Grievance Redress Mechanism – Digital Malawi Project

Digital Malawi Project Grievance Redress Mechanism

The Digital Malawi Project Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) provides a procedure for lodging, receiving and addressing grievances or complaints, concerns and queries from beneficiaries and stakeholders who are likely to be affected by or have an interest in the project activities. The GRM also provides a feedback mechanism for stakeholders with the intention of improving implementation of activities. One of objectives of this GRM is to enhance mutual communication and stakeholder engagement while encouraging interaction among all parties involved and interested in the project.

The Digital Malawi Project GRM is founded on a set of guiding principles of accessibility, predictability, confidentiality, fairness, transparency, equity and justice. It is designed in such a way that the marginalized and vulnerable people are not left out.

Grievance Redress Mechanism Manual

In order to foster harmony and uniformity in handling project related grievances, the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) has prepared a GRM Manual. The GRM manual describes procedures on how complaints will be received, assessed, sorted and resolved; and how this entire process will be monitored. It also indicates the timelines for milestones to be achieved for grievance processing steps and provides tools for implementation. Therefore, all personnel charged with responsibilities in the implementation of the Digital Malawi Project shall be required to adhere to the procedures and guidelines set forth in this manual.

GRM Framework for Digital Malawi Project

All grievances received through the Digital Malawi Project GRM will be processed by the appointed members of Grievance Redress Committees (GRCs) that are set up in various institutions related to the project. A 3-tiered Grievance Redress Committee structure has been established for the project where project affected individuals can report and have their grievances resolved. The GRM framework provides for referral of grievances from lower to higher tier GRCs and subsequently to courts of law when resolution is deemed unsatisfactory. Tier 3 is the last and highest referral GRC after which a complaint can be referred to the courts of law by the complainant.