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Women's empowerment

LESSON

Lesson Learned: Engendering democratic governance in South Asia

The regional components of the project were limited. There remain untapped regional synergies that would add value to the project’s outcomes. In particular, there is great potential for a regional network to be created bringing together the members of Watch Groups in the three countries. Journalists also indicated an interest in developing a regional network of media professionals interested in women’s issues and participation in government.
Project Partner
South Asia Partnership International
Project Description
The project aimed to enhance meaningful and equal participation of women in democratic governance by addressing the issues of gender-based exclusion, violence and discriminatory practices. The project established National Democracy Watch Groups (NDWGs) and Local Watch Groups (LWGs). These groups were intended to promote knowledge sharing. The project organized a series of local, national and regional meetings and included a component focusing on sensitizing the media to challenge gender stereotypes. The project succeeded in reaching a significant number of people across the three countries in through the watch groups as well as through radio debates and the stories developed by journalists trained as part of the project. The project exceeded its aims. Senior members of government (both national and local), democratic institutions such as electoral commissions and senior figures in the NGO and media worlds participated in the various meetings and/or groups, embedding the information provided and the debate into key areas of governance and civil society.
Evaluation Date
May 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Engendering democratic governance in South Asia

The local level Watch Groups and meetings created evidence and data on the status of women in grassroots democratic institutions which was used by the National Watch Groups built on the local data with analysis of the situation in national politics and democratic institutions. This provided a significant evidence-based advocacy platform, which was then reinforced and supplemented by newspaper features, radio profiles and debates, generated by the media people who had gone through the training.
Project Partner
South Asia Partnership International
Project Description
The project aimed to enhance meaningful and equal participation of women in democratic governance by addressing the issues of gender-based exclusion, violence and discriminatory practices. The project established National Democracy Watch Groups (NDWGs) and Local Watch Groups (LWGs). These groups were intended to promote knowledge sharing. The project organized a series of local, national and regional meetings and included a component focusing on sensitizing the media to challenge gender stereotypes. The project succeeded in reaching a significant number of people across the three countries in through the watch groups as well as through radio debates and the stories developed by journalists trained as part of the project. The project exceeded its aims. Senior members of government (both national and local), democratic institutions such as electoral commissions and senior figures in the NGO and media worlds participated in the various meetings and/or groups, embedding the information provided and the debate into key areas of governance and civil society.
Evaluation Date
May 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Best Practices for Women´s Participation in Democracy at Local Levels (Argentina)

Project monitoring could have been enhanced with a more efficient strategic approach focused on analyzing the results, and the integration of lessons learned in the work with beneficiaries.
Project Partner
Equipo Latinoamericano de Justicia y Género (ELA)
Project Description
The project tackled the issue of women’s political participation from a broader, more inclusive perspective, moving beyond the national level to analyze developments in the provinces and municipalities. This approach responded to the unmet needs and challenges of the Argentine context, and led to greater equality in real terms and improved women’s participation in society and politics at the local level. The project strategy focused on consolidating and advancing a new view and understanding of the essential role of women leaders in social and policy-making bodies in Argentina. It pursued two main objectives: (a) to promote women’s leadership in civil society by identifying and sharing relevant experiences in leadership-building with this group at the local level; and (b) to provide tools for improving women leaders’ ability to promote the issues on their agenda through advocacy with national and local government agencies.  At the technical and institutional levels, the project yielded results that will support the continuity and replication of its initiatives.
Evaluation Date
April 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Best Practices for Women´s Participation in Democracy at Local Levels (Argentina)

The study Sex and Power. Who runs Argentina?  led to the development of the Women’s Participation Index (IPM), a methodological tool that will facilitate future studies on women’s gains in policy-making. The publications have had an extensive impact and are being used not only by the beneficiaries but by stakeholders outside the project (e.g., UNDP, FLACSO, British Embassy, CSOs)
Project Partner
Equipo Latinoamericano de Justicia y Género (ELA)
Project Description
The project tackled the issue of women’s political participation from a broader, more inclusive perspective, moving beyond the national level to analyze developments in the provinces and municipalities. This approach responded to the unmet needs and challenges of the Argentine context, and led to greater equality in real terms and improved women’s participation in society and politics at the local level. The project strategy focused on consolidating and advancing a new view and understanding of the essential role of women leaders in social and policy-making bodies in Argentina. It pursued two main objectives: (a) to promote women’s leadership in civil society by identifying and sharing relevant experiences in leadership-building with this group at the local level; and (b) to provide tools for improving women leaders’ ability to promote the issues on their agenda through advocacy with national and local government agencies.  At the technical and institutional levels, the project yielded results that will support the continuity and replication of its initiatives.
Evaluation Date
April 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Best Practices for Women´s Participation in Democracy at Local Levels (Argentina)

Expand the institutional vision of gender to include men’s involvement and commitment to creating opportunities for equitable, egalitarian participation in different aspects of social, political, cultural, and economic life.
Project Partner
Equipo Latinoamericano de Justicia y Género (ELA)
Project Description
The project tackled the issue of women’s political participation from a broader, more inclusive perspective, moving beyond the national level to analyze developments in the provinces and municipalities. This approach responded to the unmet needs and challenges of the Argentine context, and led to greater equality in real terms and improved women’s participation in society and politics at the local level. The project strategy focused on consolidating and advancing a new view and understanding of the essential role of women leaders in social and policy-making bodies in Argentina. It pursued two main objectives: (a) to promote women’s leadership in civil society by identifying and sharing relevant experiences in leadership-building with this group at the local level; and (b) to provide tools for improving women leaders’ ability to promote the issues on their agenda through advocacy with national and local government agencies.  At the technical and institutional levels, the project yielded results that will support the continuity and replication of its initiatives.
Evaluation Date
April 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Best Practices for Women´s Participation in Democracy at Local Levels (Argentina)

