Report on Grievance Redressed Mechanism (GRM) &

Safeguard Training

Higher Education Development Program

Ministry of Higher Education

October, 2017

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Contents

Background/ Preface ............................................................................................................................. 2

Introduction/ Objective ......................................................................................................................... 3

Target Groups ........................................................................................................................................ 3

Proposed Trainers .................................................................................................................................. 4

Modality of Training ............................................................................................................................... 4

Tracking impact/ Monitoring Methodology .......................................................................................... 7

Conclusion .............................................................................................................................................. 7

ANNEX 1 ................................................................................................................................................. 8

ANNEX 2 ................................................................................................................................................. 9

ANNEX 3 ............................................................................................................................................... 10

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Background/ Preface The Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) has drafted a Second National Higher Education

Strategic Plan (NHESP II) for 2015-2020. It outlines the government’s vision, mission and values,

strategies and interventions, aimed at achieving the long-term higher education development

goals of the country. The main aim of the NHESP II is to improve the quality and economic

relevance of the higher education sector; and increase participation in higher education, with a

special focus on labor market-oriented degree programs. The World Bank has initiated Higher

Education Development Project (HEDP) with financing from the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust

Fund (ARTF) to support the GoA’s NHESP II.

In support of (NHESP II) for 2015-2020 an Environmental and Social Management Framework

(ESMF) has been developed in tandem with a Resettlement Policy Framework (RPF) as a

combination of due diligence instruments required to address and manage environmental and

social impacts associated with the NHESP II.

The framework has been prepared to meet the World Bank safeguard requirements and

Government of Afghanistan (GoA) environmental procedures and will be disclosed prior to

appraisal of the HEDP. The Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) is the agency responsible for

implementing the provisions and recommendations outlined in the ESMF.

The objective of the ESMF is to provide a framework for effective management of environmental

and social issues in the proposed NHESP II. It seeks to both enhance environmental and social

development benefits of the NHESP II and mitigate any adverse impacts, in line with GoA and

World Bank policies and guidelines on management of environmental and social development

issues.

Considering the ESMF, MoHE/ HEDP established a Grievance Redressed Mechanism (GRM) with

a clear set of goals and objectives and a well-defined scope for its interventions, as well as a set

of procedures for receiving, recording, and handling complaints.

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Introduction/ Objective

Referencing the ESMF guidelines, a Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) has been established

by MoHE/ HEDP to ensure that the views and concerns of HEDP beneficiaries and of those

affected by the construction and function of University activities are heard and acted upon in a

timely, effective and transparent manner. Moreover, all the public universities established the

requested committees of (GRCs) into their universities.

To utilize this mechanism properly and address the beneficiaries’ complaints timely, HEDP

Safeguard team conducted a Safeguard and GRM training for all GRM focal points at HEDP/

MoHE.

The main objective of this training was to:

1. Introduce the Second National Higher Education Strategic Plan (NHESP II), ESMF, Social

and Environmental protection

2. Introduce GRM and grievance handling system properly

3. Educate them about the grievance redress mechanism procedure

4. Introduce this system to the all HEDP beneficiaries through this training

Target Groups

This training was conducted on October 24, 2017 for 35 Provincial/ Site level GRC Focal Points,

Central/ MoHE Level GRC members plus Planning and Policy Directorate Engineers.

Proposed Trainers

Since the trainings mainly focus on GRM Procedure plus Social and Environmental impacts on

community, the training was covered by Environmental and Social Specialists of Higher Education

Development Program (HEDP).

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Modality of the Training

Considering the agenda of the program, the training has been conducted in one full day in

HEDP/MoHE.

Brief of Second National Higher Education Strategic Plan (NHESP II)

A brief of Higher Education Development Program

Overview of ESMF

Grievance Redress Mechanism Introduction

Purpose of GRM Establishment

GRM Procedure

Grievance Redress Committees

TORs and main responsibilities of the committee

Complaint receiving and addressing process

Complaint refereeing process

After the recitation of Holy Quran, HEDP Director (Noor Ahmad Darwish) has started the program

with a warm welcome and brief introduction to HEDP Components, activities and achievements.

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Continuously, the Second National Higher Education Strategic Plan (NHESP II) plus Environmental

and Social Management Framework (ESMF) have been explained with detail by Mohammad Yasin

Noori (Environmental Specialist). Furthermore, the Social and Environmental protection

methodology and guidelines were part of the morning agenda as well.

The Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) was the next agenda of this program that has been

explained by Muzhgan Aslami the Social Safeguard Specialist. In this session an introduction to

the GRM, the purpose of its establishment and resources to this mechanism was explained.

