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Lessons

LESSON

Lesson Learned: Citizen Journalists for Free and Fair Elections in Georgia

The grantee in Georgia did undertake a good internal monitoring effort to track progress of project indicators, but these indicators primarily tracked outputs. This project might have had more significant but these were invisible to the evaluators. Most of the information on higher level outcomes was anecdotal and without more data, it was not possible to evaluate to which extent results were achieved.
Project Partner
Civic Development Institute
Project Description
The project’s objective was to promote free and fair elections in Georgia. The project aimed to reduce electoral fraud and increase trust in the election results by involving citizens in monitoring and reporting on elections in cooperation with professional journalists. The citizen journalists, who included media professionals, NGO members and political party representatives, received training and some technical resources, including a memory stick and the grantee’s contact information. They were then left alone to report to the grantee about problems they have witnessed. The intervention was directly relevant to the need to strengthen the integrity of the electoral process and ensure the dissemination of objective information. Georgia lacked a tradition of citizen engagement or peaceful transfer of power through the ballot box. A financial incentive was used by the grantee, paying USD 40 for each verified report.
Evaluation Date
April 2014
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Promoting Freedom of Information Activism at the Local Level in Brazil

The grantee partnered with the AMARRIBO network, which is the largest network fighting corruption in Brazil. An umbrella organization for some 200 grassroots groups, its purpose is to foster local participation in the fight against municipal corruption. The two organizations complemented each other well. The grantee contributed its experience and knowledge about civil rights issues, access to public information, and the law as well as experience in training and legal advice in these areas. AMARRIBO has a broad social base and extensive experience with intervention at the municipal level, especially as a leader and advocate with public entities. Its knowledge of the local context and stakeholders was a very positive factor in the implementation of the project.
Project Partner
ARTICLE 19: Global Campaign for Free Expression
Project Description
The aim of the project was to promote the development of a more inclusive and equal society through promoting the free flow of information to the general public so that individuals, civil servants and civil society groups acting at the local level can hold their government to account, advocate for their rights and entitlements more effectively and influence policy-making processes. Specifically the project set out to foster local activism on freedom of information and to use access to information and transparency tools to strengthen participation within municipal governments across Brazil. The project strategy was built around four specific components: a strengthened and effective network of local activists working on access to information; increased public understanding of the importance of freedom of information and how to use the concept to encourage transparency and accountability; increased public demand for governments’ responsiveness to information requests at the local level; legislative and policy reform initiatives to promote transparency at the local level. The project was highly relevant since the Access to Public Information Act had recently come into effect. This Act required each municipality to draft regulations ensuring its proper enforcement. Yet surveys had indicated a lack of interest and knowledge in many municipalities about enforcing this law.
Evaluation Date
April 2014
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Raising Awareness about Women's Social, Political and Economic Rights in Afghanistan

The Project Document indicated the intention to conduct activities in 15 of 34 of Afghanistan’s provinces, situated in all four geographic regions of the country. In mounting such an ambitious effort, the grantee reduced the prospects for achieving results through a scattering of activities in locations throughout the country. It is apparent that the grantee failed to appreciate the scale of the risk it was taking on. Beyond this, weak integration of activities by project management, and a failure by the grantee to collaborate closely with its implementing partners, limited both the effectiveness and the impact of the project.
Project Partner
Development and Public Awareness
Project Description
The project Raising Awareness about Women's Social, Political and Economic Rights in Afghanistan’s overall objective and outcomes were relevant to the development problem of women’s empowerment and facilitating a greater presence for women in public life. However, the evaluation concluded that the project was not implemented in full. While it appears to be the case that the radio and television roundtables planned for production and broadcast in the 15 target provinces did take place, other activities have been implemented in no more than six, and as few as three, of the provinces.
Evaluation Date
April 2014
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Citizen Journalists for Free and Fair Elections in Georgia

