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Lessons

LESSON

Lesson Learned: Enhancing Women’s participation in Democracy in The Gambia

The project’s manual was praised both by trainers and trainees for being a comprehensive introduction to the principles of democratic governance. The materials and outputs of the project including a documentary video could be used to reach a wider group of women via the grantee’s website.
Project Partner
West African Network for Peacebuilding, The Gambia
Project Description
The project aimed to promote the involvement and participation of women in electoral processes and democratic governance. Following the decision of all but one of the opposition parties not to participate in the National Assembly elections, the grantee expanded the project to the local government elections. Project activities included focus groups about women’s rights to encourage active representation of women in the community decision-making processes. Open forums and regional radio programmes generated knowledge and vibrant discussion among the wider public. A capacity building scheme combined training, mentorship, and experience sharing. The project effectively questioned entrenched cultural norms and pervasive religious beliefs. However, in spite of the project’s advocacy activities and the provision of training and mentoring number female candidates in the local government elections was lower than during the previous 2006-2008 cycle.
Evaluation Date
January 2013
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Enhancing Women’s participation in Democracy in The Gambia

Participants in the project reported that their self-esteem had improved and that they were more empowered to become involved in politics. Some of the women have become effective leaders and agents of change. Of those women standing in local government elections, 80 per cent had been trained by the project. To mainstream these efforts, the grantee could lobby government, opposition parties, and the Independent Electoral Commission to include a statutory requirement for a minimum representation of women in National Assembly and local government
Project Partner
West African Network for Peacebuilding, The Gambia
Project Description
The project aimed to promote the involvement and participation of women in electoral processes and democratic governance. Following the decision of all but one of the opposition parties not to participate in the National Assembly elections, the grantee expanded the project to the local government elections. Project activities included focus groups about women’s rights to encourage active representation of women in the community decision-making processes. Open forums and regional radio programmes generated knowledge and vibrant discussion among the wider public. A capacity building scheme combined training, mentorship, and experience sharing. The project effectively questioned entrenched cultural norms and pervasive religious beliefs. However, in spite of the project’s advocacy activities and the provision of training and mentoring number female candidates in the local government elections was lower than during the previous 2006-2008 cycle.
Evaluation Date
January 2013
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Enhancing Women’s participation in Democracy in The Gambia

More work is required to address the low level of debating and campaigning skills among many of the women trainees.
Those women who stood for election but were not successful could have been better prepared. Trainees expressed their interest in further training and continued mentoring from the grantee.

Project Partner
West African Network for Peacebuilding, The Gambia
Project Description
The project aimed to promote the involvement and participation of women in electoral processes and democratic governance. Following the decision of all but one of the opposition parties not to participate in the National Assembly elections, the grantee expanded the project to the local government elections. Project activities included focus groups about women’s rights to encourage active representation of women in the community decision-making processes. Open forums and regional radio programmes generated knowledge and vibrant discussion among the wider public. A capacity building scheme combined training, mentorship, and experience sharing. The project effectively questioned entrenched cultural norms and pervasive religious beliefs. However, in spite of the project’s advocacy activities and the provision of training and mentoring number female candidates in the local government elections was lower than during the previous 2006-2008 cycle.
Evaluation Date
January 2013
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Enhancing Women’s participation in Democracy in The Gambia

The project’s ultimate impact on the representation of women in the Gambia was rather limited, but this was owed to developments outside the control of the grantee such as the boycott of the election by the opposition.
Project Partner
West African Network for Peacebuilding, The Gambia
Project Description
The project aimed to promote the involvement and participation of women in electoral processes and democratic governance. Following the decision of all but one of the opposition parties not to participate in the National Assembly elections, the grantee expanded the project to the local government elections. Project activities included focus groups about women’s rights to encourage active representation of women in the community decision-making processes. Open forums and regional radio programmes generated knowledge and vibrant discussion among the wider public. A capacity building scheme combined training, mentorship, and experience sharing. The project effectively questioned entrenched cultural norms and pervasive religious beliefs. However, in spite of the project’s advocacy activities and the provision of training and mentoring number female candidates in the local government elections was lower than during the previous 2006-2008 cycle.
Evaluation Date
January 2013
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Training of Justice System Professionals to Litigate before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights

All beneficiaries received a sound theoretical foundation and had the opportunity to combine this with practical experience such as participation in court hearings, and exchanges with the judges of the court and public defenders from other countries of the region. These activities enriched their professional experience and gave them better tools for appearing before the court. The quality of the assistance offered by the grantee’s technical team, as well as the academic level of the publications and course materials, contributed to the effectiveness of the activities.
Project Partner
Centro de Derechos Humanos de la Facultad de Derecho de la Universidad de Chile
Project Description
The aim of the project was to increase victims’ access to international justice through the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, following an amendment of the court’s rules of procedure to improve the victims’ access to legal representation. The project focused on upgrading the technical and legal advocacy skills of justice system professionals for the promotion and protection of human rights and improving their understanding of international human rights standards. It also focused on raising awareness of the 100 Rules of Brasilia Regulations, and the Inter-American Human Rights System. This was the first initiative in the region aimed specifically at training Inter-American Defenders. The beneficiary groups acknowledged that they have gained a better understanding of the Inter-American Human Rights system at the regional and national level and that their capacity to litigate before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, an increasingly specialized and complex process, had qualitatively improved.
Evaluation Date
January 2013
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Training of Justice System Professionals to Litigate before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights

The professional competence and the quality of the infrastructure provided by the grantee was excellent The grantee made available a modern E-learning platform for the online phase of the international human rights training courses and personalized assistance to the beneficiaries. This methodological approach yielded excellent academic results, striking a balance between the online and in-person training.
Project Partner
Centro de Derechos Humanos de la Facultad de Derecho de la Universidad de Chile
Project Description
The aim of the project was to increase victims’ access to international justice through the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, following an amendment of the court’s rules of procedure to improve the victims’ access to legal representation. The project focused on upgrading the technical and legal advocacy skills of justice system professionals for the promotion and protection of human rights and improving their understanding of international human rights standards. It also focused on raising awareness of the 100 Rules of Brasilia Regulations, and the Inter-American Human Rights System. This was the first initiative in the region aimed specifically at training Inter-American Defenders. The beneficiary groups acknowledged that they have gained a better understanding of the Inter-American Human Rights system at the regional and national level and that their capacity to litigate before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, an increasingly specialized and complex process, had qualitatively improved.
Evaluation Date
January 2013
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Training of Justice System Professionals to Litigate before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights

Participants reported that the project transformed their point of view and work practices and convinced them that proper interpretation of the law, considering international human rights standards is fundamental to protecting the rights of individuals. Several countries have succeeded in replicating the courses. The beneficiaries are convinced that the process has helped build democracy in the Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay, and they are willing to get involved in creating new venues for regional networking.
Project Partner
Centro de Derechos Humanos de la Facultad de Derecho de la Universidad de Chile
Project Description
The aim of the project was to increase victims’ access to international justice through the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, following an amendment of the court’s rules of procedure to improve the victims’ access to legal representation. The project focused on upgrading the technical and legal advocacy skills of justice system professionals for the promotion and protection of human rights and improving their understanding of international human rights standards. It also focused on raising awareness of the 100 Rules of Brasilia Regulations, and the Inter-American Human Rights System. This was the first initiative in the region aimed specifically at training Inter-American Defenders. The beneficiary groups acknowledged that they have gained a better understanding of the Inter-American Human Rights system at the regional and national level and that their capacity to litigate before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, an increasingly specialized and complex process, had qualitatively improved.
Evaluation Date
January 2013
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Training of Justice System Professionals to Litigate before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights

Expectations and demands arose that posed challenges for the implementing partners. The beneficiaries considered the training as a first step. The project made them realized they need to receive further training covering a variety of aspects of their work as defenders specialized in international human rights. Despite the success of the project it appears, however, that the need for a sound strategy for sustainability and consolidation has not been addressed.
Project Partner
Centro de Derechos Humanos de la Facultad de Derecho de la Universidad de Chile
Project Description
The aim of the project was to increase victims’ access to international justice through the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, following an amendment of the court’s rules of procedure to improve the victims’ access to legal representation. The project focused on upgrading the technical and legal advocacy skills of justice system professionals for the promotion and protection of human rights and improving their understanding of international human rights standards. It also focused on raising awareness of the 100 Rules of Brasilia Regulations, and the Inter-American Human Rights System. This was the first initiative in the region aimed specifically at training Inter-American Defenders. The beneficiary groups acknowledged that they have gained a better understanding of the Inter-American Human Rights system at the regional and national level and that their capacity to litigate before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, an increasingly specialized and complex process, had qualitatively improved.
Evaluation Date
January 2013
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Civil Society Engagement for Democracy and Good Governance

Despite the socio-political and post-election crises in Côte d’Ivoire the grantee managed to inspire democratic behaviour. The project effectively put in place five Committees monitoring democracy and good governance in order to improve citizens understanding of how the local town hall works and what rights citizens have that allow them to participate actively in governance to improve their living conditions.
Project Partner
West Africa Network For Peacebuilding - Côte d'Ivoire
Project Description
The main focus of the project in Côte d’Ivoire was to put in place five departmental committees and one national committee for the monitoring of democracy and good governance. By strengthening the capacity of the members of these committees, the project promoted voluntary involvement in the management of communes and the exercise of civic control. By relying on the country’s policy of decentralization, the project helped local populations develop an interest in governing local affairs through learning about their roles as citizens. This was done through cooperation and engaging in dialogue with locally elected leaders. With this project the grantee integrated strategic priorities of the national decentralization policy into local governance. It also managed to take into account the context of the Ivorian crisis, which was characterized by a weakness of democracy and poor governance. It was therefore a kind of post-crisis pilot project on raising awareness and approaches to training in democratic education and good governance. The project could have applied a more nuanced approach in relation to the different groups that were part of the target population, particularly women and young people and provided more local support.
Evaluation Date
January 2013
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Civil Society Engagement for Democracy and Good Governance

The project successfully engaged with local state authorities in Côte d’Ivoire, notably the Ministry of the Interior, the Union of Cities and Communes, and members of the national monitoring Committee. These groups provided support to the trainings for elected representatives and civil society actors. This paved the way for establishing the monitoring Committees which allowed for practical dialogue and debate on local issues.
Project Partner
West Africa Network For Peacebuilding - Côte d'Ivoire
Project Description
The main focus of the project in Côte d’Ivoire was to put in place five departmental committees and one national committee for the monitoring of democracy and good governance. By strengthening the capacity of the members of these committees, the project promoted voluntary involvement in the management of communes and the exercise of civic control. By relying on the country’s policy of decentralization, the project helped local populations develop an interest in governing local affairs through learning about their roles as citizens. This was done through cooperation and engaging in dialogue with locally elected leaders. With this project the grantee integrated strategic priorities of the national decentralization policy into local governance. It also managed to take into account the context of the Ivorian crisis, which was characterized by a weakness of democracy and poor governance. It was therefore a kind of post-crisis pilot project on raising awareness and approaches to training in democratic education and good governance. The project could have applied a more nuanced approach in relation to the different groups that were part of the target population, particularly women and young people and provided more local support.
Evaluation Date
January 2013
Country