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Lessons

LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening Civil Society Across Borders to Develop Democracy

The sustainability of the local NGOs was not assured. It is recommended that the local NGOs which participated in the project develop long-term relationships with local authorities; for example, permanent consultative status in an issue area or a multi-year arrangement to provide services. This will enhance financial sustainability in the most convincing way and help to avoid the trap of being dependent on recurrent one-time projects.
Project Partner
Euclid Network
Project Description
The project’s goal was to increase the capacity of NGOs in Moldova and Ukraine to network among themselves to enhance their advocacy skills and to improve the functioning of existing mechanisms for engagement between civil society and governments. The project resulted in a range of concrete initiatives, both at the local level and at the level of improved NGO representation in national policy making. Concrete impacts ranged from promoting the participation of blind voters to making amendments to the new law on associations in Ukraine and the human rights action plan in Moldova.
Evaluation Date
August 2011
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Empowering Civil Society and Women to Engage in Policy Processes

The grantee was a large international NGO. Its decision to implement this project with local partners reflected a collective strategic approach, centred on inter-institutional alliances and synergies. The local implementing partners involved succeeded in harmonising their strategic criteria and complementarity in the thematic and geographic areas of intervention.
Project Partner
Oxfam Great Britain
Project Description
The project’s objective was to promote a new socio-political culture in Honduras that recognizes equal participation of women in democratic governance at the local, regional and national levels. The project prioritized women in rural living in extreme poverty. The target women had very few educational opportunities and had rarely participated in politics and in decision-making. The goal of the project was: to raise awareness among citizens on the importance of full and equal women's participation in decision-making processes and equal access to justice; to strengthen the capacity of Civil Society Organisations to influence policy processes; and to institutionalize a Women’s Network at the local level. The project explicitly aimed to integrate the gender approach across all three outcomes.
Evaluation Date
August 2011
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening Civil Society Across Borders to Develop Democracy

The project was built on the premise that when civil society and government engage constructively and pro-actively, common ground will be found and better approaches and solutions developed. Results of the project confirmed that approach.
The watchdog role of NGOs is important and should complement rather than contradict an approach based on constructive engagement. The enhanced involvement of civil society in national policymaking in both Ukraine and Moldova was in part a result of the contribution of this project.
Project Partner
Euclid Network
Project Description
The project’s goal was to increase the capacity of NGOs in Moldova and Ukraine to network among themselves to enhance their advocacy skills and to improve the functioning of existing mechanisms for engagement between civil society and governments. The project resulted in a range of concrete initiatives, both at the local level and at the level of improved NGO representation in national policy making. Concrete impacts ranged from promoting the participation of blind voters to making amendments to the new law on associations in Ukraine and the human rights action plan in Moldova.
Evaluation Date
August 2011
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Empowering Civil Society and Women to Engage in Policy Processes

Project follow-up should have included applied research. The goal of such research would be to analyse critically and comparatively the various experiences and advances encountered by the project. This exercise should identify, in the context of a fragile democracy, the modalities and the possible alternatives for optimising women’s empowerment and guaranteeing as much as possible the application of the legal framework, as well as following up and carrying out the recommended support or judicial measures.
Project Partner
Oxfam Great Britain
Project Description
The project’s objective was to promote a new socio-political culture in Honduras that recognizes equal participation of women in democratic governance at the local, regional and national levels. The project prioritized women in rural living in extreme poverty. The target women had very few educational opportunities and had rarely participated in politics and in decision-making. The goal of the project was: to raise awareness among citizens on the importance of full and equal women's participation in decision-making processes and equal access to justice; to strengthen the capacity of Civil Society Organisations to influence policy processes; and to institutionalize a Women’s Network at the local level. The project explicitly aimed to integrate the gender approach across all three outcomes.
Evaluation Date
August 2011
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening Civil Society Across Borders to Develop Democracy

The extent to which cross-border ties between Ukraine and Moldova were maintained could have been enhanced by a better sustainability strategy to build the knowledge and experience sharing that took place as part of the project. The sustainability relies on the website. However the website of the project could have been better designed to become a forum for keeping in touch and fostering twinning arrangements.
Project Partner
Euclid Network
Project Description
The project’s goal was to increase the capacity of NGOs in Moldova and Ukraine to network among themselves to enhance their advocacy skills and to improve the functioning of existing mechanisms for engagement between civil society and governments. The project resulted in a range of concrete initiatives, both at the local level and at the level of improved NGO representation in national policy making. Concrete impacts ranged from promoting the participation of blind voters to making amendments to the new law on associations in Ukraine and the human rights action plan in Moldova.
Evaluation Date
August 2011
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Empowering Civil Society and Women to Engage in Policy Processes

