. Additionally, the team will work directly with the implementing agencies to build any capacity necessary for safeguard policies and will ensure that policies are adhered to.

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E. Financial Management

60. The Bank conducted a limited Financial Management (FM) assessment to determine the adequacy of the proposed financial management systems of IPAU. The assessment concluded that the FM systems of IPAU meet the Bank’s minimum requirements for the administration of projects funds under OP/BP 10.00. IPAU is headed by a Project Coordinator who is responsible for ensuring the overall direction of work at the Unit. Under the direction and supervision of the Project Coordinator, the entire IPAU accounting team, composed of the Head of Finance (a qualified accountant), the Finance Officer, the two Assistant Finance Officers, and the Administration and Finance Assistant, is responsible for all the day-to-day financial management functions of selected Projects implemented by the Government of Sierra Leone. IPAU has satisfactory planning and budgeting, accounting, internal controls, financial reporting and external auditing processes in place that will support the effective and efficient utilization of resources for the Project.

61. IPAU will open a US$ denominated account at a commercial bank approved by the World Bank. The Project will use report-based disbursements through the submission of quarterly Interim Financial Report (IFRs) on the sources and uses of project funds. A forecast of the first 6 months expenditures will form the basis for the initial withdrawal of funds from the Credit, and subsequent withdrawals will equally be based on the net cash requirements.

62. The Project will follow a cash basis of accounting and financial reporting and will submit, within 45 days of each Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) fiscal quarter, quarterly interim financial reports (IFRs) of the project activities. At a minimum, the constituents of the IFRs will be: (i) a statement of sources and uses of funds for the reported quarter and cumulative period from project inception, reconciled to opening and closing bank balances; (ii) a statement of uses of funds (expenditures) by project activity/component, comparing actual expenditures against budget, with explanations for significant variances for both the quarter and cumulative period; and (iii) a Designated Account Reconciliation Statement.

63. The annual audited financial statements of the project shall be submitted to IDA within 6 months of the end of the GoSL’s fiscal year (i.e., by June 30 each year). The external auditors will conduct annual audit of the project financial statements on agreed terms of reference with the World Bank. The project team will be better advised to start recruitment of external auditors within two months of project effectiveness. Based on the assessment conducted, the overall FM risks were rated as ‘High’ before mitigation. If the planned risk mitigation measures are properly implemented, the residual FM risk is anticipated to be rated as “Substantial.”

F. Procurement

64. Procurement will be carried out in accordance with the “Guidelines: Procurement of Goods, Works, and Non-Consulting Services under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits and Grants by World Bank Borrowers” and the “Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits & Grants by World Bank Borrowers” both dated January 2011 (revised in July 2014), as well as the “Guidelines on Preventing and Combating Fraud and Corruption in Projects Financed by IBRD Loans and Grants,” dated October 15, 2006, and revised in January 2011. All procurement entities as well as bidders and service providers, (i.e. suppliers and consultants) shall observe the highest standard of ethics during the procurement and execution of contracts financed under the Project, in accordance with paragraphs 1.16 and 1.17 (Fraud and Corruption) of the Procurement Guidelines and paragraph 1.23 and 1.24 (Fraud and Corruption) of the Consultants Guidelines, in addition to the relevant Articles of the Sierra Leone Public Procurement Act 2004, which refer to corrupt practices.

65. The various items under different expenditure categories related to procurement of works, goods and non-consulting services, selection of consultants and operating costs are further detailed in the Project’s

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Cost Table. Most procurement activities will be carried out by IPAU and by LCs. IPAU has a well-qualified procurement team that has been active in Project implementation of DSDP2 and other Bank and international donor programs. LCs are staffed by a mayor/council chair, chief administrators, and their deputies, financial officers, accountants, and procurement officers. The financial and procurement officers have received extensive training on Bank and GoSL procurement and contract management.

