The Cabo Verde COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Project (P173857) STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PLAN (SEP) 1. Introduction/Project Description The Cabo Verde Covid-19 strategic preparedness and response project (SPRP) aims to strengthen the national public health preparedness capacity to prevent, detect and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic in Cabo Verde. An outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by the 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS- CoV-2) has been spreading rapidly across the world since December 2019, following the diagnosis of the initial cases in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Since the beginning of March 2020, the number of cases outside China has increased thirteenfold and the number of affected countries has tripled. On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global pandemic as the coronavirus rapidly spreads across the world. As of March 19, 2020, the outbreak has resulted in an estimated 209,839 confirmed cases and 8,778 deaths in 166 countries. Cabo Verde is a small archipelago of ten volcanic islands (of which nine are populated) situated in the Atlantic Ocean about 500 km off the coast of Senegal. Its population is small, only numbering about half a million people. Before the global financial crisis, Cabo Verde experienced rapid economic growth, and in in 2007 it graduated to a middle income developed country. Cabo Verde, as an archipelago country with large mobility of national and international travelers. Tourism has driven growth and has played a catalytic role in the development of other key sectors, including construction. Despite the challenges associated with being a small island economy, Cabo Verde witnessed spectacular social and economic progress between 1990 and 2008, driven mainly by the rapid development of inclusive tourist resorts. Cabo Verde has experienced significant improvements in several key health indicators over the recent years. With a Human Development Index (HDI) of 0.654, Cabo Verde is in the medium human development category, and its health index (0.815) reflects the country’s high life expectancy (73 years), the second highest in Africa. The vulnerability of the country concerning vector-borne diseases is a major public health concern and a challenge for health security. In 2009-2010 Cabo Verde faced a dengue epidemic for the first time, and in October 2015 and 2017 a Zika virus outbreak was declared. A Malaria outbreak was declared in sections of Santiago in 2017. These recent outbreaks highlight the urgent need to strengthen disease surveillance and response systems in the country. Tourism places Cabo Verde at a high risk for imported COVID-19 cases. In 2018, more than 700,000 tourists visited the country. The National Statistics Institute (INE) reported over five hundred thousand tourists visited the country in the first three quarters of 2019. European tourists are the most represented, with United Kingdom and Portugal leading in number of tourists. Although the country announced a three-week suspension of flights from Europe, the US, Brazil, Senegal, and Nigeria beginning on March 18, 2020, the SARS-Cov-2 virus is predicted to continue spreading globally and particularly in Africa over the coming months. COVID-19 is one of several emerging infectious diseases (EID) outbreaks in recent decades that have emerged from animals in contact with humans, resulting in major outbreaks with significant public health and economic impacts. The last moderately severe influenza pandemics were in 1957 and 1968; each killed more than a million people around the world. Although countries are now far more prepared than in the past, the world is also far more interconnected, and many more people today have behavior risk factors such as tobacco use and pre-existing chronic health problems that make viral respiratory infections particularly dangerous. With COVID-19, scientists are still trying to understand the full picture of the disease symptoms and severity. The Government of Cabo Verde developed a National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan in January 2020. The Plan focuses on scaling-up and strengthening all aspects of prevention, preparedness and response including defining responsibilities and priorities for central and decentralized levels, identifying roles and responsibilities of a rapid intervention technical team (Equipa Técnica de Intervenção Rápida, ETNIR) who will lead the response, guidance for the prevention measures, risk communication and dissemination of epidemiological surveillance information. The preparedness plan outlines the roles and responsibilities of the ETNIR according to the three levels of public health emergency response defined by the World Health Organization (WHO). As part of national preparedness efforts, Cabo Verde opened the first virology laboratory at the Dr. Agostinho Neto National Hospital in Praia. The World Bank Group has created a dedicated COVID-19 Fast Track facility and streamlined emergency project preparation for new projects designed to help countries address emergency response to the outbreak. This project is prepared under the global framework of the World Bank COVID-19 Response financed under the Fast Track COVID-19 Facility (FCTF), which will be a globally-coordinated, country-based response to support health systems and emergency response capacity. The proposed Project will consist of two components supporting the country’s detection and response efforts in the fight against COVID-19. Component 1: Emergency COVID-19 Preparedness, Prevention and Response This component would provide immediate support Cabo Verde to prevent COVID-19 from arriving into the country or limiting local transmission through prevention of person to person transmission through adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) for health and laboratory personnel. It would support enhancement of disease detection capability through provision of laboratory equipment, and diagnostic supplies to ensure prompt case finding, consistent with the National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan. It would also enable Cabo Verde to mobilize surge response capacity through well-equipped frontline health workers, increasing the number of available beds, equipping intensive care units, providing treatment and life-support equipment to national and regional tertiary and secondary hospitals, as well as creating response capacity for primary health care facilities in isolated geographic areas. Supported subcomponents are outlined below. Component 1: Emergency COVID-19 Response (US$4.2 million). This component would provide immediate support countries to prevent COVID-19 from arriving or limiting local transmission through containment strategies. It would support enhancement of disease detection capacities through provision