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Lessons

LESSON

Lesson Learned: Enhancing the Functional Protection of Human Rights in Ethiopia

The training in Ethiopia covered issues such as identification of human rights violations and of applicable legislation and international standards. The training sessions fully met participants’ expectations and requirements of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission. Trainers took a very practical approach and followed up with a hands-on coaching session on the preparation of the first National Status Report on the implementation of international standards ratified by Ethiopia. The report drafting task was directly within the scope of work of training participants.
Project Partner
International Development Law Organization
Project Description
The project aimed to develop the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) into a functional institution able to protect and enforce human rights in line with Ethiopian laws and international norms and standards. As the EHRC was a relatively young institution, the grantee did not only focus on the development of human rights protection skills, but prioritized in the project’s initial phase also the development of operational management capacity. The grantee could have adjusted the initial project plan to avoid overlap with activities already implemented under the Democratic Institutions Programme managed by UNDP. The relevance of the project was further limited by the grantee’s weak risk assessment and mitigation. The original design failed to appreciate the risks surrounding the project, most importantly the international grantee took permission to set up an office in Addis for granted which it then did not obtain. The project also appeared unprepared to address the challenging political environment in which the EHRC operated.
Evaluation Date
May 2012
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Enhancing the Functional Protection of Human Rights in Ethiopia

The project suffered from insufficient risk analysis and mitigation. The original design failed to identify the challenging political environment in which the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) was operating. Solid project design should plan for scenarios related to each identified risk, and develop mitigation approaches to ensure that core objectives can be met.
Project Partner
International Development Law Organization
Project Description
The project aimed to develop the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) into a functional institution able to protect and enforce human rights in line with Ethiopian laws and international norms and standards. As the EHRC was a relatively young institution, the grantee did not only focus on the development of human rights protection skills, but prioritized in the project’s initial phase also the development of operational management capacity. The grantee could have adjusted the initial project plan to avoid overlap with activities already implemented under the Democratic Institutions Programme managed by UNDP. The relevance of the project was further limited by the grantee’s weak risk assessment and mitigation. The original design failed to appreciate the risks surrounding the project, most importantly the international grantee took permission to set up an office in Addis for granted which it then did not obtain. The project also appeared unprepared to address the challenging political environment in which the EHRC operated.
Evaluation Date
May 2012
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Enhancing the Functional Protection of Human Rights in Ethiopia

Although the international grantee was not permitted to set up office in country, the capacity building activities were effectively implemented. However, some project activities such as the training of trainers were not adequately followed up, and others such as the study visits were reported to have been insufficiently planned. The grantee’s project management could have helped by integrating the views of consultant trainers, and partners/beneficiaries. Regular project management review meetings with partners’ senior representatives could have served to take stock of activities and ensure follow-up.
Project Partner
International Development Law Organization
Project Description
The project aimed to develop the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) into a functional institution able to protect and enforce human rights in line with Ethiopian laws and international norms and standards. As the EHRC was a relatively young institution, the grantee did not only focus on the development of human rights protection skills, but prioritized in the project’s initial phase also the development of operational management capacity. The grantee could have adjusted the initial project plan to avoid overlap with activities already implemented under the Democratic Institutions Programme managed by UNDP. The relevance of the project was further limited by the grantee’s weak risk assessment and mitigation. The original design failed to appreciate the risks surrounding the project, most importantly the international grantee took permission to set up an office in Addis for granted which it then did not obtain. The project also appeared unprepared to address the challenging political environment in which the EHRC operated.
Evaluation Date
May 2012
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Enhancing the Functional Protection of Human Rights in Ethiopia

