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Women's empowerment

LESSON

Lesson Learned: Women in Democratic Transition in Egypt

While the project’s media component was successful judged on its own terms, it was something of an add-on to the overall project strategy. Media training and outreach could have been mainstreamed into the other elements of the project - policy advocacy or second capacity building, or treated as an entirely separate project.
Project Partner
The Egyptian Center for Women's Rights
Project Description
The project was motivated by women’s low political representation in Egypt. Despite women's active participation as voters and change-makers during the Arab Spring, their representation in Parliament deteriorated following abolition of the quota from around 12% in 2010 to 2% of the 2011/2012 parliament. The project built on the recommendations and results of as previous (2009-11) UNDEF-funded project. A significant proportion of women who received training as part of the project ran for political office, and a significant proportion of these succeeded, demonstrating concrete project impact. While many other factors were at work, based on figures analyzed that training made at least some direct contribution to female success during the 2015 elections. Combining party and individual candidates, the UNDEF project financed the training of 16% of the successful 56 party list candidates and 21% of the 19 successful independent candidates.
Evaluation Date
July 2015
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Women in Democratic Transition in Egypt

Thanks to the grantee’s dense network and strong capacity of local NGOs this project was able to effectively implement activities in rural areas, even in traditional and remote regions. By reducing travel costs and enhancing the participation of women at grass-roots level, this contributed to positive findings related to effectiveness, efficiency, and ultimately impact and sustainability.
Project Partner
The Egyptian Center for Women's Rights
Project Description
The project was motivated by women’s low political representation in Egypt. Despite women's active participation as voters and change-makers during the Arab Spring, their representation in Parliament deteriorated following abolition of the quota from around 12% in 2010 to 2% of the 2011/2012 parliament. The project built on the recommendations and results of as previous (2009-11) UNDEF-funded project. A significant proportion of women who received training as part of the project ran for political office, and a significant proportion of these succeeded, demonstrating concrete project impact. While many other factors were at work, based on figures analyzed that training made at least some direct contribution to female success during the 2015 elections. Combining party and individual candidates, the UNDEF project financed the training of 16% of the successful 56 party list candidates and 21% of the 19 successful independent candidates.
Evaluation Date
July 2015
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Advancing the rights of women in the West Bank periphery, Palestine

The project’s focus was unusual as it specifically focused on urban planning as a tool for the empowerment of women within their communities and the labour market in Palestine. This innovative approach to equipping women with skills and understanding that gave them a comparative advantage – particularly in forums where they and the voices of women in general are traditionally under-represented such as local government bodies – was highly relevant.
Project Partner
International Peace and Cooperation Centre
Project Description
The objective of the project was to promote social change and empower women in the West Bank to increase their participation within local governance, specifically in urban and environmental planning at the level of local councils. The project also aimed to increase public awareness and support for women’s participation in local governance and urban and environmental planning. The project was implemented in the north, middle and south of the West Bank, focusing on zones where the Israeli authorities have control of land use. Upskilling local councils through the training of women - both elected and aspiring to election - was particularly relevant as it filled a specific and significant need to developing community governance in the most challenging areas of the West Bank.
Evaluation Date
February 2015
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Advancing the rights of women in the West Bank periphery, Palestine

The project engaged the two West Bank universities that have urban planning programmes, so that the concept and practice of women’s representation and participation in this field can be mainstreamed into the education of future urban planners, architects and engineers. The project also built strong ties with relevant Ministries as well as with UNHABITAT, so that the methodology and outcomes were embedded into work with possible future partners.
Project Partner
International Peace and Cooperation Centre
Project Description
The objective of the project was to promote social change and empower women in the West Bank to increase their participation within local governance, specifically in urban and environmental planning at the level of local councils. The project also aimed to increase public awareness and support for women’s participation in local governance and urban and environmental planning. The project was implemented in the north, middle and south of the West Bank, focusing on zones where the Israeli authorities have control of land use. Upskilling local councils through the training of women - both elected and aspiring to election - was particularly relevant as it filled a specific and significant need to developing community governance in the most challenging areas of the West Bank.
Evaluation Date
February 2015
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Advancing the rights of women in the West Bank periphery, Palestine

There will need to be more effort to engage men in understanding both the importance of urban planning and the need to involve women in urban planning processes.  While some of the women believed that the best way to do this is to offer training to the men too, this would reduce the women’s comparative advantage. A better way to proceed may be to consider a focus on youth in the community who are more open to the concept of gender equity and who will be the local councillors of the future.
Project Partner
International Peace and Cooperation Centre
Project Description
The objective of the project was to promote social change and empower women in the West Bank to increase their participation within local governance, specifically in urban and environmental planning at the level of local councils. The project also aimed to increase public awareness and support for women’s participation in local governance and urban and environmental planning. The project was implemented in the north, middle and south of the West Bank, focusing on zones where the Israeli authorities have control of land use. Upskilling local councils through the training of women - both elected and aspiring to election - was particularly relevant as it filled a specific and significant need to developing community governance in the most challenging areas of the West Bank.
Evaluation Date
February 2015
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Promoting the representation of Malagasy Women in Political and Public Affairs

