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Lessons

LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening Participation of Women in Geographically Deprived Communities in Local Governance in Ghana

Initially, transport allowances for participants were useful to motivate beneficiaries, but in the long-term individual contributions should be requested to build a spirit of self-sufficiency and self-reliance.
Project Partner
Gender Centre for Empowering Development
Project Description
The project’s objective was to increase participation of women in decision making to develop sustainable, decentralized, bottom-up planning processes in Ghana. The grantee institutionalized Women’s Group Advocacy (WOMGA) Platforms to engage and dialogue with local government authorities in decision making processes on public service delivery. At the heart of the project strategy was the mobilization and empowerment of 150 women, who were trained and deployed to monitor policy implementation at the district level using a Gender Monitoring and Tracking Tool, and to champion the participation of women in local planning and implementation processes. The project’s intervention logic was sound and had clarity and coherence. Institutionalizing the WOMGA Platforms facilitated regular engagement with local government authorities, and hence effectively contributed to the overall development goal of increasing women’s participation in decision-making process on public service delivery. Local officials commended the high level of preparation they had to undertake for the public sessions the project held, during which they faced thorough questioning by the WOMGA members and the community.
Evaluation Date
June 2017
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening Participation of Women in Geographically Deprived Communities in Local Governance in Ghana

Some Women’s Group Advocacy Platforms have registered as Community Based Organizations with the District Assembly. Official registration enhances the stability, legitimacy and credibility of these women groups, and makes them an attractive partner to other development actors looking to support women in Ghana.
Project Partner
Gender Centre for Empowering Development
Project Description
The project’s objective was to increase participation of women in decision making to develop sustainable, decentralized, bottom-up planning processes in Ghana. The grantee institutionalized Women’s Group Advocacy (WOMGA) Platforms to engage and dialogue with local government authorities in decision making processes on public service delivery. At the heart of the project strategy was the mobilization and empowerment of 150 women, who were trained and deployed to monitor policy implementation at the district level using a Gender Monitoring and Tracking Tool, and to champion the participation of women in local planning and implementation processes. The project’s intervention logic was sound and had clarity and coherence. Institutionalizing the WOMGA Platforms facilitated regular engagement with local government authorities, and hence effectively contributed to the overall development goal of increasing women’s participation in decision-making process on public service delivery. Local officials commended the high level of preparation they had to undertake for the public sessions the project held, during which they faced thorough questioning by the WOMGA members and the community.
Evaluation Date
June 2017
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening Participation of Women in Geographically Deprived Communities in Local Governance in Ghana

In future similar projects in Ghana there should be more focus and resources given to capacity building, to support training on CSO management, the development of board charters for CSOs, training on proposal writing training and basic financial management for CSOs.
Project Partner
Gender Centre for Empowering Development
Project Description
The project’s objective was to increase participation of women in decision making to develop sustainable, decentralized, bottom-up planning processes in Ghana. The grantee institutionalized Women’s Group Advocacy (WOMGA) Platforms to engage and dialogue with local government authorities in decision making processes on public service delivery. At the heart of the project strategy was the mobilization and empowerment of 150 women, who were trained and deployed to monitor policy implementation at the district level using a Gender Monitoring and Tracking Tool, and to champion the participation of women in local planning and implementation processes. The project’s intervention logic was sound and had clarity and coherence. Institutionalizing the WOMGA Platforms facilitated regular engagement with local government authorities, and hence effectively contributed to the overall development goal of increasing women’s participation in decision-making process on public service delivery. Local officials commended the high level of preparation they had to undertake for the public sessions the project held, during which they faced thorough questioning by the WOMGA members and the community.
Evaluation Date
June 2017
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening Participation of Women in Geographically Deprived Communities in Local Governance in Ghana