Besides, the GRM Procedure (the ways of receiving the complaints, sorting of the complaint,

sharing the complaints with GRC members, the condition of sharing the complaint with central

committee in case the problem is not solved with site level committee) and using of database

and logbook while recording the grievances were the next topics of this presentation. Moreover,

the focal points were asked to utilize this mechanism into their universities as they get back, and

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conduct a training session for the universities’ committee members and an awareness program

for the beneficiaries.

The GRM focal point, Ms. Silsila Jabarkhail, has discussed two topics as part of her presentation.

Firstly, she talked about how GRM focal points can raise the awareness of GRM in their relevant

universities. Based on her presentation, GRM focal points are required to conduct GRM

Awareness Raising Campaign in the universities. Furthermore, the universities chancellors and

coordinators were advised to conduct this particular campaign in different forms and utilizing

various tools. To conduct awareness raising campaign, the participants of the training were

guided to conduct gatherings with the close collaboration of universities chancellors and faculties

deans. Moreover, participants were trained on using social and printed media for the awareness

raising purposes and reaching wide range of audiences. To do this, participants of the training

were advised to communicate this issue with the universities publication departments so that

they would also contribute to this campaign.

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Secondly, participants of the training were trained on how they can share their GRC activities

with the Ministry Level focal point on monthly and weekly basis. For this, the participants were

provided with the reporting template which they can use to send the reports of complains

registered and redressed.

Tracking Impact/ Monitoring Methodology

Monthly reporting system has been proposed for this mechanism. The provincial GRC focal points

are supposed to share monthly GRM report of their universities with MoHE/ HEDP focal point

and the collected data would be shared as part of bi-monthly report of the project.

Conclusion

This trainings was conducted to provide a clear understanding of the GRM process and make sure

that that participants understand the importance and effectiveness of this mechanism and its

procedure. Moreover, this training aimed to convey the shared information with all public

universities and HEDP beneficiaries through the GRM focal points.

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ANNEX 1: List of Universities (the representatives) Participated for the GRM & Safeguard Training

No Universities

1 Kabul University

2 Medical University

3 Polytechnic University

4 Kabul Education University

5 Al-Bironi University

6 Parwan University

7 Takhar University

8 Bamyan University

9 Khost University

10 Balkh University

11 Nengarhar University

12 Paktiya University

13 Kandahar University

14 Jawzjan University

15 Ghazni University

16 Baghlan University

17 Laghman University

18 Kunduz University

19 Sayed Jamaludin Afghan University / Kunar

20 Faryab University

21 Badakhshan University

22 Helmand Higher Education Institute

23 Badghis Higher Education Institute

24 Samangan Higher Education Institute

25 Panjshir Higher Education Institute

26 Paktika Higher Education Institute

27 Uruzgan Higher Education Institute

28 Sar-e-Pul Higher Education Institute

29 Ghor Higher Education Institute

30 Farah Higher Education Institute

31 Logar Higher Education Institute

32 Ghazni technical University

33 Maidan Wardak Higher Education Institute

34 Daikundi Higher Education Institute

35 Herat University

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ANNEX 2: Agenda of the Training

Day Date: Tuesday 24 October 2017

Session 1 Opening and Introduction

09:00 Holy Quran Recitation

09:05-09:30 Registration & Self-introduction

09:30 – 09:40 Opening Remarks; HEDP Director- Noor Ahmad Darwish

09:10 -09:30

Environmental and Social Management Framework ESMF/GRM-NHESP

II/MoHE

By: Safeguard Specialists-HEDP

- NHESP II Introduction

09:30-10:10 - ESMF introduction

10:10-10:25 Tea Break

10:30-11:00 - Environmental and Social Protection

11:00-12:00 - HEDP Components/Construction sectors ESMP/ESMF

12:00-01:00 Lunch and Pray Break

Session 2 GRM/GRCs Process/Complains

01:30-02:00 - GRM- Central and Local GRCs

02:00-03:00 - Local GRCs Responses and Referring Process

03:00-03:30 - Local GRC Training/ Beneficiary Awareness

03:30 – 03:40 - End

- Asking question and discussion?

Ministry of Higher Education

National Higher Education Strategic Plan II/ Environmental and Social Management Framework-

ESMF

Higher Education Development Program-HEDP/Safeguard Department

ESMF-GRM Awareness Rising Workshop (HEDP Meeting Room)

Program Agenda

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ANNEX 3: Pictures of the GRM and Safeguard Workshop

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