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Project: Access to Justice and Human Rights Education (Rwanda)
Evaluation Date: September 2013
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

The project could have further developed the printed support material and continued distributing it to paralegals so that it could be replicated and assimilated into other ongoing activities. The material should have been more didactic while maintaining a flexible format. The material should have been written in the local language with a more manageable length using clear examples and visual illustrations.

Theme: Rule of law

Rwanda language, materials, training

Project: Access to Justice and Human Rights Education (Rwanda)
Evaluation Date: September 2013
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

One factor limiting the relevance of the project was that the university law students involved in the Legal Aid Clinic were not individually graded. Their activities in the project ultimately had no impact on them obtaining credits toward their education or their law degree, thus reducing the relevance of the project to the students themselves.

Theme: Rule of law

Rwanda law, universities

Project: Access to Justice and Human Rights Education (Rwanda)
Evaluation Date: September 2013
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

The project’s emphasis on training women paralegals was another key factor in sustainability, as the higher social status acquired through training encourages women to become more invested in their communities, thanks to the mechanisms for recognition and confidence building.

Theme: Rule of law

Rwanda empowerment, law, women

Project: Access to Justice and Human Rights Education (Rwanda)
Evaluation Date: September 2013
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

The grantee focused on upgrading the paralegals’ skills. This was based on their strategic vision of building human capital. The project sought to create a multiplier effect by training volunteer paralegals and law students who would then apply their knowledge and experience in rural areas to foster a better understanding of the law and the settlement of disputes once the project had been completed.

Theme: Rule of law

Rwanda law, multiplier, training

Project: Access to Justice and Human Rights Education (Rwanda)
Evaluation Date: September 2013
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

The project improved the training provided to the university law students by introducing a practical dimension that brought them closer to local issues and realities. It also significantly raised awareness among law students in the capital about the legal situation and recurrent problems in rural areas and how the law was enforced there.

Theme: Rule of law

Rwanda inclusion, law, rural, training

Project: Access to Justice and Human Rights Education (Rwanda)
Evaluation Date: September 2013
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

The project made sure that women were included in the paralegal network. This made the project more representative and promoted the defense of women’s interests at the local level. This approach also dovetailed with a recent initiative by the Ministry of Gender and Family, which in early 2013 introduced the “Umugoroba evenings” – public events to enable women to interact and share advice.

Theme: Rule of law

Rwanda leverage, women

Project: Promoting democratic and human rights values among Rwandan youth
Evaluation Date: February 2014
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

The project design did not explicitly outline what it meant by empowering young people to engage in “democratic processes”. In practice, the project encouraged its beneficiaries to raise concerns and consult with the authorities at local level and to debate issues of concern but there was little emphasis on citizens’ right to demand accountability from government.

Theme: Youth engagement

Rwanda Accountability, design, youth

Project: Promoting democratic and human rights values among Rwandan youth
Evaluation Date: February 2014
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

A baseline survey was conducted at the start of the project. It showed respondent’s level of agreement with a number of statements about human rights and democracy in Rwanda, but not their level of knowledge. The project would have benefited from a more qualitative approach in which respondents could explain the rationale for their views.

Theme: Youth engagement

Rwanda baseline, survey

Project: Promoting democratic and human rights values among Rwandan youth
Evaluation Date: February 2014
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

The project was mostly focused on explaining the domestic and international laws and policies underpinning democratic processes and human rights, and did not give sufficient attention to enhancing trainers’ pedagogical and training skills. As a the grantee acknowledged that the trainers had acquired a good understanding of democracy and human rights issues, but did not know precisely how to convey this knowledge to groups of younger, less educated people.

Theme: Youth engagement

Rwanda pedagogy, rights, training

Project: Promoting democratic and human rights values among Rwandan youth
Evaluation Date: February 2014
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

The project essentially targeted existing members of the NAR to the detriment of outreach towards other young people who were not involved with the organization. Although some clubs were established in the Eastern province during the project period, this was not a deliberate priority. More specific targeting of new groups of young people would have enhanced the project’s relevance by disseminating its benefits more broadly.

Theme: Youth engagement

Rwanda motivation, outreach, youth

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