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Enhance the resilience and self-reliance of crisis-affected rural communities (...) - Midterm evaluation

eval_number:

2548

eval_url:

https://webapps.ilo.org/ievaldiscovery/eval/2548

lessons_learned:

themes:

theme:

Communication/media strategy

category:

Organizational issues

---

comments:

Regional Office of Arab States / ILO Project Team in Yemen

challenges:

With restricted access of international staff to Yemen, deficiencies in communication (as can be already deduced in this project) risk alienating the project, hindering the potential of getting the attention it deserves.

success:

A clear recognition and willingness from the ILO ROAS team in Yemen that more needs to be done to enhance effective communication

context:

The ongoing war and crisis in Yemen means that international staff have limited access to Yemen. For example, none of the RPU visited Yemen to meet with project staff or constituents due to security situation and limitations imposed on missions to Yemen. This had a clear impact on the level of communication.

description:

Bridging Communication Gaps to Enhance Overall Performance. The predominant theme throughout this mid-term evaluation was a disconnect between the ILO regional office and its project in Yemen. Interviews with the regional specialists and staff unanimously pointed to an office that has “lost sight” of what is happening on the ground and few could explain what gains had been made in Yemen. The challenges faced by the evaluator in conducting this evaluation (remotely), in efforts spent trying to document the gains, as well as the difficulties in reaching the project management in Yemen (the CTA), are symptomatic of a larger communication gap between the regional office and the project in Yemen. In the context of the ILO component within the ERRY programme the challenge works on two levels. At regional level, a deeper understanding of the difficulties faced by staff operating in crisis countries could enhance attempts to provide more comprehensive support to staff working in Yemen. Capacity building and tailored training of staff operating in crisis countries could enhance communication when access to countries is restricted. At project level, concerted efforts need to be made by the project management to better communicate both gains made, and challenges faced on the ground. In the context of continuation or upscaling of ILO intervention addressing this gap is key.

administrative_issues:

Considering restrictions on international experts and regional ILO staff travelling to Yemen, efforts need to be made to have the national project team periodically visit the regional office in order to enhance communication

url:

https://webapps.ilo.org/ievaldiscovery/lessons/217445

---

location:

country:

Yemen

region:

Arab States

---

eval_title:

Enhance the resilience and self-reliance of crisis-affected rural communities (...) - Midterm evaluation