Project design should build as much on other relevant programmes within the same sector. In this case the UNDP Democratic Institutions Programme in Ethiopia. Future project design should be based on an integrated programmr of activities to ensure that lessons learned from implementation are taken into account by other actors, including Ethiopian civil society and other national human rights institutions with linkages to relevant UN and other development agencies.
Project Partner
International Development Law Organization
Project Description
The project aimed to develop the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) into a functional institution able to protect and enforce human rights in line with Ethiopian laws and international norms and standards. As the EHRC was a relatively young institution, the grantee did not only focus on the development of human rights protection skills, but prioritized in the project’s initial phase also the development of operational management capacity. The grantee could have adjusted the initial project plan to avoid overlap with activities already implemented under the Democratic Institutions Programme managed by UNDP. The relevance of the project was further limited by the grantee’s weak risk assessment and mitigation. The original design failed to appreciate the risks surrounding the project, most importantly the international grantee took permission to set up an office in Addis for granted which it then did not obtain. The project also appeared unprepared to address the challenging political environment in which the EHRC operated.
Evaluation Date
May 2012
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Youth Training for Democracy and Development

A factor that contributed to the project’s effectiveness was the way that the conceptual and practical elements of the training were complementary. This enabled the youth in the indigenous communities to combine a critical analysis of the local situation with the implementation of practical alternatives.
Project Partner
Association d'Amis du Développement et de la Paix
Project Description
The overall objective of the project was to strengthen the participation of young people in Guatemala through training to create a base of young leaders from indigenous communities living in the Department of Alta Verapaz. The project strategy revolved around four priority components: developing the competencies of young leaders to improve their ability to assume responsibility in their communities; promoting knowledge about current legislation to foster rule of law, governance, and democracy; improving the quality of the dialogue between youth and local government to consolidate opportunities for participation; and encouraging youth to become more involved and influential in local decision-making bodies to help meet the basic needs of their communities. The approach was consistent with the grantee’s strategic goal of providing young people training in participatory civic practices, and enabling them to approach and develop responses to the problems and needs of youth in rural indigenous communities. In addition, the project’s cost-benefit ratio was positive: there was very high participation in terms of the number of benefiting communities and the number of young people completing the project’s training.
Evaluation Date
May 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Youth Training for Democracy and Development

The project sought to strengthen democratization processes in rural areas focusing by on regions with a fragile social fabric and weak civil society. In this respect the multiplication of training opportunities provided by programme graduates through their activities in their communities, further enhanced the project’s effectiveness.

Project Partner
Association d'Amis du Développement et de la Paix
Project Description
The overall objective of the project was to strengthen the participation of young people in Guatemala through training to create a base of young leaders from indigenous communities living in the Department of Alta Verapaz. The project strategy revolved around four priority components: developing the competencies of young leaders to improve their ability to assume responsibility in their communities; promoting knowledge about current legislation to foster rule of law, governance, and democracy; improving the quality of the dialogue between youth and local government to consolidate opportunities for participation; and encouraging youth to become more involved and influential in local decision-making bodies to help meet the basic needs of their communities. The approach was consistent with the grantee’s strategic goal of providing young people training in participatory civic practices, and enabling them to approach and develop responses to the problems and needs of youth in rural indigenous communities. In addition, the project’s cost-benefit ratio was positive: there was very high participation in terms of the number of benefiting communities and the number of young people completing the project’s training.
Evaluation Date
May 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Youth Training for Democracy and Development

The collective assessments conducted in Guatemala through local situation analysis, as well as the preparation of proposals for alternative projects, has motivated the local population to become more directly involved in the local management of development. A substantial number of young beneficiaries have joined the Municipal Development Councils, the bodies responsible for decision-making and municipal policy development, and other institutions such as the Municipal Bureaus and mayoralties.
Project Partner
Association d'Amis du Développement et de la Paix
Project Description
The overall objective of the project was to strengthen the participation of young people in Guatemala through training to create a base of young leaders from indigenous communities living in the Department of Alta Verapaz. The project strategy revolved around four priority components: developing the competencies of young leaders to improve their ability to assume responsibility in their communities; promoting knowledge about current legislation to foster rule of law, governance, and democracy; improving the quality of the dialogue between youth and local government to consolidate opportunities for participation; and encouraging youth to become more involved and influential in local decision-making bodies to help meet the basic needs of their communities. The approach was consistent with the grantee’s strategic goal of providing young people training in participatory civic practices, and enabling them to approach and develop responses to the problems and needs of youth in rural indigenous communities. In addition, the project’s cost-benefit ratio was positive: there was very high participation in terms of the number of benefiting communities and the number of young people completing the project’s training.
Evaluation Date
May 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Youth Training for Democracy and Development

