ReDSS Achievements and Priorities: Improving Durable Solutions for Displacement-Affected Communities

1. REGIONAL DURABLE SOLUTIONS SECRETARIAT (ReDSS) 2017 achievements and 2018/2020 priorities and focus

2. REGIONAL DURABLE SOLUTIONS SECRETARIAT (ReDSS) • Goal: to improve programming and policy in support of durable solutions for displacement affected communities in East and Horn of Africa • Consortium of 12 organizations • Coordination and information hub not an implementing agency that acts as a catalyst and agent provocateur to stimulate forward thinking and policy development on durable solutions in East Africa.

3. 2017 in figures 140PRACTIONERS AND 93 POLICY MAKERS TRAINED 268PARTICIPANTS ATTENDED 5 LEARNING EVENTS 450followers on twitter 880 subscribers OVER36,000VIEWS ON ReDSS WEBSITE

4. Policy and programming impacts • f • ReDSS engagement with governments and IGAD - creating a space for open dialogue around local integration and transitional solutions, moving away from a focus solely on return processes • ReDSS has significantly influenced donor policies and strategies resulting in increased long term funding for solutions programming • Engagement with development actors and inclusion of displacement indicators in national poverty assessments • ReDSS analyses referenced and used by key stakeholders including World Bank, UNHCR, IGAD, DFID, EU, IGAD, Governments… • Members and non members are designing solutions programming based on the ReDSS Solutions framework (EU REINTEG, IOM, World Bank…) – standardization and alignment/ collective outcomes • Technical support to members in development of solutions strategies • ReDSS is perceived as a trusted space for collective analysis/ learning

5. Core elements to inform Solutions planning and programing Creating durable solutions requires a multi- stakeholder and sectoral, rights and needs based programming approach The process must be viewed as a collective action rather than mandate driven based on an inclusive, participatory and consensus building approach National, regional and local authorities have the primary responsibility and need to be supported to to play their leadership and coordinating role Developing area based Solutions analysis is paramount due to limited absorption capacity, protection concerns, persistent security & access issues Community engagement is critical to inform (re)integration analysis and programing to make solutions lasting, locally relevant and supportive of social cohesion and to adopt a ‘displacement affected communities’ approach- inclusive of returnees, IDPs and host communities Gender/age-sensitive: Interventions should take into account the gender and age dynamics at play&give special attention to the concerns of women&youth Involve development actors from the start to inform medium to long term sectorial priorities complementing humanitarian interventions

6. Session 1: 2017 Key Achievements & Challenges

7. Research and Knowledge management

8. ReDSS Learning strategyMeasure contribution not attribution towards collective outcomes

9. Different tools for different audiences • Solutions analyses to inform (re)integration planning and programming in Somalia, Tanzania and Ethiopia in partnership with key actors • Urban study to address solutions in urban context • Solution programing tools • Online solutions dashboard • Website and bi monthly update • Solutions tutorial • 5 Learning events • 8 One pagers with key figures and recommendations Constant monitoring of learning uptake and impacts (how people learned, which tools they used per category: practitioners, donors, governments, etc)

10. The solutions frameworkA collaborativeprocess through a consensus building approach for common analysis

11. Making data useful- the right balance? Accuracy Consensus Use data to inform joint analysis

12. The quality of the process leading to durable solution is a key element necessary for its sustainability • Achieving durable solution is a process that is first and foremost determined by receiving governments and societies • The creation of conditions conducive to durable solutions requires the collective action of multiple political, humanitarian, development, governance, peace-building and private sector actors • The objective is to move away from care and maintenance towards self reliance and resilience of displacement affected communities • Building the self-reliance and resilience of the displaced equips and prepares them towards (re)integration • Preparedness before displacement occurs is crucial/ early solutions

13. REDSS FRAMEWORK : HOW DOES IT WORK?

14. resilience + protection (safety/ dignity/ voluntariness/ rights) durable solutions processes sustainable (re)integration

15. Durable Solutions Training for practitioners and policy makers 5 Technical trainings for practioners held in Ethiopia, Tanzania and Somalia (140 participants) 4 policy makers’ trainings held in Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia and Tanzania (93 government officials trained) In partnership with governments, UN, WB, donors, IGAD, NGOs Impact Ethiopia and Kenya: training for World Bank funded DRDIP officials resulted in agreement to align programme’s priorities with refugee response planning, through the CRRF Key success factors: bring governments, humanitarian and development actors together/ mix of UN, NGOs, donors and from all sectors and responsibilities Pre and post learning test and evaluation to adapt content and tools after each training Training tailored per country and audience Constant partners engagement (NRC on HLP, UNHCR and UNDP on coordination…)

