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Lessons

LESSON

Lesson Learned: Citizen Journalists for Free and Fair Elections in Georgia

It is important to conduct systematic analysis and to synthesize information that can be used by advocacy and electoral observation groups to improve the electoral process. In this project no links were made with advocacy or other groups in Georgia who could use the project’s information to promote electoral reform. Some of its efforts also worked in parallel to other efforts done in the sector.
Project Partner
Civic Development Institute
Project Description
The project’s objective was to promote free and fair elections in Georgia. The project aimed to reduce electoral fraud and increase trust in the election results by involving citizens in monitoring and reporting on elections in cooperation with professional journalists. The citizen journalists, who included media professionals, NGO members and political party representatives, received training and some technical resources, including a memory stick and the grantee’s contact information. They were then left alone to report to the grantee about problems they have witnessed. The intervention was directly relevant to the need to strengthen the integrity of the electoral process and ensure the dissemination of objective information. Georgia lacked a tradition of citizen engagement or peaceful transfer of power through the ballot box. A financial incentive was used by the grantee, paying USD 40 for each verified report.
Evaluation Date
April 2014
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Narrowing the Gender Gap in Flood Affected Areas of Pakistan

Targets were ambitious in some cases and not fully met. The attribution of results based on some of the indicators chosen was also difficult given the number of other factors that affected the outcomes. For example, impact data provided by the grantee showed a nine percent increase in the number of women in the project areas who registered for the Computerized National Identity Card during the project period. However attribution for this is difficult given the widespread voter education efforts that were done in Pakistan in the lead up to the 2013 elections.
Project Partner
Pattan Development Organization
Project Description
The objective of the project was to reduce gender disparity and gender-based violence in eight flood affected districts of Pakistan. Its intended outcomes were: increased awareness of gender issues; increased progress towards certain Millennium Development Goals (MDG 3: gender equality and empowerment of women; MDG 4: reduced child mortality; and, MDG 5: improved maternal health); and increased capacity of women to counter gender discrimination and to hold government accountable. The project objectives were directly relevant to the needs to strengthen gender rights and equity within Pakistan and especially within rural, marginalized flood prone areas The grantee took a rights based approach that integrated men as well as women into the project activities and structures. This increased project relevance for the communities and helped to ensure that the women were able to participate in these male dominated areas.
Evaluation Date
March 2014
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Promoting democratic and human rights values among Rwandan youth

The project was mostly focused on explaining the domestic and international laws and policies underpinning democratic processes and human rights, and did not give sufficient attention to enhancing trainers’ pedagogical and training skills. As a the grantee acknowledged that the trainers had acquired a good understanding of democracy and human rights issues, but did not know precisely how to convey this knowledge to groups of younger, less educated people.
Project Partner
Never Again Rwanda
Project Description
The overall objective of the project was to empower Rwandan youth to play an active role in the democratic process and good governance of their country, and to understand and stand up for human rights to further nation-building processes. The project targeted 7,000 youth members of Never Again Rwanda (NAR) clubs and associations to make them “ambassadors of change”. The targeted youth were to “reach out” to other young people and the general public through “knowledge and skills sharing and advocacy initiatives and drives”. The key activities of the project were to: train youth on human rights and advocacy skills; hold debates and theatre shows on human rights and democracy; and support the trained youth to play a role in democratic processes and good governance. The project was generally well designed in that it took into account the sensitive socio-political context of Rwanda under its post-genocide government.
Evaluation Date
February 2014
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Honduran Youth for Democracy

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.
Project Partner
ProgettoMondo Movimento Laici America Latina
Project Description
The objective of the project was to improve the social and political participation of youth. In order to do this the grantee created and strengthened youth organizations to develop local programmes for the democratic participation of youth in two municipalities. The project also aimed to strengthen existing Municipal Youth Commissions and Municipal Youth Networks, and to support the drafting and approval of their municipal youth policies. The project also intended to help the municipal youth organizations and regional youth networks to obtain authorization to promote youth participation in social initiatives. The project brought the issue of youth rights and political advocacy to the fore with a gender-equity and social-inclusion approach. This approach addressed the needs of the beneficiary population, empowered youth organizations and networks and improved the quality of young people’s social and political participation at the local level. The participatory drafting of public agendas and policies in the two municipalities of has furthered social and political action among youth.
Evaluation Date
February 2014
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Honduran Youth for Democracy

The project provided new opportunities for youth to engage in political advocacy and participate more in public life. The drafting of public agendas and policies helped the adult population discover and appreciate young people’s potential. A more in-depth analysis of risk factors would have fostered greater openness and buy-in on the part of the authorities and hence could have yielded better results from political advocacy.
Project Partner
ProgettoMondo Movimento Laici America Latina
Project Description
The objective of the project was to improve the social and political participation of youth. In order to do this the grantee created and strengthened youth organizations to develop local programmes for the democratic participation of youth in two municipalities. The project also aimed to strengthen existing Municipal Youth Commissions and Municipal Youth Networks, and to support the drafting and approval of their municipal youth policies. The project also intended to help the municipal youth organizations and regional youth networks to obtain authorization to promote youth participation in social initiatives. The project brought the issue of youth rights and political advocacy to the fore with a gender-equity and social-inclusion approach. This approach addressed the needs of the beneficiary population, empowered youth organizations and networks and improved the quality of young people’s social and political participation at the local level. The participatory drafting of public agendas and policies in the two municipalities of has furthered social and political action among youth.
Evaluation Date
February 2014
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Honduran Youth for Democracy

