Baseline Study Report on The Peacebuilding Initiative in Nepal

Transcription

1 Baseline Study Report on The Peacebuilding Initiative in Nepal Project implemented with the support from Royal Danish Embassy, Kathmandu Prepared and submitted by Search for Common Ground, Nepal For further information, please contact: Serena Rix Tripathee Country Director Search for Common Ground Nepal P O Box /2, Nursery Marg, Lazimpat Kathmandu, Nepal Tel: /11/12 Fax: sfcgnepal@sfcg.org URL:

2 Table of Contents Chapter I: Background of the Study Introduction Rationale of the Study: Description of the Project:... 5 Chapter II: Methodology of the Study Survey design: Survey Construction Orientation of the Field Researcher and Questionnaire Pre-testing Data Management and Analysis... 7 Chapter III: Detailed Analysis and Interpretation of Data General Perception on Peacebuilding at Local Level Perception of the peace agreement Conflict situation in the community Types of violence taking place in the community People s perception on the accountability of different organizations/ agencies in the peace process Effectiveness of (peacebuilding) programs at the local level Role of individuals in building peace People s perception on means of protesting Individual s ability in resolving conflict Youth collaboration with youth from across dividing lines Access to local government officials Role of Youth in Peacebuilding People s perception on role of youth in peacebuilding Participation in the decision-making process Role of individuals in community meetings Adult Perceptions towards Youth Support from VDC to the youth i

3 3.3 Women in Peacebuilding Role of women and peacebuilding Women s Involvement in Community Activities Freedom of expression across differing identities Local Leadership in Peacebuilding Role of Local Leaders in Peacebuilding Level of Knowledge of Local Leaders on Community Issues Relationship among political parties at the local level Role of stakeholders in improving relationships among political parties Media in Peacebuilding Role of Media in Peacebuilding Sources of Information for Peacebuilding Level of Trust on Information Disseminated through Media Contribution of media programs to conflict resolution Peoples perception on media s ability to address root causes of conflict Effective Radio Programs that Promote Peacebuilding Chapter IV: Summary and Conclusions Summary of Findings and Conclusions Annex1: Questionnaires List of tables Table 1: Distribution of Sample Population by Age and Sex Table 2: Respondents Perception on CPA by Gender Table 3: Respondents Perception of CPA by Age Table 4: Respondents Perception on CPA by Level of Education Table 5: Perception on the Role of Individuals in the Peacebuilding by Gender Table 6: Ability to Resolve the Latest Conflict Situation Table 7: Youth Collaboration across Dividing Lines Table 8: Accessibility of Local Government Officials Table 9: Perception on Youth s Role in Peacebuilding Table 10: Participation in Decision-Making Meetings Table 11: Participation in Decision-Making by Educational Status Table 12: Participation in Different Community-Level Meetings by Gender ii

4 Table 13: Level of Participation in Community-Level Decision Making Meetings Table 14: Adult Perception Towards Youth Table 15: Youth Perception Toward Adults Table 16: Women s Role in Peacebuilding Table 17: Community Collaboration with Women Table 18: Freedom of Expression across Differing Identities by Gender Table 19: Peoples Perception on the Level of Knowledge of Local Leaders on Community Issues Table 20: Role of Stakeholders in Improving Relationships among Political Parties Table 21: Role of Media in Peacebuilding Table 22: Role of Media in Peacebuilding by Gender Table 23: Level of Trust on Information Disseminated Through Media Sources Table 24: Contribution of Media Programs to Resolve Conflict List of figures Figure 1: Situation of Community Conflict before and after the CPA Figure 2: Comparative Community Conflict Status ( ) Figure 3: Average Number of Conflicts Reported by Respondents Figure 4: Accountability of Organizations/Agencies in the Peace Process (Likert Scale-Mean Value) Figure 5: Effectiveness of Peacebuilding Programs at Local level (mean of Likert Scale) Figure 6: Comparison of individuals' role in peacebuilding, 2009 & 2011 Figure 7: Preferred Means of Protesting Figure 8: Participation in Decision Making Process Figure 9: Respondents' Level of Participation in Meetings Figure 10: Adult Perception Towards Youth Figure 11: Youth Perception Towards Adults Figure 12: VDC Support Received by Youth Groups Figure 13: Freedom of Expression Across Differing Identities Figure 14: Peoples' Perspective on the Role of Local Leaders in Peacebuilding Figure 15: Peoples' Perception on Inter-Party Relationship Figure 16: Mean Likert Value of Respondents' View of the Role of Stakeholders in Improving Relationships Among Political Parties Figure 17: Role of Media Professionals in Peacebuilding Figure 18: Role of Media Professionals in Peacebuilding Figure 19: Likert Mean Value for Effective Sources of Information Figure 20: Trust on Information Disseminated through Media Figure 21: Media's Ability to Address Root Causes of Conflict Figure 22: Effective Radio Programs to Promote Peacebuilding iii

