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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: 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 Accountability, human rights

Project: Strengthening Dialogue for Community Decision-Making
Evaluation Date: June 2013
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

The project benefited from prioritizing women’s rights. Women targeted by training activities made good use of the knowledge they acquired, thanks in part to the grantee’s use of experienced trainers, including UN experts. However, the effectiveness of the grantee’s strategy would be improved by also including men systematically in training, awareness raising and lobbying for women’s rights.

UNDEF/DRC

Theme: Media

Democratic Republic of the Congo men, rights, training

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: Preparing Iraqi women as leaders, advocates, participants in the political field
Evaluation Date: October 2011
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

While men were invited to participate in the project’s knowledge-sharing workshops and civic forums. It is important to include men in project activities wherever possible, even when the project’s focus is women’s rights. Men are crucial to building a supportive environment in which women can claim those rights.

Theme: Women's empowerment

Iraq empowerment, rights

Project: Renforcement des capacités des journalistes et blogueurs arabes pour la promotion des droits de l’Homme
Evaluation Date: October 2014
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

Bloggers and journalists benefit from human rights training. However, these activities should address more directly the needs and expectations of this target group, in particular by emphasizing economic, social and cultural rights and the practical aspects of training sessions.

Theme: Media

Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Morocco, Tunisia, Yemen journalists, needs, rights

Project: Human rights training and capacity-building for indigenous people
Evaluation Date: August 2010
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

Training was effectively leveraged because it allowed participants to go on to organize additional human rights training courses within their own community. Knowledge about how to indigenous peoples’ rights was disseminated more widely at the local level and allowed people to make the links between their own situation and international norms.

Theme: Rule of law

Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Peru indigenous, rights, training

Project: Participatory Rights of Physically Disabled Persons in Georgia
Evaluation Date: April 2013
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

The grantee attempted to drive change by lobbying members of the coordination council, a body assigned with the monitoring of two consecutive, almost identical, government Action Plans for implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Disabled Persons. While the evaluation found that the efforts were not always successful, Georgia did in fact ratify the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on 14 March 2014.

Theme: Rule of law

Georgia ratification, rights

Project: Training of Justice System Professionals to Litigate before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights
Evaluation Date: January 2013
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

Participants reported that the project transformed their point of view and work practices and convinced them that proper interpretation of the law, considering international human rights standards is fundamental to protecting the rights of individuals. Several countries have succeeded in replicating the courses. The beneficiaries are convinced that the process has helped build democracy in the Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay, and they are willing to get involved in creating new venues for regional networking.

Theme: Rule of law

Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay human rights, training

Project: Youth Partnership for Improved Budgetary Governance in Lebanese Municipalities: Musharaka
Evaluation Date: October 2014
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

Since the project was designed to strengthen democratic processes, the workshops for the beneficiary groups should have provided more detailed information on rights. The project’s main priority was a needs-centered approach. What was absent was the perspective that access to public information, the monitoring of transparency in public administration, and good governance are the inherent rights of citizen that do not depend on the good will and acceptance of local authorities.

Theme: Youth engagement

Lebanon Accountability, governance, rights

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