Skip to main content

Community activism

LESSON

Lesson Learned: Empowered Civil Society Addressing the Democratic Needs of Rural Women in Myanmar

The project approach and strategy were largely inspired by work done by UNDP since the 1990s in Myanmar, as part of its people-centered development approach. Several of the individuals who helped establish the partnerships on this project were former UNDP staff members. The years of experience in rural areas ensured that the project design addressed key needs in a realistic manner, adapted to the context.
Project Partner
DanChurchAid
Project Description
The project's objective was to strengthen institutional capacity of three independent CSOs working with rural women’s groups so that they could establish associations of self-help groups and promote inclusive participatory dialogue with authorities. Working from a UNDP model, the project focused on three aspects: transparency and accountability; rights awareness and advocacy; and linkages with other community-level groups. The project was exemplary in its effectiveness, both in terms of the clarity of outcomes to be achieved (and activities to achieve them) and of quantitative and qualitative standards of achievement. It raised awareness of voters’ and women’s rights, and initiated engagement between local officials and rural communities. This is also an example of a project where sustainability was included in the design. The capacity building activities included supporting partner organizations achieve a degree of financial independence, by providing technical advice on project design and management, and by helping them develop internal governance and accountability systems.
Evaluation Date
January 2016
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Expanding and Fortifying Local Democracy through the People’s Council in the Philippines

The training activities attempted to cover complex topics in very brief training sessions. This limited the prospects for building the practical knowledge of trainees in local governance and public participation issues.
Project Partner
Naga city people's council
Project Description
The project had the overall development goal of facilitating the recognition and replication of the Peoples Council in the country as a democratization mechanism in local governance. The immediate project objective was to establish, expand and institutionalize the Peoples Council in 21 barangays in the city and six municipalities in the Metro Naga area. In Naga City, the People’s Council proved itself as an effective mechanism for public participation, particularly for representatives of poor and other vulnerable groups. The project’s initiative to replicate the success of the Naga City People’s council was a relevant contribution to the broader aim of enhancing local democracy in the Philippines. The project had mixed success in achieving its targets and encountered some major disappointments in reaching the goal of institutionalizing the People’s Council in the 27 target local government areas. However, the People’s Councils were officially recognized in the case of four of the six municipal people’s councils, but only in five of the 21 barangay people’s councils. Despite this, grantee cannot be faulted on its effort to achieve the project goals, and, given the scope of what the project sought to achieve, a great deal was accomplished.
Evaluation Date
January 2016
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Expanding and Fortifying Local Democracy through the People’s Council in the Philippines

The objective of the small grants disbursed by the projects was to build local ownership of the People’s Councils. The desired result was accomplished in only a very few cases. Insufficient attention was given to preparing and enforcing guidelines on the grants and how they were to be used and reported on.
Project Partner
Naga city people's council
Project Description
The project had the overall development goal of facilitating the recognition and replication of the Peoples Council in the country as a democratization mechanism in local governance. The immediate project objective was to establish, expand and institutionalize the Peoples Council in 21 barangays in the city and six municipalities in the Metro Naga area. In Naga City, the People’s Council proved itself as an effective mechanism for public participation, particularly for representatives of poor and other vulnerable groups. The project’s initiative to replicate the success of the Naga City People’s council was a relevant contribution to the broader aim of enhancing local democracy in the Philippines. The project had mixed success in achieving its targets and encountered some major disappointments in reaching the goal of institutionalizing the People’s Council in the 27 target local government areas. However, the People’s Councils were officially recognized in the case of four of the six municipal people’s councils, but only in five of the 21 barangay people’s councils. Despite this, grantee cannot be faulted on its effort to achieve the project goals, and, given the scope of what the project sought to achieve, a great deal was accomplished.
Evaluation Date
January 2016
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Promoting democratic dialogue and social cohesion in the Western region of Côte d'Ivoire

