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Lessons

LESSON

Lesson Learned: Empowering Local CSOs in Yemen through Participation in Local Governance

The project activities concerning the Law of Associations and Foundations - NGO law - were very effective. Many consultations were held at governorate levels, in which the grantee and partners raised awareness about the opportunities, offered by the NGO law and initiated debates about possible amendments to the law and how it is implemented. There were also awareness raising sessions on the Code of Conduct for NGOs, aimed at improving their governance.
Project Partner
Humanitarian Forum - Yemen
Project Description
The project aimed to address the problem of weak local civil society organizations [CSOs] and the general lack of collaboration between private and public development stakeholders in Yemen. Specifically, the project sought to improve the capacity of local CSOs and strengthen partnerships between local CSOs and the government at the local and national levels in order to effectively address emergencies and respond to humanitarian situations. The project was implemented in four governorates of Yemen (Sana’a, Aden, Hadramawt and Hudaydah ) and in three pilot pilot districts (Ghayl Ba Wazir in Hadramawt, Al Boreqah in Aden, and Al Mansuriyah in Hudaydah), while advocacy at national level was conducted with the authorities in Sana’a. The project was very relevant, in that it identified genuine needs at community level and in terms of civil society capacity building and took a two-pronged approach (that was appropriate to the situation in Yemen. The project could not have anticipated the near-failure of central government that Yemen has experienced since 2014. However the project strategy of working with local authorities and civil society stakeholders at community level was relevant to the reinforcement of local governance, irrespective of the national political situation. Some significant groundwork has been carried out in this respect, which may bear fruit if a functional government is re-established.
Evaluation Date
May 2015
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Empowering Local CSOs in Yemen through Participation in Local Governance

Project staff had a good relationship with ministry officials which should lay the groundwork for future collaboration. The few weaknesses in project management may largely be ascribed to difficult logistical conditions, which limited the capacity to coordinate between the capital, Sana’a and the governorates. In the context of Yemen in the project period, the quality of management was impressive. The project management was pro-active and internal accountability mechanisms were appropriate.
Project Partner
Humanitarian Forum - Yemen
Project Description
The project aimed to address the problem of weak local civil society organizations [CSOs] and the general lack of collaboration between private and public development stakeholders in Yemen. Specifically, the project sought to improve the capacity of local CSOs and strengthen partnerships between local CSOs and the government at the local and national levels in order to effectively address emergencies and respond to humanitarian situations. The project was implemented in four governorates of Yemen (Sana’a, Aden, Hadramawt and Hudaydah ) and in three pilot pilot districts (Ghayl Ba Wazir in Hadramawt, Al Boreqah in Aden, and Al Mansuriyah in Hudaydah), while advocacy at national level was conducted with the authorities in Sana’a. The project was very relevant, in that it identified genuine needs at community level and in terms of civil society capacity building and took a two-pronged approach (that was appropriate to the situation in Yemen. The project could not have anticipated the near-failure of central government that Yemen has experienced since 2014. However the project strategy of working with local authorities and civil society stakeholders at community level was relevant to the reinforcement of local governance, irrespective of the national political situation. Some significant groundwork has been carried out in this respect, which may bear fruit if a functional government is re-established.
Evaluation Date
May 2015
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Empowering Local CSOs in Yemen through Participation in Local Governance

In spite of the difficult circumstances in Yemen, the project did have some impact: several local NGOs have acquired a better understanding of rules and regulations concerning NGOs and of the governance principles set out in the Code of Conduct disseminated by the project. At local level, there is evidence that local councils and NGOs have accepted the principle of working together and intend to do so beyond the project period.
Project Partner
Humanitarian Forum - Yemen
Project Description
The project aimed to address the problem of weak local civil society organizations [CSOs] and the general lack of collaboration between private and public development stakeholders in Yemen. Specifically, the project sought to improve the capacity of local CSOs and strengthen partnerships between local CSOs and the government at the local and national levels in order to effectively address emergencies and respond to humanitarian situations. The project was implemented in four governorates of Yemen (Sana’a, Aden, Hadramawt and Hudaydah ) and in three pilot pilot districts (Ghayl Ba Wazir in Hadramawt, Al Boreqah in Aden, and Al Mansuriyah in Hudaydah), while advocacy at national level was conducted with the authorities in Sana’a. The project was very relevant, in that it identified genuine needs at community level and in terms of civil society capacity building and took a two-pronged approach (that was appropriate to the situation in Yemen. The project could not have anticipated the near-failure of central government that Yemen has experienced since 2014. However the project strategy of working with local authorities and civil society stakeholders at community level was relevant to the reinforcement of local governance, irrespective of the national political situation. Some significant groundwork has been carried out in this respect, which may bear fruit if a functional government is re-established.
Evaluation Date
May 2015
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Empowering Local CSOs in Yemen through Participation in Local Governance

