FINAL (AFTER COMMENTS) Independent Final Evaluation Combating Exploitive Child Labor through Education in Nepal: Naya Bato Naya Paila Project -New Path New Steps- USDOL Cooperative Agreement No: IL-19513-09-75-K Report prepared by: Dr. Martina Nicolls April 2013 Table of Contents ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................................ v LIST OF ACRONYMS ............................................................................................................... vi EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................... 1 Country Context ................................................................................................................................................... 1 Relevance: Shifting Project Priorities ................................................................................................................... 1 Effectiveness ........................................................................................................................................................ 2 Efficiency .............................................................................................................................................................. 3 Impact .................................................................................................................................................................. 3 Sustainability ........................................................................................................................................................ 3 Opportunities ....................................................................................................................................................... 4 1. EVALUATION OBJECTIVES AND METHODOLOGY .............................................................. 6 2. PROJECT DESCRIPTION ................................................................................................... 7 A. Naya Bato Naya Paila – New Path New Steps ..........................................................................7 TABLE 1: Summary of WEI USDOL Child Labor Projects in Nepal .................................................................... 7 Programming Differences: Brighter Futures and NBNP ....................................................................................... 8 TABLE 2: Project Intervention Comparison of Activities: Brighter Futures and NBNP .................................... 8 B. NBNP Project Challenges: the Cultural, Economic & Political Context in Nepal .........................9 Government on Autopilot .................................................................................................................................... 9 Local Government Recognized but not Authorized ........................................................................................... 10 Education Policies, Permanent Posts, and Protests ........................................................................................... 10 Child Labor Policies ............................................................................................................................................ 11 The Act, the Convention, and the Law – the Mismatch ..................................................................................... 11 Existing Government Structures Related to Child Labor .................................................................................... 11 FIGURE 1: Existing Government of Nepal Structures .................................................................................... 12 Government Approval to Implement NBNP ...................................................................................................... 12 NBNP Response to Challenges ........................................................................................................................... 12 3. FINDINGS: RELEVANCE ................................................................................................. 13 A. The Project Design ............................................................................................................... 13 Five Education Initiative Goals ........................................................................................................................... 13 Selection of Districts and Child Labor Sectors .................................................................................................... 13 TABLE 3: Project Intervention Districts, Zones, and NGOs ............................................................................ 14 Mountains, Hills, and Terai ................................................................................................................................ 14 TABLE 4: Mountains, Hills, and Terai ............................................................................................................. 14 Relevance of the Project Design ........................................................................................................................ 14 Compatibility of Project Design with Existing Government and Donor Initiatives ............................................ 15 B. Shifting Priorities and Strategies ........................................................................................... 15 4. FINDINGS: EFFECTIVENESS ............................................................................................ 16 A. Identifying, Monitoring, and Tracking Beneficiaries ............................................................... 16 Child Labor Monitoring System .......................................................................................................................... 16 Monitoring Mobile Populations ......................................................................................................................... 17 B. Project Targets and Results .................................................................................................. 17 Final Evaluation of Naya Bato Naya Paila (NBNP) Project in Nepal Midterm Revision of Targets and Results .......................................................................................................... 17 TABLE 5: Project Targets by Sector ................................................................................................................ 18 Age and Gender Targets ..................................................................................................................................... 18 TABLE 6: Project Targets by Age and Gender ................................................................................................ 19 Education Interventions ..................................................................................................................................... 19 TABLE 7: Participation in Education Interventions ........................................................................................ 19 Beneficiaries under 14 years ......................................................................................................................... 19 Beneficiaries over 14 years ........................................................................................................................... 20 C. Effectiveness of Project Results ............................................................................................ 20 Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children ...................................................................................................... 20 Model of Success ........................................................................................................................................... 20 Case Management Approach ........................................................................................................................ 21 Psychosocial Counseling and Life Skills ......................................................................................................... 22 Working with Employers for Job Placements ................................................................................................ 22 Monitoring Action Committee ...................................................................................................................... 23 Missed Opportunities: ECD Classes, Foreign Employment Linkages, and Shelters ....................................... 23 Domestic Workers .............................................................................................................................................. 24 From Under-Achieving to Success ................................................................................................................. 24 The Private Sector ......................................................................................................................................... 25 Child Helpline ................................................................................................................................................ 25 Missed Opportunities: FNCCI ........................................................................................................................ 26 Zari Workers ....................................................................................................................................................... 26 The Source District .......................................................................................................................................