"Edutainment intervention is a popular and inexpensive behavioural change communication toolkit to raise positive social norms through broadcast media. We evaluated a 26-episode nationally broadcasted television series targeted to improve attitudes towards preventing child marriage in Bangladesh. We
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applied a randomised encouragement design to motivate our subjects to watch the series, addressing their self-selection issues concerning viewership. We randomly assigned a sample of 1,162 households into three arms: (T1) received weekly SMS reminders, (T2) received weekly SMSs and telephone calls, and (C) pure control. We followed up with 1,096 households, collected information on viewership and self-reported attitudes, and conducted a dictator game experiment to understand their revealed attitudes towards child marriage. We found considerable variations in viewership across the arms, suggesting associations with reminder intensity. Compared to the average control group viewership of about 0.15 episodes (SD = 0.82), T2 generated a difference of about 1.50–1.93 episodes (P < 0.01), depending on the respondent types. Following an instrumental variable approach, we found that exposure was not associated with both stated and revealed attitudes towards preventing child marriage. However, we found behavioural experiment was less prone to social desirability bias in assessing sensitive topics such as child marriage." (Publisher description)
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"The evaluations point to several dimensions of the strategic significance of joint work. Programmatically, joint programmes enable a more multidimensional and holistic approach to addressing gender inequality. They enhance the catalytic role of the UN by increasing the visibility of and advocacy on
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gender issues in national and global agendas. Normatively, they forge new partnerships for gender equality and combine the comparative advantages of multiple agencies in technical expertise and stakeholder networks. Operationally, they can enhance the effectiveness of intervention implementation by reducing duplication of efforts and ensuring a more efficient use of resources across UN agencies, although typically with a sizable increase in transaction costs in terms of human labour for coordination and communication for technical coherence and governance structures such as steering committees. The results of programming were typically measured in outputs rather than outcomes or impact, though inter-agency programmes for SDG 5 reported considerable accomplishments in multisectoral reach to beneficiaries and knowledge production." (Page 1)
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"The impact assessment underscores the commendable achievements of the Rural Household Devices project. By December 2023, the initiative had successfully reached 54 districts and impacted 10,706 households. The outcomes are multifaceted and transformative, with a substantial number of beneficiaries
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experiencing internet-enabled devices for the first time. Low literacy, lack of affordability, low dominance of some telecom providers, and poor quality of service are cited as some of the major challenges. As a result of these systemic affordability, connectivity, and skills barriers, the majority of beneficiaries had never used the internet prior to the project. At the time of the study, a third of the participants interviewed now use the internet daily, 20% use it weekly, and 10% use it on a monthly basis. However, 22% indicated that they have never used the internet due to various barriers discussed in the report. Devices distributed through the program are predominantly used by children and household members for education, income generation, saving time for business, discovering new business opportunities (e.g., using Google Maps to carry out business in distant towns), entertainment, information access, and communicating with family. Two-thirds or 65% of participants reported increased income due to the use of the device for business activity, which was made possible by participating in the program and owning a household device. Participants also reported the benefits of saved time and money." (Executive summary, pages 5-6)
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"This meta-synthesis collates evaluation insights and evidence on the advocacy and communications efforts related to the key results areas of UN Women’s Strategic Plan: Governance and Participation in Public Life; Women’s Economic Empowerment; Ending Violence Against Women; and Women, Peace and
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Security, Humanitarian Action and Disaster Risk Reduction. Based on available
evaluation evidence, the report outlines key results, trends,
enabling factors, impediments and lessons learned with a
geographic and thematic focus." (Page vi)
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"Les objectifs du projet cadrent bien avec un certain nombre de politiques ou stratégies comme décrit dans le présent rapport. A titre d’exemple, on citer la politique nationale de lutte contre le terrorisme et l’extrémisme violent dans son Pilier 1, ainsi que la stratégie nationale de la r