By providing training in participatory civic practices in Guatemala, the project gave youth the opportunity to adopt different attitudes and experience democracy and development differently. Young people’s participation in decision-making bodies has helped improve the situation of vulnerable indigenous communities in this region.
Project Partner
Association d'Amis du Développement et de la Paix
Project Description
The overall objective of the project was to strengthen the participation of young people in Guatemala through training to create a base of young leaders from indigenous communities living in the Department of Alta Verapaz. The project strategy revolved around four priority components: developing the competencies of young leaders to improve their ability to assume responsibility in their communities; promoting knowledge about current legislation to foster rule of law, governance, and democracy; improving the quality of the dialogue between youth and local government to consolidate opportunities for participation; and encouraging youth to become more involved and influential in local decision-making bodies to help meet the basic needs of their communities. The approach was consistent with the grantee’s strategic goal of providing young people training in participatory civic practices, and enabling them to approach and develop responses to the problems and needs of youth in rural indigenous communities. In addition, the project’s cost-benefit ratio was positive: there was very high participation in terms of the number of benefiting communities and the number of young people completing the project’s training.
Evaluation Date
May 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Youth Training for Democracy and Development

By awakening participants to the concept of gender equality, the project helped change perceptions about the place of young women in communities, thus improving young women’s access to basic services and fostering their participation in social and political life. This could represent the foundation for a new culture of civic equality
Project Partner
Association d'Amis du Développement et de la Paix
Project Description
The overall objective of the project was to strengthen the participation of young people in Guatemala through training to create a base of young leaders from indigenous communities living in the Department of Alta Verapaz. The project strategy revolved around four priority components: developing the competencies of young leaders to improve their ability to assume responsibility in their communities; promoting knowledge about current legislation to foster rule of law, governance, and democracy; improving the quality of the dialogue between youth and local government to consolidate opportunities for participation; and encouraging youth to become more involved and influential in local decision-making bodies to help meet the basic needs of their communities. The approach was consistent with the grantee’s strategic goal of providing young people training in participatory civic practices, and enabling them to approach and develop responses to the problems and needs of youth in rural indigenous communities. In addition, the project’s cost-benefit ratio was positive: there was very high participation in terms of the number of benefiting communities and the number of young people completing the project’s training.
Evaluation Date
May 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Best Practices for Women´s Participation in Democracy at Local Levels (Argentina)

The study Sex and Power. Who runs Argentina?  led to the development of the Women’s Participation Index (IPM), a methodological tool that will facilitate future studies on women’s gains in policy-making. The publications have had an extensive impact and are being used not only by the beneficiaries but by stakeholders outside the project (e.g., UNDP, FLACSO, British Embassy, CSOs)
Project Partner
Equipo Latinoamericano de Justicia y Género (ELA)
Project Description
The project tackled the issue of women’s political participation from a broader, more inclusive perspective, moving beyond the national level to analyze developments in the provinces and municipalities. This approach responded to the unmet needs and challenges of the Argentine context, and led to greater equality in real terms and improved women’s participation in society and politics at the local level. The project strategy focused on consolidating and advancing a new view and understanding of the essential role of women leaders in social and policy-making bodies in Argentina. It pursued two main objectives: (a) to promote women’s leadership in civil society by identifying and sharing relevant experiences in leadership-building with this group at the local level; and (b) to provide tools for improving women leaders’ ability to promote the issues on their agenda through advocacy with national and local government agencies.  At the technical and institutional levels, the project yielded results that will support the continuity and replication of its initiatives.
Evaluation Date
April 2012
Country