¿MISION CUMPLIDA? EVALUACIÓN DEL PROGRAMA DE ... - Novib

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¿Misión cumplida? Evaluación Programa ON-LAC Interventions as an ON-LAC response to climate change were not represented in the sample of analyzed projects. Environmental concerns appear to have been addressed instead through interventions in the agrarian sector of the region. On top of this, some projects were carried out in peri-urban areas, 11 as well as in the mining sector. Interventions in the mining sector of Peru were found to be particularly effective. Along the southern coast, civilian organisations have been able to mobilise public as well as international support for reduction of sulphur dioxide pollution from the melting practices of a large foreign copper mining company. National standards for urban pollution have become stricter in the course of the past decade. Even so, the side effects of large scale copper mining, as a permanent threat to both aquifer reservoirs and the quality of surface waters, are still far from being addressed. On the basis of the evaluated sample, the strategic objective of Oxfam Novib regarding environment, climate change and energy equity has not been assessed as satisfactorily achieved. Democratisation and participation (Aim 4) The overall objective of Oxfam Novib in this area was that “marginalized people will achieve their civil and political rights; will have an effective voice in influencing decisions affecting their lives; and will gain the moral support and skills they need to exercise these rights.” The strategy resulted from the view that poverty in the region is “intrinsically related to social exclusion and to huge inequalities among the population.” The main vectors of intervention had been identified in (a) social organisations and leaders among women as well as indigenous communities, (b) strategic alliances with public authorities and private companies, (c) defense of human rights, research and publication on human rights abuses and (d) lobbying, campaigns and influencing the public opinion on the respect for human rights. The context of counterpart projects in the ON-LAC region has undergone fundamental socio-political changes since the 1980s, broadly moving towards more democratic systems of government and increased participation of civil society organisations. Decentralisation was introduced during the 1990s in the Andean countries, with Central America following suit after the turn of the century. Brazil, on the other hand, has been going down the path of a more rights-based constitution with more civic participation in the development of public policies since 1988. In a more participatory framework, the role of Civil Society Organisations (CSO) generally became more important, which fostered their contribution to the democratic process. The strategy of Oxfam Novib, despite having been established three decades earlier, was hampered by obstacles well into the Programme period, such as impunity in human rights violations, marginalisation of indigenous people, widespread violence, and inequality in both income and living standards. Oxfam Novib therefore opted for mainly strengthening civil society organisations, mainly umbrella or higher level ones. These were relatively well placed for using existing opportunities to promote public policies geared towards sustainable development and poverty reduction. Strategic results were formulated at the start of the evaluation period (and recast in 2007), as follows: 1. Information (2 million people informed about their rights), 2. Impunity (in five countries more respect for human rights), 3. Participation enhanced by the development of mechanisms that would benefit two million people, 4. Tools to influence public opinion (development of networks), 5. Communication (Civil Society Organisations, in particular those in networks, would become influential), 6. Public education (budgets specifically in Nicaragua, aimed at higher and better spending). 11 Positive contributions were recorded for example in southern Peru, where community-driven reforestation efforts have mitigated erosion on slopes around the centre of Cusco. 9
¿Misión cumplida? Evaluación Programa ON-LAC The counterparts, however, had mostly been selected twenty or more years back. Although not in Central America (where counterparts were generally weaker), they were mainly active on other Aims as well. These partners thus were not selected because of the strategic aims, but rather the other way round: the aims were highly influenced by the partners, as Oxfam Novib was closely involved with the same partners for several decades. The counterparts selected with regard to Aim 4 were largely umbrella organisations, with professional staffs of fifty persons or more, supporting a large variety of community-based organisations. The latter supported vulnerable groups such as slum dwellers, small farmers, indigenous minorities, linking up with social movements across the region. Oxfam Novib focused on networks and campaigns, pushing forward human rights and public policies for more inclusion, both nationally and internationally. Effectiveness The strategy followed has certainly been relevant and well adapted to the rather diverse contexts of the involved countries. The target population was identified with the aim to directly benefit from projects and institutional services. Most of the assisted Community Based Organisations have indeed been enabled to influence complex and large processes, acting on a host of different levels in order to secure change in policy and show results, in particular in the defense of human rights. The use of international pressure at the same time (Colombia, Brazil) was decidedly helpful. Unfortunately, in some countries this did not lead to empowerments of social segments that could have been a countervailing force on delinquent groups that later emerged in some countries (Guatemala, Colombia and Bolivia). Another problem occurring is civil society’s dilemma of preserving its own autonomy (Bolivia) or becoming part of governmental structures (Guatemala and Brazil). The second avenue often leads to more spending on the institution building of organisations in order to keep up with the development of governmental institutions. In Colombia and Brazil, civil society organisations need to ‘play on different boards’ simultaneously, in the sense of having to participate in public decision making structures as well as working on their own goals. Even so, evaluated counterparts by and large contributed to Oxfam Novib’s strategic results. The results in Brazil, Bolivia and Peru together are enough to account for the accomplishment of Result 1 (Information to two million people), although Central American counterparts were successful as well. Pursued strategies were mostly based on adequate access to mass communication media and self-managed publications (Result 4). They relied on massive capacity enhancement programmes as well as dissemination of information to large target populations, sometimes (ref. Case study on Brazil) composed of millions of individuals. NGOs defending human rights (Result 2) were exposed considerable political and violent resistance, even to the extent of intimidation and homicide in some countries. The practice of ‘forced disappearance’ was occasionally successfully resisted, thanks to civil society pressure (as in the case of an Oxfam Novib counterpart in Guatemala). Useful legislation was introduced in Brazil where violence inside marriage has become an offence. However, the way forward in the enforcement of legal frameworks is still filled with obstacles, due to the following factors: - Chronically insufficient funding, for enforcement of laws on gender and land distribution; - Resistance inside governments and within conservative law implementing institutes; - Active promotion of impunity by leaving acts of terror unprosecuted; - Criminalisation and physical threats to NGOs and human rights defenders; 10
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¿MISION CUMPLIDA? EVALUACIÓN DEL PROGRAMA DE ... - Novib

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