Nov 01, 2021
November 1, 2021 – The Climate Investment Funds’ (CIF) Pilot Program for Climate Resilience (PPCR) has just released an in-depth case study that provides lessons and insights on the process, principles, and means of local stakeholder engagement (LSE) from PPCR projects in Cambodia, Jamaica, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Zambia.
The case study discerned that two key process insights, the importance of early-project stakeholder identification and assigning stakeholder project roles, were critical for successful LSE. Productive and efficient project-level LSE occurred when earlier engagements carried out during CIF’s investment planning process identified stakeholders, and utilized established institutional capacities. Projects that actively involved local stakeholders during implementation (from procurement to co-implementation of small projects) and addressed gaps in local stakeholders’ capacities, helped build partnerships that could be leveraged in future projects.
The PPCR study also determined that incorporating Gender and Social Inclusion (GESI) policies and having a robust Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) allowed for more inclusive and transparent projects and better LSE. Projects with a strong GESI component proactively ensured representation of disadvantaged groups (DAG) helping them get more benefits and improved social status. And GRM employment during the early stages of projects helped manage and incorporate LSE concerns raised on project design, which later avoided delays during implementation. Because projects commonly used a tiered GRM that emphasized accessibility, stakeholders had numerous places to lodge their grievances and know that their concerns were being heard by all parties at local and national levels, if necessary. These principles, when included in projects, ultimately created larger, more diverse groups of stakeholders whose needs and wants were acknowledged from the start.
Finally, the study ascertained that the four most important means for effective LSE were information sharing, consultations and incorporation of feedback, capacity building, and monitoring. Projects that created a comprehensive communication plan, ensured accessibility of information, and used creative ways of building awareness helped local stakeholders play a more vital role in projects. Project teams that consulted with stakeholders early in the project cycle were able to understand their needs which refined the project from the start. Targeted LSE and local authority capacity building activities allowed for better ownership of projects. And community representatives on oversight project committees allowed for in-depth monitoring and supervision as well as greater accountability for work quality and project timelines.
After extensive project team and project beneficiary interviews in all 8 PPCR project countries the consensus is that LSE is important, because it provides communities with a sense of ownership, and encourages them to further engage with and seek the support of CSOs to initiate additional climate adaptation projects. Additionally, societal barriers are being broken as a result of a robust LSE. Marginalized groups, such as women or people of lower castes, feel their voices are being heard and projects that give them a better life and voice are being realized.
Learn more about the Lessons on Local Stakeholder Engagement from the Pilot Program for Climate Resilience report