of technical expertise, laboratory equipment and systems to ensure prompt case finding and contact tracing, rapid tests, consistent with WHO guidelines in the Strategic Response Plan. It would enable countries to mobilize response capacity through trained and well-equipped frontline health workers. There would be a sub-component, where applicable, targeted at migrant and displaced populations in fragile, conflict or humanitarian emergency settings compounded by COVID-19. Component 2: Implementation Management and Monitoring and Evaluation Project Management. Support for the strengthening of public structures for the coordination and management of the individual country projects would be provided, including central and local (decentralized) arrangements for coordination of activities, financial management and procurement. The relevant structures will be strengthened by the recruitment of additional staff/consultants responsible for overall administration, procurement, and financial management under country specific projects. To this end, project would support costs associated with project coordination. Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E). This component would support monitoring and evaluation of prevention and preparedness, detection and response. This sub-component would support training in participatory monitoring and evaluation at all administrative levels, evaluation workshops, and development of an action plan for M&E and replication of successful models. The SRRP is being prepared under the World Bank’s Environment and Social Framework (ESF). As per the Environmental and Social Standard ESS 10 Stakeholders Engagement and Information Disclosure, the implementing agencies should provide stakeholders with timely, relevant, understandable and accessible information, and consult with them in a culturally appropriate manner, which is free of manipulation, interference, coercion, discrimination and intimidation. The overall objective of this SEP is to define a program for stakeholder engagement, including public information disclosure and consultation, throughout the entire project cycle. The SEP outlines the ways in which the project team will communicate with stakeholders and includes a mechanism by which people can raise concerns, provide feedback, or make complaints about project and any activities related to the project. The involvement of the local population is essential to the success of the project in order to ensure smooth collaboration between project staff and local communities and to minimize and mitigate environmental and social risks related to the proposed project activities. In the context of infectious diseases, broad, culturally appropriate, and adapted awareness raising activities are particularly important to properly sensitize the communities to the risks related to infectious diseases. 2. Stakeholder identification and analysis Project stakeholders are defined as individuals, groups or other entities who: (i) are impacted or likely to be impacted directly or indirectly, positively or adversely, by the Project (also known as ‘affected parties’); and (ii) may have an interest in the Project (‘interested parties’). They include individuals or groups whose interests may be affected by the Project and who have the potential to influence the Project outcomes in any way. Cooperation and negotiation with the stakeholders throughout the Project development often also require the identification of persons within the groups who act as legitimate representatives of their respective stakeholder group, i.e. the individuals who have been entrusted by their fellow group members with advocating the groups’ interests in the process of engagement with the Project. Community representatives may provide helpful insight into the local settings and act as main conduits for dissemination of the Project-related information and as a primary communication/liaison link between the Project and targeted communities and their established networks. Verification of stakeholder representatives (i.e. the process of confirming that they are legitimate and genuine advocates of the community they represent) remains an important task in establishing contact with the community stakeholders. Legitimacy of the community representatives can be verified by talking informally to a random sample of community members and heeding their views on who can be representing their interests in the most effective way. 2.1. Methodology In order to meet best practice approaches, the project will apply the following principles for stakeholder engagement: • Openness and life-cycle approach: public consultations for the project(s) will be arranged during the whole life-cycle, carried out in an open manner, free of external manipulation, interference, coercion or intimidation; • Informed participation and feedback: information will be provided to and widely distributed among all stakeholders in an appropriate format; opportunities are provided for communicating stakeholders’ feedback, for analyzing and addressing comments and concerns; • Inclusiveness and sensitivity: stakeholder identification is undertaken to support better communications and build effective relationships. The participation process for the projects is inclusive. All stakeholders at all times are encouraged to be involved in the consultation process. Equal access to information is provided to all stakeholders. Sensitivity to stakeholders’ needs is the key principle underlying the selection of engagement methods. Special attention is given to vulnerable groups, in particular women, youth, elderly and the cultural sensitivities of diverse ethnic groups. For the purposes of effective and tailored engagement, stakeholders of the proposed project(s) can be divided into the following core categories: • Affected Parties – persons, groups and other entities within the Project Area of Influence (PAI) that are directly influenced (actually or potentially) by the project and/or have been identified as most susceptible to change associated with the project, and who need to be closely engaged in identifying impacts and their significance, as well as in decision-making on mitigation and management measures; • Other Interested Parties – individuals/groups/entities that may not experience direct impacts from the Project but who consider or perceive their interests as being affected by the project and/or who could affect the project and the process of its implementation in some way; and • Vulnerable Groups – persons who may be disproportionately impacted or further disadvantaged by the project(s) as compared with any other groups due to their vulnerable status1, and that may require special engagement efforts to ensure their equal representation in the consultation and decision-making process associated with the project. 