Monday, June 16, 2014

Annual Progress Report on ACDN in 2013



This is the third year of this project that National Fisheries Solidarity Movement     ( NAFSO) is implementing as a partner of Active Citizenship For Development Network( ACDN). It is better to concern about the relationship between the beginning of the third year and end of the second year.  National Fisheries Solidarity Movement obtained a fresh experience from this program because this is a new concept and program for the NAFSO as well as the people. This program shows a new approach to the marginalize community with a new vision.  NAFSO attempted to socialize the budget monitoring concept  as a challenge. 
NAFSO had to spend more time to build up the basement in the inceptive stage of this project. We needed to build up some kind of deep conversation among the people on this new concept. However, we managed to establish citizen forums with different challenges as a result of  great  attempt but  we faced huge obstructions. This was a new program for the people also. We tried to establish citizen forum process in four districts such as Jaffna, Mannar, Trincomalee and Ampara to organize the people around the citizen forums to ensure the development rights of the people on that.  But, there were some complicate situations related to the citizen forum s in Jaffna and Ampara district. Therefore, we got a decision to develop the citizen forums as module further in Mannar and Trincomalee districts.
According to the whole experience, we were able to build the two citizen forums over the stable situation at the beginning of 2012. That means, the concept of the citizen forum has established in Mannar and Trincomalee districts after two years of this process. 
A space is opening gradually to the people to concern and intervene about their rights not only the development rights  but also other basic rights after finishing the conflict situation in the country. People’s rights had been covered in the war. People did not much intervene to ensure their rights because they had no enough opportunities  to engage with that area.
Now, people are concerning about the development rights on the  post war situation. Therefore, we were able to introduce a new approach for the people implementing budget-monitoring program which can be used to make sure people’s rights. Although we had to spend much time to build up the basement within the inceptive years, we managed to succeed strengthening  two citizen forums in the field in the second year. After the second year, we were able to fully strengthen the citizen forums and citizen forums built the some kind of civil power functioning among the people in the particular fields. They had their own identification built in this  arena.  The citizen forums strengthened the constructive links with divisional secretariat office, local governmental institutes including other governmental officers, the police, school, hospital, cooperative, transport  board, fisheries office and  religion leaders on development purposes in second year. One of the special facts is that citizen forums were maintain the relationship with Assistance Commissioner of Local Government in both districts. The representatives of the citizen forums participated to the people’s gallery. One  member of citizen forum had a membership of advisory committee in the pradeshiya saba in Trincomalee district.  Citizen forums kept connection with political representatives and governmental officers through the people council. Women leadership is one of the positive features in the citizen forum process. There was a considerable women participation in the citizen forums.
We entered  to third year of this process over above situation. Therefore, we were working properly five villages of the Musali pradeshiya saba domain in Mannar district in Northern province and five villages in Town and Gravest pradeshiya saba domain and Trincomale Urban Council domain in Trincomale district in Eastern province in the  country.  According to that, we work with 10 villages in 3 local governmental domains in two districts in the country. There were stable 50 members of two citizen forums.
There was a discussion among the citizen forums to expand this process opening opportunities wider participants to engage with the citizen forum from the beginning. The expectation of the citizen forum members was to  be organized the people around the citizen forums  pressure to the local  governmental bodies. Therefore, although we have identified stable 25 members for the citizen forum we opened the doors of citizen forums to enter the people who would like to engage with this process. 
We tried to shape and strengthen the citizen forums selecting  two citizen forums among four citizen forums such as Jaffna, Mannar, Trincomalee and Ampara districts as modules in this year. We  continued the process organizing  the people and direct them to make sure their rights. The way of this process is gradually coming forward with the many difficulties.  
Some features of democracy such as human rights, media freedom, right to information, citizen rights, rule of law and good governance has challenged in this existing socio, economic and political context in the country.  There are many gaps of the development in the country. The  authorities for the people are not taking their responsible properly. Pressure is being built against the people according to the existing situation. Therefore, people are motivated to engage with the citizen forums to find solutions for the problems they face in this context. The citizen forums obtained the social value and acceptation in the community. The government also is  establishing  citizen forums in district level.
We planned to strengthen  selected citizen forums as modules in Mannar and Trincomale districts  as we extend this program to the third year. So, we needed intervene to ensure the people’s developments rights strengthening  further two citizen forums .  We implemented  the budget monitoring program  focusing  on three concerns. 1. Strength the citizen forums shaping and updating the knowledge of citizen forum 2. Ensure the constructive links between  the citizen forum and other sectors 3. Involve to the policy an advocacy on development rights of the people

