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Accountability

LESSON

Lesson Learned: Enhancing Women’s Political Participation in Eswatini

Transparent and proactive communication between the grant recipient and the funder is essential to foster effective collaboration and mitigate operational inefficiencies. In this case, WLSA faced a shortage of funds and human resources, which hindered their ability to fulfil all project team responsibilities. This led to delays and inconsistencies within the narrative reports, which were never clarified by WLSA.

Project Name
Enhancing Women’s Political Participation in Eswatini
Project Partner
Women and Law in Southern Africa - Eswatini
Project Description

The project seeks to enhance the gender responsiveness of policies and practices in the electoral process in Eswatini by assisting stakeholders to develop gender responsive guidelines and educating citizens on the importance of women’s political participation, while empowering the female electorate with leadership skills, campaign and mobilization strategies. The project seeks to impart a long-term effect by enabling community-based paralegals to conduct gender equality sensitization talks at community level. Project activities will incorporate actions in response to the Covid-19 crisis, as it impacts women, including gender-based violence as well as social and economic pressures.

Report
udf-18-793-swa_evaluation_report.pdf
Evaluation Date
August 2024
Theme
Women's empowerment
Electoral Processes
Country
Swaziland
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Enabling Women to Participate in Sustainable Water Management in Armenia

In transitioning societies with the control and accountability mechanisms under development having tangible assets delivered, strategic position-holders interested, and locally recognized agents of change with multiplication potential involved are important to ensure the target population’s immediate interest, as well as the longer-term sense of ownership to be developed and the sustainability of the project to be achieved. Whenever possible, adding the beneficiary financial contribution element, such as community funds, can help in enhancing the sense of ownership and accountability for public expenditures and improving processes for public consultation in development planning.
Project Name
Enabling Women to Participate in Sustainable Water Management in Armenia
Project Partner
Armenian Women for Health and Healthy Environment NGO
Project Description
The project aims to contribute to strategies regarding the sustainable management of natural water resources in the Ararat Valley through enhancement of women’s groups that supply oversight and equity in community water and sanitation resources. Three groups will be interlinked in their actions to facilitate discussion on tariff compensation; monitor the participation of oversight activities on irrigation; and implement four pilot projects at the community level. Pilot projects will identify community-based participatory approaches to decision-making involving women to improve access and management of water resources.
Report
udf-17-775-arm_undef_evaluation_report_final.pdf
Evaluation Date
November 2021
Theme
Women's empowerment
Interaction with government
Country
Armenia
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Addressing Ghana’s Governance Deficits through Constitutional Reform


The county/local level can be a more effective playing field on which to make improvements to government transparency and accountability. Not only are county/local level efforts more attainable than changes to national ones, but they often have more direct and bigger impacts on citizens lives on a day to day basis. This strategy can be made even more effective by making requests for these improvements in the run-up to election proccesses. These commitments can in turn be used to hold officials accountable when in office.


Project Name
Addressing Ghana’s Governance Deficits through Constitutional Reform
Project Partner
Ghana Center for Democratic Development
Project Description
The project aimed to obtain measurable improvements in Ghana’s constitutional and governance mechanisms by providing technical input and advocacy platforms for civil society actors to research and build a constituency for constitutional and legal reform in key governance areas. The project related closely to the grantee’s mission, i.e. the promotion of democracy, good governance and the development of a liberal economic environment. The grantee’s intervention was relevant in its focus on efforts to take practical action to address priorities in democratic development, and in ensuring that the priority concerns of Ghanaian civil society, as well as the interests of ordinary citizens - through a national public opinion survey that the grantee organized - were heard. The strategy adopted by the project was judged to be appropriate and its reports to the Constitutional Review Commission and the proposals which they contained were seen as highly relevant to its deliberations.
Report
UDF-GHA-08-229-ER-1.pdf
Evaluation Date
December 2018
Theme
Rule of law
Country
Liberia
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Fostering Ethical Democracy and Advancing Micro Justice in India


It is easy for nongovernmental organisations who are focusing their efforts
on promoting the greater accountability of government and the private
sector to forget that they in turn have an accountability to the
beneficiaries they serve, particularly where projects are funded by public
money. It is important to ensure the institution of effective complaints
mechanisms to enable beneficiary feedback.