The system of using the grantee’s institutional website as a place where concerned persons could have their reports posted was sustainable as long as the grantee in Georgia is in a position to continue to maintain its website. At the time of evaluation, the reports were still posted there and available to read. Having gained the experience of operating this type of a project, the grantee has extended also extended to other projects related to civic education.
Project Partner
Civic Development Institute
Project Description
The project’s objective was to promote free and fair elections in Georgia. The project aimed to reduce electoral fraud and increase trust in the election results by involving citizens in monitoring and reporting on elections in cooperation with professional journalists. The citizen journalists, who included media professionals, NGO members and political party representatives, received training and some technical resources, including a memory stick and the grantee’s contact information. They were then left alone to report to the grantee about problems they have witnessed. The intervention was directly relevant to the need to strengthen the integrity of the electoral process and ensure the dissemination of objective information. Georgia lacked a tradition of citizen engagement or peaceful transfer of power through the ballot box. A financial incentive was used by the grantee, paying USD 40 for each verified report.
Evaluation Date
April 2014
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Citizen Journalists for Free and Fair Elections in Georgia

The project inputs were consistent with the delivery of the activities but not with the intent of developing citizen journalism. Embedding citizen journalism would have required more than a one-time training and payment for verified reports. In this regard, the project in Georgia lacked clarity of purpose and should have conceptualized a fully comprehensive development programme.

Project Partner
Civic Development Institute
Project Description
The project’s objective was to promote free and fair elections in Georgia. The project aimed to reduce electoral fraud and increase trust in the election results by involving citizens in monitoring and reporting on elections in cooperation with professional journalists. The citizen journalists, who included media professionals, NGO members and political party representatives, received training and some technical resources, including a memory stick and the grantee’s contact information. They were then left alone to report to the grantee about problems they have witnessed. The intervention was directly relevant to the need to strengthen the integrity of the electoral process and ensure the dissemination of objective information. Georgia lacked a tradition of citizen engagement or peaceful transfer of power through the ballot box. A financial incentive was used by the grantee, paying USD 40 for each verified report.
Evaluation Date
April 2014
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Promoting Freedom of Information Activism at the Local Level in Brazil

The project successfully linked access to information with the promotion of civil rights and therefore demonstrated that enforcing the law can change people’s lives. Given that the project took place in small cities, where citizens’ right to participate in public affairs is rarely acknowledged, this link was significant. One of the project’s strong points was its strategy to provide training and information about the importance of transparency in democracy and citizen involvement in public affairs.
Project Partner
ARTICLE 19: Global Campaign for Free Expression
Project Description
The aim of the project was to promote the development of a more inclusive and equal society through promoting the free flow of information to the general public so that individuals, civil servants and civil society groups acting at the local level can hold their government to account, advocate for their rights and entitlements more effectively and influence policy-making processes. Specifically the project set out to foster local activism on freedom of information and to use access to information and transparency tools to strengthen participation within municipal governments across Brazil. The project strategy was built around four specific components: a strengthened and effective network of local activists working on access to information; increased public understanding of the importance of freedom of information and how to use the concept to encourage transparency and accountability; increased public demand for governments’ responsiveness to information requests at the local level; legislative and policy reform initiatives to promote transparency at the local level. The project was highly relevant since the Access to Public Information Act had recently come into effect. This Act required each municipality to draft regulations ensuring its proper enforcement. Yet surveys had indicated a lack of interest and knowledge in many municipalities about enforcing this law.
Evaluation Date
April 2014
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Promoting Freedom of Information Activism at the Local Level in Brazil

