May 2014
Accountability Framework
The GREAT LAKES project
This accountability framework summarizes DRC’s commitments to our stakeholders in The Great
Lakes project that are additional to DRC’s global accountability framework. The global
accountability framework is valid for DRC and DDG everywhere; it is available on www.drc.dk
DRC/DDG contact details
Address
Telephone number
Country Director name
Website
Lower Kabete Road, Ngecha Road Junction, Nairobi, Kenya
+254 727 491 818
Heather Amstutz
http://drc.dk/relief-work/the-great-lakes-civil-society-project/
1. DRC in Great Lakes
The Great Lakes region is regurlarly shaken by internal conflicts causing population displacement
across borders that affect the entire region.
The Great Lakes Programme (GLP)’s vision is for civil society to hold governments accountable to
the commitments made for protecting displaced persons in their country, by proposing realistic
policy solutions to conflict and displacement.
GLP supports national civil society organisations in documenting and analysing specific
displacement and conflict issues, and translating these analyses into practical advocacy goals at
the local, national and regional levels. It draws on existing legal and political frameworks for the
protection of refugees and IDPs, such as the Great Lakes Pact on Security, Stability and
Development, and the African Union Kampala Convention, as well as national level IDP and
refugee policies and legislative tools. Where possible, it encourages cross-border learning between
civil society organisations and regional initiatives aimed at providing joint solutions to regional
displacement problems.
Overall issues addressed by the GLP:
1. Addressing the links between conflict and displacement;
2. Bridging the gap between public policies and local needs;
3. Increasing civil society's involvement in policy making.
2. DRC/DDG objectives in Great Lakes
To contribute to enhancing the effectiveness of the public policies responding conflict and
displacement
1. To contribute to the non-violent resolution of displacement-induced conflicts at the local
level
2. To contribute to making national and local policies implementable
3. To contribute to making civil society actors strategic and effective in their responses to
displacement and conflict
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May 2014
3. DRC/DDG partners & stakeholders Great Lakes
The programme’s direct beneficiaries are DRC’s 7 partner CSOs in the region. These CSOs were
identified during the programme’s first phase through a selection process based on strict selection
criteria, and have been working in close partnership with DRC since 2010. The 7 partner CSOs
are:
- ADEPAE (Action pour le Développement et la Paix Endogènes), implementing activities in South
Kivu, DRCongo (specifically covering the territories of Kalehe and Uvira), ADEPAE is also
responsible for following policy developments in Kinshasa and representing DRCongo within
regional institutional frameworks. ADEPAE has a vast experience of working on conflict issues in
South Kivu, looking at inter-community dynamics, land and identity. Its participation in this
programme stems from the research it has conducted on the challenges of refugee returns from
Burundi and Tanzania, and from activities currently implemented in the framework of a separate
project in collaboration with partner CSO SVH to address some of these challenges in South Kivu.
- APRu (Association pour la Promotion Rurale), implementing activities in Province Orientale,
DRCongo (specifically covering the territory of Haut Uele). APRu is responsible for activities
around LRA-induced displacement, being strategically located at the heart of LRA zones. Its
participation in this programme stems from its experience monitoring displacement trends in this
area, and building strategic alliances with civil society actors in CAR and South Sudan and local
stakeholders to address issues linked to victims’ support, protection and assistance to IDPs, crossborder refugee tracking, and analysis of the LRA phenomenon locally.
- JUPEDEC (Jeunesse Unie pour la Protection de l’Environnement et le Développement
Communautaire), implementing activities in Haut Mbomou, CAR (specifically in the area around
Zemio). JUPEDEC is responsible for activities around LRA-induced displacement, being
strategically located at the heart of LRA zones in South-Eastern CAR. Its added-value in this
programme comes from its link with local beneficiaries on the ground and its extensive knowledge
of IDP/refugee movements within CAR and across the border to DRCongo and South Sudan.
- RCK (Refugee Consortium of Kenya), implementing activities in Kenya. RCK has a long standing
experience promoting refugee and IDP rights in Kenya and East Africa through legal aid and
assistance to beneficiaries on the ground, and has carried out successful advocacy for the
enactment of new legislation in Kenya. RCK was a key contributor to the adoption of Kenya’s
Refugee Act in 2006 and IDP Bill in 2012. RCK also leads the advocacy sub-group of Kenya’s
national protection working group in Nairobi. Its added value in this programme is its ability to carry
out qualitative research on conflict and displacement in Kenya, and to tie local level work to wider
policy/legislative frameworks, and to input on-going policy processes at the East African
Community level and within the context of the African Union.