Project Name
Fostering Ethical Democracy and Advancing Micro Justice in India
Project Partner
DHAN Foundation
Project Description
This project aims to improve the provision of local democratic services to women, youth and students in disadvantaged communities in 5 regions. It will facilitate capacity development and create an enabling environment for Women Self Help Groups, youth associations and student groups to support their own "democracy action" initiatives. The project also seeks to initiate intensive campaigns on the Right to Information Act, in developing informed citizens. Additionally, the project will develop micro justice initiatives to address problems of infringement of rights; establishing para-legal clinics to facilitate the insurance of citizen rights and entitlements for development.
Report
India-UDF-13-560-IND-Evaluation-Report.pdf
Evaluation Date
September 2018
Theme
Rule of law
Country
India
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Creative Communication of the Nigerian Budget

Involving the media in monitoring public works worked well. Using the media helped empower communities with simplified budget information which they used to demand accountability from their parliamentarians. The media was viewed as a key contributor of information in real time and an avenue through which budget information could be disseminated widely to a large audience.
Project Name
Creative Communication of the Nigerian Budget
Project Partner
BudgIT Information Technology Network
Project Description
The goal of the project was to empower citizens with information about the budget process and public expenditure so as to increase the transparency and accountability of the Nigerian government. The project addressed a lack of easily understandable information on the national budget in Nigeria specifically the problem of public works projects that were promised but never completed. The original project strategy was to use social media to engage local community-based organizations (CBOs) to monitor the completion of mini public works. However, due to limited access to technology and low commitment by the local CBOs, the grantee instead engaged Project Tracking Officers (PTOs) who were equipped with mobile phones and technical skills to undertake project monitoring activities in each targeted community and who were accountable directly to the grantee.  Instead of working with the CBOs, the grantee decided to engage with community leaders as “champions” to involve community members in community project monitoring. However, the broadcast television component of the project - Tracka. - had an impact. This media platform provided a tool for giving feedback to citizens and was very effective in collecting, transferring and sharing the information on the status of the public works
Report
Nigeria-UDF-13-544-NIR-Evaluation-Report.pdf
Evaluation Date
July 2018
Theme
Media
Country
Nigeria
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Rural Media Development for Promoting Democracy and Human Rights

The training gave a wide understanding of all dimensions of human rights, both civil-political and socio-economic rights. This led to a rich and interesting diversity in articles produced by journalists. While this was interesting some participants had a tendency to equate all human interest stories and criminal acts to human rights stories (for instance, the abduction of a new born baby from a hospital ward by a disturbed individual or a case of a child murdered by a private individual) but without making clear links to the accountability and responsibility of duty bearers.
Project Name
Rural Media Development for Promoting Democracy and Human Rights
Project Partner
News Network
Project Description
This was a well-structured project which laid the foundation for a nationwide network of journalists concerned with human rights issues, particularly in rural marginalized areas. The project was relevant and much needed given the context of human rights abuses and the suppression of the media. It was also appropriate, although there are constraints there is sufficient democratic space for human rights influenced journalism since journalists were able to write about a range of human rights issues and call duty-bearers to account. The project also met its objectives: the skills of journalists in relation to human rights issues have been enhanced, reporting on human rights has increased, and civil society capacity to understand how the media works has improved – though closer engagement between NGOs and the media could be further strengthened.
Report
UDF-BGD-13-559_Evaluation-FINAL.pdf
Evaluation Date
November 2017
Theme
Media
Country
Bangladesh
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Civil Sector Capacity Building Initiative in Kazakhstan

Anecdotally, although the project did increase the visibility of the concept of NGO accountability through the workshops - which were publicized in the media - the concept of accountability was defined in such narrow terms that the results of the project were mainly found at a very low level specifically in the production of annual reports by each of the subgrantees.
Project Name
Civil Sector Capacity Building Initiative in Kazakhstan
Project Partner
Eurasia Foundation of Central Asia
Project Description
The project sought to improve the quality of nongovernmental organizations’ (NGO) services and programmes by strengthening their capacity to effectively implement accountability standards. Its intended outcomes were: strengthened NGO capacity to implement accountability strategies and tools; strengthened capacity of donor community to foster participatory accountability within the NGO community; and increased public demand for greater NGO accountability to beneficiaries. The project design, however, was not well grounded in the larger concept of accountability, or in how donors incorporate these principles into the efforts they fund. It also did not take into consideration feedback received from potential partners and beneficiaries during the design, and did not adequately consult with donors who were identified as a target group.
Report
451-ER-Final.pdf
Evaluation Date
March 2016
Theme
Community activism
Country
Kazakhstan
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Civil Sector Capacity Building Initiative in Kazakhstan

