Skip to main content

Lessons

LESSON

Lesson Learned: Best Practices for Women´s Participation in Democracy at Local Levels (Argentina)

Project monitoring could have been enhanced with a more efficient strategic approach focused on analyzing the results, and the integration of lessons learned in the work with beneficiaries.
Project Partner
Equipo Latinoamericano de Justicia y Género (ELA)
Project Description
The project tackled the issue of women’s political participation from a broader, more inclusive perspective, moving beyond the national level to analyze developments in the provinces and municipalities. This approach responded to the unmet needs and challenges of the Argentine context, and led to greater equality in real terms and improved women’s participation in society and politics at the local level. The project strategy focused on consolidating and advancing a new view and understanding of the essential role of women leaders in social and policy-making bodies in Argentina. It pursued two main objectives: (a) to promote women’s leadership in civil society by identifying and sharing relevant experiences in leadership-building with this group at the local level; and (b) to provide tools for improving women leaders’ ability to promote the issues on their agenda through advocacy with national and local government agencies.  At the technical and institutional levels, the project yielded results that will support the continuity and replication of its initiatives.
Evaluation Date
April 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Best Practices for Women´s Participation in Democracy at Local Levels (Argentina)

Project monitoring could have been enhanced with a more efficient strategic approach focused on analyzing the results, and the integration of lessons learned in the work with beneficiaries.
Project Partner
Equipo Latinoamericano de Justicia y Género (ELA)
Project Description
The project tackled the issue of women’s political participation from a broader, more inclusive perspective, moving beyond the national level to analyze developments in the provinces and municipalities. This approach responded to the unmet needs and challenges of the Argentine context, and led to greater equality in real terms and improved women’s participation in society and politics at the local level. The project strategy focused on consolidating and advancing a new view and understanding of the essential role of women leaders in social and policy-making bodies in Argentina. It pursued two main objectives: (a) to promote women’s leadership in civil society by identifying and sharing relevant experiences in leadership-building with this group at the local level; and (b) to provide tools for improving women leaders’ ability to promote the issues on their agenda through advocacy with national and local government agencies.  At the technical and institutional levels, the project yielded results that will support the continuity and replication of its initiatives.
Evaluation Date
April 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Nigeria Procurement Monitoring Project

The project’s internet portal that made it easy to upload monitoring reports and share information played an important role. In preparation for the design of the portal, the project also supported the peer review and updating of the existing monitoring checklist and reporting template. The development of the portal is regarded as an important achievement, not only by civil society, but also by government regulatory bodies and international donors, including the World Bank, UNDP and PACT Nigeria.
Project Partner
Public & Private Development Centre
Project Description
The project’s overall objective was to increase the effectiveness of procurement monitoring by non-state actors following the Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2007 in Nigeria. The project was built on a thorough analysis of the current situation regarding government procurement and mechanisms for monitoring and reporting on the process. The publication of two carefully researched annual assessment reports on the state of public procurement and stakeholder knowledge of PPA requirements proved effective for connecting public procurement and integrity in governance. The development of new tools for training of trainers in procurement monitoring and the training of 33 monitors were also valuable. Efforts to work closely with the legislature began well. However, the 2011 Parliamentary Elections brought about a wholesale change in the membership of both houses of the National Assembly. The leading champions of reform in regard to public procurement were defeated, and there was no longer an interest among elected members in working closely with PPDC, although a positive working relationship was established with the parliamentary secretariat.
Evaluation Date
April 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Nigeria Procurement Monitoring Project

