Concept Note

I. Registration Information

Community Self Reliance Centre (CSRC)

Indrapuri Residential Area, Tokha municipality, Kathmandu

Legal Status: NGO

Is the organisation’s legal registration renewed? Yes

Contact Person

Jagat Deuja

Executive Director

01-4360486/4357005

9851015145

landrights@csrcnepal.org

II. Title of Concept Note:

Strengthening Economic and Social Rights for Dignified Life of Marginalized Farmers

This concept note primarily relates to outcome 3, output 3.1, output 3.2 and 3.3 of the GF log

frame.

III. Basic Information on the Concept Note

Is this concept from a consortium of organisations? No

Proposed duration of the project: Year 3

Approximate budget (NPR): 75 Million

Geographic Coverage

National Coverage ☐Yes☐No District coverage: Number: ……… District(s): Focusing Kailali,

Kanchanpur, Bardiya, Banke, Dang, Sarlahi, Mahottari, Siraha, Saptari, Sunsari, Okhaldhunga

and Sindhupalchok districts (need to revisit on districts)

IV. Organisational Information

Relevant Experience (500 words)

Founded in 1993, Community Self-Reliance Centre (CSRC) has been continuously facilitating

land and agrarian rights campaign. CSRC has been engaged in educating and organizing people

who are deprived of their basic rights to land and decent livelihoods. Its programmes have

focused on strengthening community organizations, developing human rights defenders and

social activists. It is pursuing multi-level dialogues for pro-poor land and agrarian reform,

conducting empirical studies, lobbying for policy advocacy, leading the process of preparing

shadow report on International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR),

strengthening civil society alliances and networks and designing, developing and implementing

programmes at all levels with HRBA as its core principle. The organization has been working

closely with the Ministry of Land Reform and Management in formulating land use and national

land policies. Moreover, CSRC is also involved in the UN Working Group on the Rights of

Peasants and People Living in Rural Areas and contributed to the consultative process by

submitting statement paper and participating in the Working Group sessions.

CSRC has evolved as a resource center and a coordinating organization of the land and agrarian

campaign which is being led by National land Rights Forum (NLRF), an organization of tenant,

small holders, agricultural labourers and landless farmers facilitated by a coalition of NGO

partners and Community-based Organizations (CBOs).

Likewise, CSRC has been collaborating with National Human Rights Commission for systematic

monitoring of land rights violation drawing government’s attention to address the related issues.

The organization is also leading the CSO land monitoring process and documenting the incidents

of rights violation related to land and natural resources. It has contributed significantly to the

knowledge base by publishing good practices and impacts of land and agrarian campaigns. The

articles written by marginalized farmers themselves and land rights defenders have regularly

featured in the leading daily newspapers.

CSRC led the campaign on women’s joint land ownership in 53 districts and, as a consequence,

contributed to the development of the Joint Land Ownership policy in 2011.

Financial Track Record (in NPR)

Details 2012 2013 2014

Annual Budget Amount Amount Amount

GF 19091510

DanidaHUGOU

28537245

30196421

7080247

Actionaid Nepal

7081797

6717080

7000646

Care Nepal

2488387

5684505

10925960

Total 35990943 53232538 61100225

CSRC has been facilitating the land and agrarian reform campaign as per the strategic

partnership since 2009 called Basket Fund Approach.

Current staff (300 words) Criteria

Total number, key positions as well as competencies of staff

Workforce diversity/ GESI

CSRC is staffed by 25 professionals (15 Male, 10 Female). CSRC also works collaboratively

with and technically and financially supports 4 district level NGOs, National Land Rights Forum

and 42 District Land Rights Forums. A total of 137 professionals and activists are engaged

fulltime in these organizations the salaries of whom are supported by CSRC.

The day-to-day functioning of the organization is managed by a well trained and competent core

team consisting of the Executive Director and 24 programme and support staff. The organization

has also mobilized a VSO based in Kailali district and two young professionals engaged as

interns.

In supporting the NGOs/NLRF/DLRFs, the organization has engaged 13 District Coordinators

and 122 Activists to take the campaign forward.

All the core staff, district and field level professionals have the competencies in HRBA, gender

sensitivity, social inclusion and ESCR. The programme staff members are competent in land

policy advocacy and lobbying and influencing stakeholders. The support staff are trained in

management and good governance. At the local level, the activists are competent on

participatory approaches, advocacy and coordination.

V. Intervention Details (100% score)

a. Proposed Intervention and its Relevance (700 words, 30% score) About 80% people, mostly in rural areas, depend on subsistence farming but are deprived of

access to land. Following are some of the key problems:

Problem of home/land less settlers—eviction, inability to be registered as home/landless settlers,

ineffective and ad-hoc nature of work carried out by the Commissions.