2.2. Affected parties Affected Parties include local communities, community members and other parties that may be subject to direct impacts from the Project. Specifically, the following individuals and groups fall within this category: ▪ COVID-19 infected people; ▪ People under COVID-19 quarantine; ▪ Relatives of COVID-19 infected people; ▪ Relatives of people under COVID-19 quarantine; ▪ Neighboring communities to laboratories, quarantine centers, screening posts, health centers and hospitals; ▪ Public and private sector health workers in laboratories, quarantine centers, screening posts, health centers, hospitals and hospices; ▪ Workers at quarantine centers and screening posts, health centers and hospitals; ▪ People at COVID-19 risks (Chronically ill and immune depressed persons; travelers, inhabitants of areas where cases of community transmission have been identified, people working in commercial activities etc.); ▪ Municipal waste collection and disposal workers; ▪ Ministry of Health and Social Protection; ▪ The National Institute of Public Health; 1Vulnerable status may stem from an individual’s or group’s race, national, ethnic or social origin, color, gender, language, religion, political or other opinion, property, age, culture, literacy, sickness, physical or mental disability, poverty or economic disadvantage, and dependence on unique natural resources. ▪ National Civil Protection Service ▪ National Police ▪ The virology laboratory at the Dr. Agostinho Neto National Hospital in Praia; 2.3. Other interested parties The projects’ stakeholders also include parties other than the directly affected communities, including: ▪ Traditional and social media (local and national radio, television, print media, etc.); ▪ Digital/web-based media and participants in social media; ▪ The Faculty of Science and Technology; ▪ The Higher Institute of Education and Communication (ISEC); ▪ The Center for Counseling against Domestic Violence, and the National Institute for the Promotion of Gender Equality; ▪ Ministry of Education; Ministry of Youth; Ministry of Labor, Family and Employment; Ministry of Public Works, Infrastructure, Natural Resources and Environment; ▪ Ministry of Tourism. ▪ National Association of Municipalities ▪ Politicians; ▪ International donors; ▪ National and international health organizations; ▪ Civil society groups and NGOs at regional, national and local levels (that pursue environmental and socio-economic interests and may become partners of the project); ▪ Business owners and providers of services, goods and materials within the project area that will be involved in the project’s wider supply chain; ▪ Businesses with international links; and ▪ The public at large. 2.4. Disadvantaged / vulnerable individuals or groups It is particularly important to understand whether project impacts may disproportionately fall on disadvantaged or vulnerable individuals or groups, who often do not have a voice to express their concerns or understand the impacts of a project and to ensure that awareness raising and stakeholder engagement with disadvantaged or vulnerable individuals or groups [on infectious diseases and medical treatments in particular] be adapted to take into account such groups or individuals particular sensitivities, concerns and cultural sensitivities and to ensure a full understanding of project activities and benefits. The vulnerability may stem from person’s origin, gender, age, health condition, economic deficiency and financial insecurity, disadvantaged status in the community (e.g. minorities or fringe groups), dependence on other individuals or natural resources, etc. Engagement with the vulnerable groups and individuals often requires the application of specific measures and assistance aimed at the facilitation of their participation in the project-related decision making so that their awareness of and input to the overall process are commensurate to those of the other stakeholders. Within the Project, the vulnerable or disadvantaged groups may include and are not limited to the following: ▪ Elderly people; ▪ Chronically ill and immune depressed persons; ▪ Pregnant girls and women; ▪ Population with previous health problems; ▪ Persons with disabilities and their caregivers; ▪ Homeless, including street children; ▪ Female-headed households or single mothers with underage children; ▪ The unemployed; ▪ Illiterate people; and ▪ Populations living in remote and isolated area. The preparation of the SEP had the involvement of the platform of Non-Governmental Organizations and the Association of the Disabled, as representatives of vulnerable groups. The preparation of the SEP also counted on the involvement of the Cape Verdean Institute for Gender Equality and Equity (ICIEG) as representative for women victims of GBV. Others vulnerable groups within the communities affected by the project will be further confirmed and consulted through dedicated means, as appropriate. Description of the methods of engagement that will be undertaken by the project is provided in the following sections. 3. Stakeholder Engagement Program This initial Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) has been developed and disclosed prior to project appraisal. The overall objective of this SEP is to define a program for stakeholder engagement, including public information disclosure and consultation, throughout the entire project cycle. It will be updated periodically as necessary, inclusion of a risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) strategy in order to meet the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV)�. As the SEP becomes more fully developed, it will describe the ways in which the project team will communicate with stakeholders and includes a mechanism by which people can raise concerns, provide feedback, or make complaints about project and any activities related to the project. The SEP will support project activities related to a communication, mobilization, and community engagement campaign to raise public awareness and knowledge on prevention and control of COVID-19 among the general population and contribute to strengthening the capacities of community structures in promoting coronavirus prevention messages. The Project will engage in meaningful consultations on policies, procedures, processes and practices (including grievances) with all stakeholders throughout the project life cycle, and provide them with timely, relevant, understandable and accessible information. The consultations will provide information on project-related risks, including GBV/SEA/SH, and the proposed reporting and response measures, with a particular focus on vulnerable groups, including the elderly and those with limited mobility, as well as women and children. GBV consultations will be focused on understanding women and girls’ experience, their wellbeing, health and safety concerns as it relates to COVID-19 prevention and response initiatives. The establishment of an exhaustive program of mobilization of interested