Evaluation Learnings Search

Learning Description

Participatory approaches. CLIMB worked with the local and national level civil society organizations (CSOs), Government of Bangladesh (GoB) officials, media partners, and research institutions to identify and develop their own institutional plans to increase their capacity to address and tackle dried fish sector (DFS) child labor (CL) / forced child labor (FCL) issues. Each partner fully participated in identifying what it needed to achieve capacity development outcomes, which, in turn, generated ownership of the project’s interventions. The project provided needs-based training, coaching, and mentoring, and facilitated and synchronized the work of all five implementing partners, which ensured the project´s successes.

Learning Description

Capacity strengthening was embedded throughout all CLIMB activities. Winrock strategically selected and cultivated relationships among the implementing partners. In turn, each partner committed to partnering, learning-by-doing, adapting, and sharing experiences in real time as they set about completing their Scopes of Work (SoW) for sub-awards to reduce CL.

Learning Description

Learning by doing and peer-to-peer training approaches. The project´s overarching strategy of creating opportunities for its partners to learn-by-doing and from one another, led to greater and more sustained outcomes. The benefits provided to the implementing partners contributed to the “ripple effect” and flowed down to the CSOs they worked with in the local and national advocacy networks, National Child Labour Welfare Council (NCLWC)/District Child Labor Monitoring Committee (DCLWC)/Upazila Child Labor Monitoring Committee (UCLWC), information service center, and journalist networks.

Learning Description

Contributions to the National Plan of Action (NPA) and the list of hazardous occupation for children. The CLIMB project, through its implementing partner INCIDIN Bangladesh, supported the revision process of the NPA to Eliminate Child Labor (2021-2025) by organizing several consultative meetings (in person and virtual meetings) between January and November 2020. During these meetings, CLIMB provided the justification for the inclusion of thedried fish sector (DFS) in the list of hazardous occupations for children. As a result of these efforts, GoB revised the NPA and included the DFS in the list of hazardous occupations for children.

Learning Description

Identify hazardous activities specific for coffee production. Although the Colombia Avanza project has raised awareness on child labor and hazardous activities in agriculture, there still remains uncertainty among stakeholders regarding the specific activities in coffee cultivation that fall under child labor and those that fall under non hazardous activities. National laws do not break down the activities specific for coffee production; therefore, the project could play an important role to clearly define which activities are and are not permitted for adolescents participating in coffee cultivation

Learning Description

Recognize the magnitude of acceptable conditions of work (ACW): The topic of ACW is a complex issue within the Colombian coffee sector that could be the focus of a separate project. The topic must include larger issues such as international coffee prices, low profit margins, and high costs of labor formalization that farmers cannot assume. By contrast, the issue of child labor (CL) can be impacted by informed parents who can make the decision to prohibit his or her child from engaging in hazardous activities on family farms.

Learning Description

Plan for governmental changes. Project timelines almost always extend through more than one national governmental administration. Project staff should anticipate these changes and prepare a plan to mitigate any disruption to project activities due to changes in national leadership.

Learning Description

Maintain the interest of stakeholders. As a result of the COVID-19 emergency in all of its different manifestations, stakeholders had to reprogram Colombia Avanza project activities. Not only did it become necessary to adapt the project activities to the new pandemic context, but it also became urgently necessary to maintain stakeholder interest due to the potential rise in child labor (CL) as a result of the pandemic.

Learning Description

Transition to remote learning. The transition to remote communications negatively affected project trainings because of the pre-existing digital divide. New strategies are needed to facilitate remote access among the hardest-to-reach for the remaining training activities.

Learning Description

Set reasonable expectations. Future project implementers conducting research studies should start with a preliminary joint discussion among interested parties to define methodological approaches and to clarify the breadth of the proposed research. Expectations should correspond to what the studies can deliver. Timetables should be established, and approval and dissemination procedures clarified.