Evaluation Learnings Search

Learning Description

Investing time and effort during the design phase or at the onset of implementation to develop a common understanding of the project’s concepts and approaches helps to avoid misunderstandings, foster mutual trust, and facilitate subsequent coordination/communication dynamics during the implementation phase. A project that is managed and implemented through a partnership, where the organizations involved have different protocols, procedures and mandates, requires some time to thoroughly discuss the scope and meaning of the different components, set the standards and gain a common understanding of the strategy to be applied. Ideally, this should be initiated during the development of the Theory of Change, but it can be updated during the early stages of implementation or during the preparation of the Comprehensive Monitoring and Evaluation Plan. This preparatory stage is an investment in quality that will eventually pay off.

Learning Description

The strong commitment of the partnership between the International Labor Organization, Honduran Institute for the Coffee Sector, and the Honduran Council of Enterprises to foster dialogue and reach consensus in the development of the social compliance model has set an example for other economic actors within the private sector in Honduras. Despite all the difficulties encountered in designing the right implementing architecture for the partnership – a situation somehow common to every pilot experience – the partnership in itself can be considered a good practice. In particular, it should be highlighted that the project has set an example which can be used to promote the social compliance system across other productive sectors.

Learning Description

The Differentiated Models of Practice process was difficult for stakeholders to understand and unnecessarily complicated implementation.

Learning Description

The inclusion of field technicians (Honduran Institute for the Coffee Sector “extensionistas”) in the endeavor to introduce the social compliance system is a coherent and adequate strategy to trickle down the system within the territory and raise awareness about the importance of compliance. Given the network structure of the Honduran Institute for the Coffee Sector and the continuous presence of its technicians in the territory, their participation in the process has large multiplier potential.

Learning Description

The engagement of international buyers is essential to complete the internal logic and provide full meaning to the social compliance system. The implementation of the social compliance system demands an effort from stakeholders at the grassroots and intermediate levels of the chain (producers, intermediaries, distributors, exporters, etc.). In order to make the system work it is also important to incorporate the upper level in order to share the burden and create incentives.

Learning Description

Conducting a pre-situational analysis early in the project was very important, although it was observed that stakeholder mapping should be done before the pre-situational analysis.

Learning Description

The ATLAS project produced high-quality products that would be useful to replicate in the future, particularly the following: country-specific enforcement training manuals, social cartography from Argentina, infographic on the participation of the victim in the criminal process from Argentina, Moot Court from Paraguay, digital library from Paraguay, Living Lab from Paraguay, hazardous and light work lists from Liberia, standard operating procedures for implementation of the child labor monitoring system from Liberia, training of trainers curriculum developed for grassroots actors in Liberia, Practitioner's Guide on Investigations of Child Labor and Forced Labor Cases (the blue manual) from Thailand

Learning Description

The theory of change should be expanded to include the following: consultation with local, marginalized groups and grassroots voices, especially of victims, before enforcement and coordination strengthening activities are planned; awareness raising regarding child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking, especially among professionals and with vulnerable families and communities; strengthening of community referral systems

Learning Description

In countries with poor internet connectivity, which was the case for Liberia, the usefulness of virtual presentations of experts from the United States should be examined. Although the exchange of information is valuable, poor connectivity, combined with different English accents, slang, and phrasing, made understanding difficult. For areas with poor connectivity these events should be held in-person.

Learning Description

The flexible, adaptive and developmental approach used to design and test the social compliance system. This approach has served the dual purpose of developing a context-friendly method and promoting adherence from the different stakeholders and target groups.