Lessons

 The project was generated by UNDEF itself, which approached the grantee and asked it to design the initiative as a response to the asymmetrical power balance between cars and humans in many post-Soviet cities. The project objective was “To create a systematic long-term approach and corresponding tools to effectively impact pedestrian strategy development and state accountability to pedestrian policy development and execution.” The project focus was timely and relevant. The project approach was innovative and agile in adapting to shifts in the context. The project achieved its objectives and was cost-efficient and well managed. Although it faces sustainability challenges, the project approach and grantee could potentially adapt and tailor their work to both international donors and other interested stakeholders. UNDEF’s flexible approach; initiative in generating project ideas; and willingness to generate a project in partnership with a small organization in response to a particular need are valuable assets in the context of this project.

 The project was generated by UNDEF itself, which approached the grantee and asked it to design the initiative as a response to the asymmetrical power balance between cars and humans in many post-Soviet cities. The project objective was “To create a systematic long-term approach and corresponding tools to effectively impact pedestrian strategy development and state accountability to pedestrian policy development and execution.” The project focus was timely and relevant. The project approach was innovative and agile in adapting to shifts in the context. The project achieved its objectives and was cost-efficient and well managed. Although it faces sustainability challenges, the project approach and grantee could potentially adapt and tailor their work to both international donors and other interested stakeholders. UNDEF’s flexible approach; initiative in generating project ideas; and willingness to generate a project in partnership with a small organization in response to a particular need are valuable assets in the context of this project.

The project’s overall development goal was to “increase the civic and democratic participation of young people in the Arab region”. The specific objective was to “empower young leaders in the Arab region to play a bigger role in civic and democratic life”. The project sought to empower young leaders in five countries in the Arab region - Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, and the United Arab Emirates. The project approach was based on the observation that while youth played a key role in the Arab uprisings; they continued to find themselves with limited empowerment or support to take control of their lives and futures. While the intervention rationale is broadly accurate, the project document did not include substantive contextual background for each targeted country and the project design lacked context analysis for each country. There also did not seem to be any involvement from project stakeholders and beneficiaries in the formulation and design of the project. Given the lack of contextual understanding, the project’s intervention rationale and the process for implementation also lacked essential elements to make the project relevant to the needs of the beneficiaries at the local and national levels.  

The project’s overall development goal was to “increase the civic and democratic participation of young people in the Arab region”. The specific objective was to “empower young leaders in the Arab region to play a bigger role in civic and democratic life”. The project sought to empower young leaders in five countries in the Arab region - Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, and the United Arab Emirates. The project approach was based on the observation that while youth played a key role in the Arab uprisings; they continued to find themselves with limited empowerment or support to take control of their lives and futures. While the intervention rationale is broadly accurate, the project document did not include substantive contextual background for each targeted country and the project design lacked context analysis for each country. There also did not seem to be any involvement from project stakeholders and beneficiaries in the formulation and design of the project. Given the lack of contextual understanding, the project’s intervention rationale and the process for implementation also lacked essential elements to make the project relevant to the needs of the beneficiaries at the local and national levels.  

The project’s overall development goal was to “increase the civic and democratic participation of young people in the Arab region”. The specific objective was to “empower young leaders in the Arab region to play a bigger role in civic and democratic life”. The project sought to empower young leaders in five countries in the Arab region - Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, and the United Arab Emirates. The project approach was based on the observation that while youth played a key role in the Arab uprisings; they continued to find themselves with limited empowerment or support to take control of their lives and futures. While the intervention rationale is broadly accurate, the project document did not include substantive contextual background for each targeted country and the project design lacked context analysis for each country. There also did not seem to be any involvement from project stakeholders and beneficiaries in the formulation and design of the project. Given the lack of contextual understanding, the project’s intervention rationale and the process for implementation also lacked essential elements to make the project relevant to the needs of the beneficiaries at the local and national levels.  

This was a well-structured project which laid the foundation for a nationwide network of journalists concerned with human rights issues, particularly in rural marginalized areas. The project was relevant and much needed given the context of human rights abuses and the suppression of the media. It was also appropriate, although there are constraints there is sufficient democratic space for human rights influenced journalism since journalists were able to write about a range of human rights issues and call duty-bearers to account. The project also met its objectives: the skills of journalists in relation to human rights issues have been enhanced, reporting on human rights has increased, and civil society capacity to understand how the media works has improved – though closer engagement between NGOs and the media could be further strengthened.

This was a well-structured project which laid the foundation for a nationwide network of journalists concerned with human rights issues, particularly in rural marginalized areas. The project was relevant and much needed given the context of human rights abuses and the suppression of the media. It was also appropriate, although there are constraints there is sufficient democratic space for human rights influenced journalism since journalists were able to write about a range of human rights issues and call duty-bearers to account. The project also met its objectives: the skills of journalists in relation to human rights issues have been enhanced, reporting on human rights has increased, and civil society capacity to understand how the media works has improved – though closer engagement between NGOs and the media could be further strengthened.

This was a well-structured project which laid the foundation for a nationwide network of journalists concerned with human rights issues, particularly in rural marginalized areas. The project was relevant and much needed given the context of human rights abuses and the suppression of the media. It was also appropriate, although there are constraints there is sufficient democratic space for human rights influenced journalism since journalists were able to write about a range of human rights issues and call duty-bearers to account. The project also met its objectives: the skills of journalists in relation to human rights issues have been enhanced, reporting on human rights has increased, and civil society capacity to understand how the media works has improved – though closer engagement between NGOs and the media could be further strengthened.

This was a well-structured project which laid the foundation for a nationwide network of journalists concerned with human rights issues, particularly in rural marginalized areas. The project was relevant and much needed given the context of human rights abuses and the suppression of the media. It was also appropriate, although there are constraints there is sufficient democratic space for human rights influenced journalism since journalists were able to write about a range of human rights issues and call duty-bearers to account. The project also met its objectives: the skills of journalists in relation to human rights issues have been enhanced, reporting on human rights has increased, and civil society capacity to understand how the media works has improved – though closer engagement between NGOs and the media could be further strengthened.

This was a well-structured project which laid the foundation for a nationwide network of journalists concerned with human rights issues, particularly in rural marginalized areas. The project was relevant and much needed given the context of human rights abuses and the suppression of the media. It was also appropriate, although there are constraints there is sufficient democratic space for human rights influenced journalism since journalists were able to write about a range of human rights issues and call duty-bearers to account. The project also met its objectives: the skills of journalists in relation to human rights issues have been enhanced, reporting on human rights has increased, and civil society capacity to understand how the media works has improved – though closer engagement between NGOs and the media could be further strengthened.