The project led to greater representation of women in decision making processes in the geographic areas covered by the project. The Women's Network in the municipalities contributed to enhancing participation and also played a role in setting a municipal policy agenda and carrying out social audits. The project also succeeded in mobilizing community based organizations and women's networks in extremely challenging socio-economic conditions of exclusion and extreme.
Project Partner
Oxfam Great Britain
Project Description
The project’s objective was to promote a new socio-political culture in Honduras that recognizes equal participation of women in democratic governance at the local, regional and national levels. The project prioritized women in rural living in extreme poverty. The target women had very few educational opportunities and had rarely participated in politics and in decision-making. The goal of the project was: to raise awareness among citizens on the importance of full and equal women's participation in decision-making processes and equal access to justice; to strengthen the capacity of Civil Society Organisations to influence policy processes; and to institutionalize a Women’s Network at the local level. The project explicitly aimed to integrate the gender approach across all three outcomes.
Evaluation Date
August 2011
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening the capacities of Magistrates

This initiative was the first of its kind by the grantee in Niger. Although the grantee did not put in place measures to ensure sustainability, it successfully raised awareness among the magistracy of the necessity to communicate with stakeholders external to the judiciary. The project prompted beneficiaries to create the association of investigating judges in Niger (AMPN), whose mission it will be to provide similar, additional training for magistrates.
Project Partner
Syndicat Autonome des Magistrats du Niger
Project Description
The project organized training for judges and activities to create discussion among magistrates on the adoption of the Ethical and Deontological Code in Niger. The project objectives were: to improve the capacity of investigating judges, prosecuting attorneys and state prosecutors to fight economic and financial crimes related to public finance; to increase the magistracy body’s knowledge of the Ethical and Deontological Code’s principles; and to establish a network of specialised judges to fight economic and financial crimes related to public finance. These thematic areas, such as the fight against economic and financial crimes and the raising of moral standards among the magistracy, were relevant for the country in terms of building judicial transparency. While the training and awareness-raising activities aimed to improve the functioning of justice and at improving ethics, the project’s design was not based on a thorough screening of available information about the main issues faced by judges, and also lacked a clear methodological approach.
Evaluation Date
July 2011
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening the capacities of Magistrates

The project’s effectiveness was also undermined by the lack of an effective decision-making arrangement between the grantee’s executive bureau and the office for project implementation. Because decisions could not be made on time, there were delays and changes to activities, and most of them were not completed. Lack of monitoring prevented any adjustment of the activities to achieve the expected results.
Project Partner
Syndicat Autonome des Magistrats du Niger
Project Description
The project organized training for judges and activities to create discussion among magistrates on the adoption of the Ethical and Deontological Code in Niger. The project objectives were: to improve the capacity of investigating judges, prosecuting attorneys and state prosecutors to fight economic and financial crimes related to public finance; to increase the magistracy body’s knowledge of the Ethical and Deontological Code’s principles; and to establish a network of specialised judges to fight economic and financial crimes related to public finance. These thematic areas, such as the fight against economic and financial crimes and the raising of moral standards among the magistracy, were relevant for the country in terms of building judicial transparency. While the training and awareness-raising activities aimed to improve the functioning of justice and at improving ethics, the project’s design was not based on a thorough screening of available information about the main issues faced by judges, and also lacked a clear methodological approach.
Evaluation Date
July 2011
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening the capacities of Magistrates

The project’s overall conceptual framework did not properly connect the goal of re-establishing citizens’ trust in justice in Niger with the actual activities carried out since the activities were focused only on the magistrates themselves and not the wider population or local or traditional leaders.
Project Partner
Syndicat Autonome des Magistrats du Niger
Project Description
The project organized training for judges and activities to create discussion among magistrates on the adoption of the Ethical and Deontological Code in Niger. The project objectives were: to improve the capacity of investigating judges, prosecuting attorneys and state prosecutors to fight economic and financial crimes related to public finance; to increase the magistracy body’s knowledge of the Ethical and Deontological Code’s principles; and to establish a network of specialised judges to fight economic and financial crimes related to public finance. These thematic areas, such as the fight against economic and financial crimes and the raising of moral standards among the magistracy, were relevant for the country in terms of building judicial transparency. While the training and awareness-raising activities aimed to improve the functioning of justice and at improving ethics, the project’s design was not based on a thorough screening of available information about the main issues faced by judges, and also lacked a clear methodological approach.
Evaluation Date
July 2011
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening the capacities of Magistrates

At institutional, operational and political levels, the project has had little impact. To some extent, this was because there no legal proposal was made to adapt and enforce the Ethical and Deontological Code. The project also failed to create a pool of experts on economic and financial crimes. The training does not appear to have made a positive difference in encouraging inclusion of efficiency indicators in the fight against economic and financial crimes or improving the overall capacities of judges.
Project Partner
Syndicat Autonome des Magistrats du Niger
Project Description
The project organized training for judges and activities to create discussion among magistrates on the adoption of the Ethical and Deontological Code in Niger. The project objectives were: to improve the capacity of investigating judges, prosecuting attorneys and state prosecutors to fight economic and financial crimes related to public finance; to increase the magistracy body’s knowledge of the Ethical and Deontological Code’s principles; and to establish a network of specialised judges to fight economic and financial crimes related to public finance. These thematic areas, such as the fight against economic and financial crimes and the raising of moral standards among the magistracy, were relevant for the country in terms of building judicial transparency. While the training and awareness-raising activities aimed to improve the functioning of justice and at improving ethics, the project’s design was not based on a thorough screening of available information about the main issues faced by judges, and also lacked a clear methodological approach.
Evaluation Date
July 2011
Theme
Country