parties, with precise and more detailed objectives, will be carried out at the beginning of the project's execution. The following schedule, which is indicative / informative, represents a basis for work. Table 1 - Proposed timetable for mobilizing stakeholders ACTIVITIES RESPONSIBLE TARGETS CALENDAR FREQUENCY Objective 1 : Ensure that all stakeholders are mobilized Development of tools to mobilize MSSS / UGPE All March 2020 1 (once) stakeholders and identified in the stakeholder preparatory phase of the project. categories Public information on project MSSS / UGPE All May 2020 Once (number preparation stakeholder of categories consultations, depending on stakeholder categorization) Preparation and validation of the draft UGPE MICE, May 2020 1 (once) PEPI World Bank Updated PEPI socialization (additional UGPE MICE, July 2020 1 (once) funding) World Bank Objective 2 : Development and preparation for the implementation of the PEPI Development of a program of activities MSSS / UGPE All From June 1 (once) to mobilize interested parties. stakeholder 2020 at the categories beginning of the implementation of the project Development of stakeholder MSSS / UGPE All At from June 1 (once) mobilization tools during the stakeholder 2020 implementation phase categories Organization of the first meetings with MSSS / UGPE All In the starting According to the various national and local actors in stakeholder of August 2020 the number and the project categories categories of PAP ACTIVITIES RESPONSIBLE TARGETS CALENDAR FREQUENCY Establishment and operationalization MSSS / UGPE All From the 1 (once) of the complaints management stakeholder effective start mechanism (complaints) categories of the project Update of the pre-established MSSS / UGPE World 3 months after According to stakeholder engagement program Bank the start of the the evolution project and imperatives implementation of the project and for the entire life of the project Objective 3 : Implementation of the PEPI Development of an Information Plan - MSSS / UGPE All In the effective 1 (once) Education - Communication (IEC) stakeholder launch of the categories project Implementation of the necessary MSSS / UGPE All From the Before and stakeholder mobilization activities stakeholder effective during the categories launch of the execution project Monitoring and evaluation of the MSSS / UGPE World 3 months after 1 (once) every 3 implementation and review of the Bank the effective (three ) months. Information - Education - implementation Communication (IEC) plan, including of the IEC plan user satisfaction surveys. Monitoring and evaluation of the MSSS / UGPE World Six months One time per implementation of the PEPI Bank after the year. effective implementation of the PEPI 3.1. Summary of stakeholder engagement done during project preparation Due to the current emergency situation and the need to address issues related to COVID-19, no dedicated consultations beyond government institutions have been conducted so far, but the project will reach out to stakeholders during project implementation and the SEP will be revised accordingly. The consultations were held with the various partners virtually via phone, viber or WhatsApp , foreseeing even its continuity during the project implementation. During the preparation of the project and during the SEP socialization phase, the following institutions were consulted regarding strategic partners: a. WHO (local) b. National Directorate of Health c. National Directorate for Social Promotion d. National Directorate of Education e. General Directorate of Social Communication f. Civil Protection g. ICIEG h. Armed Forces Institution i. National Association of Municipalities j. Cape Verde Red Cross k. NGO Platform l. Association of the Disabled 3.2. Summary of project stakeholder needs and methods, tools and techniques for stakeholder engagement On March 10, 2020, the government of Cape Verde presented the National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan. The Plan outlines the measures proposed to respond to and minimize the impact of a potential epidemic by the coronavirus in Cape Verde. As per the Plan, the islands of Santiago, Boavista São Vicente, Sal, Santo Antão and São Nicolau are the ones that have reported COVID-19 cases. All international flights are suspended, public gatherings are banned, schools and universities are closed and sport events in stadiums and gyms are prohibited until further notice. Commercial activities remain open but with reduced shifts and personnel. These measures are all intended to slow the spread of the disease by limiting people’s movement and exposure to crowded environments where the disease can easily be spread from one carrier to many other people nearby. The flights still suspended, as well as the maritime connection with the island of Santiago, the epicenter of the epidemic. These measures are currently limiting the Project’s ability to use traditional methods of public consultations and stakeholder engagement. This challenge in communicating and reaching out to the project’s stakeholders might be extended for longer period based on the contagion evolution. Considering the precaution measures necessary to contain the spread of the disease, currently available outreach modalities entail: social media and online channels, such as dedicated online platforms and chatgroups; and traditional channels of communications (TV, newspaper, radio, dedicated phone-lines, and mail), especially when access to online channels is not granted or is not the preferred communication channel. Outreach and engagement measures will be constantly adjusted to accommodate government precautious requirements. A key source of guidance on communications and stakeholder engagement that the Project will draw on is the WHO’s “COVID- 19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan Operational Planning Guidelines to Support Country Preparedness And Response� (2020). The Bank will also continue advising the client on various approaches to engage stakeholders without raising medical risks. However, as far as possible and taking into account the restrictions imposed where circumstances permit, the following methods of participation and consultation will be used. Table 2 : Partner engagement methods Methods of engagement Objectives of the method Interested parties Contact (phone, email, Distribute information (central and Stakeholders participating in the whatsApp ...) decentralized institutions, Health Units, implementation ( National NGOs, local administrations, agencies) Directorate for Health, National Directorate for Social Invite interested parties to participate in Promotion, National Directorate online meetings via tel or video for Education, General conference. Directorate for Social Communication, Civil Protection, ICIEG, Armed Forces, National Association of Municipalities, Red Cross, NGO Platform for the Disabled Association ). Formal