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éconciliation et la cohésion sociale dans son axe 2. En termes d’efficacité, on peut noter un niveau de réalisation des activités et résultats globalement très satisfaisant. Cependant, le dépassement des cibles pour la plupart des activités et indicateurs montrent que le contexte du Pays a conduit le projet à une certaine prudence dans sa planification. Ce qui soulève également la question d’efficience du projet (même si ce critère n’a pas été abordé dans la présente évaluation), notamment en ce qui concerne l’utilisation optimale des ressources (humaines, matérielles et financières) qui pourraient être mieux planifiées pour d’autres activités afin d’obtenir des effets sur une échelle plus large. Le projet a réussi également à mobiliser les acteurs autour de la lutte contre la désinformation, en mettant l’accent sur l’implication des femmes et des jeunes. En matière de collaboration, le projet a renforcé les capacités des acteurs (ambassadeurs de paix, professionnels des médias) afin de mener des activités ensemble pour la prévention et la lutte contre la désinformation et les discours de haine. Les interventions du projet ont également impulsé un changement progressif des attitudes et des perceptions des populations et des acteurs traitant ou consommant l’information. Cela se manifeste par l’adoption d’attitudes positives face aux fausses informations et aux rumeurs, par des membres des communautés. Bien que des mécanismes soient en place pour maintenir ces acquis, à travers des comités de suivi/veille créés dans plusieurs localités, il conviendrait de renforcer ces mécanismes pour la durabilité des acquis par l’appui à l’élaboration des plans de désengagement permettant une meilleure responsabilisation des acteurs locaux." (Conclusions, page 53)
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"This performance evaluation assesses selected thematic areas of the Greater Internet Freedom (GIF) project, a global activity designed to enhance digital security for civil society and media and increase citizen engagement in governing the Internet. The evaluation uses a mixed-methods approach incl
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uding desk review, key informant interviews (KIIs), and a web-survey with implementing partners to provide evidence on GIF’s performance in areas of: (1) network development; (2) localization; (3) advocacy with governments and multilateral institutions; and (4) advocacy with the private sector. Based on emerging findings, the evaluation team suggests several practical recommendations for each thematic area." (Abstract)
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"This study aims to investigate media intervention in the extractive sector, like media training for journalists, and investigative reporting in the sector, to improve innovations designed to drive transparency and accountability. It also aims to understand the experiences of journalists and media o
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rganisations in the overall mission to ensure a more transparent extractive sector. The research employed a combination of methods - key informant interviews with 10 media organisations and CSO stakeholders, an online survey for journalists, and focus group discussions with newsroom managers selected from the media institutions identified by respondents to the survey. Findings revealed that Nigerian journalists had attended media training in the extractive sector, and this training has impacted their delivery and reportage, improved wide-range and sophisticated viewpoints that can direct their reporting methods and choices. Their capacity is built in utilising critical thinking to assess news sources, information, and the motivations of individuals and advancement in journalism. Journalists and media organisations continue to demand more collaborative and action-oriented processes to advance their reportage and generate more impactful stories, especially in the extractive sector." (Executive summary)
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"Objectives: To examine the association between exposure to breastfeeding television spots and exclusive breastfeeding (EBF). Methods: We performed face-to-face interviews with 11 722 mothers of infants younger than 6 months using 5 cross-sectional surveys 6 or more months apart between 2011 and 201
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4 in Vietnam. Sample sizes were 2065 to 2593, and approximately 50% of participants lived in areas with (Alive & Thrive [A&T]-intensive [I]) and approximately 50% without (A&T-nonintensive [NI]) facilities offering counseling services.We analyzed data at individual and commune levels separately for A&T-I and A&T-NI areas. Results: Exposure to television spots was associated with higher EBF in A&T-I and A&T-NI areas. In A&T-I areas, mothers who could recall at least 1 message were more likely to report EBF. In A&T-NI areas, only recall of at least 3 messages was associated with higher EBF. In communes, 1 message recalled corresponded to 17 percentage points higher EBF prevalence in A&T-I and A&T-NI communes, respectively. Conclusions: Mass media should be part of comprehensive programs to promote EBF." (Abstract)
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"This report presents a final evaluation of EngageMedia’s project «Digital Rights and Video for Change: Building the Movement in Southeast Asia», funded by the Embassy of Sweden Bangkok. The evaluation covered activities from September 2019 to August 2022 in Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand,
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and the broader Asia Pacific region. Evaluation reveals EngageMedia’s relevance in addressing digital rights issues but highlightes the need for EngageMedia to have a clearer role definition. The evaluation team also concludes that while EngageMedia increased organizational effectiveness, monitoring data challenges impact demonstration. The evaluation underlines that project’s sustainability is a concern, and urges to consider monetizing outputs and streamlining for long-term viability. Recommendations include refining EngageMedia’s role in the digital rights space and their thematic and geographic scope, improving monitoring and evaluation system, integrating gender equality and human rights into programming, enhancing program and financial management. The evaluation recommends that Sida should consider additional support when providing core funding to mitigate unintended consequences." (Back cover)
