GRIEVANCE MECHANISM FOR COMPLAINTS RELATED TO CRD-IMPLEMENTED PROJECTS

Article 1: Subjects and scope of grievance mechanism
The grievance mechanism applies to project partners, beneficiary local communities and people, who may raise complaints about the governance, implementation, and other issue specific related CRD’s projects
Article 2: Principles of grievance mechanism
The grievance mechanism is based on the following guiding principles: responsiveness and confidentiality, objectivity and independence, simplicity, fairness, timeliness, and participation.
Article 3: The grievance mechanism hierarchy
1. The grievance mechanism is hierarchized from village to district, corresponding to three committees: Village grievance redress committee (VGRC) at village level; Commune grievance redress committee (CGRC) at commune level; and District grievance redress committee (DGRC) at district level.
2. VGRC is consisted of a chairman who is leader of Fatherland Front at village, a secretary who is leader of Women Union at village and 6 members who are village patriarch, village head, leaders of Veteran Union, Youth Union and Farm Union at village, and CRD project coordinator.
3. CGRC is comprised of a chairman who is Chairman or Vice-Chairman of commune People’s Committee, a secretary who is head of commune’s Women Union and 5 members who are leaders of commune’s Fatherland Front, Veteran Union, Youth Union and Farm Union, justice cum culture officer, and CRD project coordinator.
4. DGRC is co-chaired by Vice-Chairman of district People’s Committee in charge of social and culture affaires and CRD’s Director, including a secretary who is head of district administrative office and 7 members who are leaders of district’s Fatherland Front, Women Union, Veteran Union, Youth Union and Farm Union, leader of Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, leader of Ethnic Minority Department at district, and project coordinator.
Article 4: Grievance mechanism process at village
1. The VGRC is competent to address complaints related to CRD’s project within the village’s territory and shall report the ones beyond to the CGRC.
2. Complainant shall submit the feedback or complains containing relevant information and suggestions and/or comments to the VGRC secretary.
Alternatively, the complainant orally submit via phone or in person. If complainant who is ethnic minority being unable to speak Vietnamese language and/or illiteracy, and/or the disability, the VGRC secretary shall do translation and/or note taking complaints.
3. The VGRC secretary shall informs the complainant that the project will respond within 10 working days after the submission of grievance.
4. The Chairman of VGRC shall nominate VGRC member(s) to verify the complained issue by consulting issue-related actors while considering customary practices. A validation report of complain shall be prepared by the nominated member(s) and submitted to the VGRC.
5. The VGRC shall hold a meet to handle complaints with the attendance of complainant to ensure transparency. In the meeting, conclusion and resolutions shall be drawn and written down in a minute to handle the complaints.
6. The minute of meeting shall be signed by the Chairman, secretary and complainant with witness of other meeting attendants. If the complainant agrees, the proposed solution is carried out
7. The Chairman shall assign VGRC members to monitor, evaluate and report implementation of the remedial actions to the Chairman
8. The point 2 to 7, Article 4 can be repeated until the complainant get satisfied. However, if the complaints is not solved at VGRC, the Article 5 is activated.
Article 5: Grievance mechanism process at commune
1. The CGRC is competent to address complaints related to CRD’s project within the commune’s territory and shall report the ones beyond to the DGRC.
2. The secretary of VGRC shall submit the documents including (1) Minutes of VGRD meeting; (2) Report/ minute of complaint validation; (3) the complaint letter; (4) and the request letter to solve the complaints at the CGRC with signed off by the Chairman of VGRC. The secretary of VGRC shall inform the complainant that the complaint is submitted to the CGRC no later than 5 day since the submission.
3. Since the CGRC receives the documents from the VGRC, the Chairman of CGRC shall nominate CGRC member(s) to verify the issue in documents and do re-investigations if necessary. The nominated members shall prepare a working paper and re-investigation report (if any) and submit to the Chairman of CGRC for a committee meeting.
4. The CGRC shall hold a meet to handle complaints with the attendance of complainant and Chairman of VGRC. In the meeting, conclusion and resolutions shall be drawn and written down in a minute to handle the complaints.
5. The minute of meeting shall be signed by the CGRC Chairman, secretary and complainant with witness of others meeting attendants. If the complainant agrees, the proposed solution is carried out.
6. The Chairman shall assign CGRC members to monitor, evaluate and report implementation of the remedial actions to the Chairman
7. The points 2 to 5, Article 5 can be repeated until the complainant get satisfied. However, if the complaint is not solved at CGRC, the Article 6 is activated.
Article 6: Grievance mechanism process at district
1. The secretary of CGRC will submit the documents including (1) Minutes of CGRC field unit meeting; (2) Report/ minute of complaint investigation; (3) the complaint letter of complaint; (4) and the request letter to solve the complaints at DGRC. The secretary of CGRC shall inform the complainant that the related CRD project’s complaint is submitted to the DGRC no later than 5 day since the submission
2. Since the DGRC receives the documents from CGRC, the Chairman of DGRC shall nominate DGRC member(s) to verify the issue in documents and do re-investigations if necessary. The nominated members shall prepare a working paper and re-investigation report (if any) and submit to the Co-chairmen of DGRC for a committee meeting.
3. The DGRC shall hold a meet to handle complaints with the attendance of complainant and Chairman of CGRC. In the meeting, conclusion and resolutions shall be drawn and written down in a minute to handle the complaints.
4. The minute of meeting shall be signed by the DGRC Chairman, Secretary and complainant with witness of others meeting attendants. If the complainant agrees, the proposed solution is carried out.
5. The Co-chairmen shall assign DGRC members to monitor, evaluate and report implementation of the remedial actions to the Co-chairmen.
6. The points 1 to 5, Article 6 can be repeated until the complainant get satisfied. However, in case the complaint could not be solved at DGRC, it shall be submitted to local court, following the national Law.
Article 7: Dissemination of grievance mechanism
The grievance mechanism is available in CRD website. The project staff shall provides the hard copy and informs the project beneficiaries and other relevant stakeholders at launch workshop and during capacity building activities or as appropriate. The CRD staff who are carrying out activities in project areas, must be responsible for providing basis information of the Centre, the phone number and email of the Project Coordinator, Director and Deputy Director to partners and beneficiaries which allow them to contact at any time.
CENTER FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN CENTRAL VIETNAM
DIRECTOR
Signed and sealed
TRUONG QUANG HOANG