PROJECT
Opening the Doors of Policy Making in Central Asia and South Caucasus
LESSON
Lesson Learned: Opening the Doors of Policy Making in Central Asia and South Caucasus
A key aspect of the project’s success was using host country experience to demonstrate the democratic policy problem being worked on.
Project Partner
Policy Association for an Open Society - PASOS
Project Description
The project sought to strengthen policy processes in eight countries -- Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan – by improving the capability of independent civil society organizations to engage in policy debates. Activities included two training workshops, two regional networking conferences, and supervised research during the course of which eight policy fellows produced research papers. The project promoted sharing of experiences among CSOs operating in often isolated and difficult settings. The project also allowed NGOs to benefit from the experience of NGOs in countries such as the Baltics and countries in Eastern Europe where CSOs were a positive force for democratic development.
Report
Evaluation Date
July 2012
Theme
Country
LESSON
Lesson Learned: Opening the Doors of Policy Making in Central Asia and South Caucasus
From the institutional point of view, one of the strongest sustainability aspects is that new think tanks undertaking research have been integrated, informally if not yet formally via certification, into a long-established existing think tank network. The project benefited from, a strong internet dissemination strategy.
Project Partner
Policy Association for an Open Society - PASOS
Project Description
The project sought to strengthen policy processes in eight countries -- Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan – by improving the capability of independent civil society organizations to engage in policy debates. Activities included two training workshops, two regional networking conferences, and supervised research during the course of which eight policy fellows produced research papers. The project promoted sharing of experiences among CSOs operating in often isolated and difficult settings. The project also allowed NGOs to benefit from the experience of NGOs in countries such as the Baltics and countries in Eastern Europe where CSOs were a positive force for democratic development.
Report
Evaluation Date
July 2012
Theme
Country
LESSON
Lesson Learned: Opening the Doors of Policy Making in Central Asia and South Caucasus
The policy research papers produced by fellows gave the training an “on the job” aspect and guaranteed that at least one significant output would be produced as a result of the training. All policy papers were translated so as to be available both in English and Russian and published on the internet and in a bilingual hard-copy volume that was assigned an ISBN number.
Project Partner
Policy Association for an Open Society - PASOS
Project Description
The project sought to strengthen policy processes in eight countries -- Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan – by improving the capability of independent civil society organizations to engage in policy debates. Activities included two training workshops, two regional networking conferences, and supervised research during the course of which eight policy fellows produced research papers. The project promoted sharing of experiences among CSOs operating in often isolated and difficult settings. The project also allowed NGOs to benefit from the experience of NGOs in countries such as the Baltics and countries in Eastern Europe where CSOs were a positive force for democratic development.
Report
Evaluation Date
July 2012
Theme
Country
LESSON
Lesson Learned: Opening the Doors of Policy Making in Central Asia and South Caucasus
The prospects for successful democratic transition in the target countries is more challenging than it ever was in the now-European former Soviet states and Eastern Europe. The lack of domestic financial support will make independent NGOs vulnerable to nationalist criticisms. While it has formed capacity, strengthened institutions, and introduced CSOs into an international network, it is difficult to imagine any of the target NGOs successfully mobilizing substantial international support.
Project Partner
Policy Association for an Open Society - PASOS
Project Description
The project sought to strengthen policy processes in eight countries -- Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan – by improving the capability of independent civil society organizations to engage in policy debates. Activities included two training workshops, two regional networking conferences, and supervised research during the course of which eight policy fellows produced research papers. The project promoted sharing of experiences among CSOs operating in often isolated and difficult settings. The project also allowed NGOs to benefit from the experience of NGOs in countries such as the Baltics and countries in Eastern Europe where CSOs were a positive force for democratic development.
Report
Evaluation Date
July 2012
Theme
Country
LESSON
Lesson Learned: Opening the Doors of Policy Making in Central Asia and South Caucasus
There was no evidence that the project sought to build bridges with academia or the international private sector. University researchers represent an untapped source of expertise in the target countries, yet this project appears to have done little to improve this situation.
Project Partner
Policy Association for an Open Society - PASOS
Project Description
The project sought to strengthen policy processes in eight countries -- Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan – by improving the capability of independent civil society organizations to engage in policy debates. Activities included two training workshops, two regional networking conferences, and supervised research during the course of which eight policy fellows produced research papers. The project promoted sharing of experiences among CSOs operating in often isolated and difficult settings. The project also allowed NGOs to benefit from the experience of NGOs in countries such as the Baltics and countries in Eastern Europe where CSOs were a positive force for democratic development.
Report
Evaluation Date
July 2012
Theme
Country