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Project: Empowering Rural Communities in Bhutan through Mass Media
Evaluation Date: December 2022
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

In a country like Bhutan, where culture is overwhelmingly dominant in every aspect of life and policies and seen separately from democracy, implementing a project that promotes democracy through strengthening media is not without challenges. Bhutan is ambitious to make the cultural perspective visible in all development co-operation and projects, which suggests a “mainstreaming” approach. Since culture is a complex concept and naturally varies considerably from country to country, mainstreaming is difficult. But, at the project level, it would be more appropriate to address culture using a rights perspective that focuses on freedom of expression and information. Nevertheless, it would be highly relevant to systematically include the roles of culture in media development and the promotion of democracy and democratic institutions.

Theme: Interaction with government, Media

Bhutan culture, development, expression, freedom, human rights mainstreaming, information, journalism, media, project design, radio, rights, rural

Project: Strengthening Democratic Participation and Inclusive Local Development in Indigenous and Peasant Communities in Bolivia
Evaluation Date: August 2017
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

When properly designed and carefully implemented, legal services projects can combine sensitivity to traditional customs in this case of indigenous groups with principles such as human rights and gender equality. To a great extent, achieving this delicate balance hinges on the service provider’s local knowledge, respect for traditions, ability to build trust, and use of appropriate language and communication channels.

Theme: Rule of law

Bolivia culture, Legal identity, trust

Project: Prévention de la violence durant la période électorale de 2010
Evaluation Date: November 2011
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

The logic of intervention of this project did not fully take into account the rift that exists between the centre and the periphery in Burundi: between the governing and the elected community and collines representatives, who for the main part merely execute power. The project intervention logic overestimated the level of impetus that could come from community leaders. The theory according to which the grassroots population would become more dynamic if only they knew their leaders better was overly optimistic, especially when considering the level of education that these populations have and the traumatic war experiences that are still very present within these communities.

Theme: Rule of law

Burundi culture, politics, post-conflict, power

Project: Strengthening Grassroots Women’s Groups to Promote and Protect Civic Space in Uganda
Evaluation Date: July 2023
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

Bringing together groups of women in places where they feel comfortable talking and discussing issues can help build longer-term momentum for a shift in attitudes, even if this is very hard to measure.

Theme: Women's empowerment

Uganda approach, change, collaborate, Coordinate, culture, dialogue, empowerment, environment, gender, ideas, impact, join, meeting, offline, openness, relationships, results, safe, women

Project: Strengthening Grassroots Women’s Groups to Promote and Protect Civic Space in Uganda
Evaluation Date: July 2023
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

Communication strategies should reflect the local context and most importantly be tailored towards the target audience. It is therefore important to identify the communication tools with the greatest local resonance and translate all material into local languages.

Theme: Women's empowerment

Uganda adapt, approach, areas, awareness, communication, community, culture, effectiveness, information, needs, regions, relevance, resources, results, strategy, translation

Project: Citizens: empowering local communities, improving local governance
Evaluation Date: July 2023
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

The following were the factors for a well-designed and effectively implemented youth engagement project:

The project design with a theory of change that was shared and assimilated by the implementation team and the implementing partners.
The strategy used to enter new communities, which was pragmatic, culturally sensitive, and politically neutral.
The choice of implementing partners (they were from within the communities, credible, and well-known at the local level).
The partnership strategy, which was based on empowering implementing partners and building their capacity.
The adequate approach for positive youth engagement (recognition, accountability, and exploring their potential).
The quality of the training programme and the diversity of learning formats.
Well thought-out communication.

Theme: Youth engagement, Interaction with government

Palestine change, communicate, community, culture, effective, empowerment, implement, local, motivate, motivation, needs, participation, partner, politics, project design, quality control, training, youth

Project: Strengthening Media to Promote Inclusive Democracy in Mali
Evaluation Date: January 2023
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

Without losing sight of the importance of Civil and Political Rights, a focus on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights can be more impactful in certain restricting contexts, and pave the way (e.g., with “transitional” authorities) for the advocacy of a wider spectrum of human rights when circumstances allow.

Theme: Media

Mali advocate, change, culture, economy, empowerment, impact, media, project design, rights, social, transition

Project: Advocating for Community Radio in Zimbabwe
Evaluation Date: December 2020
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

During field visits, it was clear that the role of Community Radio Initiatives as bearers of local languages, identities, and cultures is crucial for the growth and recognition of Community Radio Initiatives. Branding can help improve their visibility. With little visible branding, community buy-in might not be as high as that which could be possible.

Theme: Media

Zimbabwe community, culture, growth, language, radio, visibility

Project: Empowerment of Women Citizens in Turkey
Evaluation Date: February 2012
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

Serious challenges were encountered in providing training to working class women – the ultimate beneficiaries – whose circumstances were very different from those of the middle-class, educated trainees. The Training of Trainers course did not endow its graduates with the skills necessary to deal with a wide range of subjects, with beneficiaries requiring practical information regarding their rights and on how to act to address problems of day-to-day injustice – in inheritance, property ownership and divorce-related disputes.

Theme: Women's empowerment

Turkey class, culture, training

Project: Strengthening Democratic Participation of Maya Communities in Rural Guatemala
Evaluation Date: June 2015
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

The majority of the project’s multidisciplinary expert team in Guatemala were local to Q´eqchi Maya. The integration of detailed local knowledge contributed to the project’s credibility and legitimacy in the eyes of beneficiaries and local counterparts.

UNDEF/Guatemala

Theme: Community activism

Guatemala culture, indigenous, staff

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