Final Evaluation of the UN WOMEN Eastern Europe & Central Asia Sub-Regional Office
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Final Evaluation of the UN Women Eastern Europe & Central Asia Sub- Regional Office/ Swedish International Development Agency (Sida) Project : Enhancing Prevention and Response to Domestic Violence in Georgia – SHiEld FINAL EVALUATION REPORT Evaluation team : Christian Bugnion de Moreta, Team Leader Nino Partskhaladze, Consultant Ketevan Vachadze, Interpreter Field work undertaken in Georgia (Tbilisi, Gori) from May 7 to 14, 2011 Final report date : 15 June 2011 Disclaimer : the views of this report only reflect the authors’ views and not necessarily those of the commissioning agency Acronyms and abbreviations IAC : Interagency Council on Measures to Eliminate DV DRF : Development Results Framework DV : Domestic Violence EECA : Eastern Europe and Central Asia GE : Gender Equality JP : Joint Programme MIA : Ministry of Internal Affairs MOJ : Ministry of Justice MOLHSA : Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs MP : Members of Parliament NAP : National Action Plan NRM : National Referral Mechanism RF : Results Framework SIDA : Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency SRO : Sub-Regional Office State Fund : State Fund for the Protection and Assistance of (Statutory) Victims of Human Trafficking (and DV) UNCT : United Nations Country Team UN Women : United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women VAW : Violence Against Women Table of contents Page number I. EXECUVITE SUMMARY 5 II. INTRODUCTION 11 1. Background to the evaluation 11 2. Purpose, scope, use and objectives of the evaluation 12 3. Project background and Evaluability analysis 13 Evaluation Framework 4. Approach and methodology 15 Key questions 17 5. Risks and limitations 18 6. Data collection and analysis methods 19 7. Key data sources 19 8. Evaluation framework 19 9. Evaluation work plan 19 10.Logistics 21 III. FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS 21 At the results level, based on evaluation objectives 22 Evaluation criteria findings 32 Synthesis of key findings 36 IV. CONCLUSIONS 38 V. LESSONS 38 VI. RECOMMENDATIONS 40 11.Annexes : 1) TOR of the evaluation, 2) bibliography, 3) ppt presentation, 4) ppt debriefing presentation, 5) evaluation framework and findings as regards to the RF, 6) evaluation agenda, 7) interview protocol, 8) inception report, 9) progress report, 10) evaluators CVs, 11) statistical information regarding interivews I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report covers the evaluaton of the SHiEld project : Enhancing prevention and response to Domestic Violence in Georgia. It is funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency for US$ 703,148.05. It started in January 2010 and is ending in June 2011 after an 18 months time-frame. The project seeks to achieve two outcomes : 1) The National Action Plan to Implement Measures for the Elimination of Domestic Violence and Protection of Victims of DV for 2011-2012 (DV NAP 2011-2012) elaborated on the base of participatory review and analysis of achievements and lessons learnt from the implementation of DV NAP 2009-2010 and submitted for approval by the Government of Georgia, and 2) Support an enabling institutional environment for key policy, service delivery and media institutions through partnerships with GE organizations to promote and protect women’s human rights for life free of violence including for improved implementation of the Law of Georgia on the Elimination of DV, Protection of Victims of DV and their Assistance. The Project is implemented by United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women – UN Women through the SHiEld project team in Georgia and through a network of partners from both state and non- government organisations, with as primary partners: The State Fund (in charge of the two DV shelters in Gori and Tbilisi), Sakhli (NGO with psychological and legal counselling experience for DV victims), AVNG (NGO with six years of experience and specific experience in capacity development and training with the police), Amagdari (NGO specialized in re-training and job placement for IDP and DV victims). This evaluation was commissioned as a formative and participatory final evaluation and undertaken by a team of two external consultants (one international team leader, one national evaluation expert) assisted by an intrepreter. The evaluation is expected to bring an answer to the five specific evaluation objectives mentioned under point 2. and to provide some targeted recommendations from the findings and analysis that may be applicable to the project in the event of a second phase funding as well as identifying lessons that may be generally applicable and replicated by the UN WOMEN programmes in the region. The primary users will be the Shield Project Management Team as well as government and civil society partners in Georgia, SIDA as well as other interested donors, and UN Women. The formative evaluation was conducted using a participatory approach and a multi-methods system comprising : a) documentary review and analysis, b) key informant semi-structured