meetings Socialization of project activities with Idem partners; Collect contributions for an effective implementation of project activities. Analysis of the situation on the country's epidemiological situation and define strategies for a better intervention. Build an impersonal relationship with high-level stakeholders. Graphic posters • Explicit information on hygiene, Idem wearing masks and social distance. Explicit information on combating COVID-19 Radio and TV • Distribute accurate information Idem announcements on topics related to COVID-19 Organize radio programs with the possibility of organizing a question and answer session Notice of Press Disseminate specific information (for Idem example, about the country's epidemiological status, etc.). During the public consultation, in general, the following needs / perspectives were presented aiming at the successful execution of the COVID-19 Emergency Project: • Reinforcement of the application of rules and procedures, for the continuation of the effort to contain the COVID-19 epidemic in the country, control of travelers from countries with active transmission of the disease and implementation of IEC actions, for the empowerment of the population. • Intense training and awareness-raising activities for professionals and all living forces to face the epidemic. • Availability of financial and technical resources to guide all COVID-19 containment, mitigation and control actions in the country, through a multisectorial and multidisciplinary approach. • Reinforce guidelines and recommend disease prevention and control measures, in an active, immediate and timely manner in post-confinement; • The need for special attention to gender equality issues during the entire process of preparing and implementing the project, taking into account that about 70% of health professionals who are on the fronts to combat Covid 19 are women. On the other hand, women suffer the most in psychological terms and emotional distress • The post-pandemic issue should be properly addressed, considering mainly two aspects: (i) post-confinement ie the exit of people to the street, i.e the release of restrictions imposed by the situation of the State of Emergency, will contribute to the relaxation in compliance the hygiene and safety measures imposed; ( ii ) Women who work in the public, private or informal sectors, who have to leave home and leave their young children, when schools and gardens and daycare centers are closed. • Need for IEC actions to change attitudes and behaviors in order to face the new era of coexistence with Covid 19 , ensuring special support for vulnerable and at-risk groups ; • Strengthen technical capacities for good data management and processing (database); • Strengthen community communication to reduce the spread of the virus ; • Capacity building for community organizations and stakeholders. 3.3. Proposed strategy for stakeholder engagement and information disclosure The project will ensure that activities are inclusive and culturally sensitive, making sure the vulnerable groups outlined above also benefit from the project. Where possible and bearing in mind the need for social distancing. Toward this effort, if and when possible, the project will conduct prioritize face-to-face communication, including household-outreach, focus-group discussions, and village consultations using different languages and pictures, as necessary. Where such an approach is not possible, the project will use the media and social media (radio, TV, messages through mobile phone) to inform and consult the population and target groups. The project may also employ online communication tools to design virtual workshops in situations where large meetings and workshops are essential. Webex, Skype, and in low ICT capacity situations, audio meetings, can be effective tools to design virtual workshops. The format of such workshops could include the following steps: • Virtual registration of participants: Participants can register online through a dedicated platform. • Distribution of workshop materials to participants, including agenda, project documents, presentations, questionnaires and discussion topics: These can be distributed online to participants. • Review of distributed information materials: Participants are given a scheduled duration for this, prior to scheduling a discussion on the information provided. • Discussion, feedback collection and sharing: o Participants can be organized and assigned to different topic groups, teams or virtual “tables� provided they agree to this. o Group, team and table discussions can be organized through social media means, such as Webex, Skype or Zoom, or through written feedback in the form of an electronic questionnaire or feedback forms that can be emailed back. • Conclusion and summary: The chair of the workshop will summarize the virtual workshop discussion, formulate conclusions and share electronically with all participants. In situations where online interaction is challenging, information can be disseminated through digital platform (where available) like Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp groups, Project weblinks/ websites, and traditional means of communications (TV, newspaper, radio, phone calls and mails with clear description of mechanisms for providing feedback via mail and / or dedicated telephone lines. All channels of communication need to clearly specify how stakeholders can provide their feedback and suggestions. The ESMF and SEP will be disclosed prior to formal consultations. In addition to the above-proposed measures, the COVID-19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan: Operational Planning Guidelines to Support Country Preparedness And Response proposes a package of measures to plan, conduct, coordinate and supervise a communications and stakeholder engagement strategy during an health emergency. These measures, outlined in the below table, can be used by the Project to consult and engage with stakeholders when traditional communication and engagement methodologies are not feasible. 