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Current thematic focus of the program
The main advocacy issue is Food sovereignty ( Food Aid)
by way of challenging local policies and global negative
impacts. ACORD is a leading member of Local and
international network of Organization known as PANE
(Poverty Action Net Work Ethiopia) advocating on
governance and policy issue. Policies related to food
Aid and land tenure system are the main advocacy issues.
The ACORD Area Program Manager is the chairman of PANE.
Various meetings and workshops were held and
implementation has started in bringing different groups
and institutions together to exchange their experiences
and together voice their concerns. Research are planned
this year to clearly understand and articulate the
impact of Food aid on local capacities, production and
marketing.
In addition the program has played a key role in
bringing the issues Nuer pastoralist which were
marginalized for long to be the part of the National
Pastoralist Advocacy. ACORD as a member of few
International and local NGO network known as PFE (
Pastoralist Forum Ethiopia) has contributed a lot in
influencing the introduction Pastoralist livelihood
policy in Ethiopia for the first time. ACORD was also
participated and inputs a lot in drafting the policy
which was ratified latter by the parliament of Ethiopia.
The practical Livelihood activities are capacity
building of Community owned Micro - finance institution
and CBO managed saving and credit schemes in the urban
areas. The provision of technical advisory services,
trainings and setting-up of systems and guidelines are
the major practical activities. In the rural areas the
program delivers animal health services to Pastoralist
community and supports fishing and small scale women
income generation activities.
The program Conflict works at present is at the regional
level addressing Inter-clans and inter-ethnic conflicts
in Gambella. The program has influenced the regional
government and through it the federal Government to
listen to the peoples opinion and suggestions on the
recurrent latent and recurrent open conflicts in the
area. ACORD has persistently challenged the Government
to consider the issue of conflict among the priority
development issues in Gambella region which it succeeded
to influence after seven years of courageous
encouragements and interactions. ACORD has achieved this
through the sharing of researches documents, reports,
meetings with officials and individual interaction with
key officials and influential personalities. It is now
possible to openly discuss the issues of conflict in
Gambella and for the first time ACORD has brought varies
community groups from different clans and ethnic
background to seat together, discuss root causes of
their conflict and seek solutions. To this end various
public meetings and focused workshops were conducted
which have contributed a lot in the peace building
process particularly after the December 2003 open
conflict that results into loss of life and displacement
of people in Gambella.
ACORD also works in partnership with Local NGOs and
faith based organizations and plays important role in
building their capacity in peace building and advocacy
skill.
The partnership has helped a lot in bringing together
different communities, ethnic groups and people of
different faith groups attend to the conflict and peace
building process.
In HIV/AIDS the intervention is mainly focused on
awareness raising and capacity building of various
communities anti –aids groups. Recently the program is
articulating its advocacy strategy for free access to
ARV.
The Gender activities are integrated in to all program
activities in addressing livelihood activities and
enhancing capacity of women organizations in
participation and decision makings roles in community
affairs of their concern. It is focused more in
awareness raising, practical supports and strengthening
of women organizations at the grass root. However the
program has started working challenging and influencing
negative cultural practices and attitude that negatively
works against women’s right and freedom. The Polygamy
and dowry cultural practices are the main issues of
concern the program is trying to Address in Gambella.
Researches were conducted and widely discussed in the
regional workshop with the participation of government
officials, NGOs, elders, women and other community
groups. It was a moment of questioning and awareness
raising by many and contributes much in creating
understanding on the issues which was not well perceived
by various groups and individuals as serious impediment.
The program social action works are linked with
practical service delivery activities. Every service
delivery is targeted through community organizations and
organized group. This has helped the program primarily
to build and trust with the community. The program
enhanced peoples’ basic understandings related to
participation, right, poverty, institutional
development. It also provides practical supports in
building institutional evolution of CBOs particularly in
urban areas. Most of the CBOs which started with ACORD
in Practical support activities at a very grass lot
level have now evolved into bigger umbrella
organizations at local and regional level. They have
started to challenge and demand their right in several
occasions. Influencing the change in the Ethiopian
association law in favor of registration of umbrella
organizations, accessing space in various social and
development committees, standing for the right of their
grass root member CBOs and individuals and their
participation in PRSP process are few to mention.
In addition presently these institutions are playing
very strong practical supports to their members in
HIV/AIDS awareness raising, educating their members on
basic human rights and constitution, provision of credit
and saving, and health and other social support
services.
These are the primary grass root ACORD partner
institutions that plays key role in the social action
and advocacy activities in Ethiopia Area programs.
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