We often concern to improve the understanding of the citizen forum members over different areas such as budget allocation, budget circle, Various awareness programs have been conducted to improve their knowledge. We wanted  to create an active citizen developing specially knowledge, skills and attitudes of them. We conducted  leadership and capacity building trainings in this year.  Not only that but also the citizen forums members were able to participate external  leadership and capacity building training which   was organized as a common program in the secretariat of NAFSO in Negombo.  Some selected citizen forum members participated to the program which consisted of leadership and documenting parts.

The citizen forums have  already built up constructive link with local governments. We concerned to maintain those relationship in a positive way further. There are   positive advantages of keeping a connection with them.  The citizen forum has created an own identification among the community.  Except the link with the local government, the citizen forum has connections with governmental officials, civil societies, religion leaders as well as other responsible officials. 

There is another citizen forum which is being leaded by one Rev. father in Mannar district. That is a great encouragement  for the citizen forum in Mannar because  both of citizen forums function on a same purpose. The Musali citizen forum always attempts to organize common campaigns with the collaboration of District Citizen Forum, focus group members and general people. That is one of the major advantages to be organized some kind of huge campaign against the decision makers. Otherwise, we are unable to influence to the decision makers due to the existing political culture in the country. We  organized  campaigns to get an attention of responsible authorities on the informal construction specially even  organizing silent march with the people.  

We tried to work with the NGO forum closely in Trincomale district because the citizen forum needed to get collaboration actions on common  issues.  Having a membership of the NGO forum we were able to share responsibilities according to the programs the NGOs implement in the same area. The Mannar citizen forum also is keeping contact with likeminded organizations which are working in the same area but not a membership in NGO forum in Mannar. We are seeking to join to the NGO forum in Mannar district.
We succeed to hand over the alternative budget proposals to the local governments in both districts. That was one of the most important events because there was a long process to succeed this attempt. We organized meetings to collect people’s proposals in village level. Then, we prepared a common budget proposal connecting the whole proposals. We convened a common meeting with the political representatives for the open discussion about the proposal. That was a good affect  concern to the policy political representatives about our alternative budget proposals. There was a critical discussion between the people and political representatives based on the budget proposal which was prepared with the people’s engagement.
There are some evidences for validity of the citizen forum in intervening to ensure the people’s rights on development. National Fisheries Solidarity Movement has taken a decision to introduce the concept of budget monitoring to other areas where NAFSO is working on internal displaced people ( IDP) and women headed families based on the experience of citizen forum process. NAFSO has built a citizen forum related to the IDP program in Betticaloa district. IDP program has planned to establish  citizen forum for other places where they implement the program in the North and East. That is a good indicator for development of the citizen forum.