5 Abbreviations and Acronyms CA CFUG CPA CPN-Maoist CSPro DM&E INGOs LDO PLA SFCG SMC SPSS TPI UNMIN UNSCR 1325 VDC WDO Constituent Assembly Community Forest Users Group Comprehensive Peace Accord Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Census and Survey Processing Design, Monitoring and Evaluation International Non-governmental Organizations Local Development Officer Peoples Liberation Army Search for Common Ground School Management Committee Statistical Package for Social Sciences The Peacebuilding Initiative UN Mission in Nepal UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security Village Development Committee Women Development Officer iv

6 Executive Summary Despite the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA) in 2006, marking the official end to a decade-long civil war, Nepal is still struggling to maintain a fragile peace and a fledgling democracy. Armed groups, disillusionment with the political process, lack of faith in elected officials, exclusion of women and youth in the democratic process, and local conflicts still plague Nepal s democratic transition. To help move the peace and democratization process forward, Search For Common Ground-Nepal (SFCG) was recently awarded funding by the Royal Danish Embassy to implement a comprehensive peacebuilding program. Entitled The Peacebuilding Initiative (TPI), the program aims to promote consensus building among a variety of stakeholders through dialogue sessions, locally produced and aired radio programs, and youth mobilization and capacity building activities. SFCG, in conjunction with a team of independent researchers, conducted a baseline assessment in September 2011 to collect indicators so that a post-project evaluation could measure actual results against the program s objectives. The assessment was conducted in four districts and eight Village Development Committees (VDC s) in the Terai region of Nepal. A total of 806 households were sampled though a simple random sampling procedure. Individual interviews were conducted as well. Results from the assessment indicate that a large proportion of rural Nepalis are still unaware of the CPA and its role in the peacebuilding process. Awareness is even less among youth, female and elderly respondents. Subsequently, a need exists implement a widespread awareness-raising communication campaign that targets these groups. Fortunately, the survey found that respondents say that incidences of violent conflict have drastically reduced since the signing of the CPA: whereas 85 percent of respondents reported experiencing violent conflict before the CPA, only 8% experienced violent conflict after its signing. However, the situation in Terai, especially eastern and central Terai, is still much worse than many other parts of the country. This is likely due to the ethnic, religious, and political make-up of the region. Thus, programming should prioritize work in this region in order to maximize positive impacts on the peacebuilding process. Interestingly, data suggest that people feel the peace process is largely a security concern, and subsequently view security forces as the most accountable in the peacebuilding process. However, while security forces were held to the greatest accountability, respondents felt that media has had the most significant contribution to the peace process. They considered political parties, INGO s, and government agencies to be the least credible entities in the peace and democratization process. Furthermore, data suggests that people have extremely little faith in their local leaders to address local level issues. Despite this lack of faith, data suggest that people are playing a greater participatory role in local-level decision-making processes. Results also indicate a very clear lack of a sense of empowerment among respondents; approximately two-thirds of respondents were unsure if they could have any role in the peacebuilding process. However, while respondents felt unsure of their role in the process, almost half of respondents subscribed to non-violent means of protest and only a tenth of respondents advocated violent or incendiary means. While data suggest an increased tendency of youth to work across religious, ethnic, and caste lines, there is still great resistance from youth to collaborate and cooperate across political lines. Generally, 1

7 respondents perceived the role of youth as important in moving the peace process forward. Unfortunately, results indicate that youth are receiving very little support from VDC s. Overall, while people understand the positive role youth can play in the peace and democratization process, active support of youth-led initiatives seems to be lacking. Data indicates that peoples perceptions of the role women can play in the peace process are disappointing. Not only did men not view women as having a significant role to play in the process, women themselves largely felt the same. Radio, and to a lesser extent television, are considered to play a major role in the dissemination of information. Radio, in particular, is considered to be a valued and trusted source of information amongst rural Nepalis. Respondents particularly liked radio dramas as a means of information sharing and awareness building. However, while media may play a vital role in shaping perceptions, norms, and views toward conflict and cooperation, respondents did not feel that media should play a direct facilitative role in mediating conflict situations. A comparative analysis between the 2011 baseline assessment and a 2007 one reveal that significant progress had been made in certain areas that SFCG has been working in, most notably citizens participatory role in decision making processes at the local level, as well as more positive perceptions of youth by elders and vice versa. Although progress has been made on a number of indicators, the situation in Nepal is still fragile. SFCG has made a long-term commitment toward advancing the peace and democratization process in Nepal. Its extensive experience working with media, youth, and women around the world in post-conflict sceneries equips SFCG with the tools and knowledge needed to successfully contribute to the peace and democratization process. Already, progress has been made on a number of indicators. However, there is still much work to be done. The results from this survey indicate that the changing perceptions of youth, the slow but existent increase in women s participation, and the increasing influence of media in rural Nepal create an environment conducive for SFCG to continue to make a positive and markable contribution to the peace and democratization process in Nepal. 2

