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India

LESSON

Lesson Learned: Empowerment of Women in India through Innovative Vocational Education and Training

The project generated 35 self-help groups which involved 451 former trainees in joint community and / or entrepreneurial activity in India. Graduates organised numerous initiatives to address community problems (e.g. alcoholism, domestic violence, poverty, social exclusion, traffic accidents).
Project Partner
Amrita University (Amritapuri Campus)
Project Description
The project aimed to provide socially and economically impoverished women in India with the ability to participate in the democratic process and to strengthen their capacity to make decisions at individual, family and community levels. In addition to Computerized Vocational and Educational Training (CVET), which qualified beneficiaries for a wider range of employment opportunities and thus widen for them the scope of possibilities to achieve financial independence, Life Enrichment Education (LEE) activities, which comprised of video lectures and animated group discussions, complemented the women trainee’s entrepreneurial skills with democratic values and civic awareness, in order to transform them post-graduation into empowered participants of their local communities.
Evaluation Date
May 2014
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Empowerment of Women in India through Innovative Vocational Education and Training

The women participants who graduated from the programme in India were not only more employable; they also were better able to take informed decisions and actively engage in the identification and resolution of most pressing community issues.

UNDEF/ India
Project Partner
Amrita University (Amritapuri Campus)
Project Description
The project aimed to provide socially and economically impoverished women in India with the ability to participate in the democratic process and to strengthen their capacity to make decisions at individual, family and community levels. In addition to Computerized Vocational and Educational Training (CVET), which qualified beneficiaries for a wider range of employment opportunities and thus widen for them the scope of possibilities to achieve financial independence, Life Enrichment Education (LEE) activities, which comprised of video lectures and animated group discussions, complemented the women trainee’s entrepreneurial skills with democratic values and civic awareness, in order to transform them post-graduation into empowered participants of their local communities.
Evaluation Date
May 2014
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Active democracy and political participation of tribal communities in the Indian Himalayas

While this project in the Himalayan districts of India was well designed to be sustainable after funding had ended, the use of a volunteer workforce might put this at risk. This risk needs to be managed to ensure ongoing sustainability. Since even enthusiastic volunteers will not work for ever without compensation, consider providing modest honoraria to those who have volunteered and also to prepare new volunteers to replace those that drop out.

Project Partner
Pragya
Project Description
The project’s principal objectives were to enhance civic participation among Himalayan tribes and empower marginalized groups (women, people with disabilities and nomads); and to engage with governance issues and democratic dialogue. To this end, the project aimed to build a supportive environment for enhanced democratic participation through supporting state and non-state actors. The project consisted of 10 core components creating a continuum of involvement from awareness of rights to access to those rights, supported by the training and mobilization of relevant support actors and those who could make the rights a reality. The project design was logical and very much tuned to the needs of the beneficiaries and other stakeholders in this challenging region. There were no delays in project delivery, since it had been designed with the seasonal obstacles relevant to the target region in mind.
Evaluation Date
October 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Active democracy and political participation of tribal communities in the Indian Himalayas

When people are encouraged to claim their rights and entitlements, there is a risk that they will not be successful or that the services they are seeking will not materialize, and this risk must be taken into account. It is inevitable that not all those who apply for government schemes and entitlements will receive them and it is also possible that promised services may not materialize, or that louder voices may prevail. In order to mitigate negative examples they may see, put in place an active process for sharing success stories.

Project Partner
Pragya
Project Description
The project’s principal objectives were to enhance civic participation among Himalayan tribes and empower marginalized groups (women, people with disabilities and nomads); and to engage with governance issues and democratic dialogue. To this end, the project aimed to build a supportive environment for enhanced democratic participation through supporting state and non-state actors. The project consisted of 10 core components creating a continuum of involvement from awareness of rights to access to those rights, supported by the training and mobilization of relevant support actors and those who could make the rights a reality. The project design was logical and very much tuned to the needs of the beneficiaries and other stakeholders in this challenging region. There were no delays in project delivery, since it had been designed with the seasonal obstacles relevant to the target region in mind.
Evaluation Date
October 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Active democracy and political participation of tribal communities in the Indian Himalayas

A principal reason for the project’s impact was the coherence between training/education, bridging processes and mobilization of stakeholder groups and community structures such as Resource Centres to support them. Training, education and sensitization will are more effective if there are processes or structures in place that can contribute to transforming them into practical outcomes.
Project Partner
Pragya
Project Description
The project’s principal objectives were to enhance civic participation among Himalayan tribes and empower marginalized groups (women, people with disabilities and nomads); and to engage with governance issues and democratic dialogue. To this end, the project aimed to build a supportive environment for enhanced democratic participation through supporting state and non-state actors. The project consisted of 10 core components creating a continuum of involvement from awareness of rights to access to those rights, supported by the training and mobilization of relevant support actors and those who could make the rights a reality. The project design was logical and very much tuned to the needs of the beneficiaries and other stakeholders in this challenging region. There were no delays in project delivery, since it had been designed with the seasonal obstacles relevant to the target region in mind.
Evaluation Date
October 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Active democracy and political participation of tribal communities in the Indian Himalayas

There were no delays in project delivery, since it had been designed with the seasonal obstacles relevant to the target region in mind. The high Himalayan districts are cut off from the rest of the country for four to five months a year. Therefore, the project was extremely effective. It achieved its objectives and in many cases exceeded the quantitative targets set.

