Lesson Browser | Lessons Learned

Home
Lesson Browser
About
Feedback
UNDEF

Project: Assessing Democracy Assistance
Evaluation Date: September 2011
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

By financing part of the first systematic canvassing of views of democracy aid recipients, UNDEF contributed to improving the quality of democracy assistance worldwide, a highly relevant activity.

Theme: Tools for knowledge

Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, China, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Georgia, Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Turkey, Ukraine, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) assistance, democracy

Project: Tunisia - Meta Evaluation Report
Evaluation Date: May 2021
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

In extreme and exceptional cases such as radical currency fluctuations or organizational interruption, early communication by the grantee is critical for UNDEF to provide technical and institutional support in a timely and effective manner. This will allow to overcome challenges that could provide difficulties in the implementation of the project.

Theme: Electoral Processes, Women's empowerment, Community activism, Rule of law, Youth engagement, Interaction with government, Media, Tools for knowledge

Tunisia anticipate, assistance, communicate, difficulty, issues, prepare, problem-solving, problems, reporting

Project: Fostering Ethical Democracy and Advancing Micro Justice in India
Evaluation Date: September 2018
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

In order to effectively achieve project goals, grantees must be realistic about their organizational capacity, especially when working in areas and subject matters that are new to their organization. Grantees should call upon the expertise of other organizations with more experience in those fields if possible.

Theme: Rule of law

India assistance, coordination, delegate, impact, networks, project strategy

Project: Honduran Youth for Democracy
Evaluation Date: February 2014
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

The project created structures that could be both sustainable and replicable in other communities, however, they must still consolidate their position and strengthen their operating capacity to ensure continuity and maximize their linkage and influence on local policy. A strategy for strengthening the project’s youth networks and the Southern Youth Movement needs to be put in place that includes technical assistance for creating bylaws, bolstering strategic, administrative, and financial capacities, and offering advice and assistance to secure funding and logistical support.

Theme: Youth engagement

Honduras advocacy, capacity, youth

Project: Promoting Freedom of Information Activism at the Local Level in Brazil
Evaluation Date: April 2014
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

The project directly contributed to local enforcement of the Access to Information Act and public transparency policies. This clearly has a positive effect on strengthening Brazil’s democratization process. The project also facilitated the integration of two social intervention practices that had not been used before in this context: the experience of punishing and fighting corruption through the grantee’s network and the preventive approach offering technical assistance to the governments and monitoring agencies to create an oversight system for curbing corruption.

Theme: Community activism

Brazil corruption, democratization, network

Project: Strengthening Human Rights Protection Through Legal Education in Haiti
Evaluation Date: June 2018
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

UNDEF has a unique approach within UN agencies and its support for civil society remains essential. Despite the small size of the structure and the limited number of staff, UNDEF provides assistance to organizations to help them through a rigorous process. Even though the success of the project was limited, UNDEF has helped ensure that this necessary and indispensable organization can be maintained.

Theme: Rule of law

Haiti sustainability

Project: Strengthening Democratic Participation Among Indigenous Peoples of Oaxaca, Mexico
Evaluation Date: May 2014
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

The comparative diagnostic study on Federal and State legislation laid the foundations for holding forums for consultation and the promotion of Constitutional Reform, and for drafting an internal document for the grantee. The Constitutional Reform proposal had the backing of indigenous and Afro-Mexican groups, and hence, legitimacy – an unprecedented achievement in the State of Oaxaca. These organizations have specific demands and agendas that while different, are complementary in terms of their level and content. Recognizing the need to consolidate these processes, they wish to continue receiving legal assistance and training to improve their advocacy and forge closer ties other government and civil society stakeholders.

Theme: Community activism

Mexico advocacy, collaboration, legislation

Project: Civil Society to Monitor and Contribute to Transparency and Anti-Corruption Policies in Moldova
Evaluation Date: January 2015
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

The project’s initiative in providing assistance to the mass media through training and support to local and national coverage of corruption-related topics facilitated an increase in media coverage of the issue. The quality and number of media products delivered by the project was impressive.

Theme: Rule of law

Moldova, Republic of corruption, media

Project: JOINT Contribution to Strengthen and Expand Democracy in Mozambique
Evaluation Date: June 2014
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

Staff and lawyers from NGOs working in remote districts were very pro-active in engaging with vulnerable groups. This had a marked impact on local community members who were clearly interested in legal assistance. Their awareness of the legal framework – even in the absence of actual lawsuits – may be considered a form of impact. Similarly, the involvement of staff and lawyers in local dialogue forums has contributed, according to some participants, to local officials’ enhanced awareness of the legal framework concerning accountability on such issues as disclosure of budgets and expenses.

Theme: Community activism

Mozambique legal aid, rights, rural, transparency

Project: Empowering Communities to participate in Local Governance
Evaluation Date: April 2011
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

The lack of clear separation between Local Action Group initiatives and technical assistance provided by the grantee was a concern. This points to a lack of strategic orientation within the grantee organization, and potentially undermines the sustainability of the groups as they struggle without the support of the grantee and reduced access to alternative sources of information and consultation.

Theme: Community activism

Kyrgyzstan management

Subscribe to UNDEF Newsletter

Privacy Policy
Terms of Use