Evaluation Report for the project: ‘Supporting Democracy in Multi-ethnic Macedonia - Strengthening Multiculturalism in Civil Society’ Project cycle: 2015-2017 Evaluation Report: Supporting Democracy in Multi-ethnic Macedonia - Strengthening Multiculturalism in Civil Society Foreword This evaluation report represents the views of Arvomaatti as an external evaluator of the project. We thank the Kalevi Sorsa Foundation and project manager Samuli Sinisalo, as well as the Progres Institute and project coordinator Toshe Zafirov for collaborating. Every effort has been made to ensure the correctness of the information. In Espoo, 28.6.2018 Ilmari Nalbantoglu & Petri Saarukka Arvomaatti Oy 1 Evaluation Report: Supporting Democracy in Multi-ethnic Macedonia - Strengthening Multiculturalism in Civil Society List of abbreviations: DUI: Democratic Union for Integration (a political party) EU: European Union FES: Friedrich Ebert Stiftung KII: Key Informant Interviews KSF: Kalevi Sorsa Foundation MFA: Ministry for Foreign Affairs NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organization NSDP: New Social Democratic Party OFA: Ohrid Framework Agreement PI: Progres Institute for Social Democracy ToT: Training of Trainers 2 Evaluation Report: Supporting Democracy in Multi-ethnic Macedonia - Strengthening Multiculturalism in Civil Society Contents: I Executive Summary 5 1 Introduction 7 1.1 The Project 7 1.2 The Evaluation 9 2 Relevance 11 2.1 Overview on Relevance 11 2.1.1 Societal development in Macedonia 12 2.1.2 Finnish development policy 15 2.1.3 Work of the Kalevi Sorsa Foundation 16 2.2 Conclusions on Relevance 17 2.3 Recommendations on Relevance 18 3 Effectiveness 18 3.1 Overview on Effectiveness 18 3.1.1 Effectiveness in aims and overall objective 18 3.1.3 Effectiveness in Objectives 21 3.1.4 Effectiveness in Means 22 3.2 Conclusions on Effectiveness 26 3.3 Recommendations on Effectiveness 26 4 Efficiency 26 4.1 Overview on Efficiency 27 4.2 Conclusions on Efficiency 31 4.3 Recommendations on Efficiency 31 5 Sustainability 32 5.1 Overview on Sustainability 32 5.1.1 Sustainability in institutions and personnel 32 5.1.2 Commitment and ownership of beneficiaries 35 5.1.4 Social and cultural applicability 36 5.2 Conclusions on Sustainability 38 5.3 Recommendations on Sustainability 39 6 Overall: SWOT of the project 39 References and Useful background information 41 II Annexes 42 II.I Description of Methodology 42 II.II Inception report 47 II.III Ideas on further funding 54 II.IV Introduction of the Evaluator 56 II.V Text of the Agreement on Evaluation (Terms of Reference) 57 3 Evaluation Report: Supporting Democracy in Multi-ethnic Macedonia - Strengthening Multiculturalism in Civil Society I Executive Summary The project being evaluated is “Supporting Democracy in Multi-ethnic Macedonia - Strengthening Multiculturalism in Civil Society (2015-17)”. This project was implemented by the Kalevi Sorsa Foundation (KSF) in cooperation with the Macedonian Progres Institute (PI) with the support of other partners. It is funded mainly by the Finnish MFA. The overall objective is strengthening multi-ethnic democracy and stability in Macedonia. The focal activities of the project have been trainings, advocacy events, and workshops. In these activities young people have produced and disseminated policy papers and strengthened the capacities of their civil society organisations. The project cycle evaluated here is through 2015-17. The project is a continuation of democracy projects in Macedonia which began in 2008. A pivotal part of the work in the project has been to support the Youth Platform for Multiculturalism - a platform of Macedonian political youth organisations and other civil society organisations. The platform has organised various training and advocacy events that are in line with the project’s objectives. Other crucial activities in the project have been political academies - programmes aiming to raise the political capacity of young people. In the summarising table (table 1, below) we use the Results Oriented Monitoring (ROM) Review system of the EU, described in detail in subsection 1.2. The project is evaluated against the criteria of relevance, efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability. We include in the whole of the evaluation criteria the cross-cutting issues mentioned in the Agreement and originally defined by the Finnish MFA: gender equality, reduction of inequalities, and climate sustainability. The grading scores: Very good Good With problem With deficiencies Table 1: Summary of results of the evaluation: Conclusions/Key findings Recommendations Cross-cutting issues Relevance: Good The project has a relevant role If the project has a The objectives of the as a part of Macedonia’s societal continuation in some