interviews with 34 persons, c) focus groups (4) with DV victims in shelters (2 State Fund shelters, one NGO shelter, plus one group of beneficiaries for training and job placement), and on-site observation. The evaluation obtained some quantitative data as regards to the activities, but the primary source of data was qualitative interview techniques using an interview guide. Key Findings As regards to the project logical framework and in terms of the overall appraisal of the activities and outputs, the project has reached 90% of its targets, with delay in certain elements due to external factors (such as changing offices for Geostat delaying publication, delay in legal clinics providing aid to DV victims from TSU, etc.). The project is thus largely on track with its work plan. At the results level, and as regards to the specific evaluation objectives, the project has clearly contributed to incorporating women’s empowerment and human rights into governance and national strategies through a number of outputs but primarily as shown by the President’s signature on 27th April 2011 of the DV NAP 2011-2012. It is also important to mention that for the first time in gender equality, a national action plan has been established with a costing exercise in order to allow government to adequately budget for the resources that will be needed for the implementation of the plan. The evaluation team visited State Fund (SF) shelters and was able to witness how both shelters have been entirely refurbished in order to provide the adequate living conditions to its guests. As mentioned in the SHiEld annual progress report the State Fund has very efficiently negotiated with the construction companies since a much larger rehabilitation than that initially foreseen was possible. There are currently 26 people in the SF shelters in Gori and Tbilisi, 7 women and 19 children. In qualitative terms, focus group interviews in the shelters have shown the excellent level of commitment and dedication by the shelter staff (in both SF shelters and NGO shelter) to DV victims. Often their support, empathy and care go beyond the call of duty and staff go out of their way to assist the shelter victims in any way they can. Various examples were provided. The shelters are efficiently and effectively managed and there were no complaints nor any gaps identified by the evaluation team in terms of the services and assistance being provided in the shelters. As regards to the nation-wide hotline 309 903, there were 612 calls since its launch on October 20, 2010 until May 1st, 2011. The average time was reported to be between 20 to 30 minutes for each call. In total therefore the hotline has provided some 15,300 minutes of phone consultation since its beginning, or 255 hours. The hotline is therefore operational and providing needed legal services as is its purpose. However the hotline efficiency could probably be improved through a series of measures which are presented in the recommendations section of this report both in terms of service delivery and in terms of reporting on the consultations. In terms of supporting an enabling institutional environment for key policy, service delivery and media institutions through partnerships with GE organizations to promote and protect women’s human rights, the project was also able to achieve this outcome. The success of the consultation process and the dynamics have been shown by how much has moved forward in terms of commitment from the government to the DV NAP and already working on improvements to the current NAP 2011-2012. Various pieces of legislations and regulations have been and are in the process of being drafted, in direct relation to specific aspects of the DV which contribute to a more comprehensive process of victim protection and assistance. There is a strong undertaking from the government with the President’s signature of the DV NAP 2011-2012 on 27th April 2011, which was put together after a long process of consultations with all stakeholders and several workshops to ensure the best possible product was prepared: The evaluation team also participated as observers in a workshop with DV partners on the NAP 2011-2012 held on 10th May 2011 in Tbilisi. Key informants were very positive about the awareness raising campaign. Beyond the number of messages, articles, TV shows and activities and promotional material and Public Service Announcements, the campaign seems to be making progress in changing people’s perception, at least in Tbilisi. Several key informants also indicated that the government was being more receptive and committed to the issue of DV than in the past, although efforts should certainly be continued as there remains a need to consolidate this initial change of perception and extend it to the regions of Georgia. In terms of efficiency, the project has used well its limited budget with a wide range of activities and outputs across the range of services and assistance for DV victims. The budgetary allocation by component and by partner, as well as the UN WOMEN project staff structure, appear to be adequate and reasonable and in line with the management structure required for this type of projects.