This was taken about the citizen forum process by National fisheries Solidarity Movement considering its ability and validity, a decision has been taken to introduce the concept of citizen forum to other areas where NAFSO works related IDP program base on the experience.   NAFSO has built a citizen forum related to the IDP program in Betticaloa district. IDP program has planned to introduce citizen forum for other places where they implement the program in the North and East. That is a good indicator for development of the citizen forum. We managed to conduct a stakeholder meeting in both districts . That was our achievement and we paid many attentions to be concerned the people’s consensus for the local government through the stakeholder meeting.
It changed the planned exposure visit because of the request from national level. We change only a time period but not the contain or whole program. Although the exposure visit had been planned in the fourth quarter, it was organized inviting network partners to get experience about the citizen forum in Musali in second quarter. That was a good experience for the network partners about the citizen forum in Musali as well as participants were able to get general  understanding about how NAFSO implements the budget monitoring program in the North and East.
We  concern what we learnt during the two years period  on budget monitoring program because we hope to develop citizen forums successfully in Mannar and Trincomlee districts further. We limited to implement the planned activities in the first month of third year because of the fund reasons. We managed to implement regular citizen forum meeting and focus group meeting in village level. Although we planned two leadership trainings to conduct in April, we succeeded to conduct one leadership and capacity building training to the citizen forum in Mannar. We have to implement training for the citizen of Trincomlee in July.
Stakeholder meeting was one of the important events that we conducted in the field level. We gave priority  the candidates of Northern province to deliver their policy statement to the public. Implementing this program in the North and east was actually a challenge for NAFSO but we took the challenge because we had a strong belief that we are able to implement the program in the North and east successfully.
 Lack of civil administration, poverty, economic background of the people, restrictions to intervene in the North and East districts for civil society activists without permits from Presidential Task Force, highly restricted powers of the security forces were the main challenges to the program in North and East. The main challenge was coming from the security forces related to the government.  Intelligent services often follow  and observe the activities and citizen forum members in the field.  They collect all information observing the citizen forums intervention to make sure the people rights.
We faced a crucial situation as an organization, which is intervening to ensure the people’s development rights in this year. NFSO intervention for ensuring people’s rights is being closely monitored and questioned by the government in existing situation.  Mr. Raheem Nana who is the district coordinator of Trincomalee district was questioned and gathered information about him  by the intelligent officers. Mr. Raheem was informed to appear in the Government Intelligent Service in Colombo. He was monitored even checking note books, notes   by the  intelligent officers related to the police in Trincomalee.  Sunesh  who is the district coordinator also was questioned by unknown groups and he has been  threatened by unknown group over the phone. Unknown group has gathered information about him. So, we have to face  a real challenge when we implement our programs with the people specially in the North and East. In the end of the this year, Mr. Sunesh, coordinator of the NAFSO in Mannar faced worst situation because of the intervention of him to protect the people’s rights as a human right defender. The security situation was gradually  becoming worst than the beginning. There was a threat to his life. He changed his living place time to time due to the influence he faced. Finally, NAFSO took a decision to send him abroad to make sure his life. According to those situations, we have paid more attention to the protection of the activities.  
 Out come
Indicator
Activities
One
1
·        36 Focus group discussions were conducted
·        18 Regular  citizen forum meetings were organized
2
·        2 meetings with the community leaders  and religion leaders
3
·        6 awareness programs were conducted
·        3 Leadership and capacity building training have been held
4
·        Collect the information on budgets
Two
1
·        2 stakeholder’s meeting  were convened
2
·        11 members have   participated to the people’s gallery
·        8 members have participated to the main committee of the local government
3

4
·        3  people councils were held
·        9 discussions  were organized with policy makers
·        1 discussion was arranged to search the feasibilities to open the gallery 
5
·        4 practical action to monitor the budget
·        2 open discussions to hand over the alternative budget proposals
Three
1
·        9  District coordinators meetings were arranged
2
·        1 exposure visit was organized
3
·        10. NGO forum meetings
·        1 Regional summit was conducted
4
·        Record the minutes of the citizen forums

Focus group discussions-
36 focus group discussions were conducted in village level in two districts  innthis year. 23 focus groups were conducted in Mannar and 13 focus groups have been held in Trincomalee districts. Focus groups are the main basement of the both citizen forums. That is more important to the citizen forums because citizen  forums are functioned based on the focus groups. Many people are able to participate to the focus groups and concern their issues in the village on development. There is no limitations of members participate to the focus groups. That is a more flexible discussion in the village level. Five representatives are coming to the main citizen forum from the focus group. 68 members have participated to the focus groups discussions in Mannar. 38 members have participated to the focus group discussion in Trincomalee district.