The project would have benefited from an agreed action plan among all stakeholders both in the capital and regions and including international donors such as UNDP. Given the political instability in the country at the time the project was developed, a clearer vision of the risks more clarity in planning would have helped the project become more embedded and to lead to a real process of change.
Project Partner
Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa
Project Description
The global objective of the project was to promote inclusive democracy as a key component for the country to emerge from political crisis and to set the ground for stable governance. It targeted two groups; the participants in formal politics which included women candidates and elected representatives, institutions and political parties and more general, the wider public. Specifically, the project aimed to increase the priority of gender issues and the number of women representatives in policy-making. It also aimed to raise awareness and acceptance women participating as candidates and voters in public and political affairs. The grantee’s intervention strategy relied on using existing Malagasy women’s associations and networks in order to push for the fulfilment of commitments made under international and regional instruments ratified by Madagascar, in particular a Protocol of the Southern African Development Community which had a parity goal of 50 per cent in elected positions. In a context marked by recurrent political crises, the project contributed in a relevant way to address the socio-political burdens that prevent women from participating as citizens and decision-makers.
Evaluation Date
February 2015
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Promoting the representation of Malagasy Women in Political and Public Affairs

The project’s impact on the public opinion in Madagascar was more fragmented, since media coverage was not very targeted and the journalists themselves displayed a lack of capacity and knowledge in terms of gender issues. It would be necessary to review the content of messages aimed, in order to present women’s participation and the inclusion of gender issues in politics not as a divisive act but rather as a social project aimed at increasing equality, enhancing the well-being of citizens, and above all applying the rule of law. These messages should be pushed by journalists who were trained in this area and should focus on the added value of women’s experiences and even more simply on their necessary contribution to the democratic debate.
Project Partner
Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa
Project Description
The global objective of the project was to promote inclusive democracy as a key component for the country to emerge from political crisis and to set the ground for stable governance. It targeted two groups; the participants in formal politics which included women candidates and elected representatives, institutions and political parties and more general, the wider public. Specifically, the project aimed to increase the priority of gender issues and the number of women representatives in policy-making. It also aimed to raise awareness and acceptance women participating as candidates and voters in public and political affairs. The grantee’s intervention strategy relied on using existing Malagasy women’s associations and networks in order to push for the fulfilment of commitments made under international and regional instruments ratified by Madagascar, in particular a Protocol of the Southern African Development Community which had a parity goal of 50 per cent in elected positions. In a context marked by recurrent political crises, the project contributed in a relevant way to address the socio-political burdens that prevent women from participating as citizens and decision-makers.
Evaluation Date
February 2015
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Advancing the rights of women in the West Bank periphery, Palestine

Travel restrictions were imposed on the majority of participants and in particular on travel into Jerusalem. Because of these difficulties, the project’s activities were decentralized as far as possible, although security disruptions during the project meant that some training had to be relocated to Ramallah. The grantee therefore opened a project office in Ramallah.
Project Partner
International Peace and Cooperation Centre
Project Description
The objective of the project was to promote social change and empower women in the West Bank to increase their participation within local governance, specifically in urban and environmental planning at the level of local councils. The project also aimed to increase public awareness and support for women’s participation in local governance and urban and environmental planning. The project was implemented in the north, middle and south of the West Bank, focusing on zones where the Israeli authorities have control of land use. Upskilling local councils through the training of women - both elected and aspiring to election - was particularly relevant as it filled a specific and significant need to developing community governance in the most challenging areas of the West Bank.
Evaluation Date
February 2015
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Advancing the rights of women in the West Bank periphery, Palestine

The restrictions on travel imposed on participants required the grantee to spend more on transport and accommodation than originally budgeted for. This put the project seriously at risk. While the grantee was able to cover some of this shortfall through its own funds this was not without consequences for the financial well-being of the organization. While including logistics expenditure from the outset in the budget projections may have helped, in situations where movement is restricted, transport and accommodation costs are unavoidable.
Project Partner
International Peace and Cooperation Centre
Project Description
The objective of the project was to promote social change and empower women in the West Bank to increase their participation within local governance, specifically in urban and environmental planning at the level of local councils. The project also aimed to increase public awareness and support for women’s participation in local governance and urban and environmental planning. The project was implemented in the north, middle and south of the West Bank, focusing on zones where the Israeli authorities have control of land use. Upskilling local councils through the training of women - both elected and aspiring to election - was particularly relevant as it filled a specific and significant need to developing community governance in the most challenging areas of the West Bank.
Evaluation Date
February 2015
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Promoting the representation of Malagasy Women in Political and Public Affairs

The creation of a women's caucus in the National Assembly to promote the systematic mainstreaming of gender aspects in legislative proposals made gender issues more visible in Parliament. The participatory approach to identifying women’s needs was effective for mobilizing women across political party divisions.
Project Partner
Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa
Project Description
The global objective of the project was to promote inclusive democracy as a key component for the country to emerge from political crisis and to set the ground for stable governance. It targeted two groups; the participants in formal politics which included women candidates and elected representatives, institutions and political parties and more general, the wider public. Specifically, the project aimed to increase the priority of gender issues and the number of women representatives in policy-making. It also aimed to raise awareness and acceptance women participating as candidates and voters in public and political affairs. The grantee’s intervention strategy relied on using existing Malagasy women’s associations and networks in order to push for the fulfilment of commitments made under international and regional instruments ratified by Madagascar, in particular a Protocol of the Southern African Development Community which had a parity goal of 50 per cent in elected positions. In a context marked by recurrent political crises, the project contributed in a relevant way to address the socio-political burdens that prevent women from participating as citizens and decision-makers.
Evaluation Date
February 2015
Country