8 1.1 Introduction Chapter I: Background of the Study The 10 year long violent conflict between the CPN-Maoist and the Nepali Government has widely disrupted Nepal's social, economic and political structure. The loss of more than thirteen thousand lives 1, destruction of basic infrastructure and displacement of civilians in their hundreds of thousands has incapacitated the nation s ability to deliver even basic needs to its citizens. Nepali citizens hoped the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA) between the then CPN- Maoist and the Government of Nepal (GoN) in November 2006 would mark a new era of peace and prosperity. The subsequent election of the Constituent Assembly (CA), placing of the Maoist Combatants into the UNMIN 2 monitored cantonments, the recent decision to reintegrate 6,000 of these combatants into the Nepal Army and the rehabilitation of rest of them back into the community, and a number of cross-party agreements provide some hope that the peace may hold. However, numerous challenges still exist: promulgation of the new constitution; establishment of federal states and shifting of the balance of power to the local level through state restructuring; security sector reform, and the implementation of the decision to integrate the People s Liberation Army (PLA) into the national army 3 are all contentious issues yet to be adequately addressed. Massive human rights violations as well as the unchecked aggression of violent factions in the eastern hills and southern plains (called Terai-Madhes), threaten the peace, as well as the rights and lives of minorities in these regions. As the balance of power shifts to federal states, new mechanisms will be required for building consensus and solving regional level conflicts. A proactive approach that brings key stakeholders together to discuss how to overcome these stumbling blocks will play a key role in preventing violence. The degree to which effective mechanisms are established can help solve disputes, move the peace process forward, and facilitate the development of local governance will play a crucial role in Nepal s democratic transition. One of the keys to a successful transition will be to increase the participatory role of key stakeholders, both at the local and national level, to find ways to solve differences in a non-adversarial manner. Increasing information sharing between the district and national level as well as consensus building among elected representatives is a vital part of this process. Absence of such mechanisms and cooperative efforts will likely result in violence and further human rights violations, as seen in the past. Furthermore, incorporating youth groups into the democratic process is essential to both peace-andstate-building in Nepal. In most of the country, youth are manipulated to be actors of violence rather than agents of peace. Youth involved in the youth wings of political parties are often the ones that enforce bandhas 4, engage in violent clashes among each other and incite violent demonstrations. Whilst the violence of youth wings has decreased over the past year, its members are still vulnerable to manipulation to violence by their parties. Increasing the role of youth both young men and women in the decision making processes, providing opportunities for them to shift from a role of spoilers to one 1 Dhungana, S K The Policy of the Government of Nepal towards Internally Displaced Persons. In Limits of the Humanitarian: Studies in Situations of Forced Migration. Policies and Practices # 17, Kolkata: Calcutta Research Group. 2 UN Mission in Nepal. 3 There are 19,600 UNMIN-verified Maoist combatants in the cantonments. ( The Himalayan Times, A 'bandha (strike) is a shutdown usually enforced by a political party, or interest group, and is often violent. The bandha callers usually use violence to ensure a shutdown of the economic and vehicular activity for the duration of the bandha. 3

9 of facilitators and contributors, and addressing the underlying factors that cause them to resort to violence will be an essential component of the country's successful transition. Similarly, media (both print and electronic) play a crucial role in shaping the conflict dynamics of a country. Experiences from around the world demonstrate that the media can play a powerful role in the processes of peace, reconciliation and democratization. In Nepal, numerous examples exist of radio, TV, and newspapers being used both to fuel and mitigate violence. The transformative potential of media to play a much more constructive role in supporting Nepal s transition to democracy, supporting an inclusive peace process, and reducing conflict at different levels, is evident. Over the past few years Nepal has witnessed an exponential growth in independent media, particularly in the radio sector. In early 2006 there were only 56 independent radio licenses; by August 2009, a total of 323 radio stations had been granted licenses, with 186 FM stations in operation across the country 5. Nepal's media in general has been a vocal pro-democracy advocate during the struggle for democracy. Radio, especially the local community radios/ FM stations, has been the driving force of communication in an overwhelmingly rural Nepali society. Nepal's community radio has been thus far a communication tool to spread awareness on social, economic, and political issues, and to propel the peace process in rural Nepal. Despite the unprecedented growth and increasing popularity of media as a communication tool, producers, editors and presenters working in the radio stations are often inexperienced and lack proper training. The majority of them are largely unaware of their impact on conflict dynamics. It is essential that radio provide accurate, credible, balanced and useful information to the populations they serve. SFCG has identified a strong need for radio professionals to be better trained in conflict-transformation so that they can understand the consequences of their reporting and coverage and use radio to find common ground rather than aggravate differences. SFCG's experience throughout the world and in Nepal in using media as a peacebuilding tool has shown that, in order to maximize impact, radio programming should be accompanied by community-focused programming.. The Royal Danish Embassy has awarded funding to SFCG for implementing programming that promotes consensus-building among local stakeholders through dialogue, community actions and locally-produced radio programs. The Action, called The Peacebuilding Initiative (TPI) uses media and youth as catalysts for positive change. Aired through local media outlets throughout the country, the radio programs generate awareness and cause behavior change among listeners. Further, SFCG s youth and peacebuilding program builds capacities of youth on leadership and peacebuilding and mobilizes them at the community level to implement various projects that transcend ethnic, linguistic, and religious divisions and bring diverse groups of stakeholders together under a single platform promoting, peace, reconciliation, leadership, consensus-building, and democracy. The purpose of this baseline study is to identity the indicators of change for this initiative in order to better understand the Action s impact upon its conclusion. 5 Source: 4