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"Child domestic workers (CDWs) in Ethiopia tend to face challenging working conditions with limited access to education. Child domestic work refers to live-in or live-out work done in a household where the child’s biological parents do not reside and which often but does not always include some fo
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rm of remuneration. Child domestic work is common in Addis Ababa as it serves as an entry point into the labour market for girls migrating from rural to urban areas in Ethiopia (Erulkar et al., 2017). Indeed, a recent study estimated the prevalence of domestic work among girls aged 12–17 in Addis Ababa to be 37% (Erulkar et al., 2022). Though domestic work is not necessarily a harmful form of child labour, CDWs in Ethiopia often face mistreatment and abuse from their employers (Population Council and Freedom Fund, 2021). This mistreatment is linked to broader social norms which place CDWs as inferior and less worthy than other members of the household. In an effort to change norms and behaviours towards the treatment of CDWs, the Freedom Fund implemented a norms and behavioural change campaign (NBCC) in 2022. The NBCC targeted employers of CDWs in Addis Ababa. It was funded through the Program to End Modern Slavery, an initiative of the United States Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons and was part of the Freedom Fund’s broader ‘Reducing the Prevalence of Child Domestic Servitude in Ethiopia’ programme. Based on the findings of formative research, the main objectives of the NBCC were to shift norms and behaviours relating to CDWs’ working conditions and access to education. [...] The NBCC reached 57% of employers interviewed during the baseline. Television was by far the main medium through which respondents were exposed to the campaign (95%) followed by online media (13%), physical posters (13%), and community discussions (6%). Using data on recall of campaign materials and participation in campaign activities, respondents were classified into three categories based on level of exposure: no exposure (43%), low exposure (17%), and high exposure (40%). The NBCC’s reach appears to have been uneven as younger respondents, women, and those with more education tended to have a higher level of exposure. Survey findings emphasised the differences in working conditions and access to school between CDWs who are related to their employer and those who are not. Whereas some CDWs are recruited as domestic workers, others are relatives of their employer (for example, a niece) and have been sent by their family to live in Addis Ababa. Those in the first category tend to work longer hours, as reported by their employer (35 per week compared to 24 for those related to their employer) and are less likely to be enrolled in school (25% compared to 75%)." (Executive summary)
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"The South Asia Center for Media in Development (SACMID), addresses gender disparity both within the workplace and media content. Its main focus is utilizing the Gender Media Monitoring Tool to tackle these issues. The data collected through media monitoring is subsequently employed for advocacy ini
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tiatives involving multiple stakeholders. The paper aims to evaluate the project activities carried out by SACMID within PRIMED (Protecting Independent Media for Effective Development), focusing on their efforts to promote gender sensitivity in the media sector in Bangladesh. The primary objective is to assess the effectiveness of SACMID’s interventions by examining the degree to which the monitored outlets as well as stakeholders within the media sector have seen positive changes by themselves or in the sector a whole when it comes to the level of gender sensitive content reporting (and gender sensitivity in the newsrooms). We also wish to look into the level of success in SACMID’s attempt to establish itself as a known stakeholder on gender and media in Bangladesh." (Introduction, page 3)
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"The Talking about Poverty (TaP) project, which ran from 2016 to 2021, aimed to develop a more effective way of communicating about UK poverty through ‘framing’ – an evidence-based communications strategy. For this project, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) worked with the FrameWorks Instit
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ute, which is a not-for-profit communications research organisation based in the United States. In 2021, a sister organisation, FrameWorks UK, was established in the United Kingdom (UK), which focuses on supporting mission-driven organisations to apply strategic communications research in practice. The TaP project set out to understand the public’s attitudes to poverty in the UK and used insight from research with 20,000 people (Volmert et al, 2016) to develop ways to talk about poverty in a more effective way. To challenge the unhelpful narratives identified in the research, the project developed an evidence-based communications strategy (‘poverty framing’) to increase the public’s understanding of UK poverty and provide support for measures to address it.
