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Lessons

LESSON

Lesson Learned: Opening the Doors of Policy Making in Central Asia and South Caucasus

A key aspect of the project’s success was using host country experience to demonstrate the democratic policy problem being worked on.
Project Partner
Policy Association for an Open Society - PASOS
Project Description
The project sought to strengthen policy processes in eight countries -- Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan – by improving the capability of independent civil society organizations to engage in policy debates. Activities included two training workshops, two regional networking conferences, and supervised research during the course of which eight policy fellows produced research papers. The project promoted sharing of experiences among CSOs operating in often isolated and difficult settings. The project also allowed NGOs to benefit from the experience of NGOs in countries such as the Baltics and countries in Eastern Europe where CSOs were a positive force for democratic development.
Evaluation Date
July 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Creation of Women's Parliament in Azerbaijan

Gender related themes cover a huge range of issues from domestic violence to early marriage. While they may be linked pursuing each of them in-depth, would enhance the comprehensiveness of the project objectives and society-wide impact. The thematic coverage by the Women’s Parliament was too broad.
Project Partner
Women’s Association for Rational Development
Project Description
The overall purpose of the project was to address gender inequality and improve the situation of women’s rights in Azerbaijan. The establishment of the first Women’s Parliament (WP) – a symbolic model of alternative parliament with the focus on gender equality– served as a vehicle for achieving this goal. The Women’s Parliament was expected to result in four specific project outcomes: opening a discussion space for raising gender-specific issues; enhancing gender equality advocacy; strengthening civil society by facilitating women’s participation; raising awareness of national and international stakeholders on women’s issues. The direct beneficiaries of the project were members of the Women’s Parliament. Indirectly, the project aimed to benefit the female population of Azerbaijan.
Evaluation Date
July 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Opening the Doors of Policy Making in Central Asia and South Caucasus

The prospects for successful democratic transition in the target countries is more challenging than it ever was in the now-European former Soviet states and Eastern Europe. The lack of domestic financial support will make independent NGOs vulnerable to nationalist criticisms. While it has formed capacity, strengthened institutions, and introduced CSOs into an international network, it is difficult to imagine any of the target NGOs successfully mobilizing substantial international support.
Project Partner
Policy Association for an Open Society - PASOS
Project Description
The project sought to strengthen policy processes in eight countries -- Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan – by improving the capability of independent civil society organizations to engage in policy debates. Activities included two training workshops, two regional networking conferences, and supervised research during the course of which eight policy fellows produced research papers. The project promoted sharing of experiences among CSOs operating in often isolated and difficult settings. The project also allowed NGOs to benefit from the experience of NGOs in countries such as the Baltics and countries in Eastern Europe where CSOs were a positive force for democratic development.
Evaluation Date
July 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Creation of Women's Parliament in Azerbaijan

The project focused on creating a wider and long-lasting impact by producing the CEDAW Shadow Report for Azerbaijan which can possibly influence the legislature in the country. While the grantee focused its advocacy on this report,  it remains uncertain to which extent the report will be taken on board.
Project Partner
Women’s Association for Rational Development
Project Description
The overall purpose of the project was to address gender inequality and improve the situation of women’s rights in Azerbaijan. The establishment of the first Women’s Parliament (WP) – a symbolic model of alternative parliament with the focus on gender equality– served as a vehicle for achieving this goal. The Women’s Parliament was expected to result in four specific project outcomes: opening a discussion space for raising gender-specific issues; enhancing gender equality advocacy; strengthening civil society by facilitating women’s participation; raising awareness of national and international stakeholders on women’s issues. The direct beneficiaries of the project were members of the Women’s Parliament. Indirectly, the project aimed to benefit the female population of Azerbaijan.
Evaluation Date
July 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Creation of Women's Parliament in Azerbaijan

The strong project ownership by the members of the women’s parliament in Azerbaijan created a positive environment for the project to be sustainable. One of the successes, in this regard was selection of which members to work with. The interest and engagement of high-profile international stakeholders strengthened the members’ motivation to maintain their involvement and to utilize lessons learned.
Project Partner
Women’s Association for Rational Development
Project Description
The overall purpose of the project was to address gender inequality and improve the situation of women’s rights in Azerbaijan. The establishment of the first Women’s Parliament (WP) – a symbolic model of alternative parliament with the focus on gender equality– served as a vehicle for achieving this goal. The Women’s Parliament was expected to result in four specific project outcomes: opening a discussion space for raising gender-specific issues; enhancing gender equality advocacy; strengthening civil society by facilitating women’s participation; raising awareness of national and international stakeholders on women’s issues. The direct beneficiaries of the project were members of the Women’s Parliament. Indirectly, the project aimed to benefit the female population of Azerbaijan.
Evaluation Date
July 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Opening the Doors of Policy Making in Central Asia and South Caucasus