10 1.2 Rationale of the Study: This baseline research aimed to explore current (2011) public perceptions on the: Role of local youth in responding to community-based conflicts; Rural youth efforts in promoting cooperation among diverse groups; Rural youth perception on their role in the local-level peacebuilding processes; Rural youth involvement in community decision-making mechanisms; Community efforts to organize dialogue/ interaction with members of marginalized communities; Community access to local government officials, and Influence of radio in motivating people to mediate local conflicts or initiate peace-promoting activities. Role of women in peacebuilding and community leadership The study included extensive questioning on these topics. This report represents some of the key findings and data. 1.3 Description of the Project: The overall goal of the project is to support an inclusive peace process from the local to the national level. The specific objectives are: 1. To develop the capacity of key stakeholder groups to engage constructively in the peace process in non-adversarial ways; 2. To foster solution-oriented dialogue on key elements of the CPA and peace process 6 at district, regional and national levels, and 3. To foster constructive engagement of youth and local decision makers in the peace process at the local level. To achieve the goal and objectives, the project consists of various activities under the following three integrated activity streams: Activity Stream/ Activities 1. Capacity building to promote peace i. Radio for peacebuilding training for radio producers ii. Leadership and consensus building initiatives for leaders and decision makers iii. Youth leadership and peacebuilding trainings 2. Dialogue and consensus-building i. Community outreach-based ; local level radio dialogue sessions ii. National level magazine iii. National communications campaign iv. Consensus-building dialogue sessions 3. Cooperative action between youth and local decision makers i. Regional radio drama (Sangor) in Maithali ii. Youth and peacebuilding program 6 Such as the new constitution, state restructuring, public security and commissions of inquiry. 5

11 Chapter II: Methodology of the Study 2.1 Survey design: SFCG conducted the baseline survey by hiring independent local researchers in the four selected districts (Siraha, Dhanusha, Banke and Bardiya) and eight Village Development Committees (VDC s) within these districts, where SFCG is implementing the TPI project. It was conducted from 30 August- 19 September 2011 and involved 806 respondents from the four districts. Since the project targets youth aged and local decision-makers and stakeholders in the peace process, the survey aimed to capture the hierarchy and roles of those directly accountable to the peacebuilding process and youth mobilization. A total of 806 households were sampled, using a simple random sampling procedure, and interviewed to determine the baseline indicators of the program components. Moreover, emphasis was made to accurately reflect the caste/ ethnic, sex, age, and occupational demographics of these communities. Furthermore, two VDCs were surveyed in each district and included at least 100 respondents from each VDC. 2.2 Survey Construction The selection of districts was based on the purposive random sampling to best capture the dynamics of conflicts currently experienced in Nepal. Different social identities based on location (Pahade/Madhesi), different religious identities (Hindu/Muslim), different cultural identities (Tharu, Pahade, Madhesi, Muslim), and different conflict scenario (highly affected and less affected) were incorporated into the study. A simple random sampling procedure was again used to select the VDCs and respondents. The study was based on primary data collected through a survey. The questionnaire (see annex) was designed and first tested in the field before being applied by the research team. It was structured into six sections and a number of open-ended questions to better capture respondents opinions and ideas on various issues related to project interventions. Despite the survey gathering data for a range of issues and indicators, this report includes only those indicators related to the TPI project. SFCG staff from the districts prepared a list of households in the VDCs in advance, calculated the total number of households to be surveyed, and adopted an interval-skip 7 rule to ensure random sampling. None of the households were pre-informed of the survey. Age group were divided into four categories; children (below 15), youth (15-29), adults (30-49) and elders (above 50) to better understand differences in perceptions and attitudes amongst them. The table below presents gender and age-based sample size of the survey: Table 1: Distribution of Sample Population by Age and Sex Age Male Female Grand Total MI 2 40% 3 60% 5 100% Below % 4 33% % % % % % 93 29% % Above % 18 18% % Total % % % 7 Total households divided by the required sample size. 6