There is an important and essential relationship between the grantee and the other core organizations within the National Procurement Watch Platform. Working relationships among individuals are built around trust, mutual support and shared experience and commitment. Throughout the project, the grantee received substantial in-kind support from core members of the network, while extending support to them in return. These trust-based working relationships were one of the foundations of project effectiveness and efficiency.
Project Partner
Public & Private Development Centre
Project Description
The project’s overall objective was to increase the effectiveness of procurement monitoring by non-state actors following the Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2007 in Nigeria. The project was built on a thorough analysis of the current situation regarding government procurement and mechanisms for monitoring and reporting on the process. The publication of two carefully researched annual assessment reports on the state of public procurement and stakeholder knowledge of PPA requirements proved effective for connecting public procurement and integrity in governance. The development of new tools for training of trainers in procurement monitoring and the training of 33 monitors were also valuable. Efforts to work closely with the legislature began well. However, the 2011 Parliamentary Elections brought about a wholesale change in the membership of both houses of the National Assembly. The leading champions of reform in regard to public procurement were defeated, and there was no longer an interest among elected members in working closely with PPDC, although a positive working relationship was established with the parliamentary secretariat.
Evaluation Date
April 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Nigeria Procurement Monitoring Project

The project helped enhance the standing and credibility of the grantee. It was able to carry out work beyond the scope of the project. Following up on its efforts to open up the public procurement sphere to scrutiny, with the support of like-minded law firms, the grantee launched a number of public interest legal cases concerning the obligation of government bodies to release all relevant information to civil society observers. A positive result was achieved recently in one such case, concerning the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), which had refused to provide the necessary documents to an accredited monitor.
Project Partner
Public & Private Development Centre
Project Description
The project’s overall objective was to increase the effectiveness of procurement monitoring by non-state actors following the Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2007 in Nigeria. The project was built on a thorough analysis of the current situation regarding government procurement and mechanisms for monitoring and reporting on the process. The publication of two carefully researched annual assessment reports on the state of public procurement and stakeholder knowledge of PPA requirements proved effective for connecting public procurement and integrity in governance. The development of new tools for training of trainers in procurement monitoring and the training of 33 monitors were also valuable. Efforts to work closely with the legislature began well. However, the 2011 Parliamentary Elections brought about a wholesale change in the membership of both houses of the National Assembly. The leading champions of reform in regard to public procurement were defeated, and there was no longer an interest among elected members in working closely with PPDC, although a positive working relationship was established with the parliamentary secretariat.
Evaluation Date
April 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Nigeria Procurement Monitoring Project

The preparation and publication of the Procurement Observation Handbook built on previous efforts. It is also being used elsewhere in West Africa, and has been provided to the World Bank IDF program and Open Society Initiative for West Africa on request for translation to French for use in French-speaking West African Countries. Feedback on the manual from those interviewed for the evaluation was extremely positive.
Project Partner
Public & Private Development Centre
Project Description
The project’s overall objective was to increase the effectiveness of procurement monitoring by non-state actors following the Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2007 in Nigeria. The project was built on a thorough analysis of the current situation regarding government procurement and mechanisms for monitoring and reporting on the process. The publication of two carefully researched annual assessment reports on the state of public procurement and stakeholder knowledge of PPA requirements proved effective for connecting public procurement and integrity in governance. The development of new tools for training of trainers in procurement monitoring and the training of 33 monitors were also valuable. Efforts to work closely with the legislature began well. However, the 2011 Parliamentary Elections brought about a wholesale change in the membership of both houses of the National Assembly. The leading champions of reform in regard to public procurement were defeated, and there was no longer an interest among elected members in working closely with PPDC, although a positive working relationship was established with the parliamentary secretariat.
Evaluation Date
April 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Nigeria Procurement Monitoring Project

Efforts to work closely with the legislature began well, with the Committee on Public Procurement of the House of Representatives willing to follow up on concrete problems identified in meetings with grantee and its allies. However, the 2011 parliamentary elections brought about a wholesale change in the membership of both houses of the National Assembly. The leading champions of reform in public procurement were defeated, and there was no longer an interest among elected members in working closely with grantee, although a positive working relationship was established with the parliamentary secretariat.
Project Partner
Public & Private Development Centre
Project Description
The project’s overall objective was to increase the effectiveness of procurement monitoring by non-state actors following the Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2007 in Nigeria. The project was built on a thorough analysis of the current situation regarding government procurement and mechanisms for monitoring and reporting on the process. The publication of two carefully researched annual assessment reports on the state of public procurement and stakeholder knowledge of PPA requirements proved effective for connecting public procurement and integrity in governance. The development of new tools for training of trainers in procurement monitoring and the training of 33 monitors were also valuable. Efforts to work closely with the legislature began well. However, the 2011 Parliamentary Elections brought about a wholesale change in the membership of both houses of the National Assembly. The leading champions of reform in regard to public procurement were defeated, and there was no longer an interest among elected members in working closely with PPDC, although a positive working relationship was established with the parliamentary secretariat.
Evaluation Date
April 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Nigeria Procurement Monitoring Project

