PROJECT
Strengthening Dialogue for Community Decision-Making
LESSON
Lesson Learned: Strengthening Dialogue for Community Decision-Making
The project activities - raising awareness about human rights, organizing community debates and producing broadcasts - contributed the local democratization agenda, and complemented the gradual reestablishment of a stable and democratic situation in Ituri District. In particular, the project helped to reach remote communities; increase women’s awareness of their rights; and in some communities the project helped address security concerns, including the use of violence by police and military personnel against civilians.
Project Name
Project Partner
Radio Canal Revelation
Project Description
The objective of the project was to involve grassroots communities with democratization processes across the Ituri District in the Province Orientale of the Democratic Republic of Congo. To achieve this, the grantee planned to strengthen the capacity of radio listeners’ clubs through training and practical support; to organize community debates using the radio listeners’ clubs; to produce radio broadcasts based on the community debates and on roundtable meetings between communities and officials; and to produce a range of news and educational broadcasts.
The project provided local communities with knowledge they could use to convey their concerns to the authorities. It encouraged dialogue by inviting local political leaders to debate with communities and members of radio listeners’ clubs. The various elements of the project formed a well thought-out and organic whole, which was able to foster positive changes at community level. The focus on women’s participation in democratic debates was also relevant, and connected to the emphasis on access to broadcast news.
Report
Evaluation Date
June 2013
Theme
Country
LESSON
Lesson Learned: Strengthening Dialogue for Community Decision-Making
The broadcasts based on the community debates complemented the training sessions on human rights and democracy. Together, they contributed to developing the capacity of the radio listeners’ clubs, so that the members had an improved understanding of democratization.
Project Name
Project Partner
Radio Canal Revelation
Project Description
The objective of the project was to involve grassroots communities with democratization processes across the Ituri District in the Province Orientale of the Democratic Republic of Congo. To achieve this, the grantee planned to strengthen the capacity of radio listeners’ clubs through training and practical support; to organize community debates using the radio listeners’ clubs; to produce radio broadcasts based on the community debates and on roundtable meetings between communities and officials; and to produce a range of news and educational broadcasts.
The project provided local communities with knowledge they could use to convey their concerns to the authorities. It encouraged dialogue by inviting local political leaders to debate with communities and members of radio listeners’ clubs. The various elements of the project formed a well thought-out and organic whole, which was able to foster positive changes at community level. The focus on women’s participation in democratic debates was also relevant, and connected to the emphasis on access to broadcast news.
Report
Evaluation Date
June 2013
Theme
Country
LESSON
Lesson Learned: Strengthening Dialogue for Community Decision-Making
The project benefited from prioritizing women’s rights. Women targeted by training activities made good use of the knowledge they acquired, thanks in part to the grantee’s use of experienced trainers, including UN experts. However, the effectiveness of the grantee’s strategy would be improved by also including men systematically in training, awareness raising and lobbying for women’s rights.
Project Name
Project Partner
Radio Canal Revelation
Project Description
The objective of the project was to involve grassroots communities with democratization processes across the Ituri District in the Province Orientale of the Democratic Republic of Congo. To achieve this, the grantee planned to strengthen the capacity of radio listeners’ clubs through training and practical support; to organize community debates using the radio listeners’ clubs; to produce radio broadcasts based on the community debates and on roundtable meetings between communities and officials; and to produce a range of news and educational broadcasts.
The project provided local communities with knowledge they could use to convey their concerns to the authorities. It encouraged dialogue by inviting local political leaders to debate with communities and members of radio listeners’ clubs. The various elements of the project formed a well thought-out and organic whole, which was able to foster positive changes at community level. The focus on women’s participation in democratic debates was also relevant, and connected to the emphasis on access to broadcast news.
Report
Evaluation Date
June 2013
Theme
Country
LESSON
Lesson Learned: Strengthening Dialogue for Community Decision-Making
Due to a focus on pre-existing radio listeners’ clubs, the project lost an opportunity to establish new clubs where needed. Concentrating on existing clubs, hampered dialogue between local political and communities representing particularly vulnerable and marginalized groups.
Project Name
Project Partner
Radio Canal Revelation
Project Description
The objective of the project was to involve grassroots communities with democratization processes across the Ituri District in the Province Orientale of the Democratic Republic of Congo. To achieve this, the grantee planned to strengthen the capacity of radio listeners’ clubs through training and practical support; to organize community debates using the radio listeners’ clubs; to produce radio broadcasts based on the community debates and on roundtable meetings between communities and officials; and to produce a range of news and educational broadcasts.
The project provided local communities with knowledge they could use to convey their concerns to the authorities. It encouraged dialogue by inviting local political leaders to debate with communities and members of radio listeners’ clubs. The various elements of the project formed a well thought-out and organic whole, which was able to foster positive changes at community level. The focus on women’s participation in democratic debates was also relevant, and connected to the emphasis on access to broadcast news.
Report
Evaluation Date
June 2013
Theme
Country
LESSON
Lesson Learned: Strengthening Dialogue for Community Decision-Making
The project’s relevance was undermined by weak risk management. Some predictable risks in the Democratic Republic of Congo, including armed violence, were mentioned in the project document, but no specific mitigation strategies were developed. It would be appropriate in the future for project applicants to more systematically develop fully-fledged risk mitigation strategies.
Project Name
Project Partner
Radio Canal Revelation
Project Description
The objective of the project was to involve grassroots communities with democratization processes across the Ituri District in the Province Orientale of the Democratic Republic of Congo. To achieve this, the grantee planned to strengthen the capacity of radio listeners’ clubs through training and practical support; to organize community debates using the radio listeners’ clubs; to produce radio broadcasts based on the community debates and on roundtable meetings between communities and officials; and to produce a range of news and educational broadcasts.
The project provided local communities with knowledge they could use to convey their concerns to the authorities. It encouraged dialogue by inviting local political leaders to debate with communities and members of radio listeners’ clubs. The various elements of the project formed a well thought-out and organic whole, which was able to foster positive changes at community level. The focus on women’s participation in democratic debates was also relevant, and connected to the emphasis on access to broadcast news.
Report
Evaluation Date
June 2013
Theme
Country