Evaluation Learnings Search

Learning Description

International Labor Organization (ILO) and donors need to be prepared to work in a country over a long period of time. In general, significant changes require a significant commitment of time and money. Recognizing that the pace of change is often outside the direct control of projects, ILO needs to put staff in the field for extended periods to work hand-in-hand with counterparts in government and civil society, particularly in countries with limited capacity and/or entrenched bureaucracies. Efforts to effect major changes in policy, institutions, and culture are likely to take more than four years.

Learning Description

The use of social media is extremely effective in reaching large numbers of the general public. The ENHANCE project used social media (and local celebrities as a messenger) during the World Day Against Child Labour (WDACL) campaign which appeared to be extremely effective. On June 12, 2016, the focus was on ending child labour in supply chains. The message was clear - the risk that child labour may be present in supply chains should be well addressed for the future of young generations, as well as for Vietnam’s deeper economic integration goal. A two-minute animation video clip was produced in Vietnamese/English, and aired seven times on national television. The clip was shared widely in the Facebook pages by many popular key opinion leaders and actors. The June 2017 WDACL contained a reportage and a video clip on television and a radio clip of child labour prevention in natural disasters was produced, and aired on National TV and on provincial television and radio stations more than 250 times. It is estimated that the clips have reached nearly 3.4 million viewers. However with social media message delivery continues. The message content is still being delivered, although it may no longer be tracked.

Learning Description

Alliance 8.7 is an international, regional or national coalition to accelerate engagement for the purpose of eradicating forced labour, human trafficking, modern slavery and all forms of child labour. Alliance 8.7 was formed to support Target 8.7, one of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets. Expected members are the International Labour Organization (ILO), United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF), United Nationa Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC); the International Organization for Migration (IOM); and specific programmes such as the UNDP’s United Nations Action for Cooperation Against Trafficking in Persons (UN-ACT). In Vietnam, in coordination with UNICEF, ENHANCE has been laying a foundation of the National Alliance 8.7.

Learning Description

National Project Coordinatior (NPC) teams are critical to ensure timely and effective implementation. As shown in report, the project initially decided to hire NPCs and assistants for pilot countries but not for the participating countries. The lack of full-time NPCs and assistants in the participating countries hindered implementation. In mid-2018, the project decided to hire NPC teams for the participating countries, which improved coordination and implementation of project activities.

Learning Description

Access to high quality and timely Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) technical assistance is essential. As shown in section 3.2.3, some project staff did not receive the level of OSH technical support they needed from International Labor Organization (ILO) regional offices. In some countries, the project experienced difficulty identifying and recruiting OSH experts and consultants. During project conceptualization it is critical to assess access to the kind of technical assistance the project requires, at all levels, and develop specific strategies and actions to ensure it is available. This may include hiring the required OSH expertise both at the global and country levels.

Learning Description

Global projects with centralized management structures require country level autonomy to make timely decisions regarding implementation and expenditures. As explained in sections 2.2.3 and 3.2.3, the project employs a highly centralized management structure that requires approval for activities and expenditures. In some cases, requesting and receiving approvals took time that delayed activities. To improve efficiency and performance, it is important to decentralize, to the extent possible, decision-making and provide autonomy to country level teams.

Learning Description

The lack of participation by key partners in the project design process decreases ownership of outputs and outcomes that could hinder sustainability. While the International Labor Organization (ILO), and specifically project staff, consulted partners in the pilot countries during scoping missions, as shown in section 3.4.1, they were not involved in the project design process including making decisions about strategies, interventions, target beneficiaries, and geographic focus. Involving partners in a deeper way can create the sense of ownership that contributes to enhanced sustainability of key outputs and outcomes. The challenge, however, is how to involve partners in project design, given short funding cycles and limited resources.

Learning Description

People selected to provide Training of Trainers (TOT) should be available, committed, and motivated. The project invested heavily in training representatives from social partners in several countries as referenced in sections 3.2.4 and 3.2.5. However, NPCs reported that many did not provide follow up training to employers and workers because they did not have time or were not willing to make time to provide training as shown in 3.4.2. Thus, it is important to select trainers who are clearly able and willing to provide follow-up training as planned, which will maximize the chances of the training reaching young workers and employers who hire them.

Learning Description

Occupation Safety and Health (OSH) is an ideal topic around which tripartite actors can collaborate to build trust and confidence. Typically, labor ministries, trade unions, and employers’ organizations engage in negotiations around contentious subjects such as minimum wages, benefits, work hours and overtime compensation, and production targets. OSH, on the other hand, is a less contentious topic and one where improvements can benefit both workers and employers. Project partners, in various countries, collaborated to promote activities designed to increase OSH awareness and knowledge and the risks and hazards young workers face in workplaces. As shown in section 3.2.2, for example, the collaboration also increased the degree of trust and confidence between the social partners that laid the groundwork for negotiating more contentious subjects.

Learning Description

Youth Champions and SafeJams. The project developed the youth champion concept as a way to include and empower youth in Occupation Safety and Health (OSH) promotional activities. While the project has involved youth champions in regional and global activities, they have focused their activities to increase the awareness of young workers about workplace risks and hazards in the countries where they live and work. Youth champions have established Facebook accounts with fan pages to promote and communicate about OSH. They also have organized competitions, presentations, and SafeJam sessions using the Design Thinking methodology. With adequate support, youth champions have proven to be effective communicators with other youth including young workers. The challenge is their sustainability once project funds end. Youth Champions and SafeJams. The project developed the youth champion concept as a way to include and empower youth in OSH promotional activities. While the project has involved youth champions in regional and global activities, they have focused their activities to increase the awareness of young workers about workplace risks and hazards in the countries where they live and work. Youth champions have established Facebook accounts with fan pages to promote and communicate about OSH. They also have organized competitions, presentations, and SafeJam sessions using the Design Thinking methodology. With adequate support, youth champions have proven to be effective communicators with other youth including young workers. The challenge is their sustainability once project funds end.