[...] There are some key development areas for future framing projects such as stronger project planning and management, monitoring and evaluation, and sustainability planning. However, the TaP project made PWLE who were engaged in the project feel more hopeful about the future and confident that the project would have a positive, accumulative effect on how poverty is being talked about in public discourse, with some indications that the project may have had some influence in the media and the House of Commons. The TaP project created a buzz in the third sector and was credited with helping to build a movement, leading to a more co-ordinated sector. While we identified a need and desire to engage the third sector and PWLE earlier on in the project, the vast majority of third sector partners and allies who were engaged in our evaluation both valued and used the framing in their work, crediting the framing with adding more dignity, positivity and effectiveness to their communications. The TaP project brought hundreds of organisations together for the Keep the Lifeline campaign and provided a robust and evidence-based communications strategy for their internal staff and external allies." (Executive summary, pages 3-6)
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"The 2023 Synthesis of UNESCO evaluations draws on information contained in 36 evaluations – five corporate and 31 decentralized evaluations. The analysis shows that the Organization is making good progress in a range of areas including demonstrating a sharper focus on SDGs, developing fast as an
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agile, flexible, learning Organization, reimagining its convening power and influence, and deepening and diversifying partnerships. Good progress was also noted with sixty-one percent of the evaluations considered covering programmes and projects that respond to Global Priority Africa, focused entirely or in some part on the continent, and spread across all areas of UNESCO’s mandate. The 2023 Synthesis also identifies areas of improvement particularly with respect to quality and use of monitoring data, continued attention to Global Priority Gender Equality, focus on priority groups and inclusion and improving internal coherence. The Management Response to these issues can be found in Appendix 4 of this report and demonstrates UNESCO’s commitment to accountability and learning. The Synthesis also assessed the quality of evaluations, and the findings show improvement in this regard particularly with respect to decentralized evaluation reports. Targeted capacity building and ongoing backstopping support including webinars and on-site capacity building in field offices continue to make an important contribution to lifting the quality of evaluation practice. The Synthesis also notes the emergence of innovative practices to inspire evaluation commissioners and practitioners when thinking about design and implementation of evaluations." (Abstract)
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"Chayka.lv is an independent media outlet established in 2019 that provides free, high-quality, politically neutral information to the Russian-speaking community of the Latvian city of Daugavpils, including news, entertainment, human-interest and other factual content. It started as pages on the Fac
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ebook and OK.ru social media platforms, then an online news portal, before expanding to other platforms including Instagram, VK, Telegram, and YouTube. It has been supported to develop its journalistic capacity, expand its audience and progress towards financial sustainability by Internews’ project Supporting Independent Media in the Baltics Action (SIMBA), which was funded by the US Department of Human Rights and Labor between 2019 and 2022. In August 2021, Internews commissioned the Market Research Center to conduct a detailed research study into Chayka.lv’s impact on the media landscape of Daugavpils. This report is the product of that study, and highlights how Chayka.lv was the city’s third most popular Russian-language media outlet at the time of writing, that survey respondent’s viewed Chayka.lv as the only politically neutral source of information in Daugavpils, that it has a significant female following and that Internews’ support correlates with growth and expansion." (Publisher description)
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"Objective: To investigate the effect of exposure to MTV Shuga:Down South’ (MTVShuga-DS) during the scale-up of combination HIV-prevention interventions on awareness and uptake of sexual reproductive health (SRH) and HIV-prevention services by adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) [...] Conclusi
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ons: Among both urban and rural AGYW in South Africa, MTVShuga-DS exposure was associated with increased PrEP awareness and improved demand for some HIV prevention and SRH technologies but not sexual health outcomes. However, exposure to MTVShuga-DS was low. Given these positive indications, supportive programming may be required to raise exposure and allow future evaluation of edu-drama impact in this setting." (Abstract)
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"For the twenty-second consecutive year, Write for Rights activities took place across the world. While online actions continued to increase, we also saw a major return to offline events, as Covid 19 restrictions were lifted in most countries. From running marathons in Zimbabwe, to music concerts in
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Mongolia, on the ground campaigning was very much back on track. Collaborating with Amnesty International’s newest global campaign, national entities drew attention to the world’s need to protect the right to protest. As we rapidly head into work on Write for Rights 2023, now we take the time to reflect on what we all did together and the amazing ways we worked for positive human rights change in the lives of 13 individuals at risk." (Page 1)
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