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Community activism

LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening Local NGOs in Areas Where Extractive Industries Operate

Most of the 12 microprojects selected involved business opportunities in agroindustry and farming. There was no specific mechanism to review the results of NGO microprojects . This was a missed opportunity. Reviewing the results in a workshop could have built broader support for the changes advocated at the local and government level. This was not an effective way to help local actors make their voices heard by authorities and private enterprises or to facilitate trust-building and dialogue on how corporate social responsibility should be managed and how to involve NGOs as CSR partners.
Project Partner
Institute for Research and Empowerment
Project Description
The objective of the project was to enhance trust-building and cooperation among local government, nongovernmental organizations and extractive industries in Indonesia, by strengthening the capacity and credibility of NGOs as partners in corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs. The focus was on improving the ability of local NGOs to forge permanent partnerships with companies and local governments in CSR policy design and implementation. The project was relevant, given the legal and fiscal requirements governing CSR, the degree of poverty in extractive areas, the lack of enforcement of CSR policies, and the lack of attention paid to civil society engagement and NGO involvement as direct benefits of CSR policies. However, the project risks and problems in terms of corporate and local government commitment were neither adequately identified nor addressed during the design and implementation phase.
Evaluation Date
June 2013
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening Local NGOs in Areas Where Extractive Industries Operate

Meeting with all parties involved was an important first step in building mutual trust to facilitate a common understanding of the challenges of corporate social responsibility, including those related to civil society engagement in Indonesia. All stakeholders expressed their concerns, and it was established that companies and local governments must pool local civil society resources if they are to have a visible impact on the community with which they are working.
Project Partner
Institute for Research and Empowerment
Project Description
The objective of the project was to enhance trust-building and cooperation among local government, nongovernmental organizations and extractive industries in Indonesia, by strengthening the capacity and credibility of NGOs as partners in corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs. The focus was on improving the ability of local NGOs to forge permanent partnerships with companies and local governments in CSR policy design and implementation. The project was relevant, given the legal and fiscal requirements governing CSR, the degree of poverty in extractive areas, the lack of enforcement of CSR policies, and the lack of attention paid to civil society engagement and NGO involvement as direct benefits of CSR policies. However, the project risks and problems in terms of corporate and local government commitment were neither adequately identified nor addressed during the design and implementation phase.
Evaluation Date
June 2013
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening Local NGOs in Areas Where Extractive Industries Operate

The project did not fully appreciate the complexity of the companies’ corporate social responsibility activities―which are patchy, sector-based, and influenced by the political climate in each extractive area. Nor did the project take into account how complex NGO and community based organization participation would be. Changes in corporate social responsibility governance will not come about without concerted advocacy on the part of civil society groups that come together with an understanding of challenges for society as a whole. The kinds of activities that NGOs engage in could be used to improve information to raise awareness about corporate social responsibility, facilitate dialogue, and promote advocacy skills to tackle performance on poverty issues.
Project Partner
Institute for Research and Empowerment
Project Description
The objective of the project was to enhance trust-building and cooperation among local government, nongovernmental organizations and extractive industries in Indonesia, by strengthening the capacity and credibility of NGOs as partners in corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs. The focus was on improving the ability of local NGOs to forge permanent partnerships with companies and local governments in CSR policy design and implementation. The project was relevant, given the legal and fiscal requirements governing CSR, the degree of poverty in extractive areas, the lack of enforcement of CSR policies, and the lack of attention paid to civil society engagement and NGO involvement as direct benefits of CSR policies. However, the project risks and problems in terms of corporate and local government commitment were neither adequately identified nor addressed during the design and implementation phase.
Evaluation Date
June 2013
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening Local NGOs in Areas Where Extractive Industries Operate