16. Policy influencing

17. Influencing policy and donor strategy ReDSS has actively engaged in policy dialogue, using the evidence from its studies and analyses to improve solutions oriented policies and donor investment strategies • Development of one pagers and policy briefs on displacement and solutions - ReDSS brief on London Conference in May had more than 18,000 views • Use of evidence, dissemination and uptake (E.g use of early solutions recommendations by World Bank IDA 18, UNHCR RRRP, EUTF and IGAD) and bring humanitarian/ development • Provided technical support to key donors in developing their solutions strategies – DfID, EU, Swedish, Swiss • Significant increase in multi-year, flexible funding for solutions with inception phases and iterative learning components

18. Engagement with government and local authorities to create trust and space for critical discussion and open dialogue • ReDSS work with IGAD in preparing for the Summit and in the development of the Nairobi Declaration • Contribution to the Somalia National Development Plan and to the development of collective outcomes – facilitate members engagement • Engagement with local authorities and request for support • An outcome of the ReDSS and Sparks consortium policy makers training in Turkana was a recommendation to include displacement affected communities within the County Integrated Development Plan • Support ReDSS members to better understand political context • Engaging in the CRRF • ReDSS CRRF working group (54 members & non members)and member of UNHCR-IFRC NGO Reference group • ReDSS, DRC and NRC coordinated participatory consultations with 456 displacement affected community members and 60 agencies (including Govt, UN, Private sector & NGOs). • In Uganda, CRRF structure will now include a Refugee Advisory council which will incorporate the recommendations around community participation and voices from ReDSS’s consultations

19. Internal and External Coordination and Representation

20. Internal coordination: Annual meetings, quarterly core groups, thematic and ad hoc, Joint Funding Opportunities • EU REINTEG Approach • DFID Somalia learning support • ReDSS external coordination and representation • ReDSS -recognized as umbrella organization with strong expertise- invited to key WGs, events, donors briefings and strategies development, UN missions, etc • Bring humanitarian and development actors/ contribute to collective outcomes discussion and organisation of workshops and learning events in partnership with key stakeholders

21. 2017 Key Achievement & Challenges • Capacity increase: 5 staff by end of 2017 – including dedicated Country support for Somalia (from 2 in 2016) • Renewed Focus: Somalia, Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia including South Sudan situation and Somali situation • Increased demand for ReDSS Support: members and non-members (government, donors, academia…) as ReDSS is recognized as the “go-to” organization on durable solutions in the region • Increased Resources: Significant success in securing long term funding through members • Challenges: Managing country growth while maintaining regional impact, putting in place systems & processes to deliver at scale and quality, focus and prioritise

22. Session 2: Strategic Planning 2018

23. Strategy Development • Strategic Direction To articulate the strategic direction of ReDSS for the next 3 years and provide a framework for future growth • Maintain impact & quality To ensure the core values and attributes of the ReDSS collective approach are retained and strengthened during the growth to country level, including regional impact • Adaptive management and learning at the centre To be flexible and responsive to changing contexts and needs doing more of ‘what works’ and less of what doesn’t

24. 2018 Priorities • Research, analysis and knowledge management To increase the availability, accessibility and utilisation of relevant and timely analysis and information on durable solutions • Programme support and learning To provide high quality support on programme development and design; collective monitoring; and learning that adds value to collective programming on durable solutions • Policy influence To facilitate and undertake constructive and influential policy dialogue with key national and regional policy actors and processes in the East and Horn of Africa • Internal and external coordination To strengthen ReDSS as an inclusive, collaborative, coordinated hub for quality information, analysis and learning on durable solutions

25. 2018- 2020 Thematic and Geographic Priorities • Geographic focus • Kenya • Uganda • Ethiopia • Somalia • Regional: South Sudan and Somali situations 5 themes • Early solutions • Urban Solutions • Self reliance and resilience • HLP • Social cohesion and conflict management Cross cutting IDP/ Protection lens to solutions programing and policies/Accountability to DAC/ Political economy/ CRRF/ Gender, women, youth and children

26. Key Principles • Collaborative: Ensure ReDSS work is generated and grounded in a collaborative and collective process involving all relevant members and external actors; • Adaptive: Embed adaptive working approaches where ReDSS strategies and activities are designed assuming change is inevitable; • Iterative: Promote the use of iterative decision-making to adapt durable solutions approaches continuously; • Locally-led: Enable a context-specific and problem-oriented approach to strategies and activities for improved programming and policies for durable solutions. Adaptive learning at the centre –to be flexible and responsive to changing contexts and needs doing more of ‘what works’ and less of what doesn’t Measure contribution not attribution towards collective outcomes