High Atlas Earthquake: What Tools Are Needed to Ensure Effective Citizen Engagegment in the Reconstruction Porcess

Reconstruction is a major undretaking, the stages of which have been set by King Mohamed VI,  in accordance with a vision of sustainable rural development that is equitable and respectful of local cultures and the sociology of the High Atlas mountains. In this respect, it is essential to involve the local communities directly affected by the earthquake in the reconstruction process.

A "citizen engagement" (CE) approach would ensure a positive impact of the reconstruction on the people who have been dispossessed by the disaster. CE is an intelligent exchange between earthquake-victims-turned-beneficiaries-of-the-reconstruction-programme on the one hand, and the implementers of the same program, on othe other. The exchange would allow local populations to have a say in the reconstruction plans, programs and projects. The aim is to respond to the needs of the population and to ensure that the beneficiaries effectively own the process and the results of the reconstruction effort.

To involve citizens in the reconstruction effort in earthquake-affected communities, I propose three CE tools that have proven to be effective in social mobilisation efforts around the world.
 

Consultation: This tool should be more than the usual formal meetings that are held so that civil society and other stakeholders are invited to speak and then everybody goes back to "business as usual". Quite the contrary, “consultation” is about listening to people and drawing up a "long list" of their needs. The list is then assessed against the reconstruction objectives set by the government with the aim of getting to a "short list" after all ideas are vetted . The list is set according to criteria of effectiveness, sustainability, positive impact and cost. The population is informed of the "short list" and  justifications are given ; the popualtion will have the right to appeal the decisions to ad hoc committees set up specifically to deal with this kind of situation.

Formal consultations generally favor people with experience in public speaking or who are well educated, as well as civil society activists. Women, youth and marginalised groups (people with disabilities, illiterate people, migrants, etc.) risk not being included. It is therefore necessary to organise hearings in Tamazight, facilitated by people with good knowledge of the socio-cultural context, to listen to these groups in parallel to the general consultations.

The key principles of consultations are listening, feedback, ongoing communication and an inclusive approach that leaves no one out.

The Grief Redress Mechanism (GRM): This is a streamlined system for receiving, processing and resolving population complaints about reconstruction. Complaints should not be a cause for concern on the part of officials and service providers. On the contrary, complaints should be treated as source of information and the GRM should be used as a tool to help with project managment. The public should therefore be encouraged to file compliants, but it is essential to establish a system that allows them to do so freely and in a favorable pressure-free context. 
 

It is recommended to set  up committees (of 4-5 people, that include women and youth) to receive complaints in each douar. If these committees fail to resolve the complaint, the complainant has the right to approach a committee set up at the community level. The last resort would be a committee at the provincial level. The population should be allowed to go directly to the commune or province levels if they feel inclined to do so. 

There should be multiple channels for receiving complaints. Those who do not wish to file a complaint at the local level can go directly to the community level or the province level. A toll-free number can also be set up.

But the toll-free number requires a back office and a well-trained team that knows how to talk to the population and record complaints, while giving an oral or digital receipt.

The GRM guide should clarify exactly how to register complaints, give a receipt, how long it takes at each stage to process a complaint and how to close it (with signature and consent, etc.).

A GRM may be in place, but people do not use it because they are unaware of its existence, hence the need for good communication about its existence; those who feel intimidated at obne level can choose to file a complaint at another level.  

It is advisable to carry out simple and regular analyses of the complaints to study the type and nature of complaints. Repeated complaints may be systemic in nature. Steps should be taken to correct them at the system level. If a large proportion of the population complains about delays in implementation, the intervention should be with the service providers to encourage them to comply with the contract requirements.

The GRM is a tool for collecting information on the population's reaction to the reconstruction effort. The indicator of its success is the number of complaints: if more people complain, it is because they are convinced that it is a reliable tool. It is also a management tool: we use it to see what is not working and intervene to correct it. The most important thing is that it is simple, reliable and effective.

In the case of sensitive allegations (gender-based violence, sexual harassment, etc.), there is a specific process that aims to protect the identity of survivors while providing psychological and legal support. It is essential to map the services and NGOs specialised in this type of cases in the region beforehand, in order to take stock of what is available and what is not to deal with sensitive complaints.

Community Monitoring (CM) : local communities can help the government monitor the implementation of projects. Of course, technical monitoring is carried out by the  technical teams on the ground, but CM is different in that it consists of collecting the opinions of the population at the beginning, middle and end of the implementation of a project of common utility, such as a water fountain, a public square, a youth centre or a road to reduce the isolation of a douar. CM leads to ownership, which in turn leads to a willingness to maintain the projects and ensure their sustainability.

It is essential to choose focal points in each douar, equip them with a smartphone and give them simple questions to ask the population about the project during the different phases of its implementation. The answers are uploaded into a technological tool, such as KoboToolBox, and analysed by the project teams. Decisions are made in the light of the population's responses and the population is informed of those decisions in a timely manner.

The basic principles of CM are regular data collection, simple questions (no more than two or three), analysis, taking decisions and informing the beneficiaries. 

To conclude, CE is a necessary approach for a successful reconstruction programme. It enables the population to participate effectively and directly. But citizen participation does not replace representative democracy (elected representatives), but complements it. It does not marginalise civil society, but rather gives it a role in mobilising society. CE allows the population to take ownership of the process and its results. It is the key to the programme's sustainability, i.e. its positive and long-term impact on the population.

Article previously published in Le360.