Ongoing activities require external funding. Given the need to maintain independence to ensure the credibility of its activities, accepting funding from the government is not an option for the grantee Although some of the longer-established NGOs are able to support some level of monitoring activity from their own resources, inevitably, the overall level of monitoring of procurement activity will decline without additional dedicated funding. Further, there is regular turnover in CSO ranks, and the level of knowledge required to be an effective monitor is significant.
Project Partner
Public & Private Development Centre
Project Description
The project’s overall objective was to increase the effectiveness of procurement monitoring by non-state actors following the Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2007 in Nigeria. The project was built on a thorough analysis of the current situation regarding government procurement and mechanisms for monitoring and reporting on the process. The publication of two carefully researched annual assessment reports on the state of public procurement and stakeholder knowledge of PPA requirements proved effective for connecting public procurement and integrity in governance. The development of new tools for training of trainers in procurement monitoring and the training of 33 monitors were also valuable. Efforts to work closely with the legislature began well. However, the 2011 Parliamentary Elections brought about a wholesale change in the membership of both houses of the National Assembly. The leading champions of reform in regard to public procurement were defeated, and there was no longer an interest among elected members in working closely with PPDC, although a positive working relationship was established with the parliamentary secretariat.
Evaluation Date
April 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Nigeria Procurement Monitoring Project

The project workshop covered a great deal of complex and challenging material on an intensive basis over two long days. Although materials were circulated in advance, according to participants, only those with a good prior knowledge of procurement and some understanding of the legal provisions of the Public Procurement Act would have been able to benefit fully from the workshop. Given the centrality of this activity to the project, it would have been sensible to eliminate at least one other activity in order to fully support this one.
Project Partner
Public & Private Development Centre
Project Description
The project’s overall objective was to increase the effectiveness of procurement monitoring by non-state actors following the Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2007 in Nigeria. The project was built on a thorough analysis of the current situation regarding government procurement and mechanisms for monitoring and reporting on the process. The publication of two carefully researched annual assessment reports on the state of public procurement and stakeholder knowledge of PPA requirements proved effective for connecting public procurement and integrity in governance. The development of new tools for training of trainers in procurement monitoring and the training of 33 monitors were also valuable. Efforts to work closely with the legislature began well. However, the 2011 Parliamentary Elections brought about a wholesale change in the membership of both houses of the National Assembly. The leading champions of reform in regard to public procurement were defeated, and there was no longer an interest among elected members in working closely with PPDC, although a positive working relationship was established with the parliamentary secretariat.
Evaluation Date
April 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Pour une Diplomatie Non Gouvernementale

Participants in the project expressed strong satisfaction with the skills and confidence they had gained: "We have become more credible actors with enhanced political impact. Although it is too early to appreciate the direct effects, we are confident that we will see them soon.”
Project Partner
Coordination SUD
Project Description
The objective of the project was to strengthen national and regional platforms of civil society organizations and to increase their influence. The project was based on the strategy that civil society platforms should play an important role in national, regional, and international negotiations. The project aimed to democratize debates on globalization and to enhance the influence of national and regional platforms on public policy-making. The project goals were: to develop national and regional NGO platforms; to enhance CSO advocacy skills through six exercises in nongovernmental diplomacy; the launch of an International NGO Resource Center; and the institutionalization and consolidation of the International Forum of National NGO Platforms. The project worked with national NGO platforms in Brazil, Chile, Senegal and the USA as well as regional platforms based in West Africa, India and Central Africa.
Evaluation Date
March 2012