Civil Society Support Programme - DRCongo

Expected impacts

This programme supports good governance in implementing of the DRC's REDD+ Investment Plan by supporting the full and effective participation of civil society, thereby ensuring transparency and accountability. Thus, it contributes indirectly to ensuring that each programme meets its dual objectives of reducing emissions and improving living conditions. 

Expected results 

The programmes’ objectives are to build internal capacity and support for the operation and decentralization of the GTCRR and to involve it in the REDD+ process using participatory tools, strategic partnerships and targeted external interventions.  

1) The GTCRR is managed in a professional, transparent and collegial manner. 

• The GTCRR has a jurisdictional base and an effective, transparent and democratic system of association governance.
• Innovative strategic partnerships and organizational expansion are established and implemented to incorporate new key sectors of civil society in efforts to combat the drivers of deforestation and implement sustainable land management.

2) REDD+ reform and investment programmes are accompanied by genuine involvement. 

• GTCRR stakeholders participate in the meetings of the National REDD+ Fund’s Technical Committee and Steering Committee.
• Civil society is deployed to ensure commitment and monitoring at the local level, catalysing participation in provincial multi-sectoral REDD+ programs (PIREDD) and in the Forest Investment Programme and Mai Ndombe REDD+ project intervention areas.
• Civil society mobilizes local communities and indigenous people at provincial and local levels, catalysing ownership and the vision of REDD+ and improving information, education and communication.

3) Civil society’s involvement enhances good governance and social inclusion of REDD+ efforts. 

• The GTCRR strengthens capacities to monitor and evaluate the REDD+ process and implement its intervention strategy.
• Close cooperation is strengthened with local communities and indigenous forest peoples involved in forest conservation and regeneration. 

Progress (as of 30 June 2021)

• The GTCRR participates actively in meetings of the DRC National REDD+ Fund’s Technical Committee (39 to date) and of the Steering Committee.
• The GTCRR conducted consultation meetings on the subject of the national land-use planning policy and law and forest management. This helped: 
  • develop specific recommendations related to land reform, as part of its participation in the meeting of the Management Committee of the Land Reform Support Programme, and to capacity building of the DRC’s land administration. 
  • obtain high level agreement, to better define the consultation principles and to participate in developing the land use policy and law. 
  • develop a position paper to advocate for the cancellation of ministerial orders, with regard to contested award of nine forest concessions to Chinese companies.
  • Contribute to the revision of the Forestry code.
• The GTCRR participated actively in the quality/quality assurance review process for the micro-projects funded by the Indigenous People’s Sustainable Forest Management Programme. 
• Five awareness-raising missions among local communities and indigenous peoples and independent monitoring missions were conducted in provinces with integrated programmes (former Orientale, Mai Ndombe and Maniema). 
• The program supports the daily operation of 15 existing Provincial Coordinations that organized 8 consultation workshops in Kinshasa, Kwilu, North Kivu, Central Kasai, Upper Katanga, Central Kongo, Equateur, Bas-Uélé.
• An update of the civil society organizations map is ongoing.
• Terms of reference for policy proposals are being developed for policy proposals on forestry, energy and agriculture in the Bas-Uélé province, the provincial authority’s capacity has been built on the moratorium. Joint provincial government-GTCRR field mission has been established, that aims to investigate and report on concessions illegally allocated to Chinese operators.
• In the Tshopo Province, the GTCRR Provincial Coordination’s engagement has been strengthened in PIREDD Orientale activities.

Areas of intervention 

The program operates at the national level (through the GTCRR’s jurisdictional base and by strengthening its capacities) and in Mongala, Bas Uélé, Ituri, Mai Ndombe and Sud Ubangi provinces, where it supports deployment of the GTCRR in the field to ensure civil society engagement and monitoring at the local level.

Synergies

The programme contributes to intermediate milestone 8c of the first 2016 Letter of Intent between the DRC and CAFI (development of a methodological guide in participatory manner specifying the procedures for conducting consultations as part of implementing the integrated programmes and related to REDD+ tools). Two independent verifications of these milestones were undertaken (please read the report available here).