66. The Project will support training, workshops and hire experts/specialists to provide technical assistance for short periods under Components 1 and 2. Items to be procured under this project would include: equipment and communications materials, training and workshops, Procurement will be done using the Bank‘s Standard Biding Documents (SBD) for all International Competitive Bidding (ICB) and National Standard Bidding Documents (NBDs) agreed upon or satisfactory to the Bank for non-ICB contracts.

IV. Overall Risk Ratings

Risk Ratings Summary Table

Stakeholder Risk Risk Rating Mitigation measuresImplementing Agency Risk

- Capacity

Moderate IPAU and DecSec have a solid record of successful cooperation with the Bank and other multilateral organizations. The agencies will work very closely with LCs and will collaborate with experts and other institutional actors, including relevant MDAs, the DMD and CSOs.

- Governance Substantial The Project will be implemented in a fragile political environment and in a context in which government resources (at the central and local levels) have been overstretched because of the demands of the EVD response

- Fiduciary Substantial The Project bears a considerable fraud and corruption risk, which may be compounded by inadequate use of subgrants under Subcomponents 2.A and 2.B. Given the potential for fraud and corruption, the Project management team will work on a regular basis with the Public Financial Management Reform Unit (PFMRU), the GoSL’s Internal Audit Unit, the National Public Procurement Authority (NPPA), and the Anti-Corruption Commission. The Project team will ensure that all funds provided are invested in the interventions delineated in the components section of this document and will work within the guidelines of Sierra Leone’s Anti-Corruption Commission.

Project Risk- Design

Substantial Project success relies on the use of a community-based approach, increasing the likelihood of culturally and contextually appropriate assistance that is sustainable. This approach has been successful in many instances. However, due to the fear and suspicion stemming from the EVD crisis, it may be difficult to initially engage all members of the community in the proposed interventions and ensure that all can benefit from the opportunities provided. This risk will be mitigated by engaging community leaders early in the Project. Their participation is expected to trigger a signal and to create support for the Project.

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- Environmental and Social

High The Project is not expected to generate any significant negative environmental impacts, but the World Bank Operational Policy 4.01 is triggered as a precaution for PB under Component 2B. As for social impacts, stigma against individuals suffering the consequences of EVD and mental health care may act as barriers to the community’s acceptance and buy-in of the Project. Project activities are designed to mitigate this risk by using a community-based approach.

- Program and Donor

Moderate Proper coordination with relevant actors in Sierra Leone will be maintained, especially with MoSWGCA and the MoHS. Consultations will be held with all relevant stakeholders to ensure buy-in for the activities promoted.

- Sustainability Moderate Positive results from this Project are likely to have a catalytic effect given the serious need for social support in Sierra Leone. Locally available inputs will be drawn upon to implement the Project, helping ensure its sustainability. Furthermore, the Bank will engage with development partners to capitalize on complementary support and to foster dialogue, sustaining financing beyond the Project period. A model/best practice for future community-based interventions to build resilience, trust, and social cohesion will be provided to be internalized under GoSL’s A4P.

- Other (Optional) - -

Overall Risk Rating Explanation

67. The overall implementation risk is Substantial due to the considerable number of foreseeable challenges that may arise during the Project, the fragile and vulnerable context of Sierra Leone, and significant stakeholder and reputational risks. The interventions under this project are innovative, as they provide new elements designed to strengthen local social support while fostering social capital, generating social accountability, and stimulating citizen mobilization. Challenges will be mitigated through: (i) relying on local level institutions and providers, and culturally appropriate interventions; (ii) the implementing agencies long-standing experience and knowledge of both the decentralization process and service delivery, which will be useful in guiding overall and day-to-day implementation of activities in coordination with LCs; and (iii) a well-linked chain of internal and external monitoring mechanisms to oversee performance on a regular basis, and make necessary mid-course corrections.

24

ANNEX 1: SYSTEMATIC OPERATIONS RISK-RATING TOOL (SORT)

Risk Category Rating

1. Political and Governance S

2. Macroeconomic S

3. Sector Strategies and Policies H

4. Technical Design of Project or Program S

5. Institutional Capacity for Implementation and Sustainability S

6. Fiduciary S

7. Environment and Social H

8. Stakeholders M

9. Other -

OVERALL S

25

ANNEX 2: RESULTS FRAMEWORK AND MONITORING

Project Development Objective (PDO): to deliver an immediate response to the post-EVD needs at the local level in Sierra Leone by building community resilience through social mobilization and service delivery support from Local Councils.