Uprooting and/or eviction of unregistered tenants and landless settlers. 5,968 unregistered

tenants from13 Terai districts were being harassed to give up the tenancy, 31 (10 women)

farmers were jailed for not giving up the land (CSRC/ANGOC/ILC 2014).

Unregistered tenants, persistent dual ownership. 120,686 families of 21 districts are registered as

tenants but no law available for land ownership (DLRM/MoLR 2014). Only 19.71% women

have land ownership and 44% dalits in Terai and 22% in hills are landless (HLCSLR 2012).

CSRC proposes to adopt a two-pronged approach to addressing these problems which involves

working with people at the community level and the State at the policy level. At the community

level, home/landless settlers and marginalized farmers will be empowered to rationally, logically

and forcefully raise their voices. At the national level, consensus will be built amongst politicians

and bureaucrats to initiate pro-poor land and agrarian reform.

The proposed intervention will have the landless people, tenants, highly marginalized farmers as

the direct beneficiaries and will be implemented in 12 districts where land rights violation is

most prevalent and marginalization and deprivation of poor people are most pronounced.

The indirect beneficiaries include politicians, MoLRM, and the local level line agencies and

NHRC. It has been felt that critically important laws and acts are far from being deliberated and

passed by the parliaments. It is therefore necessary that strategic engagement with political

parties and bureaucrats should be in place.

Results chain:

Outcome 1: Home/landless settlers and marginalized farmers enabled to claim and exercise their

land and agrarian rights.

Results

• 21,000 families receive land entitlements

• 4,000 families use at least 700 hectares of public land

• NLRF and 12 DLRFs effectively lead land rights campaigns

Activities

• Organizational development of NLRF/DLRF/VLRF

• Land education and mass awareness raising

• Lobby, campaign and mobilization

• Filing cases to claim the settlement, land use and tilling rights

• Promoting community-led land reform practices

Outcome 2: Pro-poor acts and policies on land and agrarian rights formulated.

Results

• Land reform act 1964 amended in favour of tenants

• National land policy formulated and endorsed

• New Act on Guthi, Bonded Labour and Land Lease formulated and enacted

Activities

• Engagement with parliamentarians and bureaucrats

• Policy advocacy, dialogue and discourse

• Capacity building of policy makers

• Technical and financial assistance for acts and policy formulation

Outcome 3: Gender inequalities reduced through strengthening women’s right to land

Results

• Legislative and legal framework in place

• 15,000 families received joint/independent land ownership

Activities

• Capacity building on leadership and decision making

• Awareness raising on women’s right to land

• Support to dialogue with politicians and bureaucrats

• Policy analysis and advocacy promoting women’s right to land

Outcome 4: Organizational capacity of CSRC strengthened to contribute to the development of

knowledge and resource base for promoting land rights.

Results

• CSRC evolved as a resource organization

• 12 DLRF, 1 NFRL, 5 CSOs, 5 government entities supported to promote HRBA

• 6 research reports published and disseminated, 20 land rights related articles published in

newspapers

• 6 land rights related position papers developed

Activities

• Research studies, publication and dissemination;

• Monitoring and documentation of economic and social rights

• Collaboration and participation in national and international forums/mechanisms;

• Contribute to the development of shadow report

The 17 activities outlined above are already part of CSRC’s 5 year strategic plan, hence delivery

of these activities within 3 years can be realistically achieved. Moreover, delivery of these

activities will primarily be a task of building further on the strong foundation the organization

has already build over the past 21 years.

These activities will also contribute to achieving the GF outcome 3 and its 3 outputs. They

include stakeholder capacity building, monitoring of rights violation, supporting the

implementation of national action plan, involvement in development of shadow reports and

organizational capacity building.

b. Effectiveness (700 words, 30% score)

The 17 activities under 12 results and 4 outcomes are carefully aligned so that all four outcomes

are effectively achieved.

The 5 activities under Outcome 1 are related to strengthening the demand side capacities raising

awareness of the direct beneficiaries on their political and legal rights and the state’s

commitment in international forums on ESCR. These activities will clearly contribute to

achieving the 3 results and of Outcome1.

The activities contributing to the 3 results of Outcome2 revolve around the engagements and

dialogues with politicians and bureaucrats reflecting on the demand side results achieved during

the implementation which will in turn lead to the formulation of conducive land acts and

policies.

Along with being a cross cutting theme, reducing gender inequalities is proposed as a standalone

outcome. Lack of land ownership among women subjects them to violence and discrimination.