12 2.3 Orientation of the Field Researcher and Questionnaire Pre-testing A two-day orientation was held in each target district in which 26 researcher - eight researchers from SFCG and 16 from outside - were trained. It was designed to familiarize them with the questionnaire as well as enhancing their skills and techniques in administering the survey. Before the actual administration of questionnaires, a pre-test was conducted to establish whether researchers correctly understood data collection techniques and had the correct skills and proper research ethics. After the pre-test, an extensive clarification of any issues, confusions and concerns on the contents of the survey was conducted with the researchers. 2.4 Data Management and Analysis After collecting data, the DM&E team cross-checked it for completeness, validity, consistency and accuracy. Quantitative data were then entered into a computer system using the Census and Survey Processing System (CSPro) software and then exported to the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) for analysis. Both descriptive and analytical statistics such as frequency distributions, cross tabulations, chi-square and independent t-test were used to analyze key assessment variables. Qualitative data were clustered according to type of responses and then coded to interpret finding. The survey also used Likert Scale 8 to collect different level of people s perceptions on certain issues. 8 The Likert Scale was developed in The main principle is to measure attitudes by asking people to respond to a series of statements about a topic, in terms of the extent to which they agree with them, and so taps into the cognitive and affective components of attitudes. The Likert Scale is a method of ascribing quantitative value to qualitative data, to make it amenable to statistical analysis for measurement of either positive or negative responses to a statement. A numerical value is assigned to each potential choice and a mean figure for all the responses is computed during data analysis. There are a variety of possible response scales (such as 0-to-4, 1-to-5, 1-to-7, 1-to-9). All of these odd-numbered scales have a middle value often labeled as neutral or undecided. Data from Likert Scales are sometimes reduced to the nominal level by combining all agree and disagree responses into two categories of accept and reject. For further details on the Likert Scale please refer to Trochim, William & Donnelly, James P The Research Methods Knowledge Base, Cornell University Press. 7

13 Chapter III: Detailed Analysis and Interpretation of Data 3.1. General Perception on Peacebuilding at Local Level Perception of the peace agreement What is your perception of the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA)? Table 2: Respondents Perception on CPA by Gender Male Female Total Don t Know/ Can't Say % % % Deteriorates the peace process 7 1% 1 0% 8 1% Does not make any difference to the peace process 12 2% 4 2% 16 2% Important but no basis for trusting it 89 16% 20 8% % Important and helps the peace process 93 17% 49 20% % Very important and brings the peace process to a 16 3% 0 0% 16 2% conclusion Total % % % Data suggests that the majority of the population do not know about the CPA: almost two-thirds (64%) of respondents said they didn t know, or couldn t say anything about the CPA and its role in the ongoing peace process in Nepal. Furthermore, the table also reveals that a higher percentage of female respondents (70%) are didn t know or couldn t say about the role of the CPA in the peace process than their male counterparts (61%). Thus, creating awareness among ordinary citizens (especially women) about the CPA and its role in building peace is an important issue to continue to work on. Similarly, the data reveals that with increasing age, awareness about CPA decreases: 57 percent of youth respondents answered don t know / can t say, whereas 68 percent adults and 75 percent of elders surveyed responded similarly. Thus, it can be derived from the data that the age of respondent is related to the knowledge of CPA amongst the population of Nepal. Among those who were aware of the CPA, a higher percentage of younger groups (24%) believed that the CPA is important and brings peace process to a conclusion than adults (17%) and elders (11%). Thus, it appears that the young generation is more optimistic about the CPA and the entire peace process than adults and elders. Table 3: Respondents Perception of CPA by Age MI Children (Below 15) Youth (15-29) Adults (30-49) Elderly (Above 50) Total Don t Know/ Can't Say 2 40% 9 75% % % 75 75% % Deteriorates the peace 0 0% 0 0% 4 1% 3 1% 1 1% 8 1% process Does not make any 1 20% 0 0% 8 2% 5 2% 2 2% 16 2% difference to the peace process Important but no basis for 1 20% 0 0% 57 15% 40 13% 11 11% % trusting it Important and helps the 1 20% 1 8% 83 22% 48 15% 9 9% % peace process Very important and brings 0 0% 2 17% 6 2% 6 2% 2 2% 16 2% the peace process to conclusion Total 5 100% % % % % % 8

14 The table below illustrates that a decrease in education parallels a decrease in knowledge of the CPA: those with college level education (63%) had the greatest awareness of the CPA, followed by school- illiterate respondents level (up to grade 10) students (40%), then literate respondents (31%) and finally (8%). Furthermore, 40 percent of respondents with college level of education believed that CPA is important and it will help the peace process, whereas only three percent of illiterate respondents believe that the CPA will have positive impact on the overall peace process. Thus, awareness building activities should target more community level illiterate people in order to build a universal awareness of the CPA and potential role in concluding the peace process. Table 4: Respondents Perception on CPA by Level of Education Missing Info College level School level Literate Illiterate Total Don t Know/ Can't Say 2 50% 58 37% % 81 69% % % Deteriorates the peace 0 0% process Does not make any 0 0% difference to the peace process Important but no basis 1 25% for trusting it Important and helps the 1 25% peace process Very important and 0 0% brings the peace process to a conclusion Total 4 100% Conflict situation in the community 3 2% 4 1% 1 1% 4 3% 4 1% 6 5% 30 19% 57 16% 15 13% 57 36% 64 18% 14 12% 6 4% 10 3% 0 0% % % % How do you assess the conflict situation in your community before and after the CPA? An overwhelming percentage of respondents (85%) said that the situation was more violent before the CPA, while only a small percentage (8%) reported that it is still violent in the post-cpa period. Similarly, only three percent of respondents said that the situation was peaceful before the CPA, while almost two thirds (65%) said thatt the situation is peaceful after CPA. Figure 1: Situation of Community Conflict before and after the CPA 0 0% 8 1% 2 1% 16 2% 6 3% % 6 3% % 0 0% 16 2% % % 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% 3% 6% 65% 85% 23% 8% 6% 4% Before After Peaceful Moderate Violent Don't Know 9

