Somalia

Project: Strengthening Somali Media Capacity for Democracy and Human Rights
Evaluation Date: October 2011
Report: [report link]
Lesson Learned:

Additional guidance from a partner organization would probably have helped the grantee make better use of its members’ energy and commitment to engage in advocacy on matters of rights and policy. The project would have benefited from strategic advice. The grantee lacked project management capacity, time and inclination to consider “big picture” policy and strategic issues. The grantee to some extent anticipated its own weakness by suggesting in the project document that an Advisory Committee including UN representatives would be appointed to help it implement the project. Regrettably, the committee did not get established, partly because grantee did not follow up on the idea.

Theme: Media
Somalia   , ,
Project: Strengthening Somali Media Capacity for Democracy and Human Rights
Evaluation Date: October 2011
Report: [report link]
Lesson Learned:

The promotion of the role of the media and freedom of expression should have been the object of advocacy activities beyond the workshops. The grantee did conduct some advocacy activities, but these were not part of the UNDEF-funded project and addressed mainly the international community. Any follow-up project should include an advocacy dimension directed at government and local authorities, and should consider ways in which training sessions can be followed-up to further support participating journalists, for example through the use of social networks.

Theme: Media
Somalia   , , ,
Project: Promotion of Women’s Empowerment and Rights in Somalia
Evaluation Date: June 2016
Report: [report link]
Lesson Learned:

Training materials focused only on upgrading the CSOs’ skills in governance, leadership and gender mainstreaming within their organizations. Advocacy was the only element of the project that looked beyond the organizations to wider political frameworks such as to national and local authorities. This seems to have been something of a missed opportunity; some specific training on, for example, media relations and campaigning might also have been useful.

Theme: Women's empowerment
Somalia   ,
Project: Promotion of Women’s Empowerment and Rights in Somalia
Evaluation Date: June 2016
Report: [report link]
Lesson Learned:

As women become empowered or even make attempts to improve their situation, they may face reprisals at home and in the community. Women’s empowerment can shift relationships between the women and men in their family and community, or just be perceived to do so. This potentially puts the women at risk of reprisals including violence. Protection should be both theoretical (a component of the training) and practical (for example details of a helpline or drop-in centre that women might turn to if they feel that they are at risk of violence). Pro-active protection actions, for example those that work with men to change attitudes and behaviours towards women, might also be integrated into a project that primarily focuses on women.

Theme: Women's empowerment
Somalia   , , ,