There were two different types of outcome at local level: dialogue between communities and local authorities; and facilitation of urgent development/humanitarian activities. These were sometimes confused. In addition, the project sought to achieve outcomes internal to the NGO movement, by helping build NGO project management capacity and reinforce accountability and transparency within civil society. While these outcomes were all relevant, their achievement in four different locations including Sana’a was challenging, particularly in view of the ambitious objectives the project was meant to fulfill.
Project Partner
Humanitarian Forum - Yemen
Project Description
The project aimed to address the problem of weak local civil society organizations [CSOs] and the general lack of collaboration between private and public development stakeholders in Yemen. Specifically, the project sought to improve the capacity of local CSOs and strengthen partnerships between local CSOs and the government at the local and national levels in order to effectively address emergencies and respond to humanitarian situations. The project was implemented in four governorates of Yemen (Sana’a, Aden, Hadramawt and Hudaydah ) and in three pilot pilot districts (Ghayl Ba Wazir in Hadramawt, Al Boreqah in Aden, and Al Mansuriyah in Hudaydah), while advocacy at national level was conducted with the authorities in Sana’a. The project was very relevant, in that it identified genuine needs at community level and in terms of civil society capacity building and took a two-pronged approach (that was appropriate to the situation in Yemen. The project could not have anticipated the near-failure of central government that Yemen has experienced since 2014. However the project strategy of working with local authorities and civil society stakeholders at community level was relevant to the reinforcement of local governance, irrespective of the national political situation. Some significant groundwork has been carried out in this respect, which may bear fruit if a functional government is re-established.
Evaluation Date
May 2015
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: MDG Unions: Building Participatory Democracy From the Bottom Up in Rural Bangladesh

The grantee presented data, which demonstrated an increasing presence of women advocating gender- and youth-specific concerns in the Ward Shavas. There is also quantitative and qualitative evidence of enhanced local government accountability and service delivery. In addition, volunteer animators, civil society group representatives and self-help group members, with whom evaluators have met, continue to mobilise local community members to participate in local governance, and to hold local decision makers accountable. Interaction among local Bangladesh government, Union Parishad representatives, and all segments of the local population worked and changed the way in which local governments make their annual budget planning choices.

UNDEF/Bangladesh
Project Partner
The Hunger Project (THP) - Bangladesh
Project Description
The project improved the awareness of Union Parishad (UP, local government) decision makers about participatory democracy and their attitudes towards basic human rights. It also established participation mechanisms for the local population (Ward Shavas) and groups (Standing Committees) representing their interests. The visibly high degree of commitment among UP chairs to advocate for decentralization impressed the evaluators. Trainee assessments evidenced successful clarification of the roles and responsibilities of Standing Committee members. Ward Shavas not only provided grass-roots input to the annual budget and the five-year planning process, but led also to the posting of citizen charter displays in all ten Unions supported by the project. Given this success, it will be appropriate to investigate long-term options introducing enhanced cooperation in local governance to a wider circle of beneficiaries. For such purpose it would be necessary to improve the existing qualitative evidence of case studies of the project beneficiaries’ achievements, and to actively disseminate it to facilitate efficient replication for the benefit of sustainability elsewhere.
Evaluation Date
May 2015
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: MDG Unions: Building Participatory Democracy From the Bottom Up in Rural Bangladesh

There is a lack of basic fund management skills among several self-help group and civil society initiative leaders, who had launched who have established community-owned funding initiatives to support the solution of urgent community needs. The project could have organized more capacity building for self-help groups and civil society organisations representatives, in order to enable them to transparently and securely manage funds they have been entrusted with.
Project Partner
The Hunger Project (THP) - Bangladesh
Project Description
The project improved the awareness of Union Parishad (UP, local government) decision makers about participatory democracy and their attitudes towards basic human rights. It also established participation mechanisms for the local population (Ward Shavas) and groups (Standing Committees) representing their interests. The visibly high degree of commitment among UP chairs to advocate for decentralization impressed the evaluators. Trainee assessments evidenced successful clarification of the roles and responsibilities of Standing Committee members. Ward Shavas not only provided grass-roots input to the annual budget and the five-year planning process, but led also to the posting of citizen charter displays in all ten Unions supported by the project. Given this success, it will be appropriate to investigate long-term options introducing enhanced cooperation in local governance to a wider circle of beneficiaries. For such purpose it would be necessary to improve the existing qualitative evidence of case studies of the project beneficiaries’ achievements, and to actively disseminate it to facilitate efficient replication for the benefit of sustainability elsewhere.
Evaluation Date
May 2015
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Empowering Local CSOs in Yemen through Participation in Local Governance

