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Lessons

LESSON

Lesson Learned: Reinforcement of the role and image of women in West African media

The project design put an emphasis on economic, social and political problems specific to women in the region: access to land ownership, discrimination, gender-based and family violence. It also aimed to support women’s participation in democratic governance by highlighting women’s concerns and opinions. In that sense the projects expected results constituted appropriate responses to the problems identified.
Project Partner
Panos West Africa
Project Description
The project was to promote journalistic content countering negative images of women and reinforce the role of women journalists in the media, including at leadership level. The project’s impact was very clear in Niger were it contributed to the publication of a “Charter for the Improvement of the Image of Women in the Media”. In Mali and Burkina Faso, stakeholders mentioned positive changes in relation to journalists’ training on the use of oral testimony. The Femedia prizes given as part of the project had an impact beyond those journalists and media houses that participated in the competition. However, the overall impact of the project could have been greater if the grantee had developed and implemented an explicit advocacy strategy addressing government authorities and media regulators. As it was, the project only addressed these stakeholders indirectly.
Evaluation Date
October 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Reinforcement of the role and image of women in West African media

The grantee did not fulfil its commitment to recruit a full-time project coordinator, using its own funds.Whenever an applicant indicates preparedness to provide in-kind contributions as part of a project, UNDEF should require that this be expressed in a binding contract, and ensure that the contribution is actually delivered.
Project Partner
Panos West Africa
Project Description
The project was to promote journalistic content countering negative images of women and reinforce the role of women journalists in the media, including at leadership level. The project’s impact was very clear in Niger were it contributed to the publication of a “Charter for the Improvement of the Image of Women in the Media”. In Mali and Burkina Faso, stakeholders mentioned positive changes in relation to journalists’ training on the use of oral testimony. The Femedia prizes given as part of the project had an impact beyond those journalists and media houses that participated in the competition. However, the overall impact of the project could have been greater if the grantee had developed and implemented an explicit advocacy strategy addressing government authorities and media regulators. As it was, the project only addressed these stakeholders indirectly.
Evaluation Date
October 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Reinforcement of the role and image of women in West African media

Several participants in seminars and representatives of project implementing partners noted weaknesses that hampered the project’s effectiveness. The project design did not provide for an explicit lobbying and advocacy strategy addressing government authorities and media regulators on the representation of women in the media in West Africa. The implementing partners were not given enough organizational support.
Project Partner
Panos West Africa
Project Description
The project was to promote journalistic content countering negative images of women and reinforce the role of women journalists in the media, including at leadership level. The project’s impact was very clear in Niger were it contributed to the publication of a “Charter for the Improvement of the Image of Women in the Media”. In Mali and Burkina Faso, stakeholders mentioned positive changes in relation to journalists’ training on the use of oral testimony. The Femedia prizes given as part of the project had an impact beyond those journalists and media houses that participated in the competition. However, the overall impact of the project could have been greater if the grantee had developed and implemented an explicit advocacy strategy addressing government authorities and media regulators. As it was, the project only addressed these stakeholders indirectly.
Evaluation Date
October 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Empowering Civil Society Inclusion on Democratic Policy-Making in Kosovo

The project led to successful collaborations between civil society organizations and the legal offices of the Office of the Prime Minister and Ministry of Local Government Administration. This improved the flow of information and quality of public consultations. There was an impressive range of participation from civil society and government, and they worked on a wide range of issues and regulations and legislation.
Project Partner
Kosovo Civil Society Foundation
Project Description
The project sought to strengthen the capacities of civil society to play an active role in shaping public policy and drafting laws. Its intended outcome was for civil society to become an active, informed and key partner in public policy and law making, so as to be able to react instantly on key public policy areas. The grantee capitalized on the government’s willingness for a more engaged and constructive civil society in policy development as well as the need for civil society organizations to have more information.  There was a substantial level of interest and participation in the project from both sides. The project’s strategy was sound as it built on the work already done by both CSOs and government offices. The project increased both the demand for and supply of public consultations.  
Evaluation Date
October 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Empowering Civil Society Inclusion on Democratic Policy-Making in Kosovo

The project continued many of the elements of an earlier UNDEF-funded project implemented by another CSO consortium. It took over its Advisory Group of about 20 CSOs that met to discuss legislative issues targeting the Assembly of Kosovo, and expanded that group to include a wider range of CSOs and issues related to government consultations and policy making.
Project Partner
Kosovo Civil Society Foundation
Project Description
The project sought to strengthen the capacities of civil society to play an active role in shaping public policy and drafting laws. Its intended outcome was for civil society to become an active, informed and key partner in public policy and law making, so as to be able to react instantly on key public policy areas. The grantee capitalized on the government’s willingness for a more engaged and constructive civil society in policy development as well as the need for civil society organizations to have more information.  There was a substantial level of interest and participation in the project from both sides. The project’s strategy was sound as it built on the work already done by both CSOs and government offices. The project increased both the demand for and supply of public consultations.  
Evaluation Date
October 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Empowering Civil Society Inclusion on Democratic Policy-Making in Kosovo

