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LESSON

Lesson Learned: Empowering the Voice of a New Generation in Pakistan

A website was created which included a blog section for the youth. The site was easy to use and attractive, with places provided for participants where they could post their photos and news. It also provided a spot where newsletters were posted through to the end of the project. Little analytical data was available on the use of the website but the grantee reported it was underutilized, stating not all of the youth in Pakistan had access to the internet.
Project Partner
Civil Society Support Programme
Project Description
The project’s objective was to increase the role of youth in public affairs and policy development in 20 locations in Pakistan. Its intended outcomes were: a strengthened networking and institutional capacities of the programme; enhanced understanding of the Voice of New Generation youth on social, political and development issues; and increased participation of Voice of New Generation groups in research and advocacy for policy making on youth issues.   The project design addressed issues directly relevant to youth and incorporated community based organizations into programme delivery which helped ensure an effective intervention and continuity of efforts. However, it assumed all participants were literate, had internet access, and the time and drive to develop and sustain a Voice of a New Generation effort within their area. This was the case for only a small minority of the targeted youth. This significantly reduced the relevance of the project.
Evaluation Date
August 2014
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Democratic dialogue in Palestine: Acculturation towards tolerance

Participants confirmed the usefulness of the training and in particular the access they were given to decision makers in Palestine. The students particularly enjoyed the small group discussions involved. Both facilitators and decision makers commented on the enthusiasm of the students and their willingness to participate.
Project Partner
The Ramallah Centre for Human Rights Studies
Project Description
The project aimed to build the capacity of young people in Palestine – primarily students at university in the West Bank and Gaza Strip – to contribute to understanding of tolerance and difference, with a view to bridging socio-political gaps within Palestinian communities, and between the public and the three main authorities in Palestine - the legislative, judiciary and unions. The project design was underpinned by the growing problem of division among young people in Palestinian society. Project stakeholders also repeatedly mentioned the broader political reality of life in the Palestine territories that impose restrictions that undermine the human rights for young Palestinians and influence their perception of human rights and justice.
Evaluation Date
February 2013
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Civic Education and Civil Society Empowerment in Remote Areas in Myanmar

The project website was well organized and regularly updated but fell short of 'promoting social mobilization'. None of the training participants interviewed ever used the website or were aware of its existence. While the content may be valuable, internet usage is lower in Myanmar than any other South East Asian country. The website has not been functional for a long period of time due to problems with the webhost supplier.
Project Partner
Myanmar Egress/Network Activities Groups (NAG)
Project Description
The project general objective was to support the development of good governance in Myanmar through civic education and building advocacy skills of civil society. Activities included civic education trainings and township level meetings to support good governance; organization of core leader meetings; training in how to write policy papers to strengthen policy advocacy; and the creation of a website for civil society to exchange experience and knowledge. All quantifiable targets were reached or surpassed, and the participants interviewed spoke highly of the training. The project implementation team overcame significant bureaucratic and logistical obstacles, as well as difficult operating conditions. The project appears to have had a great deal of positive 'knock-on effects’. Although the training program attracted a large number of participants, participation was dictated by informal networks and affinities. The township-level forum did not succeed in soliciting initiatives and brainstorming on regional/local issues. Likewise, the policy papers exhibited significant weaknesses in particular a lack of readers. The website was also not used as an effective tool for knowledge and information sharing by any of the participants interviewed.
Evaluation Date
December 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Youth Training for Democracy and Development

By awakening participants to the concept of gender equality, the project helped change perceptions about the place of young women in communities, thus improving young women’s access to basic services and fostering their participation in social and political life. This could represent the foundation for a new culture of civic equality
Project Partner
Association d'Amis du Développement et de la Paix
Project Description
The overall objective of the project was to strengthen the participation of young people in Guatemala through training to create a base of young leaders from indigenous communities living in the Department of Alta Verapaz. The project strategy revolved around four priority components: developing the competencies of young leaders to improve their ability to assume responsibility in their communities; promoting knowledge about current legislation to foster rule of law, governance, and democracy; improving the quality of the dialogue between youth and local government to consolidate opportunities for participation; and encouraging youth to become more involved and influential in local decision-making bodies to help meet the basic needs of their communities. The approach was consistent with the grantee’s strategic goal of providing young people training in participatory civic practices, and enabling them to approach and develop responses to the problems and needs of youth in rural indigenous communities. In addition, the project’s cost-benefit ratio was positive: there was very high participation in terms of the number of benefiting communities and the number of young people completing the project’s training.
Evaluation Date
May 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: The Bottom-up Governance and Leadership Programme for Women in the Pacific

The five funded mini-projects allowed selected women trainees use their newly acquired governance and leadership knowledge in their own communities. However the women were not given sufficiently useful tools to help them to do this since the BGLP training materials were in English and quite academic.
Project Partner
Foundation for Development Cooperation
Project Description
The project aimed to increase women’s political representation and increase their familiarity with governance issues and build their leadership skills. The project undertook training through an e-platform across four countries in the Pacific to achieve these goals. A subsequent “BGLP governance and leadership contest‟ was intended to promote bottom-up governance initiatives by women in their local communities. Those women who presented successful proposals went were given training in participatory project management training (PPM) and taken on a study tour before receiving funding to undertake their mini-projects. There was a mismatch in the project between the problem identified and the solutions proposed. Differences among the participating countries were not taken into account, and the method of training delivery was inappropriate.
Evaluation Date
April 2011
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Defence of Vulnerable People and Democracy Restoration for Workers in the Exploitation of Mines in Democratic Republic of Congo


Steps must be taken to ensure the effective participation of public officials. Activities involving the intervention of the public authorities must be planned ahead of time because of their possible unavailability related to their positions. The activities targeting public officials require the involvement of their leaders in their implementation, otherwise there is no guarantee of their participation, especially when it comes to activities organized by public associations related to the defense of human rights. Lastly, for greater impact, training activities should target as many leaders as possible in different localities.


Project Description
This project aims to increase the effectiveness and protection of economic, social and cultural rights of local communities and traditional miners in relation to the exploitation of mineral resources, in the DRC. This will be achieved through a legal reform, the popularization of legal texts, awareness raising of local community leaders, of the judiciary and mine administration officials on their rights and obligations; in support of mining diggers rights and the monitoring of human rights related to the exploitation of natural resources.