LESSON
Lesson Learned: Assessing Democracy Assistance
The project highlights the benefit to UNDEF from working with first-class partners who can produce first-class outputs on
schedule. There is a role for field-based, local NGO implemented projects, often in very challenging circumstances, but there is a role, as well, for global projects implemented in partnership with known global players.
schedule. There is a role for field-based, local NGO implemented projects, often in very challenging circumstances, but there is a role, as well, for global projects implemented in partnership with known global players.
Project Name
Project Partner
Fundación para las Relaciones Internacionales y el Diálogo Exterior
Project Description
The project “Assessing Democracy Assistance” was implemented by Fundación para las relaciones internacionales y el Diálogo Exterior (FRIDE) from 1 October 2009 to 30 September 2011. The project’s goals were to provide the first comprehensive assessment of global democracy assistance efforts based on the views and perceptions of local stakeholders and to ensure, through systematic dissemination and consultation among policy makers, opinion leaders, media and local stakeholders, the findings’ impact on future policy design. Whether the project succeeded in strengthening international commitment to democracy assistance and strengthening the quality of development assistance by improving the alignment between the supply and demand sides is difficult to judge, especially for a small, short-term intervention. However, evidence has been found that project results were broadly disseminated and cited among academics and practitioners worldwide. While the project did not provide capacity building and institution strengthening in the traditional sense, it did promote activities of a number of relatively young researchers, contributing to rejuvenating and strengthening the democracy community.
Evaluation Date
September 2011
Theme