Evaluation shows progress in Brazil

A mid-term evaluation of Brazilian human trafficking projects supported by Operasjon Dagsverk is showing positive progress.

In 2005, the work of Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) in Brazil received support from the annual Norwegian student’s campaign Operation Dayswork (OD). The funds are financing five projects working with Brazilian youth over a five year period (2006-2010). One of the main goals of the project has been to create a broader engagement and mobilization against human trafficking in Brazil. Now the project which was accorded in 2005 has been through a mid-term evaluation.

The support in 2005 was received on the basis of NCA’s project proposal which concerned human trafficking as the main focus. The five partner organizations included in the programme are: Ação Educativa, Serviço à Mulher Marginalizada (SMM), Diaconia, Viva Rio and Instituto Socioambiental (ISA). The following is a short summary of the evaluation of the project so far.

Positive results

The results of the evaluation were, in general, very positive. Although the projects are still in progress, and will be concluded in December 2010, the level of reach of the proposed objectives was considered to be high, due directly to: i. the coherence between the activity plans and the proposed objectives. ii. The efficiency in the execution and timing of the planned activities, having respected all deadlines, as well as in the many additional actions and products. iii. High ability of the executive organizations to establish new partnerships, multiplying and fulfilling the potential of the activities of the projects supported by OD.

The evaluators highlighted, in particular, the role of NCA in promoting and incentivizing actions against trafficking in the supported projects and organizations. The balance surprised the evaluators, not only due to the diversity and range of the activities carried out involving Trafficking (of which many had not been intended in the five-year plans), but also due to the verification that some partner organizations had become regional references on the theme.

São Sebastião. "Open Your Eyes - Prevent yourself from Human Trafficking" (banner) High School students in OD supported project arranging march against Human Trafficking in São Sebastião, Brazil.

Youngsters integrated

The use of innovative methodologies and means of communication, has proved to be efficient in the promotion of youth participation. As a concrete result of these actions, many spaces related to public policies have been occupied by youngsters integrated in the projects: committees to combat human trafficking, participative budget networks, councils for enforcing children’s and adolescents’ rights, youth conferences, environmental campaigns, etc.

As noted, the projects’ effects have been beyond the ones foreseen in the annual work proposals and plans. There is no doubt that the extensive network of partnerships established and/or strengthened by the five organisations in the area of project implementation has increased the potential of the evaluated initiatives in reaching their main goal: to promote the Brazilian youth as agents of transformation.

Gender based violence

NCA Latin America