15 3.1.3 Types of violence taking place in the community If you have seen violent conflicts in your community in the past six months, what is their status now? Options: a. have been resolved; b. could not be resolved; c) no efforts were made to resolve them; d) in the process of being resolved. While this question was asked to measure the success of local level conflict resolution efforts in the sample districts, an effort was been made to compare these results to those of a 2009 SFCG Baseline Survey in order to identify any shifts in conflict resolution patterns within target communities. 70% 60% 50% 40% 65% Figure 2: Comparative Community Conflict Status ( ) 47% 39% 30% 20% 10% 24% 12% 14% 0% Resolved Not resolved Being resolved Comparison between the 2009 and 2011 surveys appears to indicate that the situation has not improved. Rather, it has deteriorated. It is important to mention here that the majority of sample districts included in the baseline 2009 were from Figure 3: Average Number of Conflicts Reported by Respondents Dhanusha Siraha 8.06 Bardiya Banke the Mid-West Hills and Mid and Far West Terai, which have experienced lesss violence in the past few years than districts in the Eastern and Central Terai, whereas this baseline focused more on Eastern Terai. This could be the reason for the decrease in people s ability to resolve conflict in the past two 10

16 years. The shift from resolved category in to not resolved category in 2011 could be attributed to the continued violence, abduction, killing and impunity in the Eastern Terai. The 2011 survey also revealed that the respondents reported that they witnessed/ experienced more than six cases of conflicts (6.78) in the past six months with the highest average cases of conflict (12.78) in Dhanusha and the lowest cases of conflict (2.38) in Banke. Siraha, in eastern Nepal remains close to Dhanusha, (its neighboring district) with 8.06 conflict cases on average, whereas Bardiya, in the Mid- Western Terai,and its neighboring district, Banke, averaged 3.53 and 2.53 conflicts respectively. This clearly indicates that districts in the Eastern and Central Terai are more prone to conflict and violence than the districts in the Mid-Western Terai. This can be attributed to the fact that the Eastern and Central Terai have been more affected by the operation of armed groups and ethnic politics in recent years than districts in the Mid-Western Terai. The influence of multiple factors, such as ethnic composition, political dynamics and the social history likely contribute to this disparity People s perception on the accountability of different organizations/ agencies in the peace process As the peace process cannot be effectively implemented without a collective effort between many organizations and agencies, this study tried to assess people s perceptions on the accountability of different organizations and agencies present in the regions. What should be the accountability of the following organizations in the peace process? The figure below indicates that the majority of the respondents still believe that the security forces are highly accountable for the success of the peace process (mean value of 3.66 out of 5.0), followed by government agencies (3.63). Similarly, respondents felt that youth networks, government agencies, the media, security forces, political parties, civil society and local peace committees are all accountable in the peacebuilding process. This demonstrates that there is an understanding that peacebuilding is not something that is done exclusively by political leaders, but that everyone has a role to play. However, it is equally important to note that there is no significant difference between the accountability level (as perceived by respondents) of the security sector (highest, 3.66) and women s/ mothers groups (lowest, 3.08). Thus, respondents may not have fully understood the intent of the question. Respondent s perception that security forces are most accountable in the peace process also suggests that people view it as more a law-and-order situation than a larger societal issue. 9 SFCG Baseline Study of Local Contribution to Peace: Strengthening the Role of Communities in the National Peace Process. Kathmandu: Search for Common Ground, Nepal. 11

17 Figure 4: Accountability of Organizations/Agencies in thepeace Process (Likert Scale- Mean Value) Security 3.66 Govt. Agency 3.63 Political Party 3.62 Youth Network 3.61 Media 3.54 Local Peace Committee 3.51 Civil Society 3.51 Local Community 3.47 VDC/DDC 3.42 NGOs 3.27 Elites 3.18 INGOs 3.14 Women's/Mothers' Group Effectiveness of (peacebuilding) programs at the local level What is the effectiveness of (peacebuilding) programs implemented by those organizations? The figure below illustrates that respondents feel the media is the most effective tool in supporting the peace process (Likert mean 3.12 out of 5), followed by the security forces (2.98), local community (2.91) and civil society (2.85). The graph also reveals that people place political parties very low (2.41 out of 5). This could be attributed to increasing frustration among people regarding political parties roles in expediting the peace process and constitution writing. Interestingly, a comparison of survey responses indicates that people appreciated the work of some of the sectors (such as media, security, civil society and youth networks, among others) while they were critical about the work of other sectors (such as political parties, local elite, INGOS and government agencies). Furthermore, they see the security agencies as effective and government agencies to be ineffective in advancing the peace process; further supporting the assertion that people view the peace process and a law-and-order issue rather than a societal one. 12

