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Lessons

LESSON

Lesson Learned: Support for Youth Involvement in Electoral Processes in Gabon

The project should have implemented a more integrated and transparent approach so as to include all the various regional partners. This would have resulted in a more realistic estimate of costs and the required professional skills.
Project Partner
Réseau des Organisations Libres de la société civile pour la Bonne Gouvernance au Gabon
Project Description
The project aimed to address needs of the Gabonese youth to participate in electoral processes. The project had three components: social mobilization – including motivating young people to participate and engage in politics; strengthening the leadership of youth – including integrating young people in the spheres of influence within their local area; and advocacy which aimed to stablish local forums for young leaders in democracy. The project encountered some challenges including education strikes, and the refusal of some educational leaders to let young people participate. Despite the difficulties encountered, the grantee's efforts still resulted in some remarkable results. The project was particularly successful in encouraging school and university students to speak their mind. The evaluators were also impressed by the variety of communication products, such as educational materials and publications, both in digital version in hard copy, as well as by the quality of professionally produced advertising spots and by the discussions broadcasted on television.
Evaluation Date
January 2016
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Support for Youth Involvement in Electoral Processes in Gabon

The fact that the grantee’s approach and methodology included the conduct of a baseline survey, annual follow-up surveys, and the formulation of target indicators is highly commendable. However there could have been a more rigorous approach to data analysis. The grantee has collected very basic data to monitor effectiveness and impact, and failed to provide UNDEF in its reporting with a comparative analysis.

Project Partner
Réseau des Organisations Libres de la société civile pour la Bonne Gouvernance au Gabon
Project Description
The project aimed to address needs of the Gabonese youth to participate in electoral processes. The project had three components: social mobilization – including motivating young people to participate and engage in politics; strengthening the leadership of youth – including integrating young people in the spheres of influence within their local area; and advocacy which aimed to stablish local forums for young leaders in democracy. The project encountered some challenges including education strikes, and the refusal of some educational leaders to let young people participate. Despite the difficulties encountered, the grantee's efforts still resulted in some remarkable results. The project was particularly successful in encouraging school and university students to speak their mind. The evaluators were also impressed by the variety of communication products, such as educational materials and publications, both in digital version in hard copy, as well as by the quality of professionally produced advertising spots and by the discussions broadcasted on television.
Evaluation Date
January 2016
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Civic Participation of Indigenous Youth for the Strengthening of Democracy

Important topics such as the prevention of violence, sexual and reproductive health and gender equality were not been sufficiently elaborated during the training programme.
Project Partner
Coordinación de ONGs y Cooperativas
Project Description
The aim of the project in Guatemala was to increase the participation of Q´eqchi youth, especially women, in individual and collective decision-making and democratic processes in the municipality of Sayaxché, department of Petén. The project strategy was structured around two activities: training young people on citizens’ rights and participatory democracy; and creating organized youth spaces to foster the participation of young people in political decision-making processes. Civic awareness-raising and training sessions for young people from 23 communities belonging to five micro-regions within the municipality of Sayaxché were held. The project then attempted to institutionalise structures by creating two youth associations. These associations were expected to draft a proposal for public policy on youth at the municipal level, which would be presented to the local government for adoption. These activities contributed to the improvement of the quality of political participation of young people and to the strengthening of the process of decentralization which promotes civic participation at the local level.
Evaluation Date
January 2016
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Civic Participation of Indigenous Youth for the Strengthening of Democracy

By the end of the project, the implementation of the public policy on youth had not been completed and depended on the adoption of a budget by the municipality. The project raised many expectations among the young people and in the communities. They wished to ensure the continuity of the initiatives. The project could have identified concrete initiatives to allow the newly established youth associations to address and push forward local issues of developed by the public policy on youth.
Project Partner
Coordinación de ONGs y Cooperativas
Project Description
The aim of the project in Guatemala was to increase the participation of Q´eqchi youth, especially women, in individual and collective decision-making and democratic processes in the municipality of Sayaxché, department of Petén. The project strategy was structured around two activities: training young people on citizens’ rights and participatory democracy; and creating organized youth spaces to foster the participation of young people in political decision-making processes. Civic awareness-raising and training sessions for young people from 23 communities belonging to five micro-regions within the municipality of Sayaxché were held. The project then attempted to institutionalise structures by creating two youth associations. These associations were expected to draft a proposal for public policy on youth at the municipal level, which would be presented to the local government for adoption. These activities contributed to the improvement of the quality of political participation of young people and to the strengthening of the process of decentralization which promotes civic participation at the local level.
Evaluation Date
January 2016
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Civic Participation of Indigenous Youth for the Strengthening of Democracy

The process of training youth leaders raised civic awareness and supported organizational processes amongst young people in Guatemala. Although their understanding of civic participation as a tool for political change still needs to be strengthened, the lessons learned were highly valued by the participants who were empowered to include issues that affect them in public policy on youth.
Project Partner
Coordinación de ONGs y Cooperativas
Project Description
The aim of the project in Guatemala was to increase the participation of Q´eqchi youth, especially women, in individual and collective decision-making and democratic processes in the municipality of Sayaxché, department of Petén. The project strategy was structured around two activities: training young people on citizens’ rights and participatory democracy; and creating organized youth spaces to foster the participation of young people in political decision-making processes. Civic awareness-raising and training sessions for young people from 23 communities belonging to five micro-regions within the municipality of Sayaxché were held. The project then attempted to institutionalise structures by creating two youth associations. These associations were expected to draft a proposal for public policy on youth at the municipal level, which would be presented to the local government for adoption. These activities contributed to the improvement of the quality of political participation of young people and to the strengthening of the process of decentralization which promotes civic participation at the local level.
Evaluation Date
January 2016
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Civic Participation of Indigenous Youth for the Strengthening of Democracy

