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

¿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;
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