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

¿Misión cumplida? Evaluación Programa ON-LAC
access to justice. Projects were intended to contribute to a new female and indigenous
leadership that could influence local and national policies, in order to bring the equity
agenda to the political arena. Organisations were expected to work on improving and
implementing a legal framework that would assist women in making use of existing
capacities and tools when defending their rights. Two million women would receive
information or assistance related to their sexual and reproductive rights, gender-based
violence and HIV/AIDS.
Oxfam Novib sought to achieve a rejection of violence against women in the LAC region
based on the recognition of women´s rights, resulting from changed public opinion and
official policies. The strategy therefore aimed to improve the setting for the protection of
women´s rights in governmental institutions at regional, national and local levels. Special
emphasis was put on the post-conflict situation in the countries of Colombia, Guatemala
and Peru. Oxfam Novib chose to work with both national organisations and regional
networks to bring about the strategic changes. Selected counterparts were expected to
play a key role in enhancing these results.
In terms of relevance, the strategy and topics formulated by Oxfam Novib are considered
as crucial for the region. The selection of counterparts has been assessed as generally
adequate. Most of the organisations worked in the political sphere, lobbying at national
and local levels for the defense of women in relation to gender-based violence. This took
the form of psychological and legal support to women in assertion of their rights,
particularly on sexual and reproductive issues, as well as providing them with information
on HIV/AIDS.
Effectiveness
In general, the results identified for Aim 5 are related to the work carried out by the
counterparts over the evaluation period, with technical and financial support from Oxfam
Novib. First, there have been unmistakable improvements in law and public policy
formulation for gender equity and specifically for women´s rights. Second, broad and
intensive support has been provided to vast numbers of women, generally amounting to
supplying information as well as psychological and legal assistance. This work has been of
immense value to women who have been rightfully claiming their rights to governmental
and judicial institutions. Part of the work was based on new models for individual
assistance, but also for the upgrading of public institutions such as policy departments and
law courts. Larger countries (Peru, Bolivia, Mexico and Brazil) present clear examples of
these achievements.
Third, a number of national and regional campaigns have served in creating broad
awareness of gender-based violence. Through the spread of thought-provoking
information they brought about a trend towards general rejection of gender violence and
acceptance of defending women´s rights. Fourth, women leadership has become much
more publicly asserted and accepted, especially in Meso-America, where indigenous and
young women took the lead in organisations and forums. In brief, legal frameworks,
individual women victims, social awareness and female leadership have been served,
improved or come forward.
Latin America is still marked by a context that is generally not favourable to women
exercising their rights. It is therefore improbable that one million women would at present
be fully enjoying their rights. Although women’s participation has increased in the political
sphere, both at local and national levels (in Mexico, Guatemala, Bolivia, Colombia and
Nicaragua), and legal instruments for gender equity have improved, real gender justice is
far from being reached. The supported organisations and networks have played a strong
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