Programmatic Evaluation of Search for Common Ground (SFCG) Programs in Nepal
Client
Search for Common Ground (SFCG)
Project Period
September 2013 to November 2013
Project Area
Banke, Bardiya, Siraha and Dhanusa
Practice Area
Service Area
Cross Cutting Issues
Search for Common Ground (SFCG), for achieving its overall goal of supporting an inclusive peace process from local to national level, has been providing skills to radio professionals to foster dialogue and cooperation towards a constructive role in the peace process. SFCG has been supporting production and broadcasting of various local and regional variations of radio talk shows that contribute to regular dialogue between marginalized groups and other stakeholders around district level conflicts.
The concept of conducting locally driven radio programs is to engage conflicting parties in dialogue on contentious issues and to contribute to enhancing harmony leading to peaceful coexistence and overall peace building.
Key activities
For this, Search for Common Ground (SFCG) implemented a two-year project entitled “The Peace-Building Initiative” (TPI) in Nepal. This commenced in June 2011 with financial support from the Embassy of Denmark. The focus of this project has been to actively engage and build capacity of key peace building actors, youth, radio professionals, and Local Decision Makers – to play a constructive role in implementing the peace process in their own communities. The project targeted six conflict affected districts in the east and ten districts in the mid and far west of Nepal for community peace-building and all districts of Nepal for its media programs.
Services provided by SW Nepal
SW Nepal was assigned to carry out evaluation of media, youth and peace-building programs implemented by SFCG under The Peace Building Initiative (TPI) Project. The overall objective of this evaluation was to understand and measure SFCG’s overall contribution to the peace process in Nepal.
The study focused on monitoring and evaluation of intermediate changes or outcomes in knowledge, attitudes, skills and behaviors of its target groups. In undertaking this assignment, the evaluation team carried out desk reviews followed by field visits in Banke, Bardiya, Siraha and Dhanusa districts.
The evaluation team also carried out meetings and widely consulted stakeholders such as district officials, community members, women groups, regional level women leader, NGOs, youth club members and local media persons.
Outcome
The findings of the study provided basis for the program to make decision on how to shape the programmatic approach of SFCG.