Mid-Term Evaluation: PAHUNCH – Strengthening the Poor and Marginalized Communities’ Access to Justice and Security in Nepal (May 2018)

This is the mid-term review report of the Search for Common Ground (Search) Nepal’s project “Pahunch: Strengthening the Poor and Marginalized’s Access to Justice and Security in Nepal.” The project is being implemented by Search Nepal in partnership with the Centre for Legal Research Resource Development (CeLRRd), Human Rights and Community Development Academy Nepal (HUCODAN), and Centre for Security and Justice Studies (CSJS). With a total budget of GBP 3.44 million, the project is funded by DFID Nepal, which is part of DFID Nepal’s Integrated Programme on Strengthening Security and Justice (IP-SSJ). It started on 5th January 2015 and will continue until 31 December 2018.
The project aims to improve access to security and justice services for the poor and marginalized communities, specifically women, in target districts. The project is built on five output areas: Increasing public awareness on security and justice issues; Improving citizen-police relationships and mutual accountability; Improving police responsiveness; Improving court responsiveness and legal aid and Output and Community Mediation.
The project is implemented in 12 districts namely Sunsari, Saptari Siraha, Dhanusha, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Kathmandu, Nawalparasi, Rupandehi, Kapilvastu, and Dang. These districts were selected in consultation with the Nepal Police-Research and Planning Directorate (RPD), United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and DFID, and with reference to the selection of new grantees by the Danish, DFID and Swiss-funded Governance Facility.