The Women’s Group Advocacy Platforms opened channels of communication with local authorities in Ghana and their activities led to changes in public service delivery in areas of child care, education, health and domestic concerns, but also other issues were discussed such as duties on farms and in trading, and non-traditional areas such as contesting for and winning political office. In this respect, the platforms achieved creditable results including a reduction of the structural marginalisation of women.
Project Partner
Gender Centre for Empowering Development
Project Description
The project’s objective was to increase participation of women in decision making to develop sustainable, decentralized, bottom-up planning processes in Ghana. The grantee institutionalized Women’s Group Advocacy (WOMGA) Platforms to engage and dialogue with local government authorities in decision making processes on public service delivery. At the heart of the project strategy was the mobilization and empowerment of 150 women, who were trained and deployed to monitor policy implementation at the district level using a Gender Monitoring and Tracking Tool, and to champion the participation of women in local planning and implementation processes. The project’s intervention logic was sound and had clarity and coherence. Institutionalizing the WOMGA Platforms facilitated regular engagement with local government authorities, and hence effectively contributed to the overall development goal of increasing women’s participation in decision-making process on public service delivery. Local officials commended the high level of preparation they had to undertake for the public sessions the project held, during which they faced thorough questioning by the WOMGA members and the community.
Evaluation Date
June 2017
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening Participation of Women in Geographically Deprived Communities in Local Governance in Ghana

It is recommended that women participants who were elected into public office in Ghana are invited by the grantee and other women’s NGOs to serve Women Group Advocacy Platforms as ambassadors, mentors, and role models, also in order to mobilise resources and support for these groups.
Project Partner
Gender Centre for Empowering Development
Project Description
The project’s objective was to increase participation of women in decision making to develop sustainable, decentralized, bottom-up planning processes in Ghana. The grantee institutionalized Women’s Group Advocacy (WOMGA) Platforms to engage and dialogue with local government authorities in decision making processes on public service delivery. At the heart of the project strategy was the mobilization and empowerment of 150 women, who were trained and deployed to monitor policy implementation at the district level using a Gender Monitoring and Tracking Tool, and to champion the participation of women in local planning and implementation processes. The project’s intervention logic was sound and had clarity and coherence. Institutionalizing the WOMGA Platforms facilitated regular engagement with local government authorities, and hence effectively contributed to the overall development goal of increasing women’s participation in decision-making process on public service delivery. Local officials commended the high level of preparation they had to undertake for the public sessions the project held, during which they faced thorough questioning by the WOMGA members and the community.
Evaluation Date
June 2017
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening Young Women’s Civic Participation and Leadership in Uganda

A stakeholder mapping and analysis conducted before the beginning of the project and updated during the project implementation would have helped to identify relevant stakeholders. The systematic use of the findings from such an analysis would have helped identify synergies related to the advancement of women’s political leadership, representation and participation and minimized the risk of duplication interventions.
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Project Partner
Century Entrepreneurship Development Agency
Project Description
The project’s objective was to strengthen the political leadership capacity of 1,500 young women from 10 public and private universities based in five districts of Uganda. The grantee aimed to increase awareness among the project’s target group and to provide them with access to information about women’s political life, as well as civic, voting, electoral and democratic processes. This was expected to enhance the leadership capacities of the young women to participate in the March 2016 general elections. Following these elections, an additional component was included in order to create a platform for leadership development of young women in Uganda. Although women’s political advancement at the time of project implementation was a national priority, the actual implementation of related international, regional and national legal and policy commitments remained an important challenge. This was due to persisting socio-cultural factors, such as the high illiteracy rate among youth and girls, lack of access to appropriate information related to political, human and civic rights, early marriage and sexual and gender based violence. While highly relevant in this respect, the project did not address the significant risk of SGBV that young women are exposed to because of their interest in political participation.
Evaluation Date
May 2017
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening Young Women’s Civic Participation and Leadership in Uganda

The project successfully established mentoring clubs in 10 public and private universities located in five districts in Uganda all of which are still functioning six months after the end of the project. More than half of the project beneficiaries interviewed indicated that they were still active as mentors supporting other young women.