The approach of addressing demand and supply for CSO input was efficient as well as effective as it built government support for and use of CSO input at the same time as working to ensure that the CSOs would be able to respond constructively to those openings. The choice of governmental partners was also effective, as these offices were directly responsible for setting the standards for consultations and ensuring compliance with them in all government and municipal drafting in Kosovo.
Project Partner
Kosovo Civil Society Foundation
Project Description
The project sought to strengthen the capacities of civil society to play an active role in shaping public policy and drafting laws. Its intended outcome was for civil society to become an active, informed and key partner in public policy and law making, so as to be able to react instantly on key public policy areas. The grantee capitalized on the government’s willingness for a more engaged and constructive civil society in policy development as well as the need for civil society organizations to have more information.  There was a substantial level of interest and participation in the project from both sides. The project’s strategy was sound as it built on the work already done by both CSOs and government offices. The project increased both the demand for and supply of public consultations.  
Evaluation Date
October 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Empowering Civil Society Inclusion on Democratic Policy-Making in Kosovo

As the project worked to change the structure of consultations rather than working on a specific law or case, it should have a wide impact. The institutionalization of government reforms made consultations less dependent on the individual good will of a public official. Further consolidation of these reforms was expected with the anticipated adoption of the Governmental Strategy for Cooperation with Civil Society. Much of that strategy is reportedly based on the contents of the manual that the project helped develop.
Project Partner
Kosovo Civil Society Foundation
Project Description
The project sought to strengthen the capacities of civil society to play an active role in shaping public policy and drafting laws. Its intended outcome was for civil society to become an active, informed and key partner in public policy and law making, so as to be able to react instantly on key public policy areas. The grantee capitalized on the government’s willingness for a more engaged and constructive civil society in policy development as well as the need for civil society organizations to have more information.  There was a substantial level of interest and participation in the project from both sides. The project’s strategy was sound as it built on the work already done by both CSOs and government offices. The project increased both the demand for and supply of public consultations.  
Evaluation Date
October 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Empowering Civil Society Inclusion on Democratic Policy-Making in Kosovo

The project was implemented at the right time when the government of Kosovo was in the process of updating and consolidating its national framework for democratic governance. The grantee seized this opportunity and the partnership it developed with the key officials who were driving this process and with the group of CSOs in the Advisory Group gave the reform effort structure and momentum through its regular meetings, topical workshops, training and information sharing.
Project Partner
Kosovo Civil Society Foundation
Project Description
The project sought to strengthen the capacities of civil society to play an active role in shaping public policy and drafting laws. Its intended outcome was for civil society to become an active, informed and key partner in public policy and law making, so as to be able to react instantly on key public policy areas. The grantee capitalized on the government’s willingness for a more engaged and constructive civil society in policy development as well as the need for civil society organizations to have more information.  There was a substantial level of interest and participation in the project from both sides. The project’s strategy was sound as it built on the work already done by both CSOs and government offices. The project increased both the demand for and supply of public consultations.  
Evaluation Date
October 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Empowering Civil Society Inclusion on Democratic Policy-Making in Kosovo

The grantee could have been more rigorous in its development of a monitoring and evaluation plan so as to track the status of public consultations, the progress made towards implementing the new rules of procedure, and to assure that corrective measures are taken to address any problems encountered.
Project Partner
Kosovo Civil Society Foundation
Project Description
The project sought to strengthen the capacities of civil society to play an active role in shaping public policy and drafting laws. Its intended outcome was for civil society to become an active, informed and key partner in public policy and law making, so as to be able to react instantly on key public policy areas. The grantee capitalized on the government’s willingness for a more engaged and constructive civil society in policy development as well as the need for civil society organizations to have more information.  There was a substantial level of interest and participation in the project from both sides. The project’s strategy was sound as it built on the work already done by both CSOs and government offices. The project increased both the demand for and supply of public consultations.  
Evaluation Date
October 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Electoral Justice Principles for Trust in the Electoral Process in Ghana, Kenya, Sierra Leone

Integrity Action was able to find and use experienced electoral and judicial sector experts through its connections with members of the JIG and CEG. This was an excellent use of resources as they were senior level persons whose expertise was extremely valuable
Project Partner
Tiri-Making Integrity Work
Project Description
The Electoral Justice Principles for Trust in the Electoral Process project sought to raise the integrity standard of the electoral processes in Africa by addressing the relations between the key electoral justice institutions and their relevance and accessibility to the electorate. Its main objectives were to: produce a set of electoral justice principles drafted by a group of chief justices and senior electoral and political leaders from Africa and other continents; and support the implementation of these principles in two African countries. Its intended outcomes were to increase trust in electoral justice authorities; reduce violence related to electoral dispute settlements, and to have political parties, candidates and civil society organizations (CSOs) in the pilot implementation country able to claim, advocate and defend rights for public integrity consultations. The project undertook minimal consultations with the large and dynamic electoral assistance sector and missed opportunities to tap its experience, explore collaboration and develop synergies with other efforts, such as the Global Commission on Elections, Democracy and Security that promote the integrity of elections. The norms themselves were not disseminated as planned so awareness of them is extremely limited and they were not endorsed by any international organization as anticipated. Most of those interviewed felt the principles needed wider consultations and did not have the weight required to make significant changes. The project was not Africa-specific and African involvement was limited primarily to the launch in Ghana and the APEJ-SL. The principles and guidelines were global in scope, and were not tailored to Sierra Leone for the pilot. It also focused on general electoral integrity issues and lacked a clear focus on electoral justice and how specifically this could be achieved through the creation of a steering committee.
Evaluation Date
September 2012
Theme
Country