The project document succinctly set out the key needs addressed by the project: to support the role of NGOs in post-2011 Yemen and to respond to the challenge of widespread poverty. However, the project document did not sufficiently analyze the challenges and opportunities related to local government structures in Yemen – in particular the difference in role between Local Councils (LCs) and Local Executive Offices (LEOs), which together form the Local Government Authorities (LGAs). LEOs are decision-making structures, which may access central government funds. By contrast LCs’ role is merely consultative.
Project Partner
Humanitarian Forum - Yemen
Project Description
The project aimed to address the problem of weak local civil society organizations [CSOs] and the general lack of collaboration between private and public development stakeholders in Yemen. Specifically, the project sought to improve the capacity of local CSOs and strengthen partnerships between local CSOs and the government at the local and national levels in order to effectively address emergencies and respond to humanitarian situations. The project was implemented in four governorates of Yemen (Sana’a, Aden, Hadramawt and Hudaydah ) and in three pilot pilot districts (Ghayl Ba Wazir in Hadramawt, Al Boreqah in Aden, and Al Mansuriyah in Hudaydah), while advocacy at national level was conducted with the authorities in Sana’a. The project was very relevant, in that it identified genuine needs at community level and in terms of civil society capacity building and took a two-pronged approach (that was appropriate to the situation in Yemen. The project could not have anticipated the near-failure of central government that Yemen has experienced since 2014. However the project strategy of working with local authorities and civil society stakeholders at community level was relevant to the reinforcement of local governance, irrespective of the national political situation. Some significant groundwork has been carried out in this respect, which may bear fruit if a functional government is re-established.
Evaluation Date
May 2015
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Empowering Local CSOs in Yemen through Participation in Local Governance

The project might have benefited from a small grants scheme. Interviewees at the local level regretted that there had been no provisions for a small grants process in the project design. Such a process might have indeed helped enhance the relevance of the multi-stakeholder dialogues at local level, and communities’ buy-in in the project, as a result of the availability of funds to take immediate action.
Project Partner
Humanitarian Forum - Yemen
Project Description
The project aimed to address the problem of weak local civil society organizations [CSOs] and the general lack of collaboration between private and public development stakeholders in Yemen. Specifically, the project sought to improve the capacity of local CSOs and strengthen partnerships between local CSOs and the government at the local and national levels in order to effectively address emergencies and respond to humanitarian situations. The project was implemented in four governorates of Yemen (Sana’a, Aden, Hadramawt and Hudaydah ) and in three pilot pilot districts (Ghayl Ba Wazir in Hadramawt, Al Boreqah in Aden, and Al Mansuriyah in Hudaydah), while advocacy at national level was conducted with the authorities in Sana’a. The project was very relevant, in that it identified genuine needs at community level and in terms of civil society capacity building and took a two-pronged approach (that was appropriate to the situation in Yemen. The project could not have anticipated the near-failure of central government that Yemen has experienced since 2014. However the project strategy of working with local authorities and civil society stakeholders at community level was relevant to the reinforcement of local governance, irrespective of the national political situation. Some significant groundwork has been carried out in this respect, which may bear fruit if a functional government is re-established.
Evaluation Date
May 2015
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Empowering Vulnerable People through Internet: E-Learning Initiative for Young Migrant Workers in China

Three of the problems encountered, which arose from mistaken assumptions about three of the principal set of participants in the project, were rather basic, suggesting gaps in the initial needs analysis and feasibility assessment conducted by the project team. The first concerned the primary beneficiaries, the young migrant workers, and a lack of fit between the character of planned project activities and their way-of-life. It was discovered that they had limited time availability and an unpredictable schedule of working hours. Given what is widely known about the conditions of work and living of migrant workers, this should not have been a surprise.
Project Partner
ICO Institute for Social Agenda
Project Description
The project succeeded in meeting its targets in its final phase, including the development of 20 proposals and petitions by young migrant workers and CSOs working with them, concerning desired improvements in working and living conditions. Of these, eight described practical initiatives or small projects. Each of the eight was awarded a small grant to implement the plans proposed. While some students gained valuable experience, many of those involved lacked the commitment to taking an active role in support of the young migrant workers. Further, the role assigned to the students in “assisting young migrant workers using social media” was vague, and they lacked guidance on what to do and how to do it. In addition, the students, as well as the academic coordinators and the CSO representatives interviewed, all commented on the wide social gap between students and the young workers, which made communication difficult.
Evaluation Date
April 2015
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Empowering Vulnerable People through Internet: E-Learning Initiative for Young Migrant Workers in China

The grantee was caught out by the rapidity of social and technological change which made internet cafes redundant as a site for social communication, based on computer-based email and file or photo exchange, among young migrant workers. The project vision was of young migrant workers sitting in neighbourhood cafes, taking part in substantive discussions through micro-blogs and chat groups, and taking part in E-learning courses, uploaded to the project web-site. Internet cafes were going out of business because of dwindling numbers of customers.
Project Partner
ICO Institute for Social Agenda
Project Description
The project succeeded in meeting its targets in its final phase, including the development of 20 proposals and petitions by young migrant workers and CSOs working with them, concerning desired improvements in working and living conditions. Of these, eight described practical initiatives or small projects. Each of the eight was awarded a small grant to implement the plans proposed. While some students gained valuable experience, many of those involved lacked the commitment to taking an active role in support of the young migrant workers. Further, the role assigned to the students in “assisting young migrant workers using social media” was vague, and they lacked guidance on what to do and how to do it. In addition, the students, as well as the academic coordinators and the CSO representatives interviewed, all commented on the wide social gap between students and the young workers, which made communication difficult.
Evaluation Date
April 2015
Country