Project Partner
Pragya
Project Description
The project’s principal objectives were to enhance civic participation among Himalayan tribes and empower marginalized groups (women, people with disabilities and nomads); and to engage with governance issues and democratic dialogue. To this end, the project aimed to build a supportive environment for enhanced democratic participation through supporting state and non-state actors. The project consisted of 10 core components creating a continuum of involvement from awareness of rights to access to those rights, supported by the training and mobilization of relevant support actors and those who could make the rights a reality. The project design was logical and very much tuned to the needs of the beneficiaries and other stakeholders in this challenging region. There were no delays in project delivery, since it had been designed with the seasonal obstacles relevant to the target region in mind.
Evaluation Date
October 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Active democracy and political participation of tribal communities in the Indian Himalayas

The project was coherent, gender-appropriate and highly relevant to the needs of the beneficiaries living in the Himalaya region. The design of this project within a broader strategic planning and programming process also led to the individual actions being well designed and relevant.
Project Partner
Pragya
Project Description
The project’s principal objectives were to enhance civic participation among Himalayan tribes and empower marginalized groups (women, people with disabilities and nomads); and to engage with governance issues and democratic dialogue. To this end, the project aimed to build a supportive environment for enhanced democratic participation through supporting state and non-state actors. The project consisted of 10 core components creating a continuum of involvement from awareness of rights to access to those rights, supported by the training and mobilization of relevant support actors and those who could make the rights a reality. The project design was logical and very much tuned to the needs of the beneficiaries and other stakeholders in this challenging region. There were no delays in project delivery, since it had been designed with the seasonal obstacles relevant to the target region in mind.
Evaluation Date
October 2012
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening the Leadership of Women in Local Democracy – Gram Panchayats (Village Councils in India)

The project created federations among the women representatives. While this was not funded by the UNDEF project, these networks will contribute to the project’s sustainability. The women involved repeatedly mentioned to evaluators their expectations from the federations, saying that their work could benefit from exchange and cooperation among elected women representatives, in order to identify solutions to similar issues occurring across their village councils.

Project Partner
The Hunger Project - India
Project Description
The project aimed to strengthen the leadership of women elected into Gram Panchayats (Village Councils) in the state of Rajasthan. Project activities were undertaken pre- and post-elections. Pre-election the activities involved championing the women candidates. Post-election the project focused on helping women fulfill their roles and responsibilities as elected women representatives (EWRs). A pre-election campaign focused on the dissemination of simplified, complete and accurate information. The goal of this information was to counter various myths and misunderstandings that were used to discourage prospective women candidates. Campaign materials were well researched and created with great care, taking into account local needs and conditions. Following the elections, residential leadership workshops instilled confidence, self-respect, dignity and solidarity among the women representatives.
Evaluation Date
September 2011
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening the Leadership of Women in Local Democracy – Gram Panchayats (Village Councils in India)

The training methods used by the grantee were appreciated by the participants. Trainees enjoyed gathering for several days in residential workshops, away from their home. They described with enthusiasm how the training generated environments that were free of discriminatory patterns and full of opportunities for learning, sharing and exchange.

UNDEF/ India
Project Partner
The Hunger Project - India
Project Description
The project aimed to strengthen the leadership of women elected into Gram Panchayats (Village Councils) in the state of Rajasthan. Project activities were undertaken pre- and post-elections. Pre-election the activities involved championing the women candidates. Post-election the project focused on helping women fulfill their roles and responsibilities as elected women representatives (EWRs). A pre-election campaign focused on the dissemination of simplified, complete and accurate information. The goal of this information was to counter various myths and misunderstandings that were used to discourage prospective women candidates. Campaign materials were well researched and created with great care, taking into account local needs and conditions. Following the elections, residential leadership workshops instilled confidence, self-respect, dignity and solidarity among the women representatives.
Evaluation Date
September 2011
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening the Leadership of Women in Local Democracy – Gram Panchayats (Village Councils in India)

The collection of baseline data from the elected women before they participated in the project’s capacity building activities progressed very slowly as implementing partners were unfamiliar with the methodology of the baseline survey. A second survey to determine the project's outcome was not carried out before the end of the project.
Project Partner
The Hunger Project - India
Project Description
The project aimed to strengthen the leadership of women elected into Gram Panchayats (Village Councils) in the state of Rajasthan. Project activities were undertaken pre- and post-elections. Pre-election the activities involved championing the women candidates. Post-election the project focused on helping women fulfill their roles and responsibilities as elected women representatives (EWRs). A pre-election campaign focused on the dissemination of simplified, complete and accurate information. The goal of this information was to counter various myths and misunderstandings that were used to discourage prospective women candidates. Campaign materials were well researched and created with great care, taking into account local needs and conditions. Following the elections, residential leadership workshops instilled confidence, self-respect, dignity and solidarity among the women representatives.
Evaluation Date
September 2011
Country