Evaluation Learnings Search

Learning Description

Empowerment to negotiate and achieve results. Pilares has managed to put into operation three SNs with specific tools for networking that have allowed the articulation of civil society organizations (CSOs) to achieve early and significant victories, such as the decrees of operation of the Committee for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labor and protection of the Adolescent Worker (CIETIs), and the child labor (CL) and other unacceptable working conditions (OUWC) identification and monitoring tools. These achievements have prompted a relevant response by public entities of local, regional, and national order, and have also consolidated the advantages of networking in the pursuit of common goals for CSOs.

Learning Description

Community identity and social fabric. Pilares has contributed to the strengthening of the sense of community by using a collective impact (CI) methodology and a capacity development approach in terms of developing collective human capacity in the territories of interest to combat child labor (CL) and other unacceptable working conditions (OUWC). Civil society organizations (CSOs) seem to have tools to identify the problems, and skills to become part of the solution. The achievements have created a sense of collective confidence as a consequence of working together in SNs with clear, easy to understand, and specific tools and objectives.

Learning Description

Pedagogical model and teaching aids. Pilares has implemented an innovative, flexible, and assertive methodology aimed at building capacity within civil society organizations (CSOs) that has contributed to the generation of trust and confidence in the civil society. Responsibility for the activities had progressively transferred to the CSOs and SNs. The necessary tools were developed in workshops with the constant support of Civil Society Specialists who served as guidance counselors during the activities the SNs carried out. However, there are not yet standardized educational materials neither for child labor (CL) and other unacceptable working conditions (OUWC).

Learning Description

Adaptive management. The project uses an adaptive management approach to ensure that the project makes necessary adjustments and modifications to achieve its objectives. The Project Director meets regularly with the Civil Society Specialists and the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer to make decisions and correct the course of action when needed.

Learning Description

Comprehensive Monitoring and Evaluation Plan (CMEP). The project’s Monitoring and Evaluation Officer developed a low-cost, high impact system of M&E. SNs have asked for training and resources to implement a similar M&E system for their projects.

Learning Description

Timely development of Pre-Situational Analysis (PSA). PSAs are important to understand the project’s intervention context, needs, and challenges to fine-tune the project’s strategies and actions. Thus, timely development of PSAs is necessary to provide valuable information that will support the project design and implementation.

Learning Description

Awareness raising, advocacy, capacity building, and income generating activities (IGAs) are necessary, but not sufficient to eliminate child labor (CL) in the dried fish sector (DFS) communities. CL is deeply embedded within the socio-economic and cultural background of the people involved in the DFS. Therefore, all relevant parties must be included broadly in awareness raising activities, advocacy, and capacity building to eliminate CL in the DFS. Nevertheless, although these are necessary interventions, they alone are insufficient to eliminate child labor in the DFS communities. Educational services (primary education, non-formal education, and skills training for older children) must be made available to children to achieve this goal. Further, the IGAs should not be seen as a panacea to solve poverty problems within the communities. Alternative livelihoods can complement the DFS activities of the communities, but not substitute for them. In the long term, these families need job opportunities and decent work.

Learning Description

Long-term processes. Projects that intend to generate capacities, shape policies and policymaking, change behavioral patterns to improve capacity to address child labor (CL)/forced child labor (FCL), and promote acceptable working conditions for children require medium and long-term processes. Thus, to achieve, consolidate, and evaluate the results of CLIMB’s interventions to address these issues requires an extended period.

Learning Description

The “ripple effect” worked. CLIMB’s “ripple effect" to eradicate child labor (CL) is an emerging good practice of this project. The project realized this effect through complementary actions of different initiatives that focused on certain aspects of CL, and, at the same time, were coordinated by the overall strategic approach of the project. The project focused on more than just the immediate root causes of CL. It emphasized work at different levels of policy and institutional capacities and in community mobilization. CLIMB positively affected the interventions carried out at national, district and local levels. The combination and coordination of different implementing partners and interventions proved to be an essential element for successful project implementation. Additionally, partnering with government authorities, civil society organizations (CSOs), the media, and other entities, and capacity building and sensitization at all levels were crucial to the project’s achievements. Finally, advocacy ensured that the project was mainstreamed at the national and local levels and fostered participation and synergies among the different key stakeholders related to CL and child protection issues.

Learning Description

Enabling environment. Certain circumstances proved decisive to create an enabling environment for the swift implementation of “CLIMB-type projects” and/or for generating ripple effects. These included the overall environment, the country’s situation at the outset of the project with regard to child labor (CL) capacities, receptiveness to CLIMB activities, and ownership. These circumstances were favorable in Bangladesh and CLIMB took advantage of and maximized them.