3.4. Stakeholder engagement program The following schedule, which is indicative / informative, represents a basis for work. Table 3 - Proposed timetable for stakeholder mobilization ACTIVITIES RESPONSIBLE TARGETS CALENDAR FREQUENCY Objective 1 : Ensure that all stakeholders are mobilized Development of tools to mobilize MSSS / UGPE All May 2020 1 (once) stakeholders and identified in the stakeholder preparatory phase of the project. categories Project preparation information UGPE / DNS All May 2020 Once (number stakeholder of categories consultations, depending on stakeholder categorization) ACTIVITIES RESPONSIBLE TARGETS CALENDAR FREQUENCY Preparation and validation of the draft UGPE UGPE, May 2020 1 (once) PEPI World Bank Objective 2 : Development and preparation for the implementation of the PEPI Development of a program of activities DNS / UGPE All From June 1 (once) to mobilize interested parties. stakeholder 2020 at the categories beginning of the implementation of the project Development of stakeholder DNS / UGPE All At low May 1 (once) mobilization tools during the stakeholder 2020 implementation phase categories Organization of the first meetings with DNS / UGPE All At starting of According to the various national and local actors in stakeholder May 2020 the number and the project categories categories of PAP Establishment and operationalization of UGPE / DNS All From the 1 (once) the complaints management stakeholder effective start mechanism (complaints) categories of the project Update of the pre-established DNS / UGPE World 3 months after According to stakeholder engagement program Bank the start of the the evolution project and implementation imperatives of and for the the project entire life of the project Objective 3 : Implementation of the PEPI Development of an Information Plan - UGPE / DNS All In the effective 1 (once) Education - Communication (IEC) stakeholder launch of the categories project Implementation of the necessary DNS / UGPE All From the Before and stakeholder mobilization activities stakeholder effective during the categories launch of the execution project ACTIVITIES RESPONSIBLE TARGETS CALENDAR FREQUENCY Monitoring and evaluation of the UGPE / DNS World 4 months after 1 (once) every implementation and review of the Bank the effective 4 ( four ) Information - Education - implementation months. Communication (IEC) plan, including of the IEC plan satisfaction surveys. Monitoring and evaluation of the UGPE / DNS World Six months One time per implementation of the PEPI Bank after the year . effective implementation of the PEPI 3.5. Proposed strategies for information dissemination In general, the information to be communicated will be specified according to the stakeholder groups to be involved and / or affected by the performance of the scheduled activities. The choice of the communication method was defined after consultation with groups of interested parties, following existing experience and practices. The project will use different strategies, namely: - Information disclosed to interested parties, communicated through written support. - Information for the public made available through the DNS / UGPE website. - Correspondence with technical partners via email. It is noted that the dissemination of information will be adapted to the stage of development of the project. The most detailed and exhaustive description of the information to be communicated, the formats and forms of communication will be further developed by the person responsible for the engagement of the inter1. 3.6. Proposed strategy for integrating the views of vulnerable groups To avoid the exclusion of vulnerable groups, including people with physical disabilities, elderly people with reduced mobility and women heads of households with low income, the use of the direct approach is recommended (Individual contact and door to door). The objective is to make these groups feel free to present their opinion and help them in accessing the services available. 3.7. Indicative calendar The following calendar indicates the indicative dates for the realization and the places where the various stakeholder mobilization activities, including coordination meetings, consultations with the local communities affected by the project, communications, as well as the indicative planning to be made compatible with the implementation stages of the project. The calendar will be reviewed and updated with the evolution of the epidemiological situation in the country. Table 4 - Consultation strategy according to the stages of the project Consultation Dates and Activities Methods used groups- target Responsibilities themes locations PROJECT PREPARATION PHASE Conduct inclusive Presentation of the consultations to project by take into component, UGPE Office Institutions, account the Consultations for the Interviews with key Understanding stakeholders associations and concerns of project preparation stakeholder NGOs, women's different phase Focus groups expectations, February 2020 groups stakeholders in concerns and the various suggestions project design and preparation documents WHO (local) National Directorate of Health Finalization of National the social Directorate for safeguard Social Promotion instruments National necessary to Preparation of Directorate of take into Preparation of environmental Education account the environmental and and social tools Telephone. On concerns, (stakeholder Individual contacts line Directorate- social safeguard interests and engagement plan, General for tools for the project Meetings with UGPE priorities of the Environmental Social preparation phase stakeholders various and social April to June 2020 Communication stakeholders, in management Focus groups Civil protection particular those framework,) potentially ICIEG affected by the Armed Forces project, as well Institution as those that influence the National success of the Association of project. Municipalities Cape Verde Red Cross NGO Platform Consultation Dates and Activities Methods used groups- target Responsibilities themes locations Association of the Disabled PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION PHASE Effective Potentially implementation Information about Public places of social affected the progress of the Public meetings affected safeguard communities project, the communities instruments, Information Relevant focal implementation of incorporating workshops points the action combat the concerns, and mitigation of interests and COVID-19 priorities of the Implementation of various social safeguard stakeholders. instruments (stakeholder involvement plan, Meeting rooms of labor management the communities Information involved plan) workshops City Councils Information on Public places for GBV risks and Training sessions training Civil society Finalization of mitigation aimed at the organizations the plan on community, From the working in the measures during gender-based women and youth beginning of the areas of GBV project violence. project and and women's implementation Target groups throughout the empowerment project's implementation phase Awareness and training in Information Potentially hygiene measures workshops affected Awareness and SEP implementation , use of PPE to Communities municipalities training Relevant training combat COVID- and activities in the for communities, 19 and social communities. target areas women and distance. workers. Consultation Dates and Activities Methods used groups- target Responsibilities themes locations Door to door for vulnerable families. FOLLOW-UP AND EVALUATION PHASE Affected Interviews with key Communities stakeholders Health professionals. Iterative queries Monitoring the Research or focus Since the start of during groups with project City Council and implementation