Evaluation Learnings Search

Learning Description

OFFSIDE project: The developmental and flexible approach to project design and implementation has enabled the project to be receptive to changing needs on the ground. OFFSIDE generated knowledge and used that knowledge to design and fine-tune project activities. Moreover, the project established alliances with key institutions, drawing on their expertise to inform programming. Overall, the project has shown great willingness to understand the intricacies of the problems in order to design or adapt its actions accordingly

Learning Description

OFFSIDE project: The project has benefited from the internal synergies and complementarities with other United Nations (UN) system actors. In some cases, these synergies occurred within the Internatioal Labour Organization (ILO) structure. In others, they involved other UN agencies such as UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF). These links have enabled the project to draw on an extensive wealth of technical resources and collaborate with other UN agencies to amplify the project’s message

Learning Description

OFFSIDE project: Partnering with institutions that have large network structures provides extensive coverage across the country with potential for further reach. Partnering with institutions with networked structures has the potential to create a multiplier effect, allowing the project to influence the agendas, routines, and practices of partner institutions as well as their network institutions throughout the country.

Learning Description

Promoting the active participation of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) improves the sense of belonging. The three SNs have helped restore confidence and trust in post-conflict small rural areas with political instability and a high risk of violence. It is a positive externality for community development beyond the project’s outputs and activities towards combating child labor and other unacceptable working conditions (OUWC).

Learning Description

Knowledge and attitudes towards child labor (CL) and other unacceptable working conditions (OUWC). Pilares has changed the culture and beliefs about CL and OUWC, given the results related to the establishment of the Committee for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labor and protection of the Adolescent Worker (CIETIs) and the development of identification and monitoring instruments. These outputs have changed both participant and stakeholder narratives about CL and OUWC in each municipality

Learning Description

Awareness about child labor (CL) and other unacceptable working conditions (OUWC). According to interviews with mayors and local government staff, before Pilares, CL and OUWC were considered culturally acceptable. Pilares has changed the conception of CL with training and awareness raising activities both among civil society and public institutions and through the strengthening of SNs that have become a major and active actor in social and cultural change. Stakeholders recognized SNs as coordination bodies with clear objectives and mechanisms for community empowerment.

Learning Description

Innovation in awareness raising activities. Pilares has developed a communication strategy based on: identification of the audience of the communication; channels of communication; objectives; actions and responsible person; and frequency of communication. The strategy includes specific cultural forms for raising awareness, such as storytelling, the elaboration of murals, and film forums. There is also a website used to communicate project activities and local radio coverage of project events such as the launching of the SNs. The Pilares project staff have also distributed project activities bulletins. A total of 71 communication products were created, including social network information, bulletins, posters, and event invitations.

Learning Description

Development of SNs. Pilares has made Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) an indispensable asset for the management of the SNs while providing them with knowledge and tools to achieve the objectives established for each committee within each SN. It has also strengthened the ability to addressing other issues besides child labor and other unacceptable working conditions, including early warnings of safety conditions due to armed conflict, teen pregnancy, psychoactive substance usage, dropping out of school, and criminal activities

Learning Description

Economic resources for the operation of the SNs. So far, Pilares has funded transportation for SN members to participate in local and national workshops, meetings and events, promoted communication between the different leaders in regions with a poor road infrastructure and limited internet connectivity with the accompaniment of Civil Society Specialists in each municipality, financed both national and local events. It is critical to find alternative sources of funding for these SNs’ operational activities.

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.