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Rule of law

LESSON

Lesson Learned: Enlarging the Social Base for Democracy and the Rule of Law in Egypt

While decentralization of activities is a positive goal, in times of political volatility and security challenges, extending democracy support beyond the capital can lead to organizational and logistical problems. Given these challenges, the project decided it was safer to bring people from the regions to the capital rather than trying to export activities from the capital to the regions.
Project Partner
Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
Project Description
The context of the project was the period of intense political activity and instability in Egypt following the 2011 revolution. Within a highly volatile environment that included repression of civil society organisations and democracy advocates, the project gave special emphasis to training in the use of social media to stimulate citizen journalism and free exchange of thoughts. Overall the project was relevant in view of the focus on youth which was well supported by baseline assessments that identified low youth participation in democratic processes. It was also important in view of the overall political environment leading up to elections during the time of the project implementation. The focus on social media was also relevant and effective given the role it had played as a catalyst of the Arab Spring.
Evaluation Date
April 2013
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Enlarging the Social Base for Democracy and the Rule of Law in Egypt

Because of strong and inclusive design and effective facilitation, at the workshop level, even groups comprised of very diverse and sometimes deeply opposed political interests were able to learn and work together. This project demonstrated that in Egypt a politically inclusive approach at the grass-roots level can succeed.
Project Partner
Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
Project Description
The context of the project was the period of intense political activity and instability in Egypt following the 2011 revolution. Within a highly volatile environment that included repression of civil society organisations and democracy advocates, the project gave special emphasis to training in the use of social media to stimulate citizen journalism and free exchange of thoughts. Overall the project was relevant in view of the focus on youth which was well supported by baseline assessments that identified low youth participation in democratic processes. It was also important in view of the overall political environment leading up to elections during the time of the project implementation. The focus on social media was also relevant and effective given the role it had played as a catalyst of the Arab Spring.
Evaluation Date
April 2013
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Enlarging the Social Base for Democracy and the Rule of Law in Egypt

While the grantee provided some data on impact at the individual level, such as greater likelihood of voting and adherence to a political party, no information was provided on how these were arrived at. The grantee could have invested effort in trying to devise individual-level indicators of impact, both qualitative and quantitative, that it can apply in future work.
Project Partner
Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
Project Description
The context of the project was the period of intense political activity and instability in Egypt following the 2011 revolution. Within a highly volatile environment that included repression of civil society organisations and democracy advocates, the project gave special emphasis to training in the use of social media to stimulate citizen journalism and free exchange of thoughts. Overall the project was relevant in view of the focus on youth which was well supported by baseline assessments that identified low youth participation in democratic processes. It was also important in view of the overall political environment leading up to elections during the time of the project implementation. The focus on social media was also relevant and effective given the role it had played as a catalyst of the Arab Spring.
Evaluation Date
April 2013
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Enlarging the Social Base for Democracy and the Rule of Law in Egypt

Despite the emphasis on social media and development of trainees’ ICT skills, there was no strong evidence that project beneficiaries stayed in contact or used the ICT skills required to engage in robust advocacy campaigns as per the project's goals. More attention should have been paid to promoting post-workshop networks.
Project Partner
Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
Project Description
The context of the project was the period of intense political activity and instability in Egypt following the 2011 revolution. Within a highly volatile environment that included repression of civil society organisations and democracy advocates, the project gave special emphasis to training in the use of social media to stimulate citizen journalism and free exchange of thoughts. Overall the project was relevant in view of the focus on youth which was well supported by baseline assessments that identified low youth participation in democratic processes. It was also important in view of the overall political environment leading up to elections during the time of the project implementation. The focus on social media was also relevant and effective given the role it had played as a catalyst of the Arab Spring.
Evaluation Date
April 2013
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Enlarging the Social Base for Democracy and the Rule of Law in Egypt

While social media can leverage democratization efforts, they cannot substitute for the legal and constitutional work, watchdog monitoring, and other nuts-and-bolts activities that make civil society a catalyst for democracy.
Project Partner
Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
Project Description
The context of the project was the period of intense political activity and instability in Egypt following the 2011 revolution. Within a highly volatile environment that included repression of civil society organisations and democracy advocates, the project gave special emphasis to training in the use of social media to stimulate citizen journalism and free exchange of thoughts. Overall the project was relevant in view of the focus on youth which was well supported by baseline assessments that identified low youth participation in democratic processes. It was also important in view of the overall political environment leading up to elections during the time of the project implementation. The focus on social media was also relevant and effective given the role it had played as a catalyst of the Arab Spring.
Evaluation Date
April 2013
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Participatory Rights of Physically Disabled Persons in Georgia