implementation of Implementation of the beneficiaries. potentially the project's social safeguard implementation of Safeguard interested safeguard instruments Door to door for the safeguard instrument communities instruments vulnerable families instruments and updates, if and groups throughout the Local Health necessary implementation Units. cycle of the instrument Interviews with key Locations really stakeholders affected by the Communities Research or focus implementation of and people using General Evaluation of the groups with users the project the energy assessment of Evaluation of the finalization of the and health produced. the implementation of At the end of the application of the promoters. implementation social safeguard implementation Health safeguard of social instruments cycle of the social professionals. instruments safeguard safeguard Door to door for Other interested instruments instruments vulnerable families parties and groups 3.8. Results of public consultations The consultations carried out revealed that the stakeholders are properly engaged in the project and determined to continue and reinforce support in the fight against COVID-19. Globally, the institutions expressed their satisfaction and recognition for the activities to be carried out by the Project and with the stated objectives, stating that the project represents a valuable contribution in the fight against the spread of the epidemic, namely in the preparation, prevention and emergency response to COVID-19. 3.9. Later phases of the project In accordance with the NAS 10 guidelines, all stakeholders, including vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, as well as communities in the localities involved in the project's implementation, will be kept informed about the project's development, in particular environmental performance and social impacts. as well as the implementation of the Engagement Plan Stakeholder and complaints management mechanism at least every six months, to be sent to an activist of the local community, which in turn shall make the disclosure. The UGPE / DNS should produce and transmit other summary reports of transition from one stage to another (for example, from the Emergency to the Disaster phase). Stakeholders will be kept informed as the project develops, including reporting on project environmental and social performance and implementation of the stakeholder engagement plan and grievance redress mechanism. 4. Resources and Responsibilities for implementing stakeholder engagement activities The Ministry of Health and Social Security (MSSS) will have overall responsibility for stakeholder engagement activities, with certain coordination and day to day responsibilities falling to the Special Projects Management Unit, also called the Unidade de Gestão de Projetos Especiais (UGPE), including its Social and Environmental Specialist. 4.1. Resources The person responsible for engagement and mobilization of the stakeholders of the DNS / UGPE, is also responsible for communications and community engagement. The same, if necessary, can be supported by the Technical Team for Rapid Intervention (ETIR) and by the different actors / institutions involved in combating COVID- 19. The budget for the SEP is included in Component 2: Implementation Management and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) (US$ 0.5 million). 4.2. Management functions and responsibilities The project implementation arrangements are as follows: The Special Projects Management Unit (UGPE) is responsible for the implementation of the Plan under the overall stewardship of the Ministry of Health and Social Security (MSSS). Therefore, the Project will be implemented within the existing health sector laws and regulations and its institutional and implementation arrangements will follow the current Government administrative structure. The MSSS will be responsible for implementing the project’s technical aspects, including the implementation of the National Covid-19 Response Plan. The Special Projects Management Unit, also called the Unidade de Gestão de Projetos Especiais (UGPE), would have primary Project coordination and fiduciary management (procurement and financial management) functions for the Project. The Administrative and Financial Manual of Procedures will detail the roles and responsibilities of the various parties and make explicit any adjustments to national procedures required by IDA. All procurement under the project will be undertaken by the UGPE, within the MSSS. The MSSS will identify needs informed by WHO list. National Procurement can be used. If the MSSS has an existing contract, it can be amended to include supplies financed by the Bank. For items not under an existing 21 contract, the MSSS negotiates directly with one or more supplier(s) and the Bank advises with up to date market/price data. No Bank prior review, and later post review on a sample basis. 5. Grievance Mechanism The main objective of a Grievance Mechanism (GM) is to assist to resolve complaints and grievances in a timely, effective and efficient manner that satisfies all parties involved. Specifically, it provides a transparent and credible process for fair, effective and lasting outcomes. It also builds trust and cooperation as an integral component of broader community consultation that facilitates corrective actions. Specifically, the GRM: ▪ Provides affected people with avenues for making a complaint or resolving any dispute that may arise during the course of the implementation of projects; ▪ Ensures that appropriate and mutually acceptable redress actions are identified and implemented to the satisfaction of complainants; and ▪ Avoids the need to resort to judicial proceedings. 5.1. Description of GRM The GRM will include the following steps: Step 1. : Submission of grievances Step 2. : Recording of grievance and providing the initial response Step 3. : Investigating the grievance Step 4. : Communication of the Response Step 5. : Complainant Response Step 6. : Grievance closure or taking further steps if the grievance remains open Step 7. : Appeals process. Once all possible redress has been proposed and if the complainant is still not satisfied then they should be advised of their right to legal recourse. In the instance of the COVID-19 emergency, existing grievance procedures should be used to encourage reporting of co-workers if they show outward symptoms, such as ongoing and severe coughing with fever, and do not voluntarily submit to testing. 