Project: Rural Media Development for Promoting Democracy and Human Rights
Evaluation Date: November 2017
Report: [report link]
Lesson Learned:

The grantee collected rich and interesting data but was let down by not analyzing this data sufficiently to provide evidence of progress. Moreover, the overall M&E system needed more coherence, so that projects are able to measure the same indicators at the beginning and the end to show progress. This could have been done in various ways, for instance, by using the same framework for baseline and endline data collection, or by pre and post training questionnaires.

Theme: Media
Bangladesh   , ,
Project: Rural Media Development for Promoting Democracy and Human Rights
Evaluation Date: November 2017
Report: [report link]
Lesson Learned:

The training gave a wide understanding of all dimensions of human rights, both civil-political and socio-economic rights. This led to a rich and interesting diversity in articles produced by journalists. While this was interesting some participants had a tendency to equate all human interest stories and criminal acts to human rights stories (for instance, the abduction of a new born baby from a hospital ward by a disturbed individual or a case of a child murdered by a private individual) but without making clear links to the accountability and responsibility of duty bearers.

Theme: Media
Bangladesh   ,
Project: Rural Media Development for Promoting Democracy and Human Rights
Evaluation Date: November 2017
Report: [report link]
Lesson Learned:

The training materials and techniques were effective. The training was based on a standardised 57 page training manual covering everything from training techniques through to democracy and human rights issues, the international and local context and laws, human rights mechanisms, the security and responsibility of journalists, defamation, use of social media, and professional skills – preparing, authenticating, cross checking reports, handling sources etc. The training involved a combination of lectures, group work and field visits.

Theme: Media
Bangladesh   , , ,
Project: Rural Media Development for Promoting Democracy and Human Rights
Evaluation Date: November 2017
Report: [report link]
Lesson Learned:

The project was well designed – it targeted 12 of the most marginalized districts in the country, this was a manageable number, and meant that implementation was achieved without the grantee becoming overstretched. While there may have been other ways of designing the project e.g. concentrating resources geographically, or on specific issues or beneficiary groups, the design helped create a foundation for national geographic coverage and visibility and also meant that a wide variety of human rights issues were covered instead of specifics relevant to particular localities only e.g. coastal fisherman or tribal hill communities.

Theme: Media
Bangladesh   ,
Project: Promoting Good Governance among Tribal Inhabitants in Bangladesh (PROGGATI)
Evaluation Date: December 2013
Report: [report link]
Lesson Learned:

The project assumed that conditions for the poor tribal communities could be improved through increased awareness, capacity building and better communications. These elements can certainly contribute to improvements for marginalized groups and for strengthened governance, but the problems in the region are highly complex and the actors themselves are not homogenous within groups. For example, some groups have not accepted the 1997 Peace Accord and still want a separate state.

Theme: Community activism
Bangladesh   ,
Project: Promoting Good Governance among Tribal Inhabitants in Bangladesh (PROGGATI)
Evaluation Date: December 2013
Report: [report link]
Lesson Learned:

The project adopted a one-size-fits all approach to its activities. However, the needs and capacities of the different stakeholders and participants were vastly different. A programme better tailored to these different actors might have yielded better results. Similarly the training could have included a component to ensure application of the knowledge acquired during the programme to the participants’ everyday work would have had more impact.

Theme: Community activism
Bangladesh