The proposed activities include capacity building, support to realize equitable role of women in

land rights related leadership and decision making process, policy analysis leading to

formulating laws in favour of women. These activities are expected to contribute to producing

the desired results and gender equality outcome.

Strengthening CSRC’s organizational capacity particularly as a resource centre on land rights is

the focus of Outcome 4. The 4 activities proposed are primarily the organization’s reflective

initiatives on carrying out research studies, keeping track of the dynamism of ensuring the social

and economic rights of marginalized settlers and farmers, preparing position papers and

participating shadow reports development, which are aligned with the 4 results and the outcome.

The proposed intervention is founded on CSRC’s organizational principle of engaging in and

promoting bottom-up participatory approach to working with rights holders/defenders and

stakeholders. CSRC believes on the potential of organized initiatives of people themselves to

utilize their own knowledge and power acting themselves as the very agency of change for

desired economic and social transformation. CSRC’s primarily role will be supporting people to

realize and make use of such a potential. At the supply side, CSRC promotes integrated

approach to stakeholder management and engagement to work collaboratively with government

agencies, CSO partners, donors and inter governmental organizations.

Meanwhile, CSRC also ensures that the support to marginalized farmers in their campaign is

complemented by the engagement with and seeking support of the social elites. CSRC

strategically engages with the elites to initiate land and agrarian reform and ensures justice and

dignity for marginalized farmers and co-exist with local elites as their allies than oppressor.

The proposed programme will have a strong M&E component. CSRC is already equipped with

an institutionalized M&E system as an integral component of its operation and programme

delivery. The M&E mechanism for the proposed programme will be built on the existing

system. Emphasis will be given to formulate a results-based M&E framework clearly defining

the baseline, indicators, targets and potential risks and assumptions. A risk log will be

maintained and necessary remedies will be identified and implemented to ensure the

achievement of the results and outcomes.

The importance of gender equality and social inclusion is institutionally ensured by CSRC

through the adoption and implementation of Institutional Governance Policy and Human

Resource Management Policy (HRMP). As an institutional policy CSCR makes sure that dalit,

Madhesi, Janajati , including at least 50% women, are represented in every programme initiative

and in the organizational as well as programme structures. The proposed programme will give

this policy a continuity.

CSRC assumes that there will be political stability, will and consensus in the country to take

forward the agenda of protecting human rights and ensuring pro-poor land and agrarian reform.

The Government will demonstrate commitment to effectively implement land and other policy

reforms and that implemented policies are supportive towards the promotion of women’s rights

to land and property.

It is assumed that the landless tenants and farmers, will not face obstruction from any quarter in

their bid to become organised into community groups and participate in the activities determined

by them. It is also assumed that the issues raised by the campaign will feature in the on-going

constitution-making process.

c. Sustainability (300 words, 20% score)

The proposed intervention will have a clearly defined exit strategy and sustainability plan. At

this stage following aspects have been considered in this regard:

Conscious effort will be made to ensure that: i) the organizational structure and the capacity of

NLRF, DLRF and VLRF is strengthened enabling them to independently manage the land rights

campaign; ii) successful and transformative models of pro-poor land and agrarian reform are

available for the national and local people’s organization and other human rights NGOs to adapt,

replicate and up-scale; and iii) CSRC is evolved as a sustained resource centre fully equipped

with knowledge resource base, researchers and trainers to support the people’s organization and

NGOs.

Over the years, CSRC has ensured a steady flow of long term strategic financing for its

initiatives by supporting NLRF to generate funds from expanding the memberships. This mode

along with mobilization of other multiple diverse sources will be continued. In the long run,

NLRF will lead and manage the campaign while CSRC will evolve to be a resource centre.

CSRC will expand its services regionally by further strengthening the 3 regional centres within

next 3 years. Local level fund mobilization for local initiatives of the national and local structure

of the NLRF will also be promoted.

Key champions of land rights campaign will emerge during the course of the intervention who

will be associated with the local and national level land rights forums. Emphasis will be given in

the development of frontline leadership and activists as the vehicle to facilitate and motivate

participation of rights holders in campaigns.

CSRC, if selected, will develop a more precise exit strategy and sustainability plan in

consultation with NLRF/DLRF, strategic partners and other key stakeholders prior to submitting

a detailed proposal.

d. Value for Resources (20% score)

d.1 Cost of Intervention Major headings Budget in NPR Major headings Budget in NPR

Outcome:1 Home/landless settlers and marginalized farmers enabled to

claim and exercise their land and agrarian rights. 78000000

Outcome 2: Accountable and transparent land governance established

and pro-poor acts and policies on land and agrarian rights formulated. 23490000

Outcome 3: Gender inequalities reduced through strengthening

women’s right to land 24525000

Outcome 4: Organizational capacity of CSRC strengthened as a well-

governed human rights organization contributing to the development of

knowledge and resource base for promoting human rights. 17340000

Total Programme Cost 143,355,000

Support cost 31567173

Total Budget 174922173

Budget expected from GF 75000000

Budget from others 99922173

Actionaid Nepal 20,000,000

Care 37,500,000

Oxfam 7,500,000

LWF 7,500,000

d.2. Proposed key staff and position, their qualification and expertise and roles and

responsibilities and commitment to diversify (500 words)

CSRC has been functioning as a strategic partner of GF (former HUGOU) which is due to expire

in July 2015. The proposed programme, if selected, can be viewed as a continuation and renewal

of the current partnership agreement. In this context, therefore, the proposed programme will be

managed and delivered by the already existing cadre of human resources who are trained in their

respective work responsibilities. Following is the list of key staff, their positions, qualifications

and roles and responsibilities:

List of the staff, position and responsibility

SN Name of Staff Position Qualification Responsibility

1 Jagat Deuja Executive Director BA Overall Management

2 Jagat Basnet Advisor MPhil/PhD scholar Research & Policy Advocacy

3 Shova Dhakal Admin/Finance Coordinator MBA Administration & Management

4 Geeta Pandit Snr. Financial Officer BBS Financial Management

5 Kalpana Karki Campaign Coordinator (Central Region) BA Programme Management &

Support

6 Bhagiram Chaudhary Campaign Coordinator (Western Region) MA Programme Management

& Support

7 Aaparajita Gautam PME & Documentation officer MA Monitoring & Documentation

8 Shayam Biswakarma Project Coordinator BBL Programme Support & Cordination

9 Sarita Luitel Logistic Officer MBA Logistic Support

10 Biswash Nepali Publication Officer BA Management of Publication & Resource Centre

11 Shantiram Bhandari Project Coordiator MA Prorgamme Support & Coordination

12 Kumar Thapa Campaign Officer IA Campaign Facilitation

13 Suvaraj Chaudhary Campaign Officer BL Campaign Facilitation

14 Bhola Paswan Campaign Officer BA Campaign Facilitation

15 Nariram Lohar Campaign Officer IA Campaign Facilitation

16 Bhola Basnet Campaign Officer BA Campaign Facilitation

17 Roshan Karki Finance Officer B. Com Financial Monitoring

18 Sumitra Tharu Finance Officer I.Com Financial Monitoring

19 Raj Kumar Tharu Campaign Officer BL Campaign Facilitation

20 Mamata Sunar Campaign officer IA Campaign Facilitation

21 Bikash Man Dangol Driver SLC Driving

22 RamitaShrestha Office Secretary BBA Office Support

23 Rita Baramu Research Assistance MA Research Support

24 Bhojman Chaudhary Office Secretary IA Office Support

25 Yasodha Sapkota Office Support staff Literate Office Support

Total 25 (10 female, 15 male), 8 Janajtis, 5 Dalits (1 Madeshidalits)

d.3 Justification for proposed financial and human resources for efficiently delivering results while

promoting equity (300 words)

The proposed programme fund will also be complemented by at least 10% in-kind contribution

of the home/landless settlers and marginalized farmers. Most notably, and historically, the costs

of food and basic incidental expenses during the campaigns are borne by the participants

themselves. As well, in the next 3 years the NLRF membership fees amounting NPR 2,948,250

will be collected from 98,275 members. Therefore the investment sought is well justified. The

programme will bring direct economic benefits to more than 25,000 home/landless settlers and

marginalized farmers in the form of ownership of property and/or land, improved livelihoods,

food and shelter security and dignified living. The rough estimate of the programme’s economic

rate of return for them will be more than 3 fold of the investment being made. The programme

will also bring benefit to as many as 50,000 families in terms of social security and inclusion,

political participation and access to improved public services particularly in the sector of land

and land related resources. The formulation of land and agrarian reform acts and policies that

the programme will emphasize on will have a longer term and far reaching impact for poverty

alleviation of home/landless settlers and marginalized farmers.

For CSRC the proposed initiative will be an extension of implementing its current programme,

which is being managed efficiently by relevant programme and support staff. The organization

has a horizontal HR structure. The small management team complies with the decisions made by

the Executive Committee and General Assembly. There will be Eastern, Central and Western

regional resource centres supported by a small number of support staff and activists who will

work on two to three specific themes.

There will be 122 locally based human rights activists collaborating with NLRF/DLRF/CBOs

building people’s organizations and organizing campaigns.