The grantee should have played a greater role in building relationships with the local authorities. The CSOs, though they had adequate links to local officials, lacked the credibility and credentials to help build capacity at local government level.
Project Partner
Centre de Recherche et d'Action pour la Paix
Project Description
The overall objective of the project was to reinforce community dialogue and participatory democracy in the Western part of Cote d’Ivoire, with a view to enhancing social cohesion and the enhancement of democratic values at local level. To achieve this objective, the project had three outputs: Civil society organizations (CSOs) and the authorities are better equipped to use community support techniques; CSO’s providing support to communities on the management of conflicts; and enhanced involvement of local communities in development initiatives. The project was remarkably relevant, in that it correctly identified the lack of social cohesion as a major risk for conflict returning to the target areas. The project developed strategies and activities that specifically addressed the needs of the local communities and those of the CSOs working with them. However, the project design phase did not sufficiently involve the communities and CSOs, and the project should have involved more technical experts.
Evaluation Date
January 2016
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Promoting democratic dialogue and social cohesion in the Western region of Côte d'Ivoire

The grantee should have ensured that the CSOs and communities received additional technical advice in the design and implementation of the micro-projects, for example on economics and livelihoods.
Project Partner
Centre de Recherche et d'Action pour la Paix
Project Description
The overall objective of the project was to reinforce community dialogue and participatory democracy in the Western part of Cote d’Ivoire, with a view to enhancing social cohesion and the enhancement of democratic values at local level. To achieve this objective, the project had three outputs: Civil society organizations (CSOs) and the authorities are better equipped to use community support techniques; CSO’s providing support to communities on the management of conflicts; and enhanced involvement of local communities in development initiatives. The project was remarkably relevant, in that it correctly identified the lack of social cohesion as a major risk for conflict returning to the target areas. The project developed strategies and activities that specifically addressed the needs of the local communities and those of the CSOs working with them. However, the project design phase did not sufficiently involve the communities and CSOs, and the project should have involved more technical experts.
Evaluation Date
January 2016
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Promoting democratic dialogue and social cohesion in the Western region of Côte d'Ivoire

The project design phase did not sufficiently involve the communities and CSOs who were partners. The project could have also benefited from more technical expertise in the design of some of the micro-projects, to help ensure their success. The project duration was only 18 months (a three-month extension was eventually granted), was probably too short in view of its ambitious objective.
Project Partner
Centre de Recherche et d'Action pour la Paix
Project Description
The overall objective of the project was to reinforce community dialogue and participatory democracy in the Western part of Cote d’Ivoire, with a view to enhancing social cohesion and the enhancement of democratic values at local level. To achieve this objective, the project had three outputs: Civil society organizations (CSOs) and the authorities are better equipped to use community support techniques; CSO’s providing support to communities on the management of conflicts; and enhanced involvement of local communities in development initiatives. The project was remarkably relevant, in that it correctly identified the lack of social cohesion as a major risk for conflict returning to the target areas. The project developed strategies and activities that specifically addressed the needs of the local communities and those of the CSOs working with them. However, the project design phase did not sufficiently involve the communities and CSOs, and the project should have involved more technical experts.
Evaluation Date
January 2016
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Promoting democratic dialogue and social cohesion in the Western region of Côte d'Ivoire

The micro-projects are sustainable to the extent they were specifically designed to last beyond the project period and to be self-financing. New skills were acquired by communities, and by the grantee itself, will also contribute to the sustainability of the project’s results.
Project Partner
Centre de Recherche et d'Action pour la Paix
Project Description
The overall objective of the project was to reinforce community dialogue and participatory democracy in the Western part of Cote d’Ivoire, with a view to enhancing social cohesion and the enhancement of democratic values at local level. To achieve this objective, the project had three outputs: Civil society organizations (CSOs) and the authorities are better equipped to use community support techniques; CSO’s providing support to communities on the management of conflicts; and enhanced involvement of local communities in development initiatives. The project was remarkably relevant, in that it correctly identified the lack of social cohesion as a major risk for conflict returning to the target areas. The project developed strategies and activities that specifically addressed the needs of the local communities and those of the CSOs working with them. However, the project design phase did not sufficiently involve the communities and CSOs, and the project should have involved more technical experts.
Evaluation Date
January 2016
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Promoting democratic dialogue and social cohesion in the Western region of Côte d'Ivoire

