Good practices in government-development NGO practices

ECOPER has begun a study to identify good practices in relations between governments and development NGOs. Commissioned by the Spanish network of NGOs, the Coordinadora, the research is being conducted at a time when the new ‘Framework for relations between NGOs and the Government of Spain’ is being adopted. It aims to analyse political, legal …

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Cash assistance and its relationship with gender-based violence

The use of cash-based interventions (CBIs) to provide support to vulnerable populations is growing and cash assistance has been found to be effective in contributing to gender-based violence (GBV) risk reduction, mitigation and protection, provided that interventions are adequately designed and implemented. Reflecting this, ECOPER was commissioned by Alianza por la Solidaridad / Action Aid …

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Synthesis review of the ILO’s work towards SDG 8

SDG 8 on sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth and full and productive employment for all is core to the International Labour Organisation’s mandate. To inform ongoing efforts to contribute to SDG 8, ECOPER was commissioned to conduct a synthesis review of nearly one hundred ILO projects evaluated between 2019 and 2020.  The review first …

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Trade and gender capacity building

ECOPER has presented its final report on a cluster evaluation of UNCTAD support to ‘Capacity building on Trade and Gender Online Training’. The evaluation, which was conducted in collaboration with an expert on gender and human rights, assessed a series of interventions carried out between 2015 and 2020 which focused on the development and delivery …

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Bilbao’s 3rd International Cooperation Master Plan

ECOPER has evaluated Bilbao municipal government’s 3rd International Cooperation for Development Plan covering the years 2016 to 2020. In addition to assessing the extent to which the plan had achieved its aims, the evaluation considered other factors including how well the plan was adapted to the policies, resources and capacities of the municipality; the instruments and processes applied in pursuing its goals; and the impact on and involvement of the city Bilbao and its stakeholders. A key aim was to inform the elaboration of the fourth master plan. Along with the analysis of data and documents, the evaluation included an online survey and focus groups involving cooperation partners; an online survey of citizens of Bilbao; and interviews with Bilbao’s international cooperation team and other actors with knowledge of the plan’s design and execution.

Building capacity in humanitarian emergency management

Humanitarian emergencies frequently require a rapid response from the organisations responsible for providing assistance. In response to this, Caritas has implemented a capacity building programme on emergency preparedness and response, Phase II (ReCIP2) in Mali, which had the aim of improving the organisations’ response to emergencies. ECOPER recently completed its external evaluation of the intervention. The evaluation aimed to both analyse the results of the programme and, where possible, propose improvements which could be adopted for future efforts. It was conducted remotely owing to the COIVD- 19 pandemic, with interviews and surveys taking place online.

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Transparency in trade regulation in the Pacific islands

Regulatory transparency is considered a central tenet of international trade and vital to the success of the recently signed Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER) Plus. ECOPER recently presented its final evaluation report for the UNCTAD project ‘Transparency in Trade Regulation and Facilitation in the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER) Plus’, a …

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Agriculture TVET in Jordan

ECOPER has reported on its tracer study of former agriculture TVET students in Jordan. The study aimed to collect information from the students on areas such as their education, current occupation and school-to-work transition. The conditions created by the COVID-19 pandemic meant that the researchers used an online approach to data collection. A survey was distributed by text message and focus groups were conducted via videoconference to gather further insights. These methods proved to be both efficient and well-suited to the conditions.

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TVET scholarships for refugees and vulnerable youth

ECOPER has completed the external evaluation of the UNESCO project ‘Provision of TVET, On‐ the‐Job Training, and Entrepreneurship Education to Youth Affected by the Syria Crisis in Jordan (Phase III).’ The project sought to support Syrian refugees and vulnerable Jordanian youths who need financial support to access technical and vocational education and training (TVET) and higher education programmes at national institutions in Jordan. The evaluation differed from others in that it was conducted entirely online, owing to the travel restrictions and health measures resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, interviews and focus groups with project stakeholders and beneficiaries were conducted via videoconference. Meanwhile, a student satisfaction survey was conducted using an online survey platform, following distribution of the questionnaire by text message. The use of these approaches allowed data to be successfully collected despite the challenges provided by the backdrop.

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Better Education for Africa’s Rise II

The adequate provision of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) is considered a key element in improving the prospects of young people in the areas of decent work and entrepreneurship. ECOPER consultants have collaborated with Ockham IPS in the evaluation of the joint UNESCO-Republic of Korea project ‘Better Education for Africa’s Rise (BEAR) II’, …

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