The Joint UN Programme "PRO - Local Governance for People and Nature" contributes to improving the quality of life of citizens through the improvement of local governance, social inclusion and environmental protection in 110 cities and municipalities throughout Serbia. The Programme is jointly implemented by the United Nations Agencies in Serbia - UNOPS, UNICEF, UNFPA and UNEP, in cooperation with the Government of Serbia, and with the financial support of the Government of Switzerland, in the period from 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2026.

To achieve the Programme’s Objective, the intervention will focus on three key Pillars and Outcomes: 

• Pillar Good Governance, Outcome 1: LGs improve capacities and apply good governance principles in practice;
• Pillar Social Inclusion, Outcome 2: LGs and other relevant local actors improve capacities and develop evidence-based local social protection policies;
• Pillar Environmental Governance, Outcome 3: LGs improve capacities and apply environmental governance processes in practice. 

The key stakeholders at the local level are also direct users of support: local governments (cities and municipalities), including their administrations/staff, other relevant local organisations and institutions (Centres for Social Work - CSWs, Primary Health Centres - PHCs, pre-school institutions and schools), and local Civil Society Organisations (CSOs). The final users of support will be the citizens from participating LGs, especially those from left behind groups, with a focus on people with disabilities, Roma, children and families, youth and older people. The support will be provided to a certain number of informal waste pickers as well. 

All Programme activities will be undertaken in partnership with the Government of Serbia, especially the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Governments (MPALSG), the Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs (MLEVSA), the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP). 

The Programme will coordinate its activities with the key line national-level institutions, while observing the national strategies, laws and relevant development documents, which will contribute to sustainability, ensure national ownership and develop national capacities.

Background Information – relevant for the assignment

The Solid Waste Programme (SWP)(1) will upgrade Serbia's waste management system through the closure of 15 municipal dumpsites and development of six regional waste management centres serving a total of 42 municipalities. The waste will be redirected to six new Regional Waste Management Centres (RWMC), causing many informal waste pickers to face losing their livelihoods. 

The intervention will be implemented in 42 LGs that are covered with newly established RWMCs as follows:

• Banjica (Nova Varoš) - four LGs: Sjenica, Priboj, Prijepolje and Nova Varoš
• Kalenić (Ub) - 15 LGs: Obrenovac, Ub, Vladimirci, Valjevo, Lajkovac, Ljig, Mionica, Osečina, Koceljeva, Barajevo, Lazarevac, Mali Zvornik, Loznica, Krupanj and Ljubovija
• Rančevo (Sombor) - five LGs: Sombor, Apatin, Odžaci, Kula, Bač
• Srem Mačva (Sremska Mitrovica) - five LGs: Sremska Mitrovica, Šid, Bogatić, Šabac, Ruma
• Duboko (Užice) - nine LGs: Užice, Čačak, Bajina Bašta, Požega, Arilje, Čajetina, Kosjerić, Lučani, Ivanjica
• Pirot (Pirot) - four LGs: Pirot, Babušnica, Dimitrovgrad and Bela Palanka

The most significant social impact of the SWP is the anticipated economic displacement of persons engaging in waste collection at municipal waste dumps which are planned to be closed in the future. To ensure that this economic displacement is addressed, the Livelihood Restoration Plan (LRP) was developed within the SWP and it served as a basis for development of this intervention. 

The Programme intervention will provide support to a number of informal waste pickers, affected by modernisation of the waste management system on the territory of those LGs covered by the SWP, aiming to enhance livelihood recovery and access to the public services relevant for social inclusion (health, education and social protection). Although the LRP census recorded up to 150 individuals engaged in waste picking and up to 250 of their household members, the modernisation of the waste management system will also affect the livelihood of the general group of informal waste pickers.

Considering the extreme vulnerability of the priority target group and the need for their livelihood restoration, the Programme will support LGs in developing and establishing systemic policies, structures and processes for addressing the rights and needs of informal waste pickers in their respective areas. The Programme will coordinate this activity with the MEP and MLEVSA while respecting national strategies, laws and relevant development documentation, which will contribute to sustainability and ensure national ownership.
 
(1) Financed through the loan of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and French Development Agency (AFD)