- Rema Ministries, implementing activities in Burundi. Its experience on conflict and displacement
derives from its work alongside local returnee associations across the country and its own
experience of displacement. Having undergone a complete internal restructuring in 2010, and
carried out several high quality pieces of research on return and reintegration in Burundi, Rema is
in a strong position to pursue its research activities, and to support local returnee associations with
a view to conducting national- and regional-level advocacy.
- RLP (Refugee Law Project), implementing activities in Uganda. RLP’s participation in this
programme stems from its long-standing experience on forced migration in Uganda and the wider
East African region. As a specific project managed by Makerere University in Kampala, RLP has
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May 2014
carried out several pieces of research over the years on conflict and displacement dynamics in
Uganda, and has played a key role in developing Uganda’s legal and political architecture around
displacement (e.g. IDP Policy, 2004).
- SVH (Solidarité des Volontaires pour l’Humanité), implementing activities in the southern part of
South Kivu, DRCongo, specifically in the territories of Fizi and Uvira. SVH’s participation in this
programme stems from its regular and thorough monitoring of refugee returns from Burundi and
Tanzania, and IDP reintegration modalities in some of DRCongo’s most conflict-prone areas. Its
strategic location in one of the major return zones of the Great Lakes region, at the crossroads
between DRCongo and Burundi, as well as its work with local communities on peaceful
cohabitation and conflict prevention, make it an invaluable contributor to this action.
4. Local standards & codes
Have you committed DRC to any external codes and standards at country level that should be
referenced?
No
5. Interaction with beneficiaries
Describe in narrative the specific modalities of how DRC/DDG in country relates to its beneficiaries
(information to beneficiaries, participation by beneficiaries, beneficiary representation, beneficiary
complaints-handling procedures).
GLP’s direct beneficiaries are its seven partners in the Great Lakes region. GLP has established
long-term horizontal partnerships with each of these CSOs, and nurtured relationships that are
mutually beneficial and based on a principle of equality.
As a consequence, the partners are directly involved in the determination of strategic priorities and
also in the proposal-writing process. The GLP team liaise with the partners on a daily basis to
follow-up on projects progress, update context analysis and get feedback.
The partnership is based on dialogue and mutual understanding and relies greatly on the personal
relationships built between the GLP and the partners through field visits and regular conversations.
Exchanges on project progress and strategy occur on an almost daily basis, thus reinforcing the
trusting relationship. As a consequence, the partners feel very confident discussing potential
problems.
6. Country org-chart
Programme Manager
Technical Advisor
Programme Officer
Finance & Admin Assistant
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7. Current projects (if many, chose major ones)
Project Name
Objectives
Congolese RSD research and IDP act implementation
Analyse the situation of Congolese asylum seekers going
through RSD process in Kenya and monitor the implementation
of Kenya’s IDP Bill
Beneficiaries
Number
Target
group
Funding
Donor
Amount
Implementing parthers
Sida
KES 5,648,428
RCK
8. Accountability Improvement plan
Priority actions for 2014
Establishing and
delivering on
commitments
- Conduct assessment of new partners
- Develop capacity-reinforcement plans for existing partners and closely monitor
progress
- Implement accountability framework
Staff
competencies
GLP is in the process of recruiting 3 staff members.
- Induction
- Performance planning
- Staff development/ capacity-building plan after the 3-month trial period
- JDs might be reviewed once the entire team has been recruited to ensure staff’s
compentncies are well used and in accordance by the GLP’s needs
- Annual staff evaluation
Information
sharing
- Develop and publish knowledge management papers sharing GLP’s approaches to
partnerships, research, capacity-building and advocacy, including lessons learnt
- Develop a new information brochure
- Update web-page
- Develop stronger relationships with country programmes (Uganda, CAR, DRC,
Kenya, SSudan) and keep them informed of on-going projects
The programme’s direct beneficiaries are its partners, who have been involved in
projects and programme development since the beginning of the GLP. They are the
one making suggestions on potential projects. The proposal for the 2nd phase of GLP
(2013-2016) is based on the needs expressed by the partners.
The needs of indirected beneficiaries are documented through research projects.
- Define CRM for partners and include in contracts
- Set-up guidelines for feedback/response and database
- Inform partners and team members of procedures
- Do more regular evaluation of the projects implemented by the partners
- Reporting as per donors requirements
- Mid-term review
Participation
Handling
Complaints
Continual
improvement
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