5.2. Recommended Grievance Redress Time Frame Table 5 - Proposed GRM Time Frame Step Process Time frame Prazo de tratamento 1 Receive and register grievance within 24 hours 2 Acknowledge within 72 hours 3 Assess grievance within 24 hours 4 Assign responsibility within 2 Days 5 Development of response within 7 Days 22 6 Implementation of response if agreement is reached within 14 Days 7 Close grievance within 2 Days 8 Initiate grievance review process if no agreement is reached at the within 7 Days first instance 9 Implement review recommendation and close grievance within 21 Days 10 Grievance taken to court by complainant 5.3. Venues to register Grievances - Uptake Channels A complaint can be registered directly at COVID 19 (GRCs) through any of the following modes and, if necessary, anonymously or through third parties: ▪ By coming personally to the headquarters of the UGPE or to a special counter of the project, ▪ By telephone (toll free to be established), ▪ By e-mail (address will be activated soon) ▪ By complaint form to be lodged at healthcare facilities to be used by the complainants and can be filled. ▪ By filing a complaint through the UGPE website (currently under development) ▪ By letter to the healthcare facility Grievance Focal Point ▪ Walk-ins and registering a complaint on grievance logbook at healthcare facility or suggestion box at clinic/hospitals The UGPE is putting in place additional measures to handle sensitive and confidential complaints, including those related to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse/Harassment (SEA/H) The GRM will integrate GBV- sensitive measures, including multiple channels to initiate a complaint and specific procedures for SEA/SH, such as confidential reporting with safe and ethical documenting of SEA/SH cases. The UGPE is also developing an online GRM platform to register, categorize and supervise received complaints. Once a complaint has been received, it should be recorded in the online GRM platform. the GBV-specific measures include a green line for confidential calls, indication of a specific committee for differential treatment and confidentiality. For those who cannot access this online platform, or who cannot read or write Portuguese they will be able to present their complaints to the Local Complaints Management Committee verbally, which will be dealt with properly or via the free green line. 5.4. Organizational Arrangements Grievances will be handled at the national level by UGPE. The GRM will include the following steps: Step 1. : Grievance raised with the respective health facility Grievance Focal Point Step 2. : Unresolved grievances brought to the regional MSSS Grievance Focal Point 23 Step 3. : Appeal to the MSSS Grievance Committee. Once all possible redress has been proposed and if the complainant is still not satisfied then they should be advised of their right to legal recourse. At the national level, the GRM will be managed at the UGPE level. The UGPE Environmental and Social Development Specialist will be managing the GRM on a day-to-day basis. The MSSS will appoint Grievance Focal Points at the regional and healthcare facility level. 6. Monitoring and Reporting 6.1. Involvement of stakeholders in monitoring activities The monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the project activities and the associated social impacts aim to ensure, on the one hand, that the proposed mitigation measures are implemented according to the approved planning, and secondly, that the expected results are achieved. Monitoring and evaluation also provide for the implementation of appropriate corrective measures to resolve and overcome difficulties and ensure that the main objective of the project is achieved and that interested parties participate in an inclusive and participatory manner in all stages of the process. It is advisable to involve stakeholders, through representation, in the monitoring of execution activities. 6.2. Reporting back to stakeholder groups The SEP will be periodically revised and updated as necessary in the course of project implementation in order to ensure that the information presented herein is consistent and is the most recent, and that the identified methods of engagement remain appropriate and effective in relation to the project context and specific phases of the development. Any major changes to the project related activities and to its schedule will be duly reflected in the SEP. Quarterly summaries and internal reports on public grievances, enquiries and related incidents, together with the status of implementation of associated corrective/preventative actions will be collated by responsible staff and referred to the senior management of the project. The quarterly summaries will provide a mechanism for assessing both the number and the nature of complaints and requests for information, along with the Project’s ability to address those in a timely and effective manner. Information on public engagement activities undertaken by the Project during the year may be conveyed to the stakeholders in two possible ways: • Publication of a standalone annual report on project’s interaction with the stakeholders. • A number of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) will also be monitored by the project on a regular basis. The monitoring and evaluation (M&E) specialist of the UGPE will work closely with the MSSS and, in coordination with the environmental and social (E&S) specialist responsible of the GRM management, to produce data for monitoring the Results Framework and prepare weekly and monthly reports for dissemination to the UGPE Coordinator and for informed decision making and course correction, where necessary. Additionally, the E&S and the M&E specialists will undertake site visits to closely monitor implementation. The frequency of reports produced by the UGPE will depend on any of the four transmission scenarios that is prevailing at the time (a) no reported cases, b) sporadic cases, c) clusters of cases and d) community transmission. Accordingly, the types of data that will be covered could include: i) 24 Event specific data such as what, how many, where, who, how quickly and clinical and epidemiological status; ii) Event management information such as human and material resources on hand, status of interventions, partner activities, resource deployments, expenditure, and progress on achievement of objectives; and iii) context data such as geographic information mapping, population distribution, transportation links, locations of fixed and temporary facilities, availability of clean water, climate, weather and any other significant contextual information. An “after action review� will be undertaken after each exercise and live activation and the report will be used to make informed decisions and take appropriate corrective actions based on the recommendations. At the end of the one-year project duration, an implementation completion and results report will cover achievement of each of the project components, procurement, financial management (FM), grievance redress and citizen engagement, safeguards, dissemination and data use, compliance with legal covenants, and lessons learned (positive and negative). The reports, including lessons learned, will be widely disseminated to stakeholders, including to civil society organizations and the public. 25