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

Lesson Learned:

Sustainability is the Achilles’ heel of democracy projects. To ensure the continuation of services beyond the end of project funding, projects need to plan for sustainability from the start, as design and implementation will require: creative partnerships with civil society and State organizations; careful analysis of the level of demand and willingness to pay; the creation of a cadre of competent professionals able to provide continuous service; and empowerment of community members to provide orientation or counsel, as feasible.

Theme: Rule of law

Bolivia partnerships, sustainability

Project: Rights and freedoms for all in Togo
Evaluation Date: September 2010
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

The grantee could reinforce the effectiveness of its actions promoting democracy in Togo by developing partnerships with civil society organisations experienced in working on women’s rights and on economic and social rights in rural areas.

Theme: Community activism

Togo partnerships

Project: Advancing Pedestrian Rights in Georgia
Evaluation Date: January 2018
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

Ensure that projects explicitly consider and raise awareness regarding the differentiated needs of vulnerable groups and establish partnerships with women’s organizations and CSO’s representing other marginalized communities.

Theme: Community activism

Georgia communities, partnerships, vulnerable

Project: Rights and freedoms for all in Togo
Evaluation Date: September 2010
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

The media regulation authority, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Electoral Commission were involved as resource persons for training activities and for developing content. It is recommended that the grantee continues to develop and formalize these partnerships.

Theme: Community activism

Togo partnerships, regulation

Project: Improving Maya Women's Access to Justice in Rural Guatemala
Evaluation Date: March 2022
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

Survivors of gender-based violence need integrated support services throughout the process to seek justice. This often involves land titles, housing, childcare, income generation, and psychosocial support services. Established relationships with organizations that can offer these services will help women to access integrated support that they need.

Theme: Women's empowerment, Rule of law

Guatemala Access, advocate, aid, capacity, collaborate, collaboration, empowerment, finance, institutions, necessity, needs, partnerships, resources, rights, SGBV, tools

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

Lesson Learned:

In all projects that involve challenging established power structures, staff members that are most visible in project implementation (‘frontline staff’) face a high risk of personal reprisals. It is essential for grantees to be aware of these risks and take the appropriate measures necessary to protect frontline staff, for example ensuring the backing of a larger organization or having senior management playing a frontline role in project implementation as well.

Theme: Rule of law

India implementation, local knowledge, partnerships, risk, staff

Project: Strengthening Young Women’s Civic Participation and Leadership in Uganda
Evaluation Date: May 2017
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

The international grantee involved implementing partners in Uganda – namely ten universities in three target areas – from the very beginning, in the design of the project objectives. This enabled good support during project implementation and a certain degree of ownership of the results among the universities. However, the project might have been more efficient at the implementation stage if a detailed memorandum of understanding among the partners had been formulated defining roles and responsibilities.

Theme: Women's empowerment

Uganda management, MOU, partnerships

Project: Promoting the representation of Malagasy Women in Political and Public Affairs
Evaluation Date: February 2015
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

The project would have benefited from an agreed action plan among all stakeholders both in the capital and regions and including international donors such as UNDP. Given the political instability in the country at the time the project was developed, a clearer vision of the risks more clarity in planning would have helped the project become more embedded and to lead to a real process of change.

Theme: Women's empowerment

Madagascar partnerships, risk

Project: Student Civic Action: Engaging and Empowering Emerging Leaders in Universities in Jordan
Evaluation Date: March 2011
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

The grantee adapted well to circumstances. When it found out that it would take months to work out an agreement with the universities with which it had initially intended to collaborate, it tapped into institutions where it already had relationships. One of these was the All Jordan Youth Foundation, where many of the project activities and trainings were subsequently held.

Theme: Youth engagement

Jordan adapt, partnerships, relationships

Project: Human rights and democracy campaign
Evaluation Date: October 2011
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

Some partnership agreements lacked detail. Cooperation on the development of the manuals and the implementation of the initial training session was undermined by misunderstandings. These stemmed in part from the failure of the agreement between the partners to set out clearly their tasks and responsibilities.

Theme: Rule of law

Senegal management, partnerships

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