Regular  citizen forum meetings
18 regular  citizen forum meetings have been conducted in bath districts in this year. 405 members have participated to the 18 citizen forum meetings in Trincomalee and Mannar districts. This is main structure of this process.   We conduct monthly citizen forum meetings in every month. 214 members have participated to the 9 citizen forums in Mannar district and 191 members have participated to the 9 citizen forums in Trincomalee district. The citizen forums are the main body which can take decisions on the development issues in the area.

Meeting with the community and religion leaders-
2 meetings were organized with the community and religion leaders to discussion about the existing situation of the project such as some barriers and difficulties we face when we implement the program in the field. We planned to aware them about the situation of the project as well as share the progress and future programs of the project with them. One religion leader and 8 community leaders have participated to the meeting in Trincomle district. One Rev. Father and 10 community leaders participated to the meeting which was arranged in Sawariyarpuram in Musali, Mannar. Leaders have been updated about the situation of the project.  Religion and community leaders have agreed support to implement the project properly in two districts. Those meetings were organized according to the existed situation in the district level. We faced some difficulties in the field. Therefore, we organized those meeting to aware the leaders about the situation.

Awareness programs
6 awareness programs were conducted consisting of two advance awareness programs with citizen forum members, regional level leaders and political representatives in local governments, two awareness programs to analyze the budget allocation and budget circle of the  national budget and local governments’ budget  of year 2013and two awareness programs to the citizen forums about the frame work in this year. We conducted 2 advance programs in each district. 51 members have participated in both discussions such as 24 members in the Mannar program and 27 members in the Trincomalee district. We organized two awareness program to  educate the citizen forum members on budget and related issues. There were  43 members in both programs. There were 26 members in Mannar program and 27 participants in Trincomalee program. We conducted another two awareness programs to provide the knowledge about the frame work in both districts. 25 members have participated to the program in Mannar district. 21 members have participated to the program in Trincomalee district. Improving the understanding of the citizen forums is one of our main strategies on this project. We concerned to shape and update the understanding of the citizen forums because they are the core groups which engage to the process on development. 

Practical actins on budget monitoring
One campaign and three meetings  were  organized to get an attention of responsible authorities on the development issues and providing services of the pradeshiya saba. One campaign was organized to be concerned about the  informal construction specially in Savariyarpuram, Mannar. .  Silent march was conducted with the participation of the people in Musali. There were more than 50 participants for the campaign.  Protesters marched with the placards to the local government.  Finally, a petition was handed over discussing with the president of local government by the protesters. The president of the citizen forum directed the campaign with the support of people. Three meeting were arranged with the pradeshiya saba to influence them on the development issues which came out of the citizen forums. We wanted to challenge the political representatives on their proving services.

Leadership and capacity building training
3 leadership and capacity building trainings have been conducted in this year. One of those was conducted in Trincomalee and other was arranged in the secretariat office of NAFSO in national level, Negombo. That was a common training program. Five selected members participated in bath citizen forums. Participants were able to got understanding about leadership as well as documenting methods. Four female and one male participated from Trincomalee and three female and two male came representing the citizen forum in Musali, Mannar.  Other leadership and capacity building training was conducted in Trincomalee district . There were 21 participants for the training program as 15 females and 6 males. The training was arranged in the center of fisher cooperative society, Trincomalee  Third leadership training was conducted in Mannar. 30 members have participated to the leadership program in Mannar district. We always concerned to build up leadership in the citizen forum. They are leaders in the community. The citizen forum lead the community in positive way to find the solution for the development issues in the area. Leadership skill should be developed in the citizen forums.
It collects the information about the budget as a supportive work for the citizen forum
Stakeholder meetings
 2 stakeholder meetings were organized  in regional level in Mannar and Trincomalee district.  Mr. Adekkelanadan, Member of Parliament, Mr. Kunaseelan, Denis wernan and Sihaharan, candidates of the provincial election in the area, vice president and some members of the local government and community leaders participated to the meeting. There were more than 28 members in the meeting as 13 female and 15 males. Citizen forum has handed over a requirement   letter to the politicians. We organized the stakeholder meeting based on the provincial election in Mannar district. We provided a space for the candidates to meet the people on their policies. There was a critical discussion between the citizen forum members and candidates. Second stakeholder meeting was conducted in Trincomalee district. 23 members participated to the meeting.