18 Figure 5: Effectiveness of Peacebuilding Programs at Local level (mean of likert scale) Media 3.12 Security 2.98 Local Community 2.91 Civil Society 2.85 NGOs 2.69 Youth Network 2.69 VDC/DDC 2.66 Local Peace Committee 2.62 Govt. Agency 2.6 Political Party 2.57 INGOs 2.52 Elites 2.51 Women/Mother Group Role of individuals in building peace One of the objectives of this project is to promote the individual s role in building peace at the community level through capacity-building and engagement to resolve local conflict and promoting cooperation and community harmony. What do you think your role should be in conflict transformation and peacebuilding? Responses to the aforementioned question reveal a significant gap (10%) between male and female perceptions that they should actively participate in the peace process (m= 38%, f=28%). This indicates a need to incorporate a female-focused awareness building component throughout the project. Table 5: Perception on the Role of Individuals in the Peacebuilding by Gender Participation Male Female Total Percent Don t Know/ Can't Say My participation does not make a difference I only need to understand the issue The role of others is more important than mine, but I should also participate I need to participate actively I believe it s not possible without my active participation Total % 12% 12% 29% 38% 2% 100% % 17% 10% 32% 28% 0% 100% A comparison of 2011 and 2009 SFCG baseline surveys reveals a decline in people s belief that their role in building peace is important (36% in 2011 in comparison to 42% in 2009). This may be attributed to the slow progress of the peace process, increased frustration among ordinary citizen, a perceived 10 SFCG Baseline Study of Local Contribution to Peace: Strengthening the Role of Communities in the National Peace Process. Kathmandu: Search for Common Ground, Nepal. 13

19 irresponsibility of political parties and an increased sense of insecurity among people in the rural areas of the country. This also indicates the complexity of violence and the worsening security situation in the Terai Region, in which all four districts surveyed fall. 50% 40% 30% 20% Figure 6: Comparison of Individuals' Role in Peacebuilding, 2009 & % 35% 36% 30% 23% 24% 10% 0% No or Very little role Some role More/Important role People s perception on means of protesting In a transitional period, various interest groups and political parties come forward to demand equal rights. The most widely used methods are: bandhas, strikes, picketing, hunger strikes, destruction of property etc. "What is the best option to protest against or make demands of the Government?" The survey reveals that the largest percentage of respondents (34%) preferred dialogue and discussion with the government agencies to bandha/ strikes (9%) or vandalism and tire/ effigy burning (2%). However, it is important to note that almost one-third of respondents (31%) reported not having any idea of what types of means they use while protesting. Thus, this section of population is vulnerable to manipulation. Subsequently, a need exists to focus peacebuilding programming on generating a greater awareness of the importance of non-violent approaches in organizing protests or putting forth demands to the government. No significant gender or age-based trends appeared within this data set. Figure 7: Preferred Means of Protesting Vandalism/Tyre burning/effigy burning 2% Dialogue/Discussion 34% Others 1% Don't Know 31% Assembly/Mass Gathering 10% Protest 13% bandha/strike 9% 14

20 3.1.8 Individual s ability in resolving conflict Were you able to resolve the latest conflict situation you encountered? The figure below shows that 27 percent of respondents reported encountering a conflict situation. Of these respondents, 22 percent said that they were able to resolve it peacefully whereas only five percent said they could not resolve it. In a patriarchal society such as Nepal, males generally have higher decision making power in society, directly affecting their ability to solve of conflicts. The data supports this, as responses indicate a lower percentage of women (17%) than men (24%) were able to solve conflicts. However, the survey also revealed that males tend to face more conflict situations (29%) than female (23%). Table 6: Ability to Resolve the Latest Conflict Situation Sex No Conflict Faced Resolved Not Able to Resolve Male % % 30 5% 556 Female % 42 17% 15 6% 250 Total % % 45 5% Youth collaboration with youth from across dividing lines Nepal is a multi-linguistic, multi-religious and multi-cultural country that is geographically divided into three regions mountains, hills and Terai (lowlands). Within these geographical regions, there is an incredible diversity of cultures, which often leads to different perceptions and at times, identity based conflicts, which appear to be on the rise. Do the youth from your community work with youth from across dividing lines? Data suggests that, while 59 percent of respondents were convinced that youth work with each other across dividing lines, cooperation among youth across political lines is the least (41%). Youth were much more likely to work with each other across all other areas measured (see Table 7), suggesting that politics is currently the most contentious issue amongst Nepali youth. Table 7: Youth Collaboration across Dividing Lines Don t Know Yes No Total Across political lines % % % 806 Across caste % % % 806 Across geographical lines % % % 806 Across class % % 93 12% 806 Across gender % % % 806 Across religion % % % 806 Total % % % 4, Access to local government officials Contributing in improving the relationship between local government and community people is one of the core components of SFCG s work. Thus, the survey explored how easy or difficult it is for 11 Since the question was multiple-answer, the cumulative total is six times higher than the total respondents. 15