The project travel budget was high because of the widely dispersed geographic areas that were selected. The high travel budget took away resources from the NGO microprojects and concrete corporate social responsibility field activities and therefore reduced the project’s impact.
Project Partner
Institute for Research and Empowerment
Project Description
The objective of the project was to enhance trust-building and cooperation among local government, nongovernmental organizations and extractive industries in Indonesia, by strengthening the capacity and credibility of NGOs as partners in corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs. The focus was on improving the ability of local NGOs to forge permanent partnerships with companies and local governments in CSR policy design and implementation. The project was relevant, given the legal and fiscal requirements governing CSR, the degree of poverty in extractive areas, the lack of enforcement of CSR policies, and the lack of attention paid to civil society engagement and NGO involvement as direct benefits of CSR policies. However, the project risks and problems in terms of corporate and local government commitment were neither adequately identified nor addressed during the design and implementation phase.
Evaluation Date
June 2013
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening Governance and Democratization Processes in Kenya and the East and Central Africa Region

A part of the project entailed translating sections of the ACE Electoral Knowledge Network website into Swahili to increase access to voter education. However, the Swahili site ended up not generating much traffic. Part of the reason was the lack of publicity and outreach. Another was the lack of relevance for local CSO’s in Kenya. All of the Kenyans interviewed said they would rather access technical information in English because Swahili did not have the technical vocabulary needed.
Project Partner
Institute For Education In Democracy
Project Description
The main objective of the project was to strengthen the capacity grassroots organizations, and enhance the participation of citizens in governance to promote a democratic culture in Kenya and in eastern and central Africa. While some project activities were highly relevant and empowering to individual beneficiaries, others lacked follow-up. Among the project’s successes were the election observation trainings which had a multiplier effect with grassroots organizations. Following the workshop trainings, 12 observation groups were established to monitor the Kenyan election of 2013, all of which later obtained a long-term accreditation status as election observers. In general, the project was activity-driven which made outcomes and institutional impact difficult to assess. Project design showed some weaknesses, as several challenges that appeared during implementation could have been anticipated by the grantee beforehand. For example, the shortage of staff and a better coordination with the electoral timeline in Kenya could have ensured a smoother implementation.
Evaluation Date
May 2013
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening Governance and Democratization Processes in Kenya and the East and Central Africa Region

There was a lack of adequate staffing for project activities as staff was also tasked with other work. This delayed some activities and a more coherent implementation of outputs following the Kenyan electoral cycle timeline. Lack of staff capacity could have been mitigated by the grantee at the design phase through increasing the number of project staff, adopting a cascade training approach, and/or providing small subgrants to partners in Kenya which could also help to strengthen organizations at the grassroots level.
Project Partner
Institute For Education In Democracy
Project Description
The main objective of the project was to strengthen the capacity grassroots organizations, and enhance the participation of citizens in governance to promote a democratic culture in Kenya and in eastern and central Africa. While some project activities were highly relevant and empowering to individual beneficiaries, others lacked follow-up. Among the project’s successes were the election observation trainings which had a multiplier effect with grassroots organizations. Following the workshop trainings, 12 observation groups were established to monitor the Kenyan election of 2013, all of which later obtained a long-term accreditation status as election observers. In general, the project was activity-driven which made outcomes and institutional impact difficult to assess. Project design showed some weaknesses, as several challenges that appeared during implementation could have been anticipated by the grantee beforehand. For example, the shortage of staff and a better coordination with the electoral timeline in Kenya could have ensured a smoother implementation.
Evaluation Date
May 2013
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening Governance and Democratization Processes in Kenya and the East and Central Africa Region

To enhance the capacity of the newly established Office of the Registrar of Political Parties in Kenya, the grantee organized study tours to Canada, Mexico and Ghana. While the tours were useful in raising awareness of participants, there was no plan for how new knowledge and recommendations should be incorporated into the organization. Study tours should have been part of a broader institutional capacity building effort that also provided follow-up activities.
Project Partner
Institute For Education In Democracy
Project Description
The main objective of the project was to strengthen the capacity grassroots organizations, and enhance the participation of citizens in governance to promote a democratic culture in Kenya and in eastern and central Africa. While some project activities were highly relevant and empowering to individual beneficiaries, others lacked follow-up. Among the project’s successes were the election observation trainings which had a multiplier effect with grassroots organizations. Following the workshop trainings, 12 observation groups were established to monitor the Kenyan election of 2013, all of which later obtained a long-term accreditation status as election observers. In general, the project was activity-driven which made outcomes and institutional impact difficult to assess. Project design showed some weaknesses, as several challenges that appeared during implementation could have been anticipated by the grantee beforehand. For example, the shortage of staff and a better coordination with the electoral timeline in Kenya could have ensured a smoother implementation.
Evaluation Date
May 2013
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening Governance and Democratization Processes in Kenya and the East and Central Africa Region