From the institutional point of view, one of the strongest sustainability aspects is that new think tanks undertaking research have been integrated, informally if not yet formally via certification, into a long-established existing think tank network. The project benefited from, a strong internet dissemination strategy.
Project Partner
Policy Association for an Open Society - PASOS
Project Description
The project sought to strengthen policy processes in eight countries -- Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan – by improving the capability of independent civil society organizations to engage in policy debates. Activities included two training workshops, two regional networking conferences, and supervised research during the course of which eight policy fellows produced research papers. The project promoted sharing of experiences among CSOs operating in often isolated and difficult settings. The project also allowed NGOs to benefit from the experience of NGOs in countries such as the Baltics and countries in Eastern Europe where CSOs were a positive force for democratic development.
Evaluation Date
July 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Creation of Women's Parliament in Azerbaijan

The flagship initiative of the Women’s Parliament project was a report on discrimination against women. However this report did not have much impact since there was no lobbying/advocacy strategy. It would also have been more effective with a proactive approach towards building alliances with other similar projects in Azerbaijan. Efforts should be increased to convince concerned NGOs for submitting only one synthesized Shadow Report to CEDAW. Speaking in a common voice would increase leverage both towards CEDAW and the government.
Project Partner
Women’s Association for Rational Development
Project Description
The overall purpose of the project was to address gender inequality and improve the situation of women’s rights in Azerbaijan. The establishment of the first Women’s Parliament (WP) – a symbolic model of alternative parliament with the focus on gender equality– served as a vehicle for achieving this goal. The Women’s Parliament was expected to result in four specific project outcomes: opening a discussion space for raising gender-specific issues; enhancing gender equality advocacy; strengthening civil society by facilitating women’s participation; raising awareness of national and international stakeholders on women’s issues. The direct beneficiaries of the project were members of the Women’s Parliament. Indirectly, the project aimed to benefit the female population of Azerbaijan.
Evaluation Date
July 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Opening the Doors of Policy Making in Central Asia and South Caucasus

There was no evidence that the project sought to build bridges with academia or the international private sector. University researchers represent an untapped source of expertise in the target countries, yet this project appears to have done little to improve this situation.
Project Partner
Policy Association for an Open Society - PASOS
Project Description
The project sought to strengthen policy processes in eight countries -- Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan – by improving the capability of independent civil society organizations to engage in policy debates. Activities included two training workshops, two regional networking conferences, and supervised research during the course of which eight policy fellows produced research papers. The project promoted sharing of experiences among CSOs operating in often isolated and difficult settings. The project also allowed NGOs to benefit from the experience of NGOs in countries such as the Baltics and countries in Eastern Europe where CSOs were a positive force for democratic development.
Evaluation Date
July 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Education and Training of Youth for Democracy in Burkina Faso

There was evidence that the project implicitly contributed to the reestablishment of a social contract between authorities and citizens, enabling young leaders and many institutional actors - such as political representatives and local authorities - to exchange views and opinions.
Project Partner
Réseau Afrique Jeunesse
Project Description
The project aimed to mobilize youth to participate in the presidential election, by reinforcing citizens’ and voters’ knowledge. The beneficiaries were young leaders of women’s and men’s associations from across Burkina Faso, aged 18 – 25, who were involved in and committed to civil society specific activities for the youth. Activities focused on education, training and sensitization and, subsequently, on the development of a group of young leaders that can relay information and training knowledge to members of youth organisations and to the youth of their villages. The project was firmly rooted in the socio-political and cultural context of Burkina Faso. The lack of participation of young citizens in successive elections is intrinsically linked with the lack of education, in particular citizens’ and voters’ education. In the context of a still male-dominated country, the identification of beneficiaries comprising both young men and women was also appropriate to address the political participation of women. The project was also coherent in that it covered the pre-electoral, electoral and post electoral periods.
Evaluation Date
June 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Education and Training of Youth for Democracy in Burkina Faso

The grantee was not able to provide indicators related to the number of leaders trained who voted; and no information was available to assess the impact of the messages delivered to the youth by the young trained leaders. In this respect, the grantee was very optimistic to consider that increasing knowledge would be sufficient to motivate and mobilize the young leaders, and by extension, the youth of Burkina Faso to vote.
Project Partner
Réseau Afrique Jeunesse
Project Description
The project aimed to mobilize youth to participate in the presidential election, by reinforcing citizens’ and voters’ knowledge. The beneficiaries were young leaders of women’s and men’s associations from across Burkina Faso, aged 18 – 25, who were involved in and committed to civil society specific activities for the youth. Activities focused on education, training and sensitization and, subsequently, on the development of a group of young leaders that can relay information and training knowledge to members of youth organisations and to the youth of their villages. The project was firmly rooted in the socio-political and cultural context of Burkina Faso. The lack of participation of young citizens in successive elections is intrinsically linked with the lack of education, in particular citizens’ and voters’ education. In the context of a still male-dominated country, the identification of beneficiaries comprising both young men and women was also appropriate to address the political participation of women. The project was also coherent in that it covered the pre-electoral, electoral and post electoral periods.
Evaluation Date
June 2012
Country