Some 11% of the participants in the project found part- or full-time jobs. This percentage could have been higher with better cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science in Georgia, which piloted inclusive vocational education for people with disabilities within six of Georgia’s 18 vocational training centres.
Project Partner
Qualification Center for Trainers
Project Description
The project undertook an advocacy campaign to support the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), which was signed by the government of Georgia in 2009 but not ratified. The overall development goal of the campaign was to counter the social and economic exclusion of disabled people in Georgia. The project produced a number of media outputs - radio and TV broadcasts, information spots, and organized several events. These activities significantly improved the availability of information about disabled persons and contributed to a change in public perception. Given the magnitude of the needs of persons with disabilities and the of lack access to professional training, the project also included a pilot scheme for vocational education. This pilot led to the improvement of the living conditions and employment prospects for a first group of beneficiaries.
Evaluation Date
April 2013
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Participatory Rights of Physically Disabled Persons in Georgia

Some 11% of the participants in the project found part- or full-time jobs. This percentage could have been higher with better cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science in Georgia, which piloted inclusive vocational education for people with disabilit8ies within six of Georgia’s 18 vocational training centres.
Project Partner
Qualification Center for Trainers
Project Description
The project undertook an advocacy campaign to support the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), which was signed by the government of Georgia in 2009 but not ratified. The overall development goal of the campaign was to counter the social and economic exclusion of disabled people in Georgia. The project produced a number of media outputs - radio and TV broadcasts, information spots, and organized several events. These activities significantly improved the availability of information about disabled persons and contributed to a change in public perception. Given the magnitude of the needs of persons with disabilities and the of lack access to professional training, the project also included a pilot scheme for vocational education. This pilot led to the improvement of the living conditions and employment prospects for a first group of beneficiaries.
Evaluation Date
April 2013
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Participatory Rights of Physically Disabled Persons in Georgia

Some 11% of the participants in the project found part- or full-time jobs. This percentage could have been higher with better cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science in Georgia, which piloted inclusive vocational education for people with disabilit8ies within six of Georgia’s 18 vocational training centres.
Project Partner
Qualification Center for Trainers
Project Description
The project undertook an advocacy campaign to support the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), which was signed by the government of Georgia in 2009 but not ratified. The overall development goal of the campaign was to counter the social and economic exclusion of disabled people in Georgia. The project produced a number of media outputs - radio and TV broadcasts, information spots, and organized several events. These activities significantly improved the availability of information about disabled persons and contributed to a change in public perception. Given the magnitude of the needs of persons with disabilities and the of lack access to professional training, the project also included a pilot scheme for vocational education. This pilot led to the improvement of the living conditions and employment prospects for a first group of beneficiaries.
Evaluation Date
April 2013
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Participatory Rights of Physically Disabled Persons in Georgia

The grantee attempted to drive change by lobbying members of the coordination council, a body assigned with the monitoring of two consecutive, almost identical, government Action Plans for implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Disabled Persons. While the evaluation found that the efforts were not always successful, Georgia did in fact ratify the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on 14 March 2014.
Project Partner
Qualification Center for Trainers
Project Description
The project undertook an advocacy campaign to support the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), which was signed by the government of Georgia in 2009 but not ratified. The overall development goal of the campaign was to counter the social and economic exclusion of disabled people in Georgia. The project produced a number of media outputs - radio and TV broadcasts, information spots, and organized several events. These activities significantly improved the availability of information about disabled persons and contributed to a change in public perception. Given the magnitude of the needs of persons with disabilities and the of lack access to professional training, the project also included a pilot scheme for vocational education. This pilot led to the improvement of the living conditions and employment prospects for a first group of beneficiaries.
Evaluation Date
April 2013
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Participatory Rights of Physically Disabled Persons in Georgia

Weaknesses in the design of indicators limited the grantee’s analysis of impact on the rights of disabled persons in Georgia, as they mostly reflected on developments external to the project’s activities. Clearer indicators could have made linked activities more closely with what they were designed to achieve.
Project Partner
Qualification Center for Trainers
Project Description
The project undertook an advocacy campaign to support the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), which was signed by the government of Georgia in 2009 but not ratified. The overall development goal of the campaign was to counter the social and economic exclusion of disabled people in Georgia. The project produced a number of media outputs - radio and TV broadcasts, information spots, and organized several events. These activities significantly improved the availability of information about disabled persons and contributed to a change in public perception. Given the magnitude of the needs of persons with disabilities and the of lack access to professional training, the project also included a pilot scheme for vocational education. This pilot led to the improvement of the living conditions and employment prospects for a first group of beneficiaries.
Evaluation Date
April 2013
Theme
Country