21 community people to gain access to local government officials such as the VDC Secretary, Local Development Officers (LDOs), Women Development Officers (WDOs) and other concerned officials. How easy or difficulty do you face to access local government officials? The table below shows that women were much more likely to lack access than men (20% and 8% respectively).this is likely due to culturally based political exclusion of women in Madhes. However, almost half of the respondents (39%) said that it is not easy to access those officials: it needs repeated attempts, particularly as the officials are often absent from their duty stations (m=42%, f=32%). This suggests a lack of accountability of government officials to their constituents. Table 8: Accessibility of Local Government Officials Male Female Total Don t Know/ Can't Say 43 8% 50 20% 93 12% Very difficult 59 11% 32 13% 91 11% Difficult 89 16% 42 17% % Needs repeated efforts % 80 32% % Easy % 37 15% % Always available 21 4% 9 4% 30 4% Total % % % A comparison of data from this baseline with the SFCG baseline of 2009 reveals progress on ability to access local officials: 22 percent in 2011 said that it is easy to access them, while 15 percent in the baseline felt the same Role of Youth in Peacebuilding People s perception on role of youth in peacebuilding Half of the Nepali population is under 20 years old and this demographic trend is continuing to increase. Many young people have been directly affected by the conflict some since they were young children 13. Unemployed and uneducated/ less educated youth are highly vulnerable to manipulation by various stakeholders such as political parties, interest based groups, criminal armed groups, and political or ethnic-based armed groups operating in the Terai and the eastern hills of Nepal. A number of youth networks and youth clubs are working toward promoting youth participation in decision making at local level. Furthermore, youth organizations are lobbying for development of youth-friendly policies and programs at the central level. SFCG has been implementing programs to build leadership and peacebuilding capacity amongst youth. "What kind of role of youth do you see in peacebuilding process?" According to the survey, 35 percent respondents said that youth have an important role in the peacebuilding process, whereas 14 percent said that youth do not have any role in peacebuilding. There is no difference between male and female in perceiving the role of youth in peacebuilding. However, data suggests that more females are less aware of the potential role of youth in the peacebuilding 12 SFCG Baseline Study of Local Contribution to Peace: Strengthening the Role of Communities in the National Peace Process. Kathmandu: Search for Common Ground, Nepal: page McGrew, Laura Community Peacebuilding in Nepal: Lessons Learned. Kathmandu: Pact Inc/Samjhauta Nepal. 16

22 process: 23 percent of females said that they have no idea about the role of youth in peacebuilding, whereas only 12 percent of male respondents responded similarly. This further supports the need to target women rather than men in building awareness about the role of youth in peacebuilding. Table 9: Perception on Youth s Role in Peacebuilding Male Female Total Don t Know/ Can't Say 66 12% 58 23% % No role 75 13% 34 14% % Some role but ineffective 76 14% 25 10% % They are not active % 58 23% % They have important role % 75 30% % Total % % % Participation in the decision-making process One indicator of community harmony and cooperation is inclusive and meaningful participation of community members in the decision making process. SFCG is implementing programs to increase participation of members of marginalized communities in the local decision making process. Do you participate in community level decision making meetings? The kinds of meetings being asked about include VDC council meetings, Community Forest User Groups meetings, school management committee meetings, development project-related meetings, Local Peace Committee meetings, and dispute resolution meetings, among others. Table 10: Participation in Decision-Making Meetings Male Female Total Not invited 69 12% 44 18% % Not participated % % % Participated % % % Total % % % Results reveal that while 14 percent of respondents are not invited to meetings at all, 35 percent are invited but choose not to attend. This may indicate that people do not understand the importance of participating in such meetings and need more sensitization on this issue. The gender disaggregated data show that more female (18%) said that they are never invited in such meetings than men (12%), which results from the fact that less women participate in such meetings (42%) in comparison to men (55%). Similarly, more female (40%) do not participate in such meetings as compared to men (33%) which could be attributed to the lack of confidence among women and prevalence of a less women friendly environment in such male dominated meetings. The table below shows that participation in such meeting is directly proportional to educational status. Like awareness of the CPA, a trend emerges within the data that indicates an increased level of education results in increased participation in, and knowledge of, community level meetings: more than 55 percent of respondents with school/ college level education reported attending such meetings as compared to literate (53%) and illiterate (36%) respondents. Similarly, almost one-third (30%) of illiterate respondents said that they were never invited to participate in such meetings, in comparison to participants with school level education (7%), college level education (8%) and literate (17%). 17