The adoption of the Public Policy on Youth and the creation of the Municipal Youth Office are evidence that the project managed to establish a link between the youth associations and the municipal authorities in Guatemala. The young people appreciated the project’s training and building of the associations which gave them the opportunity to know their rights and apply democratic practices in Guatemala.
Project Partner
Coordinación de ONGs y Cooperativas
Project Description
The aim of the project in Guatemala was to increase the participation of Q´eqchi youth, especially women, in individual and collective decision-making and democratic processes in the municipality of Sayaxché, department of Petén. The project strategy was structured around two activities: training young people on citizens’ rights and participatory democracy; and creating organized youth spaces to foster the participation of young people in political decision-making processes. Civic awareness-raising and training sessions for young people from 23 communities belonging to five micro-regions within the municipality of Sayaxché were held. The project then attempted to institutionalise structures by creating two youth associations. These associations were expected to draft a proposal for public policy on youth at the municipal level, which would be presented to the local government for adoption. These activities contributed to the improvement of the quality of political participation of young people and to the strengthening of the process of decentralization which promotes civic participation at the local level.
Evaluation Date
January 2016
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Towards Collaborative and Transparent Local Development Planning

Although the project activities were carried out before the government decided on the type of local structures to be created, they served as a platform between prefectural development groups and village development committees. These platforms continue to be used by local communities and officials, as well as by other donors / NGOs for policy dialogue and project implementation. This means that the experience gained in governance and democracy through the project and the programme of which it was part, can be sustainable.
Project Partner
Centre International de Développement et de Recherche
Project Description
The project aimed to strengthen the ongoing decentralization process by involving the local population in local development planning. Activities included setting up and training members of cantonal / communal development committees and prefectural development committees in charge of identifying and prioritizing local development needs in order to enhance democratic governance. Support to the annual local development planning process included the implementation of 15 micro-projects which were part of the agreed local development plans, as well as awareness-raising campaigns on decentralization, local development and the roles of local civil servants and citizens. The project strategy was coherent and designed to complement the grantee’s ongoing local governance support programme. The project was implemented by an international and a local partner NGO. The lack of a specific agreement between the grantee and its local partne, however, contributed to a lack of attention to the project specific elements within the wider development programme.
Evaluation Date
December 2015
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Towards Collaborative and Transparent Local Development Planning

The grantee’s ongoing programme a decentralized rural development programme - has overshadowed the governance elements of the UNDEF specific project. Overall, however, the UNDEF-financed sections were effective in strengthening community-based consultative bodies for local development and dialogue between these bodies and local officials.
Project Partner
Centre International de Développement et de Recherche
Project Description
The project aimed to strengthen the ongoing decentralization process by involving the local population in local development planning. Activities included setting up and training members of cantonal / communal development committees and prefectural development committees in charge of identifying and prioritizing local development needs in order to enhance democratic governance. Support to the annual local development planning process included the implementation of 15 micro-projects which were part of the agreed local development plans, as well as awareness-raising campaigns on decentralization, local development and the roles of local civil servants and citizens. The project strategy was coherent and designed to complement the grantee’s ongoing local governance support programme. The project was implemented by an international and a local partner NGO. The lack of a specific agreement between the grantee and its local partne, however, contributed to a lack of attention to the project specific elements within the wider development programme.
Evaluation Date
December 2015
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Young Builders of a New Citizenship In Chad

Focusing on specific topics of concern and relevance to youth would have helped make the youth associations more effective and led to more targeted actions in the field of public policy.
Project Partner
Action des Partenaires pour l'Appui au Développement
Project Description
The project aimed to empower young people so that their voices could be heard by public authorities. The project focused on strengthening youth capacity, youth initiatives and dialogue between youth organizations and authorities as partners in public policy. It was a continuation of a programme which the grantee had been conducting since 2005 through its youth network in 12 municipalities across the country. The project was based on the finding that participation of young Chadians in the public sphere was very low and that there was a need to increase their capacity for action. The project was relevant, since there is no real youth strategy in the country and youth represent 70 per cent of the population but lack access to democratic space and have a low quality of education.
Evaluation Date
December 2015
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Towards Collaborative and Transparent Local Development Planning

There was no reference system to measure or determine at the end of the project the level of understanding or observe the changes that may have occurred as a result of the project. The effectiveness of the awareness-raising work carried out through village meetings and radio programmes remains unclear. Similarly, it is difficult to assess whether the training courses, which provided a brief overview of governance issues, achieved real change.
Project Partner
Centre International de Développement et de Recherche
Project Description
The project aimed to strengthen the ongoing decentralization process by involving the local population in local development planning. Activities included setting up and training members of cantonal / communal development committees and prefectural development committees in charge of identifying and prioritizing local development needs in order to enhance democratic governance. Support to the annual local development planning process included the implementation of 15 micro-projects which were part of the agreed local development plans, as well as awareness-raising campaigns on decentralization, local development and the roles of local civil servants and citizens. The project strategy was coherent and designed to complement the grantee’s ongoing local governance support programme. The project was implemented by an international and a local partner NGO. The lack of a specific agreement between the grantee and its local partne, however, contributed to a lack of attention to the project specific elements within the wider development programme.
Evaluation Date
December 2015
Country