Project Partner
Century Entrepreneurship Development Agency
Project Description
The project’s objective was to strengthen the political leadership capacity of 1,500 young women from 10 public and private universities based in five districts of Uganda. The grantee aimed to increase awareness among the project’s target group and to provide them with access to information about women’s political life, as well as civic, voting, electoral and democratic processes. This was expected to enhance the leadership capacities of the young women to participate in the March 2016 general elections. Following these elections, an additional component was included in order to create a platform for leadership development of young women in Uganda. Although women’s political advancement at the time of project implementation was a national priority, the actual implementation of related international, regional and national legal and policy commitments remained an important challenge. This was due to persisting socio-cultural factors, such as the high illiteracy rate among youth and girls, lack of access to appropriate information related to political, human and civic rights, early marriage and sexual and gender based violence. While highly relevant in this respect, the project did not address the significant risk of SGBV that young women are exposed to because of their interest in political participation.
Evaluation Date
May 2017
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening Young Women’s Civic Participation and Leadership in Uganda

Six months after the end of the project in Uganda, beneficiaries were still expecting financial support and guidance from the grantee. Systematic and active involvement of the project beneficiaries during various follow-up activities could have enhanced their ownership and ensured their long term commitment to the project activities and results.
Project Partner
Century Entrepreneurship Development Agency
Project Description
The project’s objective was to strengthen the political leadership capacity of 1,500 young women from 10 public and private universities based in five districts of Uganda. The grantee aimed to increase awareness among the project’s target group and to provide them with access to information about women’s political life, as well as civic, voting, electoral and democratic processes. This was expected to enhance the leadership capacities of the young women to participate in the March 2016 general elections. Following these elections, an additional component was included in order to create a platform for leadership development of young women in Uganda. Although women’s political advancement at the time of project implementation was a national priority, the actual implementation of related international, regional and national legal and policy commitments remained an important challenge. This was due to persisting socio-cultural factors, such as the high illiteracy rate among youth and girls, lack of access to appropriate information related to political, human and civic rights, early marriage and sexual and gender based violence. While highly relevant in this respect, the project did not address the significant risk of SGBV that young women are exposed to because of their interest in political participation.
Evaluation Date
May 2017
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening Young Women’s Civic Participation and Leadership in Uganda

Projects should have a strong Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning system embedded in the project design with an appropriate budget to support it. There is also need for each project to have a baseline survey, mid-term evaluation and end-line evaluation on the same sample of project beneficiaries for consistence and to clearly trace results and impact.
Project Partner
Century Entrepreneurship Development Agency
Project Description
The project’s objective was to strengthen the political leadership capacity of 1,500 young women from 10 public and private universities based in five districts of Uganda. The grantee aimed to increase awareness among the project’s target group and to provide them with access to information about women’s political life, as well as civic, voting, electoral and democratic processes. This was expected to enhance the leadership capacities of the young women to participate in the March 2016 general elections. Following these elections, an additional component was included in order to create a platform for leadership development of young women in Uganda. Although women’s political advancement at the time of project implementation was a national priority, the actual implementation of related international, regional and national legal and policy commitments remained an important challenge. This was due to persisting socio-cultural factors, such as the high illiteracy rate among youth and girls, lack of access to appropriate information related to political, human and civic rights, early marriage and sexual and gender based violence. While highly relevant in this respect, the project did not address the significant risk of SGBV that young women are exposed to because of their interest in political participation.
Evaluation Date
May 2017
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening Young Women’s Civic Participation and Leadership in Uganda

The international grantee involved implementing partners in Uganda - namely ten universities in three target areas - from the very beginning, in the design of the project objectives. This enabled good support during project implementation and a certain degree of ownership of the results among the universities. However, the project might have been more efficient at the implementation stage if a detailed memorandum of understanding among the partners had been formulated defining roles and responsibilities.
Project Partner
Century Entrepreneurship Development Agency
Project Description
The project’s objective was to strengthen the political leadership capacity of 1,500 young women from 10 public and private universities based in five districts of Uganda. The grantee aimed to increase awareness among the project’s target group and to provide them with access to information about women’s political life, as well as civic, voting, electoral and democratic processes. This was expected to enhance the leadership capacities of the young women to participate in the March 2016 general elections. Following these elections, an additional component was included in order to create a platform for leadership development of young women in Uganda. Although women’s political advancement at the time of project implementation was a national priority, the actual implementation of related international, regional and national legal and policy commitments remained an important challenge. This was due to persisting socio-cultural factors, such as the high illiteracy rate among youth and girls, lack of access to appropriate information related to political, human and civic rights, early marriage and sexual and gender based violence. While highly relevant in this respect, the project did not address the significant risk of SGBV that young women are exposed to because of their interest in political participation.
Evaluation Date
May 2017
Country