Cumulative Target ValuesPDO Level Results Indicators

Cor

e Unit of Measure

BaselineYR 1 YR 2 YR3

FrequencyData

Source

Responsibility for Data

Collection

Description (indicator definition)

Indicator one. Percentage of beneficiaries who affirm social sensitization activities have been positive toward bringing people together in the four (4) districts in which sensitization activities are conducted

% - 40% 50% 65% Annual INPSS

INPSS Consultancy (undertaken by DecSec)

Indicator two. Number of sectors in CMI piloting districts periodically assessed and managed considering citizen feedback

No· - 5 10 10 Annual CLoGPAS

CLoGPAS Consultancy (undertaken by DecSec)

Indicator three. Percentage of beneficiaries who affirm public budgeting processes generated a positive social mobilization effect in the two (2) districts in which participatory budgeting is conducted

% - 35% 50% 65% Annual INPSS

INPSS Consultancy (undertaken by DecSec)

Indicator four. Number of direct project beneficiaries, of which female

No·(%)

015,000

50%

40,000

50%

50,000

50%Annual

Project reports

LCs / DecSec

INTERMEDIATE RESULTS

Intermediate Result (Component One): LC social sensitization activities

26

Number of WDC members, LC councilors, traditional and religious healers trained on trauma healing (% of which are females)

No· 0 100 200 200 AnnualProject reports

LCs / DecSec

Number of beneficiaries reached through LC trauma and sensitization interventions (% of which are females)

No· 0 7,500 20,000 25,000 AnnualProject reports

LCs / DecSec

Communication means/tools linking DHMTs, CSOs, PERS, and EERP, are maintained

Yes/No Yes Yes Yes Yes AnnualProject reports

IPAU

Intermediate Result (Component Two): Tailoring LC service delivery through social mobilization.

Number of RTFs and LC officers received special training on social accountability

No· 0 100 200 200 AnnualProject reports

LCs / DecSec

Number of citizens participated in social accountability initiatives in CMI piloted districts (% of which are females)

No· 0 5,000 15,000 20,000 AnnualProject reports

LCs / DecSec

Number of beneficiaries in the participatory budgeting pilot (% of which are females)

No· 0 2,500 5,000 5,000 AnnualProject reports

LCs / DecSec

Number of joint monitoring visits to LCs, conducted by relevant MDAs

No· 0 8 16 20 AnnualProject reports

IPAU / DecSec

Page 1

PROCUREMENTPLAN Sierra Leone : Strengthening Community Mobilization and Local Council Service Delivery in the Post-Ebola ContextGeneral InformationCountry: Sierra Leone Bank�s Approval Date of the Original Procurement Plan: 2017-08-23

Revised Plan Date(s): (comma delineated, leave blank if none) 2017-08-23Project ID: P155339 GPN Date: Project Name: Strengthening Community Mobilization and Local Council Service Delivery in the Post-Ebola ContextLoan / Credit No: TF / A4737Executing Agency(ies): Ministry of Finance and Economic Development

WORKSActivity Reference No. /

Description Loan / Credit No. Component Review Type Method Market Approach ProcurementProcess

Prequalification(Y/N)

Actual Amount(US$)

ProcessStatus

Draft Pre-qualificationDocuments

PrequalificationEvaluation Report

Draft Bidding Document/ Justification

Specific ProcurementNotice / Invitation

Bidding Documents asIssued

Proposal Submission /Opening / Minutes

Bid Evaluation Reportand Recommendation

for AwardSigned Contract Contract Completion

Planned Actual Planned Actual Planned Actual Planned Actual Planned Actual Planned Actual Planned Actual Planned Actual Planned Actual