People’s gallery-
The citizen forum has a permission to be participated members to the people’s gallery in Trincomalee district. The people’s gallery did not open for the public in Musali because of the limited physical resources. We have discussed with the authorities to open the people gallery in the pradeshiya saba in Musali. They have agreed to open and give an opportunity  participate to the gallery as citizen forum. 11 member have participated to the people gallery in Trincomalee district.  
Main committee-
8 members have participated to the advisory committee in the pradeshiya saba in Trincomalee district in this year. A member of the citizen forum has permission for the advisory committee. She represents the citizen forum in the advisory committee. She raises the issues, which identify in the citizen forum in the advisory committee.

People councils-
3 people councils have been organized in both districts. One people council was organized in Trincomalee. . Musali citizen forum has conducted two people council in this year . Assistant commissioner of local government, secretary and two members of the local government as well as two representatives from the police participated to the people council. There were 57 members  in two meetings in Mannar. People had a good opportunity to discuss with officials and concern about the development issues. The people officers were questioned about the security situation of the area as well as participants directly presented problems that there are facing in the area.  The people council was also   in Trincomalee district .  Vice president of the local government participated to the meeting.  20 members have participated to the people council as 13 females and 7 males. That was a good space the citizen forum members to be concerned the issues the people face to the vice president of the local government.  We had to spend the money, which allocated to the people council to the regional citizen summit that should have been organized by LST.

Discussions with the policy makers-
9 discussions were conducted with the policy makers in this year. Discussion with policy makers is very important event in the citizen forum process because people can influence to the decision makers through this. We were able to conduct  7 meetings with policy makers in this year in Trincomalee and Mannr districts. 2 of them were conducted in Musali  and other  5 meetings organized in Trincomalee. President, vice president and one members of the local government participated to the discussion in Mannar. Some selected members of citizen forum were allowed to participate to the discussion. Ten members consisting of president and secretary of the citizen forum attended to the meeting in the local government, Musali. President and vice president participated to the discussion with the citizen forum members in Trincomlee district. 20 members have  participated to the discussion with decision makers in Mannar 60 members have participated to the meeting with decision makers in 5 meetings in Trincomalee district. Members of citizen forum raised some issues related to the development as well as preparing the annual budget for 2014, convening four stable committees in the council. But the president did not much concern about the people’s requirements. The president failed to explain how they are going to get people’s proposals for the annual budget in 2014. The president of the local government did not reply for many questions that the citizen forum members asked. We met the policy makers on different issues on development. We discussed with them after submitting the people’s budget proposals to follow the process of preparing the budget of pradeshiya saba.

Discussion to open the people’s gallery-
The citizen forum of Musali met the president and political representatives to find the any alternative way to open the people gallery  and get a membership to the committees in Mannar district. But we were unable to be opened the people’s gallery because of the under construction of the building. The president has agreed to open the people gallery after finishing the building. According to them there is no enough physical space to arrange the people’s gallery in the pradeshiya saba building. 


Handing over the budget proposals -
2 open discussions arranged  spastically hand over the people’s budget proposals to the authorities. There was an important event because there was a very useful and critical discussion in those meetings.  We invited to the president and secretary of the pradehsiya saba and urban council in Trincomale district. We prepared the budget proposal collecting the information in village level. We built an open dialogue between the people and political representatives on the people’s proposals. There were 45 people in the meeting representing ten villages in Trincomalee district. We arranged a meeting to hand over the budget proposals in Mannar district also. 20 members participated to the meeting.
9 district coordinators meeting were conducted in the secretariat office of Nafso in this year at Negombo.  Districts coordinators participated to the meeting in bath districts. We conduct monthly evaluation meeting as common meeting being covered all projects which implement in the North and East as NAFSO.

Exposure visit-
We arranged an exposure visit to Musali citizen forum inviting network partners of ACDN. There were 38 participations representing CSR, UCDC and NAFSO.  6 participants had come from the citizen forum in Trincomalee district. 37 participants had engaged with the exposure visit representing the citizen forum in Musali, Mannar. That group  consisted of citizen forum members, community leaders and officers in the area. The exposure visit  had planned as two days.  We hoped to share the experiences with network partners on citizen forum process as well as we provided an opportunity the network partners to get experience about the people in Mullikulam. The case in Mullikulam is an important land issue which happened as a result of the war. The village has been captured by the Nave. People are straggling to ensure people’s rights. We wished to share the experience on straggle to ensure the rights.
First day of the exposure visit, we planned to share the experience of the citizen forum process in Musali. Two invitee’s speaks were arranged in the meeting. Rev. father Sebamale who is the president of the district citizen forum shared his experiences on citizen forum. Secretary of the district citizen forum participated to the exposure visit. Secretary of the local government, vice president of the local government in Mannar as well as assistance commissioner of the local government also participated to the program. The ACGL presented the role of the local government on regional development process. Mr. Sunesh who is the district coordinator in Mannar basically presented the way of citizen forum in Musali. President, vice president, secretary and three members of the citizen forum participated to the panel discussion in Musali. That was a good experience for the network partners according to their comments.
NGO forum meetings-
10 NGO forums meetings had covered by the citizen forum in Trincomalee district. District coordinator of Trincomalee district has participated to the NGO forum meeting representing citizen forum in every month of this quarter.  That is a good opportunity for the citizen forum because the citizen forum is able to share information with other organizations, which work in the area on same purposes.

Regional citizen summit-
NAFSO arranged the regional citizen summit with the collaboration of CSR as partners of the ACDN network in this year. This was organized in Anuradapuara. This summit should have been organized by LST in national level. The members of the citizen forums from Mannar and Trincomalee district as well as CSR participated to the summit. We concerned to aware the participants on various issues in the summit and we concerned to assess the program of the citizen forum process in the summit.

Record the minutes of the citizen forums-
This is a normal procedure of the citizen forum because citizen forums usually keep the record according to the meeting the conduct.



Challengers-
1.     Intelligent services related to the security forces always observe the meetings  of the citizen forum as well as leaders and activators. They collect the information about  the citizen forum as well as the official, leaders related to the citizen forum. Some members have feared participate to the citizen forum.  Intelligent officers directly involve to the people’s activities. As an example,  An intelligent officer participated to the exposure visit program in Musali also. He questioned about the  program and participants participating to the program. Intervention of the security forces limits the freedom of the people to activate  on citizen forum.
In the midst of this year, the district coordinator of Trincmalee district convened to the headquarter of the criminal investigation department of Coombo.  He had been questioned about some areas related to the citizen forum process. In the third quarter of this year, district coordinator of Mannar had to change of his living country because of the threatens from forces. His involvement to ensure the people rights was questioned by the forces. He is living in abroad because of the threatens.
2.     The government’s attitude and propaganda about non government organizations influences us  to organize the people on  rights. The government authorities always attempt to be under control  the organization, which may influence against the governmental political mechanism on establishing their political agenda. The government has established a powerful intelligent service mechanism to monitor every  non government organization which challenge the government decisions especially in the North and East. We are being monitored closely by the intelligent services of the government.

3.     Accessing to correct information is one of the main challenges for the citizen forum because local government authorities do not follow the rules and regulation on publishing information. General public are also not allowed to access the information especially in the local government. If people concern about the corruptions happening they have no opportunity to get legal action without proper documents. Pradeshiya saba does not provide enough space to get some important information specially information related to the budget allocation and contractors. There is no accepted producer to get information. That depends on the privet relationship with them.
4.     Some behavior of the authorities of the local government is a challenge because they do not respond in a positive way in some situation.  We faced some incidents in the meeting with political representatives that they have no active reactions  for some issues. They have no understanding about the new changers of constitute. Those  are challenge  we faced in this year. As an example,  The president of the local government failed to explain the process for preparing annual budget in 2014. He does not ready to get people’s proposals from the public. He has no proper process to be participated the people for preparing the budget. Those situations are challenge for the people because citizen forum has to go forward breaking those barriers. Some citizen forum members have disappointed on this situation.   
5.     Relevant local governments and officials are not in optimal level yet. They have no deep concern about the people’s gallery or main committees as well as the range of the constitute of local government. Although we intervened to create the main committee, they did not take these issues as important components.
6.     Commitment of the political representatives is one reasonable fact because although the political representatives agreed to provide solutions or change the situation they do not properly get actions on that. The citizen forums need to influence always to find the solutions.
Lessons learn t-
·        The people who are in the North and East   are much concern about their rights than southern communities. There is a  potential  to organize the people on ensuring rights because they have hidden temper being against the unjust. Although people are in the margin of the poor, their moral is high. The people were in the dark in the war period. Their rights were not ensured over the way but people now gradually come forward to ensue the rights again sting the unjust. 
·        The citizen forums have given a space to gather people who unorganized because of the war in the north and east. People could build a common voice against many unjust situations using the citizen forum as the focal point. People are gathering around the citizen forums because they want to some kind of structure to raise their voice. The citizen forums have provided a platform them to organize as well.
·        Majority of the citizen forum members  are Tamil and Muslim  who live with limited facilities in the North and East. They lived in the midst of the civil war for three decades. Many Tamil people have intervened to the war directly or indirectly. They are in frustration because their rights were not ensured in any condition in the country. They are  poor and weak economically and  politically  when compare with the southern community.    They have limit voice on ensuring the people’s rights. Citizen forums should be strengthened in different ways developing leadership, capacity , knowledge and attitude of the members because citizen forum can intervene among the community on people rights. Although the war has been finished  the advantage of the development did not receive to the people in regional level yet.
·        Strong leadership can be seen because of conducting many training programs. The leaders of the citizen forums  are gradually developing through intervention for the civil activities. We have identified even strong women leadership in the citizen forum. People are enough strong to challenge the policy makers, question the politicians on development as well.
·        Engaging the professionals and developing the close connection with media are very important for the citizen forum to expand the process and get concerns from outsiders.  
·        There should be clear aims and way for the citizen forum. People should  be felt that they are the most important members of the citizen forum. Any space should not be created for the citizen forum members to feel frustration about the citizen forum. There should  be a continuation of the actions. Otherwise, citizen forums are unable to function successfully.  
People are questioning the political representatives who participated to the meeting on handing over the budget proposal in Trincomalee district

People are questioning the political representatives who participated to the meeting on handing over the budget proposal in Trincomalee district

Some occasions of the meetings organized to hand over the budget proposal in Trincomalee

Some occasions of the meetings organized to hand over the budget proposal in Trincomalee

The Mayor of the urban council and political representatives of the pradeshiay shaba are participating to the meeting

Handing over the budget proposal to the urban council

Focus group discussion in the village level in Trincomalee

Committee meeting of the CF in Trincomalee


.   Campaigning to be concerned the development issues to the pradeshiya shaba in Mannar



.   Campaigning to be concerned the development issues to the pradeshiya shaba in Mannar

.  Rev. father is expressing to the Southern group in the exposure visit in Mannar

- Sothern group is visiting the Mullikulam IDP people on exposure visit  in Mannar
Southern group is sharing the experience in Mullikulam
Discuss with the president of pradeshiya shaba in Trincomalee

- Handing over a petition to the president of pradeshiya shaba in Trincomale

- Candidates of the provincial election of Northern province are meeting the citizen forum
Citizen summit in Anuradapuara 
Citizen summit in Anuradapuara