form, project resonate well development, Finnish the KSF could clarify the role with most of the development cooperation and of the project in the cross-cutting issues organisation’s overall work of the KSF. (gender equality and strategy. reducing inequalities) and do not 4 Evaluation Report: Supporting Democracy in Multi-ethnic Macedonia - Strengthening Multiculturalism in Civil Society compromise the third (climate sustainability). Efficiency: Very good The use of the resources can be If the project were to have No specific justified. The project has been some form of continuation, suggestions managed and implemented eg. in the form of Network considering efficiently. The design of the for Democracy (described efficiency on project advances the later), the in-house capacities cross-cutting issues. achievement of the project’s and cooperation between purpose and objectives. implementing organisations as well as wide use of voluntary work is recommended. Effectiveness: Very good The actions seem to have KSF could support the Youth Gender balance has worked toward the overall Platform in finding ways to been taken into objective.The actions seem to increase their visibility and account, as well as have strengthened the societal influence. This could be encouraging the capacity of the youth and training in political participation of changed attitudes to more communication at different people from difficult tolerance, cooperation, and levels. It could be useful to enhanced democratic create a communications backgrounds. The awareness. The activities have strategy with clear aims, environmental built the capacity of the Youth processes, roles and impact has also been Platform, raised awareness, practices. This strategy could accounted for created dialogue, trust, and be used as a template for the throughout the cooperation. The participants member organisations. project.. and stakeholders would like to develop the visibility and influence of the Youth Platform. Sustainability: Good The key stakeholders seem to With suitable partners, KSF The Youth Platform have sufficient personal and could support the PI and is inclusive and organisational capacities, as Youth Platform in starting a encourages people well as commitment and Network for democracy in the from disadvantaged ownership to sustainably carry (Western) Balkans, as well as backgrounds to on the work. Funding of the an internet portal to support participate. Also, Youth Platform seems to be a its work. attention is paid to challenge, but it is being political, ethnic, and considered by the different In 2018, KSF and PI could gender balances. stakeholders with the support encourage and train the of KSF. participants in the Youth Platform to widen their 5 Evaluation Report: Supporting Democracy in Multi-ethnic Macedonia - Strengthening Multiculturalism in Civil Society Political instability is seen as a financing and/or to threat among the stakeholders: strengthen the pooling of changes in political currents resources to provide the could challenge the benefits of needed resources to continue the Youth Platform and Political with the activities. We Academy. understand that these actions are already planned. 6 Evaluation Report: Supporting Democracy in Multi-ethnic Macedonia - Strengthening Multiculturalism in Civil Society 1 Introduction 1.1 The Project What: The project “Supporting Democracy in Multi-ethnic Macedonia - Strengthening ​ Multiculturalism in Civil Society” has an overall objective of strengthening multi-ethnic democracy and stability in Macedonia. Macedonia has been politically turbulent since its independence in 1991. A focal node of the political turbulence are relations between different ethnic and religious groups. The project is a continuation of a series of project cycles which began in 2008. The continuation project builds upon the previous cooperation project (2013-2014) focusing on capacity building and cooperation of the political youth organisations and Civil Society Organizations. According to the project document, “The aims of the project are to strengthen the voice of the youth in the society and change attitudes of young people (reduce prejudices and social distance and enhance democratic awareness). The immediate objectives of the project are to increase self-motivated activities among young activists, build capacities of inter-ethnic Youth Platform, raise awareness on multiculturalism, democracy and youth issues and create dialogue, trust and cooperation between the activists of political parties and CSOs. The practical means to achieve the objectives are activities of the Youth Platform such as capacity building trainings, workshops and study circles for young activists of the political parties and CSOs, advocacy moments to reach decision makers and