The project’s impact was most visible among the beneficiaries of the micro projects. For example, the association of women selling fresh products on the market in Bloléquin was able to create common interest among women from different backgrounds – locally born, as well as older migrants and recently resettled women. This association, created by the project, was able to lobby local authorities on behalf the market women on matters such as the allocation of market stalls and to improve the storage of fresh produce.
Project Partner
Centre de Recherche et d'Action pour la Paix
Project Description
The overall objective of the project was to reinforce community dialogue and participatory democracy in the Western part of Cote d’Ivoire, with a view to enhancing social cohesion and the enhancement of democratic values at local level. To achieve this objective, the project had three outputs: Civil society organizations (CSOs) and the authorities are better equipped to use community support techniques; CSO’s providing support to communities on the management of conflicts; and enhanced involvement of local communities in development initiatives. The project was remarkably relevant, in that it correctly identified the lack of social cohesion as a major risk for conflict returning to the target areas. The project developed strategies and activities that specifically addressed the needs of the local communities and those of the CSOs working with them. However, the project design phase did not sufficiently involve the communities and CSOs, and the project should have involved more technical experts.
Evaluation Date
January 2016
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Promoting democratic dialogue and social cohesion in the Western region of Côte d'Ivoire

The project was appropriately financially and administratively managed. The project team was competent and committed; and its pro-active attitude contributed to the success of the project. The support given to the by the grantee’s senior management team was also a factor of success.
Project Partner
Centre de Recherche et d'Action pour la Paix
Project Description
The overall objective of the project was to reinforce community dialogue and participatory democracy in the Western part of Cote d’Ivoire, with a view to enhancing social cohesion and the enhancement of democratic values at local level. To achieve this objective, the project had three outputs: Civil society organizations (CSOs) and the authorities are better equipped to use community support techniques; CSO’s providing support to communities on the management of conflicts; and enhanced involvement of local communities in development initiatives. The project was remarkably relevant, in that it correctly identified the lack of social cohesion as a major risk for conflict returning to the target areas. The project developed strategies and activities that specifically addressed the needs of the local communities and those of the CSOs working with them. However, the project design phase did not sufficiently involve the communities and CSOs, and the project should have involved more technical experts.
Evaluation Date
January 2016
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Expanding and Fortifying Local Democracy through the People’s Council in the Philippines

The main challenge for the grantee in managing the project was the fact that the both the scope of the programme and the number of partners were too large. This resulted in a project that was overextended and staff who were overstretched. Not surprisingly, the gap between project needs and human resource capabilities did result in a few deficiencies in performance, including a lack of attention to documentation of activities and a weakness in some aspects of training planning and delivery.
Project Partner
Naga city people's council
Project Description
The project had the overall development goal of facilitating the recognition and replication of the Peoples Council in the country as a democratization mechanism in local governance. The immediate project objective was to establish, expand and institutionalize the Peoples Council in 21 barangays in the city and six municipalities in the Metro Naga area. In Naga City, the People’s Council proved itself as an effective mechanism for public participation, particularly for representatives of poor and other vulnerable groups. The project’s initiative to replicate the success of the Naga City People’s council was a relevant contribution to the broader aim of enhancing local democracy in the Philippines. The project had mixed success in achieving its targets and encountered some major disappointments in reaching the goal of institutionalizing the People’s Council in the 27 target local government areas. However, the People’s Councils were officially recognized in the case of four of the six municipal people’s councils, but only in five of the 21 barangay people’s councils. Despite this, grantee cannot be faulted on its effort to achieve the project goals, and, given the scope of what the project sought to achieve, a great deal was accomplished.
Evaluation Date
January 2016
Country