The concept of accountability is important and needed in a context where many NGOs seek government funding to provide services. There is a need to ensure that NGOs in Kazakhstan are linked to their beneficiaries and for all NGOs to realize they need to be as accountable as they are asking their government to be. This would also include clarifying the NGOs’ vision and mission, developing their consultative structures and processes, and adopting integrity standards and regular public reporting processes.
Project Name
Civil Sector Capacity Building Initiative in Kazakhstan
Project Partner
Eurasia Foundation of Central Asia
Project Description
The project sought to improve the quality of nongovernmental organizations’ (NGO) services and programmes by strengthening their capacity to effectively implement accountability standards. Its intended outcomes were: strengthened NGO capacity to implement accountability strategies and tools; strengthened capacity of donor community to foster participatory accountability within the NGO community; and increased public demand for greater NGO accountability to beneficiaries. The project design, however, was not well grounded in the larger concept of accountability, or in how donors incorporate these principles into the efforts they fund. It also did not take into consideration feedback received from potential partners and beneficiaries during the design, and did not adequately consult with donors who were identified as a target group.
Report
451-ER-Final.pdf
Evaluation Date
March 2016
Theme
Community activism
Country
Kazakhstan
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Civil Society to Monitor and Contribute to Transparency and Anti-Corruption Policies in Moldova

The project demonstrated how civil society could contribute to public policy on corruption. For example, the preparation and publication of three monitoring reports on progress made between late 2012 and December 2014 on the implementation of the government’s National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) in Moldova were very effective. The reports facilitated more comprehensive, precise and reliable reporting on the progress made during the reporting period by the 36 state institutions responsible for implementation of the Strategy. It also encouraged and produced improved performance in achieving the benchmarks set out in the official national Action Plan.
Project Name
Civil Society to Monitor and Contribute to Transparency and Anti-Corruption Policies in Moldova
Project Partner
East Europe Foundation - Moldova
Project Description
The project sought combat corruption – one of the major barriers to effective governance in Moldova - by strengthening civil society and enabling it to become an active participant in shaping of public policy on the subject. At the core of the project was building the capacity and reach of the previously established Anti-Corruption Alliance and related civil society organizations. Through intensive training, ongoing coaching and financial assistance with small sub-projects, the project also offered valuable support in building the knowledge and practical skills of smaller NGOs, both members and non-members, in the anti-corruption field.
Report
UDF-MOL-11-469-ER-1.pdf
Evaluation Date
January 2015
Theme
Rule of law
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Youth Partnership for Improved Budgetary Governance in Lebanese Municipalities: Musharaka

Since the project was designed to strengthen democratic processes, the workshops for the beneficiary groups should have provided more detailed information on rights. The project’s main priority was a needs-centered approach. What was absent was the perspective that access to public information, the monitoring of transparency in public administration, and good governance are the inherent rights of citizen that do not depend on the good will and acceptance of local authorities.
Project Name
Youth Partnership for Improved Budgetary Governance in Lebanese Municipalities: Musharaka
Project Partner
Lebanese Transparency Association
Project Description
The project was a follow-up to an earlier initiative that targeted 15 municipalities in the six Lebanese governorates. Under the UNDEF grant, the project was an extension of the initial programme, more focused on the areas of Western and Northern Bekaa to ensure a greater impact at the country level. The aim of the project was to empower youth, and tje wider community through them, to render municipal councils of Western and Northern Bekaa more transparent and accountable. The project was divided into two phases: in the first phase, five democratically elected Youth Shadow Councils (YSCs) received thematic and technical training on good governance, advocacy strategies, conducting needs assessments, access to public services, and budget analysis. In the second phase, the elected council was responsible for training another group of participants in order to disseminate the principles of transparency and accountability and motivate citizens to advocate for reforms and get involved in their community’s development process. The project mobilized and trained 200 young women and men aged 17-29 in the municipalities of Der El Ahmar, Baalbeck, Taalbaya, Saadnayel, and Sawireh. It had a relevant and well-defined strategy with concrete indicators that facilitated the monitoring of achievement levels.
Report
UDF-LEB-10-374-ER-1.pdf
Evaluation Date
October 2014
Theme
Youth engagement
Country
Lebanon