The project directly contributed to local enforcement of the Access to Information Act and public transparency policies. This clearly has a positive effect on strengthening Brazil’s democratization process. The project also facilitated the integration of two social intervention practices that had not been used before in this context: the experience of punishing and fighting corruption through the grantee’s network and the preventive approach offering technical assistance to the governments and monitoring agencies to create an oversight system for curbing corruption.
Project Partner
ARTICLE 19: Global Campaign for Free Expression
Project Description
The aim of the project was to promote the development of a more inclusive and equal society through promoting the free flow of information to the general public so that individuals, civil servants and civil society groups acting at the local level can hold their government to account, advocate for their rights and entitlements more effectively and influence policy-making processes. Specifically the project set out to foster local activism on freedom of information and to use access to information and transparency tools to strengthen participation within municipal governments across Brazil. The project strategy was built around four specific components: a strengthened and effective network of local activists working on access to information; increased public understanding of the importance of freedom of information and how to use the concept to encourage transparency and accountability; increased public demand for governments’ responsiveness to information requests at the local level; legislative and policy reform initiatives to promote transparency at the local level. The project was highly relevant since the Access to Public Information Act had recently come into effect. This Act required each municipality to draft regulations ensuring its proper enforcement. Yet surveys had indicated a lack of interest and knowledge in many municipalities about enforcing this law.
Evaluation Date
April 2014
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Citizen Journalists for Free and Fair Elections in Georgia

The grantee relied heavily on personal contacts to recruit participants, including journalists from the Charter of Ethical Journalists which the grantee had created under an earlier EU project. This was efficient since these people were known to be independent and helped maintain the perception of impartiality. At the same time, this limited the reach of the project to people who were already civically active. There were no links apparent between this effort and other more substantial efforts for citizen journalism, election reporting or observation. The reach of the project could have been extended through better use of social networks beyond the staff’s Facebook pages, and the use of participating media organizations to promote citizen reporting, the website and project purpose.
Project Partner
Civic Development Institute
Project Description
The project’s objective was to promote free and fair elections in Georgia. The project aimed to reduce electoral fraud and increase trust in the election results by involving citizens in monitoring and reporting on elections in cooperation with professional journalists. The citizen journalists, who included media professionals, NGO members and political party representatives, received training and some technical resources, including a memory stick and the grantee’s contact information. They were then left alone to report to the grantee about problems they have witnessed. The intervention was directly relevant to the need to strengthen the integrity of the electoral process and ensure the dissemination of objective information. Georgia lacked a tradition of citizen engagement or peaceful transfer of power through the ballot box. A financial incentive was used by the grantee, paying USD 40 for each verified report.
Evaluation Date
April 2014
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Raising Awareness about Women's Social, Political and Economic Rights in Afghanistan

The project was poorly managed, and there was little apparent coordination among the partners in Afghanistan. Contracts were agreed between the grantee and two of its implementing partner yet management denied their existence, and no reference to them is made in project reports.
Project Partner
Development and Public Awareness
Project Description
The project Raising Awareness about Women's Social, Political and Economic Rights in Afghanistan’s overall objective and outcomes were relevant to the development problem of women’s empowerment and facilitating a greater presence for women in public life. However, the evaluation concluded that the project was not implemented in full. While it appears to be the case that the radio and television roundtables planned for production and broadcast in the 15 target provinces did take place, other activities have been implemented in no more than six, and as few as three, of the provinces.
Evaluation Date
April 2014
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Citizen Journalists for Free and Fair Elections in Georgia

The effort was primarily focused on exposing problems in the 2012 Georgia parliamentary elections but any impact beyond this was unlikely. In part, this was intentional as the grantee did not want to further inflame the politicized context by widely disseminating materials that showed violations primarily by one side. But it was also a result of the one-off nature and limited reach of the activities. Enlarging the concept beyond reporting of just violations and embedding the project within the broader electoral process and its democratic meaning could have made this a wider, lasting citizen journalism effort.
Project Partner
Civic Development Institute
Project Description
The project’s objective was to promote free and fair elections in Georgia. The project aimed to reduce electoral fraud and increase trust in the election results by involving citizens in monitoring and reporting on elections in cooperation with professional journalists. The citizen journalists, who included media professionals, NGO members and political party representatives, received training and some technical resources, including a memory stick and the grantee’s contact information. They were then left alone to report to the grantee about problems they have witnessed. The intervention was directly relevant to the need to strengthen the integrity of the electoral process and ensure the dissemination of objective information. Georgia lacked a tradition of citizen engagement or peaceful transfer of power through the ballot box. A financial incentive was used by the grantee, paying USD 40 for each verified report.
Evaluation Date
April 2014
Theme
Country