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The final evaluation of the Securing Livelihoods for Vulnerable Women, Men and Children, through their Participation in Community Governance of Water Resources, and Enhanced Ability to Use Water Efficiently project concluded that the project delivered its planned results and met or exceeded the intent of the project indicators at the outcome and output level. The project succeeded in building the capacities of rights-holders, especially students and marginalized women, to advocate for and claim their rights to fair water allocation. The project was able to improve the capacities of duty-bearers to increase the transparency and accuracy of service delivery while ensuring a special focus on vulnerable women and men. The strategy of empowering youth and engaging LSGs to advocate for gender equality and human rights made a positive contribution to community stability. The evaluation identified issues relating to the results framework that were largely reflective of problems with indicator design and data availability, rather than actual project results.
The project is part of the broader FinWaterWEI II program that is implemented in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan with funding support from the Government of Finland. The project was implemented in seven municipalities of three provinces of the Kyrgyz Republic. The project aimed to secure livelihoods for vulnerable women, men and children through efficient on-farm use of water and equitable community governance of water resources. The project was perceived as a model to showcase means of inclusive community level water management and efficient water use resulting in sustainable livelihoods for households whose members are increasingly aware of the benefits of the rule of law, human, rights and gender equality in building prosperous and harmonious families and communities.
The evaluation was commissioned by the UN Women Kyrgyzstan Country Office, and was conducted in May – June 2018 during the final months of project implementation. The purpose of the final evaluation was to assess in more detail the programmatic progress and performance of the project activities from the point of view of relevance, effectiveness, organizational efficiency and sustainability. The findings of the evaluation will inform effective programming, refining future approaches to women, peace and security, organizational learning and accountability, and thus contribute to the implementation of the Strategic Note of the UN Women Country Office in the Kyrgyz Republic for 2018-2022 and provide inputs for management decisions in on-going projects with similar approaches and methodologies. The information generated by the evaluation will furthermore be used to engage policy makers and other stakeholders at local, national and regional levels in evidence-based dialogues and to advocate for gender-responsive strategies to sustain peace and conflict-prevention with a particular focus on engaging adolescents and women in dialogues on gender equality, human rights, and peace and security.
An analysis of how human rights based approaches and gender equality was operationalized in project design and implementation was given focus across the elements of relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability. The evaluation used mixed data collection methods to include both qualitative and quantitative data. The primary focus of the field mission was to generate new qualitative data, and to verify and gather relevant quantitative data. The team utilized desk review, key informant interviews, focus group discussions and direct observation. The evaluation process included a data collection mission in Bishkek, Osh and three selected project sites within three provinces (two in the south and one in the north). Project sites were selected to ensure geographic and agro-ecological diversity as well as variations in socio-cultural patterns and accessibility to natural resources. The evaluation team conducted research with a total of 153 (122 female/31 male) stakeholders and beneficiaries over the five-day field mission in a total of five different locations (Bishkek, Osh and three municipalities). Participation levels were excellent and well balanced during group interviews and focus groups.
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