The project empowered women leaders by bolstering their leadership skills, and the organizations and venues in which they worked. Prioritizing the local level as the intervention area helped put the issue on the provincial agenda. The project enabled the beneficiaries to learn about each other and forged ties among women leaders of social and community initiatives in different jurisdictions.
Project Partner
Equipo Latinoamericano de Justicia y Género (ELA)
Project Description
The project tackled the issue of women’s political participation from a broader, more inclusive perspective, moving beyond the national level to analyze developments in the provinces and municipalities. This approach responded to the unmet needs and challenges of the Argentine context, and led to greater equality in real terms and improved women’s participation in society and politics at the local level. The project strategy focused on consolidating and advancing a new view and understanding of the essential role of women leaders in social and policy-making bodies in Argentina. It pursued two main objectives: (a) to promote women’s leadership in civil society by identifying and sharing relevant experiences in leadership-building with this group at the local level; and (b) to provide tools for improving women leaders’ ability to promote the issues on their agenda through advocacy with national and local government agencies.  At the technical and institutional levels, the project yielded results that will support the continuity and replication of its initiatives.
Evaluation Date
April 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Best Practices for Women´s Participation in Democracy at Local Levels (Argentina)

Project monitoring could have been enhanced with a more efficient strategic approach focused on analyzing the results, and the integration of lessons learned in the work with beneficiaries.
Project Partner
Equipo Latinoamericano de Justicia y Género (ELA)
Project Description
The project tackled the issue of women’s political participation from a broader, more inclusive perspective, moving beyond the national level to analyze developments in the provinces and municipalities. This approach responded to the unmet needs and challenges of the Argentine context, and led to greater equality in real terms and improved women’s participation in society and politics at the local level. The project strategy focused on consolidating and advancing a new view and understanding of the essential role of women leaders in social and policy-making bodies in Argentina. It pursued two main objectives: (a) to promote women’s leadership in civil society by identifying and sharing relevant experiences in leadership-building with this group at the local level; and (b) to provide tools for improving women leaders’ ability to promote the issues on their agenda through advocacy with national and local government agencies.  At the technical and institutional levels, the project yielded results that will support the continuity and replication of its initiatives.
Evaluation Date
April 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Best Practices for Women´s Participation in Democracy at Local Levels (Argentina)

The grantee’s institutional track record and deep roots in society make it a credible intermediary point of reference for other organizations working on the issues of gender equity and women’s rights - an important component in terms of sustainability. Its diverse relations with international cooperation agencies have served to consolidate its financial sustainability. At the technical and institutional levels, the project yielded results that will support the continuity and replication of its initiatives.
Project Partner
Equipo Latinoamericano de Justicia y Género (ELA)
Project Description
The project tackled the issue of women’s political participation from a broader, more inclusive perspective, moving beyond the national level to analyze developments in the provinces and municipalities. This approach responded to the unmet needs and challenges of the Argentine context, and led to greater equality in real terms and improved women’s participation in society and politics at the local level. The project strategy focused on consolidating and advancing a new view and understanding of the essential role of women leaders in social and policy-making bodies in Argentina. It pursued two main objectives: (a) to promote women’s leadership in civil society by identifying and sharing relevant experiences in leadership-building with this group at the local level; and (b) to provide tools for improving women leaders’ ability to promote the issues on their agenda through advocacy with national and local government agencies.  At the technical and institutional levels, the project yielded results that will support the continuity and replication of its initiatives.
Evaluation Date
April 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Educating Rural Women in Haiti for Democratic Citizenship

The approach taken by the project prioritized strengthening the capacity of women facilitators and motivators from the rural communities and provided close monitoring and support. This enabled the project to capitalize on its achievements and to continuously adapt the intervention to the specifics of the context.
Project Partner
Association Femmes Soleil d"Haiti
Project Description
The project objective was to strengthen the citizenship and democratic skills of women. With virtually no access to civic information and limited opportunities for women to participate in political life including access to positions that involve decision-making, especially in rural areas, the grantee aimed to raise awareness among local authorities and strategic civil society organizations in Haiti, so they would become more engaged in promoting a culture that recognizes the role of women in society, fostering in women and men alike a new perspective on their political participation. The project was implemented in twenty rural communes, notably in very remote, virtually ignored sections of Haiti, which lacked basic, educational and health services. With regards to its objective, the project was fully aligned with current government priorities, and in the context of elections, it recognized the need for women to participate fully in the electoral process, as well as in political affairs and to become aware of their civil rights and rights as citizens.
Evaluation Date
March 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Educating Rural Women in Haiti for Democratic Citizenship

One of the most positive aspects of the project was its implementation in remote marginalized rural settings of Haiti. A real success was the emergence of women leaders and future candidates from sectors of the communes that were so deprived that at the time of project launch no services were in place and there had been no civic education for women democratic action.
Project Partner
Association Femmes Soleil d"Haiti
Project Description
The project objective was to strengthen the citizenship and democratic skills of women. With virtually no access to civic information and limited opportunities for women to participate in political life including access to positions that involve decision-making, especially in rural areas, the grantee aimed to raise awareness among local authorities and strategic civil society organizations in Haiti, so they would become more engaged in promoting a culture that recognizes the role of women in society, fostering in women and men alike a new perspective on their political participation. The project was implemented in twenty rural communes, notably in very remote, virtually ignored sections of Haiti, which lacked basic, educational and health services. With regards to its objective, the project was fully aligned with current government priorities, and in the context of elections, it recognized the need for women to participate fully in the electoral process, as well as in political affairs and to become aware of their civil rights and rights as citizens.
Evaluation Date
March 2012
Country