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Project: Advancing the rights of women in the West Bank periphery, Palestine
Evaluation Date: February 2015
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

The project did not meet all its targets in relation to the number of community members, in particular men, who would be engaged by the activities in Palestine. However, the grantee used this as an opportunity to learn lessons on the challenges of persuading men to consider new approaches to community decision making. The grantee may have benefited from help in this area of implementation from an organization with some expertise in mobilizing men’s participation; alternatively, it might have looked at an alternative forum to include men in the project.

Theme: Women's empowerment

Palestine community, men

Project: Democracy for Women’s Rights in Sindh, Pakistan
Evaluation Date: October 2011
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

Evidence collected during interviews and group discussions, and as self-reported by the grantee, indicated that women’s new-found confidence to exercise their democratic rights was sensitive to the attitudes and decisions of their male relatives. If this confidence does not get translated into actual democratic participation the motivation of the women involved may weaken.

Theme: Women's empowerment

Pakistan men, participation

Project: Promoting the representation of Malagasy Women in Political and Public Affairs
Evaluation Date: February 2015
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

While the project was designed by women for women, which was a strength in terms of ownership and credibility among the participants, the absence of any activities designed to engage with men in the main political parties was a weakness. The reality is that it is mostly men who are heads of executive and legislative bodies. Engaging men in power is necessary in order to integrate women into political and public life.

Theme: Women's empowerment

Madagascar men, participation

Project: Improving the Participation of 155 Women's Groups
Evaluation Date: October 2013
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

The strategic approach of the project could have been stronger if the awareness-raising initiatives organized had also included men so as to complement those carried out with women. The project could have also distinguished between different age groups, focusing on young people, who are probably more open to adopting new ideas.

Theme: Women's empowerment

Côte d'Ivoire men, rights, youth

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: Promotion of Women’s Empowerment and Rights in Somalia
Evaluation Date: June 2016
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

The engagement of “community catalysts/mobilizers” included men in leadership positions within the communities. These men were recruited to spread the messages of women’s empowerment in conjunction with the grassroots campaigns. One community catalyst interviewed was a teacher and religious leader who was also consulted on the nature of the messages and said he considered them “excellent”. Another religious leader said his job was to “undo communities’ negative views on women’s rights and empowerment” and to help change people’s perceptions, including those of parents so that they allowed their daughters to explore their potential “even by seeking leadership positions”. The community catalysts also helped smooth the way for CSOs to gain access to regional administrations. Several of those interviewed expressed their satisfaction at having been consulted and then brought into the project.

Theme: Women's empowerment

Somalia community, gender, men

Project: Strengthening women’s empowerment in municipal government
Evaluation Date: October 2011
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

The involvement of men is considered crucial if women’s empowerment is to lead to real change in workplace and social relationships and hierarchies. Men did participate in the project at a number of levels: as trainees and research respondents, and there was a targeted awareness-raising course for the predominantly male Special Administrators and Chief Executive Officers appointed to replace elected mayors.

UNDEF/ Fiji

Theme: Women's empowerment

Fiji, Kirbati, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu gender roles, men

Project: Empowered Civil Society Addressing the Democratic Needs of Rural Women in Myanmar
Evaluation Date: January 2016
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

The project correctly emphasized the need to build the capacity of women to take part in decision-making processes, but it could also have included an element addressing men, to encourage them to support women’s involvement in such processes. In the absence of engagement specifically directed at men, the project ran the risk of appearing to be solely a support mechanism for women.

Theme: Community activism

Myanmar gender relations, men, women

Project: Empowered Civil Society Addressing the Democratic Needs of Rural Women in Myanmar
Evaluation Date: January 2016
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

Raising awareness among men about women’s rights is necessary to contribute to reducing some of the challenges faced by women who seek leadership roles in their community. The project contributed to changing men’s attitudes towards women’s role in the community: there was greater acceptance among men of women exercising a leadership role at local level, even though some men continued to note that this trend faces hostility.

Theme: Community activism

Myanmar gender relations, men, women

Project: Enhancing Political Participation of Marginalised Women in Nepal
Evaluation Date: September 2010
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

The male participants in the project were officials, trainers, and project managers, but not community members from the target groups. Although some women said they passed their newly acquired knowledge to men in their family, the project could have made sure that information reached male community members to avoid any exclusion or loss of impact.

Theme: Women's empowerment

Nepal gender roles, men, women

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