These youth institutions in the Lare Woreda were strengthened to claim inclusive democracy, good governance, and social entitlements collectively – so that collaboration among youth and their institutions; and with government strengthened, social accountability framework exercised to ensure youth participation in making sure proper delivery of basic services to youth and other community members; an also make service providers accountable to citizens. Social Accountability Committee (SAC) established and trained members on social accountability and Human Rights Based Approach (HRBA) in development. Other youth and government officials also trained on same to facilitate inclusion and promotion of rights for hard to reach people including women, youth with disability, and minorities such as Anuack clans residing in Lare Woreda. The project has also established 5 youth-led peace and co-existence clubs which comprise of 40 members drawn from 28 kebeles of Lare Woreda were established and have been meeting monthly. As a result of the interventions of the clubs, there has been increased awareness on the concepts of active citizenship and social cohesion among the community members throughout Lare woreda, and peace and social cohesion has been fostered.

On the other hand, the project was able to adapt and facilitate use of indigenous conflict resolution, mediation, and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms to resolve various youth issues. These mechanisms were used for facilitation of youth-led inter-ethnic dialogue and partnership conferences, dialogue sessions, youth-led art, culture and sport events for peaceful co-existence and inter- regional experience exchange sessions. Apart from that efforts were made to make sure that youth in the target Woreda, as part of an emerging region, take part in the 2021 Ethiopian National election and be active participants. For this, election promoter youth training provided, voters’ education for election awareness raising sessions and youth led debate sessions organized. All these enable the project to strengthen nation-building and peaceful co-existence However; additional efforts are need in the same Woreda to deepen the results scored so far and ensure sustainably strengthened youth structures in Lare Woreda. It is also crucial to spread these efforts to other Woredas of Nuer Zone so that that can be a very good input to undertake regional level advocacy on youth issues and promote youth voice with proper participation as well inclusion of women youth and youth with various forms of disabilities.

Hence, TEA envisioned scaling up these changes in other four Woredas in Nuer Zone of Gambella regional state and deepening the results that have been achieved in the previous target Woreda, Lare. This is with the intention to test the mechanisms and then move up to engage with regional level concerned government offices and governing bodies to improve proper engagement as well as policy advocacy to promote fulfilment of rights and services for youth in the entire region including women, youth disabilities and social minorities..

The overall goal of the project is to enhance engagement and participation of youth and their structures and/or institutions on their own socio economic issues through promoting inclusiveness of women, youth with disabilities, and youth from social minorities; strengthened dialogue among youth and with government through sustainable platforms to value voices of youth for meaningful level of engagement on socioeconomic and good governance in Nuer Zone of Gambella National Regional State of Ethiopia.

In the first phase of the project we reached 7,910 young boys and girls (50% young women). The second phase of the project that will focus on the rest of outcomes and outputs will target additional 5,455 young boys and girls (45% young women) –the total targets for 18 months being 13,365 young boys and girls (48% young women). In addition, 90 youth with disabilities will be addressed in the first 6 months implementation and the remaining 110 youths with disability will be addressed in the later 12 months period. The direct beneficiaries that will be addressed in the first phase of the project is estimated to be13,040 (48% young women) and the remaining 19,610 will be targeted on the later 12 months.