A part of the project entailed translating sections of the ACE Electoral Knowledge Network website into Swahili. But there was already more than a decade’s worth of good materials developed in the region in local languages that could have been uploaded to ACE. Before investing in this effort, a needs assessment should have been done to see if the lack of ACE-type material in Swahili was a major constraint to the achievement of the project’s intended outcomes and to determine which topics, if any, should be translated.
Project Partner
Institute For Education In Democracy
Project Description
The main objective of the project was to strengthen the capacity grassroots organizations, and enhance the participation of citizens in governance to promote a democratic culture in Kenya and in eastern and central Africa. While some project activities were highly relevant and empowering to individual beneficiaries, others lacked follow-up. Among the project’s successes were the election observation trainings which had a multiplier effect with grassroots organizations. Following the workshop trainings, 12 observation groups were established to monitor the Kenyan election of 2013, all of which later obtained a long-term accreditation status as election observers. In general, the project was activity-driven which made outcomes and institutional impact difficult to assess. Project design showed some weaknesses, as several challenges that appeared during implementation could have been anticipated by the grantee beforehand. For example, the shortage of staff and a better coordination with the electoral timeline in Kenya could have ensured a smoother implementation.
Evaluation Date
May 2013
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening Governance and Democratization Processes in Kenya and the East and Central Africa Region

The grantee was unaware that there was another UNDEF-funded project in Kenya at the same time also focused on supporting the electoral processes. No coordination was established between these initiatives, and the two grantees in some cases ran parallel activities. Hence, the grantee missed out on logical synergy effects which could have strengthened the effectiveness and impact of both projects.
Project Partner
Institute For Education In Democracy
Project Description
The main objective of the project was to strengthen the capacity grassroots organizations, and enhance the participation of citizens in governance to promote a democratic culture in Kenya and in eastern and central Africa. While some project activities were highly relevant and empowering to individual beneficiaries, others lacked follow-up. Among the project’s successes were the election observation trainings which had a multiplier effect with grassroots organizations. Following the workshop trainings, 12 observation groups were established to monitor the Kenyan election of 2013, all of which later obtained a long-term accreditation status as election observers. In general, the project was activity-driven which made outcomes and institutional impact difficult to assess. Project design showed some weaknesses, as several challenges that appeared during implementation could have been anticipated by the grantee beforehand. For example, the shortage of staff and a better coordination with the electoral timeline in Kenya could have ensured a smoother implementation.
Evaluation Date
May 2013
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening Governance and Democratization Processes in Kenya and the East and Central Africa Region

Timing of the study tours to Canada, Mexico and Ghana to learn lessons from other context, was not ideal in relation to the Office’s engagements, and the Kenyan electoral cycle. Doing the study tours earlier would have been more effective as this would have given them the opportunity to incorporate some of the best practices observed into the updating of the Party Act.
Project Partner
Institute For Education In Democracy
Project Description
The main objective of the project was to strengthen the capacity grassroots organizations, and enhance the participation of citizens in governance to promote a democratic culture in Kenya and in eastern and central Africa. While some project activities were highly relevant and empowering to individual beneficiaries, others lacked follow-up. Among the project’s successes were the election observation trainings which had a multiplier effect with grassroots organizations. Following the workshop trainings, 12 observation groups were established to monitor the Kenyan election of 2013, all of which later obtained a long-term accreditation status as election observers. In general, the project was activity-driven which made outcomes and institutional impact difficult to assess. Project design showed some weaknesses, as several challenges that appeared during implementation could have been anticipated by the grantee beforehand. For example, the shortage of staff and a better coordination with the electoral timeline in Kenya could have ensured a smoother implementation.
Evaluation Date
May 2013
Country