The project raised many educational expectations and employment demands among youth and communities in Honduras. These demands could be addressed in forums for social dialogue between civil society and municipal authorities.
Project Partner
ProgettoMondo Movimento Laici America Latina
Project Description
The objective of the project was to improve the social and political participation of youth. In order to do this the grantee created and strengthened youth organizations to develop local programmes for the democratic participation of youth in two municipalities. The project also aimed to strengthen existing Municipal Youth Commissions and Municipal Youth Networks, and to support the drafting and approval of their municipal youth policies. The project also intended to help the municipal youth organizations and regional youth networks to obtain authorization to promote youth participation in social initiatives. The project brought the issue of youth rights and political advocacy to the fore with a gender-equity and social-inclusion approach. This approach addressed the needs of the beneficiary population, empowered youth organizations and networks and improved the quality of young people’s social and political participation at the local level. The participatory drafting of public agendas and policies in the two municipalities of has furthered social and political action among youth.
Evaluation Date
February 2014
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Honduran Youth for Democracy

The implementing partnership managed the project extremely well, linking strategic goals to operational decision making. They also continuously monitored how activities were being implemented. The grantee and its partner’s prior experience in this region also ensured that the project was linked with other similar projects going on in the same area.
Project Partner
ProgettoMondo Movimento Laici America Latina
Project Description
The objective of the project was to improve the social and political participation of youth. In order to do this the grantee created and strengthened youth organizations to develop local programmes for the democratic participation of youth in two municipalities. The project also aimed to strengthen existing Municipal Youth Commissions and Municipal Youth Networks, and to support the drafting and approval of their municipal youth policies. The project also intended to help the municipal youth organizations and regional youth networks to obtain authorization to promote youth participation in social initiatives. The project brought the issue of youth rights and political advocacy to the fore with a gender-equity and social-inclusion approach. This approach addressed the needs of the beneficiary population, empowered youth organizations and networks and improved the quality of young people’s social and political participation at the local level. The participatory drafting of public agendas and policies in the two municipalities of has furthered social and political action among youth.
Evaluation Date
February 2014
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Promoting democratic and human rights values among Rwandan youth

The project design did not explicitly outline what it meant by empowering young people to engage in “democratic processes”. In practice, the project encouraged its beneficiaries to raise concerns and consult with the authorities at local level and to debate issues of concern but there was little emphasis on citizens’ right to demand accountability from government.
Project Partner
Never Again Rwanda
Project Description
The overall objective of the project was to empower Rwandan youth to play an active role in the democratic process and good governance of their country, and to understand and stand up for human rights to further nation-building processes. The project targeted 7,000 youth members of Never Again Rwanda (NAR) clubs and associations to make them “ambassadors of change”. The targeted youth were to “reach out” to other young people and the general public through “knowledge and skills sharing and advocacy initiatives and drives”. The key activities of the project were to: train youth on human rights and advocacy skills; hold debates and theatre shows on human rights and democracy; and support the trained youth to play a role in democratic processes and good governance. The project was generally well designed in that it took into account the sensitive socio-political context of Rwanda under its post-genocide government.
Evaluation Date
February 2014
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Promoting democratic and human rights values among Rwandan youth

The project essentially targeted existing members of the NAR to the detriment of outreach towards other young people who were not involved with the organization. Although some clubs were established in the Eastern province during the project period, this was not a deliberate priority. More specific targeting of new groups of young people would have enhanced the project’s relevance by disseminating its benefits more broadly.
Project Partner
Never Again Rwanda
Project Description
The overall objective of the project was to empower Rwandan youth to play an active role in the democratic process and good governance of their country, and to understand and stand up for human rights to further nation-building processes. The project targeted 7,000 youth members of Never Again Rwanda (NAR) clubs and associations to make them “ambassadors of change”. The targeted youth were to “reach out” to other young people and the general public through “knowledge and skills sharing and advocacy initiatives and drives”. The key activities of the project were to: train youth on human rights and advocacy skills; hold debates and theatre shows on human rights and democracy; and support the trained youth to play a role in democratic processes and good governance. The project was generally well designed in that it took into account the sensitive socio-political context of Rwanda under its post-genocide government.
Evaluation Date
February 2014
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Promoting democratic and human rights values among Rwandan youth

A baseline survey was conducted at the start of the project. It showed respondent’s level of agreement with a number of statements about human rights and democracy in Rwanda, but not their level of knowledge. The project would have benefited from a more qualitative approach in which respondents could explain the rationale for their views.
Project Partner
Never Again Rwanda
Project Description
The overall objective of the project was to empower Rwandan youth to play an active role in the democratic process and good governance of their country, and to understand and stand up for human rights to further nation-building processes. The project targeted 7,000 youth members of Never Again Rwanda (NAR) clubs and associations to make them “ambassadors of change”. The targeted youth were to “reach out” to other young people and the general public through “knowledge and skills sharing and advocacy initiatives and drives”. The key activities of the project were to: train youth on human rights and advocacy skills; hold debates and theatre shows on human rights and democracy; and support the trained youth to play a role in democratic processes and good governance. The project was generally well designed in that it took into account the sensitive socio-political context of Rwanda under its post-genocide government.
Evaluation Date
February 2014
Country