GOODSActivity Reference No. /

Description Loan / Credit No. Component Review Type Method Market Approach ProcurementProcess

Prequalification(Y/N)

Actual Amount(US$)

ProcessStatus

Draft Pre-qualificationDocuments

PrequalificationEvaluation Report

Draft Bidding Document/ Justification

Specific ProcurementNotice / Invitation

Bidding Documents asIssued

Proposal Submission /Opening / Minutes

Bid Evaluation Reportand Recommendation

for AwardSigned Contract Contract Completion

Planned Actual Planned Actual Planned Actual Planned Actual Planned Actual Planned Actual Planned Actual Planned Actual Planned Actual

SL-MOFED-25281-GO-RFQ /Procurement of Office Equipment

TF / A4737Project management, monitoringand evaluation, and knowledgemanagement

Post Request forQuotations Limited

Single Stage - OneEnvelope 0.00 Pending

Implementation 2017-09-16 2017-11-11 2018-05-10

SL-MOFED-25270-GO-RFQ /Procure laptops, cameras andsierratel internet modems to aidthe Local Council setting upGRM desks

TF / A4737Creating social mobilizationmechanisms that improve LocalCouncils service delivery

Post Request forQuotations Limited

Single Stage - OneEnvelope 0.00 Pending

Implementation 2017-09-23 2017-11-18 2018-05-17

SL-MOFED-25272-GO-RFQ /Procurement of Air-Conditioners

TF / A4737Creating social mobilizationmechanisms that improve LocalCouncils service delivery

Post Request forQuotations Limited

Single Stage - OneEnvelope 0.00 Pending

Implementation 2017-10-07 2017-12-02 2018-05-31

SL-MOFED-25276-GO-RFQ /Procurement of laptops,desktopsand printers for DecentralisationSecretariat

TF / A4737Creating social mobilizationmechanisms that improve LocalCouncils service delivery

Post Request forQuotations Limited

Single Stage - OneEnvelope 0.00 Pending

Implementation 2017-10-21 2017-12-16 2018-06-14

NON CONSULTING SERVICESActivity Reference No. /

Description Loan / Credit No. Component Review Type Method Market Approach ProcurementProcess

Prequalification(Y/N)

Actual Amount(US$)

ProcessStatus

Draft Pre-qualificationDocuments

PrequalificationEvaluation Report

Draft Bidding Document/ Justification

Specific ProcurementNotice / Invitation

Bidding Documents asIssued

Proposal Submission /Opening / Minutes

Bid Evaluation Reportand Recommendation

for AwardSigned Contract Contract Completion

Planned Actual Planned Actual Planned Actual Planned Actual Planned Actual Planned Actual Planned Actual Planned Actual Planned Actual

SL-MOFED-25267-NC-RFQ /Procurement for the printing offinal versions of GRM Manuals forcirculation

TF / A4737Creating social mobilizationmechanisms that improve LocalCouncils service delivery

Post Request forQuotations Limited

Single Stage - OneEnvelope 0.00 Pending

Implementation 2017-09-19 2017-11-14 2018-05-13

CONSULTING FIRMSActivity Reference No. /

Description Loan / Credit No. Component Review Type Method Market Approach Contract Type Actual Amount(US$) Process Status Terms of Reference Expression of Interest

NoticeShort List and Draft

Request for ProposalsRequest for Proposals

as IssuedOpening of TechnicalProposals / Minutes

Evaluation of TechnicalProposal

Combined EvaluationReport and Draft

Negotiated ContractSigned Contract Contract Completion

Planned Actual Planned Actual Planned Actual Planned Actual Planned Actual Planned Actual Planned Actual Planned Actual Planned Actual

SL-MOFED-25568-CS-LCS /Annual financial ManagementAudit for project

TF / A4737Project management, monitoringand evaluation, and knowledgemanagement

Post Least Cost Selection Open - National

0.00 PendingImplementation 2018-01-10 2018-01-31 2018-03-16 2018-04-13 2018-05-13 2018-06-17 2018-07-22 2019-01-18

INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANTS