results achieved for the individual main lines of action...

Bureau of Strategic Planning / Internal Oversight Service

IOS/EVS/PI/13 Original: English

Results Achieved for the Individual Main Lines of Action (MLA) for projects related to

the Cross Cutting Themes

UNESCO 2006

The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout this document do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNESCO concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area of its authorities, or concerning its frontiers or boundaries.

Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – Eradication of poverty, especially extreme poverty 01512: Technology-related vocational training for marginalized girls: schools and learning centres as community catalysts for poverty reduction Pages 78

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Title of element/unit 01512: Technology-related vocational training for marginalized girls: schools and learning centres as community catalysts for poverty reduction

Inputs/Funding Regular budget: activities: $100,000

Justification/Identification of needs/Background Despite their increasing participation in the labour market, women are still disadvantaged in the mainstream of economic life. Access to vocational skills training can be decisive in increasing earning opportunities for thus contributing to a better life for poor and marginalized girls, yet in rural impoverished communities, access to any type of education or training for disadvantaged girls is limited or the existing skills training for girls tend to reinforce female biases associated with their secondary position in families and society rather than empowering them socially and economically. This project aims at empowering poor and marginalized girls by helping them to acquire appropriate technological knowledge and skills, which meet their basic needs and opens doors to better job opportunities, through pilot activities in three selected countries in Asia: Cambodia, Indonesia and Nepal.

Strategies/Implementation During the first phase of the project, pilot training activities were set up and a wide range of local partners, at both grassroots and national levels have been mobilized, involved in the pilot activities and sensitized through training workshops. The second phase is to focus on the assessment of the project’s long term impact on the trainees, teachers and government partners. Successful training activities will be continued and linked with micro-financing schemes. At least one further pilot site per country will be developed, taking into account the lessons learnt from the pilot training conducted during the previous biennium. In-depth research and follow-up studies to measure the impact of the training activities on the socio-economic situation of the girls will be undertaken. Technical assistance will be provided to ensure that the project will gradually be taken over by national partners so that such an approach can be implemented and sustained on a larger scale under government leadership with other national partners. Guidelines on the inclusion of poor out-of-school girls and young women to appropriate TVT into national education/development policies and programmes will be developed based on the results of the above-mentioned activities.

Expected results and results achieved, 2004-2005

Expected results Girls trained and support and follow-up mechanisms developed to facilitate the girls’ (self)-employment;

Results achieved • Continuation and extension of training activities to empower poor and

out-of-school girls in Indonesia, Nepal and Cambodia, with more stress put on “appropriate technology”;

• Training in three rural project sites terminated in Cambodia;

Results not achieved

Lessons learned, success factors and challenges Success factors: • In Indonesia, the project has been selected as a best

United Nations practice within the UN-CCA 2005 and UNDAF.

• In Nepal, the project helped the existing national programme to mobilize formal technical and vocational schools to conduct an outreach training programme (Annex Programme) to include the most disadvantaged group as a target out-of-school girls from rural areas.


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Challenges: • A challenge to link the school/community-level pilot

activities with broader national policy and programmes still remains a challenge, especially as the nationally available funds are limited in all these countries. Although the provision of funds from UNESCO in the framework of the CCT programme ended in 2005, the concerned offices continue to support the central and local governments in this regard.

• In Cambodia, the project implementation was challenged by unforeseen incidents such as drought and bird flu; however, the project, mobilized local funds and became more or less sustainable and discussion is under way to link with a larger development project.

Capacity of education planners and providers developed;

• Project launched this year based on the methodology, objectives and lessons learned of the CCT project (funded by ED);

• Produced a manual in Indonesia (in Bahasa Indonesia and in English) to help the Ministry of Education to expand the project to other provinces (manual was also discussed with various local stakeholders at a workshop);

Sustainable partnerships between governments and NGOs established in order to ensure the outreach of TVT to the final target group;

• Stakeholders sensitized on the need to prioritize gender inclusive and pro-poor technology related to vocational training;

• Synergies with other related initiatives and programmes constructed (e.g. in Nepal with another programme on Skills Development to Meet the Learning Needs of the Excluded);

Comprehensive policy guidelines on the integration of poor adolescent girls to relevant TVT formulated and included in national development plans, PRSP and EFA national plans.

• Published and disseminated “Technology-based training for marginalized girls: Cambodia/Indonesia/Nepal” which contains a synthesis of the findings of the country pilot projects and a review of the literature on relevant issues.


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Extrabudgetary resources/Contributions of field offices to the achievement of results The project team was composed of ED/STV, UNESCO Jakarta, UNESCO Kathmandu, UNESCO Phnom Penh and UNESCO Bangkok, in collaboration with SC/BES. Most of the activities were undertaken by the field offices in collaboration with local partners. In the second phase of the project, different activities were increasingly co-sponsored by the central or local governments, training institutions, the local business sector, etc.: the contributions were not only financial, but also in kind or in goods. For example in Indonesia, the training activities were provided by two additional schools using the model developed in the project, with government funding. The project will be expanded to more schools in the future. This model is also being adapted in the Ache TVE project implemented by UNESCO Jakarta in the framework of the post-Tsunami support to Ache (funded with extrabudgetary resources).

Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – Eradication of poverty, especially extreme poverty 01513: Breaking the poverty cycle of women: empowering adolescent girls to become agents of social transformation in South Asia pages 78

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Title of element/unit 01513: Breaking the poverty cycle of women: empowering adolescent girls to become agents of social transformation in South Asia

Inputs/Funding Regular budget: $300,000; Extrabudgetary funding: $80,000 from AGFUND educational interventions in Bangladesh and $5,000 from ISESCO for the science workshop in Islamabad.

Justification/Identification of needs/Background

Strategies/Implementation/Objectives The overall goal of this project is to empower adolescent girls in South Asia, considering them as potential actors for social change. The first phase in the last biennium focused on mechanisms necessary for the delivery of various activities towards mobilizing the community and enhancing the adolescent girls’ capabilities. The main objectives for this biennium are: (i) to further improve girls’ and women’s livelihoods through reinforced life-skills training and income generation in each project site; (ii) to train adolescent girls in technical and basic non-formal scientific education, especially focusing on adolescent girls living in depressed rural areas; (iii) to strengthen the established multimedia community centres; and (iv) to use the feedback of the peer monitoring and evaluation for adjusting and improving the project activities.


Expected results Learning and life-skills needs of adolescent girls identified and micro-enterprises developed and owned by young women in rural areas;

Results achieved • Three reflective learning centres with 12 learning spaces have been

established and over 437 girls and 50 boys have received life-skills training;

• Enhanced the capability of adolescent girls to improve their livelihoods by providing them with post-literacy and life-skills programmes that are combined with science and legal education and access to ICTs and information on microfinance projects;


Lessons learned, success factors and challenges

Awareness raised on the need for adolescent girls’ participation in community development;

• Monitoring carried out by the NGO AMAL using peer evaluation techniques to find out the changes that have occurred in the lives of adolescent girls/women;

Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – Eradication of poverty, especially extreme poverty 01513: Breaking the poverty cycle of women: empowering adolescent girls to become agents of social transformation in south asia pages 78

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Awareness raised of community members on basic health, women’s and children’s rights and non-formal science education materials developed followed by training of trainers;

• Developed and published non-formal science education materials and four booklets;

• Trained facilitators in the use of scientific materials, jointly with the Pakistan Science Foundation;

• Science committee formed to popularize science in rural areas;

• Tested traditional and modern communication and information methods to deepen the understanding of “science” among rural adolescents;

Enhanced capacity of youth NGOs in monitoring, evaluation and community mobilization.

• Included adolescent boys in various activities to facilitate the development of harmonious relationships among all adolescents in the project sites;

• Devised and implemented a peer-group monitoring and evaluation methodology in collaboration with local youth NGOs in the four countries;

• Organized a seminar on learning needs of out-of-school adolescents in Quetta in September 2005.

Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – Eradication of poverty, especially extreme poverty 02512: Indigenous building technologies in Central Asia and Afghanistan Page 137

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Title of element/unit 02512 Science CCT Poverty eradication: Indigenous building technologies in Central Asia and Afghanistan

Inputs/Funding Regular budget: $150,000; Extrabudgetary resources: $150,000

Justification/Identification of needs/Background Objectives. The main goal of the project is to revitalize traditional building techniques for low cost, ecologically sound, earthquake resistant houses and schools for rural populations and refugees, and for the repair of historic buildings in Central Asia and Afghanistan. The seismic resistance problem in Central Asia and Afghanistan will be improved using readily available local materials and traditional knowledge of construction adapted to seismic zones.

Strategies/Implementation

(i) Increase public awareness and raise profile of indigenous earthen architecture through design and construction of prototype energy-efficient, environmentally friendly buildings for community use in selected sites in each country

(ii) Improve strength, thermal performance and seismic resistance of traditional building technology through demonstration, construction projects. (iii) Develop educational and training programmes and teaching/learning materials in local languages for building professionals and conservators.


Expected results Vulnerable groups in rural areas empowered to build their own affordable schools, houses, health-care centres;

Results achieved • pilot demonstration buildings under construction in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan;

• project design completed and approved in Afghanistan;

Results not achieved • Slow progress in

Afghanistan owing to delays in obtaining official approvals and in brick production.

Lessons/Challenges • Project manager in Mazar has been

changed. The challenge will be to complete brick production and the work on foundations in 2006.

Local community leaders, architecture and engineering students and professionals sensitized to the value of traditional architecture and technology, particularly earth construction;

• educational and training materials available and teaching programmes in place in three universities;

• CRATerre manual on earth building translated and CRATerre expert subcontracted for adaptation to local context;

• Publication of manual carried over to 2006.

• Manual expected to be published and distributed in 2006.

Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – Eradication of poverty, especially extreme poverty 02512: Indigenous building technologies in Central Asia and Afghanistan Page 137

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Prototype energy-efficient and ecologically friendly models built for housing and public buildings, traditional building techniques documented, updated and upgraded;

• prototype energy-efficient and ecologically friendly buildings for community use under construction in Murghab, Tajikistan, and in several parts of Uzbekistan, and under preparation in Afghanistan;

Subregional experts’ competences enhanced; legislation for seismic reinforcement of old buildings improved to take into account specificity of traditional materials and techniques.

• pilot restoration training workshops completed at selected sites on the World Heritage List or that are proposed to be included on this List;

• skills training/income generating programmes set up in pilot demonstration buildings;

• one or more properties included on the World Heritage List or the UNESCO Register of Intangible Heritage;

• 30 conservation professionals trained to conserve cultural heritage sites.

Extrabudgetary resources/Contributions of field offices to the achievement of results (i) Pilot project in Murghab, Tajikistan, supports and complements the activities of the CCT project on cultural and ecological tourism in mountainous regions involving CLT/CH and UNESCO Almaty by providing the premises for NGOs concerned with cultural and eco-tourism development and traditional crafts. (ii) Pilot projects in Murghab and Mazar, Afghanistan, both benefit from in-kind financial support in the form of technical, administrative and logistic support from ACTED, as well as funding for the equipment and operation of the centre and its future activities and cost-sharing of the construction work. (iii) Matching funds for a pilot construction project in Boysun were contributed by the TACIS project (European Union), which focuses on rural income generation. (iv) Restoration of Alakulikhan madrassa, Khiva, co-funded by the local government and training activities co-funded by EU and JICA.

Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – Eradication of poverty, especially extreme poverty 02513: Local and Indigenous Knowledge Systems (LINKS) in a global society Pages 137

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Title of element/unit 02513: Local and Indigenous Knowledge Systems (LINKS) in a global society

Inputs/Funding Regular budget: $300,000; Extrabudgetary resources: $80,000

Justification/Identification of needs/Background Background. The LINKS project promotes local knowledge, values and world views as tools to shape and achieve poverty eradication (MDG 1) and environmental sustainability (MDG 7). It seeks to empower rural and indigenous communities through recognition of the vital importance of local and indigenous knowledge systems for achieving sustainable development. In the last biennium the project launched community-based field projects in Asia, Europe, small island developing States (SIDS) in the Pacific and America focusing on rigorous compilation of local knowledge and training local people in their use. The objectives for this phase include (i) strengthening dialogue among traditional knowledge-holders, scientists and decision-makers; (ii) revitalizing transmission of local knowledge, practices and world views between elders and youth, including through quality education; and (iii) consolidating and extending the field project network to encompass relevant experiences with local and indigenous knowledge.

Strategies/Implementation The LINKS project integrates indigenous knowledge, practice and world views into sustainable development and resource management processes, such that rural communities become active partners in defining development targets, priorities and means. As such, LINKS emphasizes the key role of local knowledge in poverty alleviation:

• local knowledge and practice are essential for maintaining the informal resource-based economies, upon which many rural communities depend

• indigenous knowledge and values are integral to the cultural, economic and physical well-being of indigenous and rural peoples In this manner, the LINKS project seeks to place marginalized communities at the heart of sustainable development and poverty eradication efforts. LINKS addresses the cultural, economic and social rights of rural and indigenous communities. It seeks to maintain the vitality of local knowledge transmission by strengthening ties between indigenous elders and youth and developing culturally appropriate education that integrates indigenous knowledge, values and world views. The Convention on the Rights of the Child, for example, states that “a child (…) who is indigenous shall not be denied the right…to enjoy his or her own culture, to profess and practise his or her own religion, or to use his or her own language.” Furthermore, “The education of the child shall be directed to: the development of respect for the child’s parents, his or her own cultural identity, languages and values”. LINKS field projects involve rural and indigenous communities in Bangladesh, Canada, Nicaragua, Palau, Russian Federation, Solomon Islands, Thailand and Vanuatu. These projects reinforce capacities to record indigenous knowledge and contribute to developing advocacy tools to strengthen local voices in biodiversity governance and pedagogical tools for intercultural education.


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Expected results Local community capacities reinforced in recording, managing and mobilizing local knowledge, including though the use of ICTs where appropriate;

Results achieved • Capacities of indigenous communities were reinforced to record

indigenous knowledge and develop materials for intercultural education and advocacy through field projects with Mapuche Pewenche (Chile), Mayangana of the Bosawas Biosphere Reserve (Nicaragua) and marginalized Hindu fishers (Bangladesh);

• Interactive LINKS CD-ROM series extended with The Canoe is the People CD-ROM on islander knowledge of Pacific navigation and its Learning Resource Pack;

Results not achieved • Implementation of Kamchatka

field project has slowed due to unreliability of project intermediaries.

Lessons learned, success factors and challenges Challenges: • Reinforcing local community

capacities is a slow and time-consuming process. Building community trust and confidence is a first often drawn out process. Communication and coordination is an ongoing challenge due to language barriers and the remoteness and isolation of indigenous communities.

Success factors: • $80,000 received from the Cree School

Board (Canada), Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Norway), Wageningen University (Netherlands) and UNEP/GEF.

• Collaboration established with Waikato University of New Zealand to develop a Maori language version of The Canoe is the People CD-ROM.

Local and indigenous knowledge validated as a good resource for management methods, poverty eradication and resource management; field project network extended to new regions, in particular Africa and SIDS;

• Indigenous knowledge sourcebook entitled Reef and Rainforest: An Environmental Encyclopaedia of Marovo Lagoon, Solomon Islands published in local language with Norway’s support, and pilot teacher training conducted to develop guidelines for classroom use;

• Field project network involving 10 countries with partner institutions from a further nine countries extended to the SIDS and LDCs of Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Palau, with UNEP/GEF funding;

• Extension of the field project network to Africa was not achieved due to the considerably reduced resources available in this biennium and the substantial burden of the existing field project network.

Challenges: • Projects with marginalized indigenous

communities are extremely demanding to develop and maintain as they require intensive and meticulous support to compensate for very limited experience with international project implementation and output delivery.


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Role of local knowledge recognized as a tool to shape and achieve development and poverty eradication goals.

• Provided first guidelines for safeguarding the transmission of local and indigenous knowledge of nature through an international experts seminar (Aichi, Japan, as part of the World Expo on Nature’s Wisdom);

• Increased the recognition of the role of Cree “bush schools” (James Bay, Canada) in reinforcing culturally appropriate education by working with the International Fund for the Promotion of Culture to have them inscribed on the Harmony List;

• Underlined the importance of indigenous water management and rights by publishing the book Water and Indigenous Peoples.

Extrabudgetary resources/Contributions of field offices to the achievement of results Field offices: Decentralization rate: 57% Apia Office contributed to the development of the LINKS CD-ROM “The Canoe is the People: Indigenous Navigation in the Pacific” and its Learning Resource Pack. They also supported work in Palau, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu to develop an extrabudgetary proposal with UNEP/GEF funding support. The distribution of the LINKS publication entitled “Reef and Rainforest: Environmental Encyclopaedia of Marovo Lagoon, Solomon Islands” to Marovo Lagoon villages was supported by Norway, and Apia assisted with the pilot exercise to test the application of the book to further indigenous knowledge and vernacular language education in local schools of Marovo Lagoon. Bangkok Office led the finalization of the LINKS CD-ROM “The Canoe is the People: Indigenous Navigation in the Pacific” in collaboration with New Zealand partners. They also assisted with project work on indigenous knowledge among the Moken peoples of Andaman Sea, Thailand. Dhaka Office worked with the Bangladesh Resource Centre for Indigenous Knowledge (BARCIK) to investigate the role of local fishers’ knowledge in poverty alleviation and sustainable development in Charan District, Bangladesh. Montevideo Office assisted with two major field projects involving the Mayangana communities of the Bosawas Biosphere Reserve (Nicaragua) and the Mapuche Pewenche communities of Longquimay District (Chile). Both of these intensive efforts work to document indigenous knowledge, demonstrate its relevance for biodiversity management and sustainable development, advocate for the empowerment of local communities in resource governance issues and strengthen the vitality of local knowledge by strengthening its transmission from elders to youth. Moscow Office assisted with the re-orientation of the Kamchatka field project that focuses on Even and Koryak peoples’ indigenous knowledge and its relevance for resource management in the World Heritage Sites of the Volcanoes of Kamchatka. Extrabudgetary funding: $80,000 was received from the Cree School Board (Canada), Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Norway), Wageningen University (Netherlands) and UNEP/GEF. Partnerships: Bangladesh Resource Centre for Indigenous Knowledge (BARCIK); Native Law Centre (Canada); First Nations of Chisasibi and Whapmagoostui (Canada); Cree School Board (Canada); Markan Kura Association (Mapuche NGO-Chile); Cooks Islands Voyaging Society (Cook Islands); National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS-France); National Natural History Museum (France); Wageningen University (Netherlands); Learning Media (New Zealand); Waikato University (New Zealand); Mayangana communities (Nicaragua); University of Bergen (Norway); Ministries of Education, Environment and Culture (Palau, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu); Palau Conservation Society; Peasant Technologies of the Andes-PRATEC (Peru); Even and Koryak communities of Kamchatka (Russian Federation); University of Durham (United Kingdom); Polynesian Voyaging Society (United States of America); Vanuatu Cultural Centre; CBD; OHCHR; United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues; UNEP; UNDP.

Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – Eradication of poverty, especially extreme poverty 02514: The UNISOL-TAPE alliance against poverty Pages 138

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Title of element/unit 02514: Science CCT Poverty eradication: The UNISOL-TAPE alliance against poverty

Inputs/Funding Regular budget: $200,000

Justification/Identification of needs/Background Objectives. The UNISOL-TAPE alliance against poverty consists of two pillars: the technology component of TAPE (technology and poverty eradication) and the education and health component of UNISOL (universities in solidarity for the health of the disadvantaged). The overall goal is to provide access to technology as a tool for poverty eradication and sustainable development by combining science and technology as well as research in social and human sciences. Building on the networking and outreach work in the last biennium, the alliance will now focus on the following objectives: TAPE will provide technology to address basic needs, access to knowledge and resources to promote sustainable livelihood development in the context of poor people. UNISOL is drawing on the potential of universities to mobilize research, training, advocacy, normative action and operational activities in the social determinants of health, by upgrading curricula and practical learning in real-life situations, based on successful cooperation between WHO and UNESCO. The UNISOL-TAPE alliance will also work on improving stakeholders’ literacy in translating research results into public policy formulation, ultimately enhancing societal trust towards science.



Expected results Best practices for the development and implementation of technology for poverty eradication disseminated among policy-makers and access of the poor to medical and social services offered by universities and outreach posts improved;

Results achieved • Planned for the creation and support of a “network of excellence”

of universities and related institutions in engineering and technology;

• Launched data-based tool for analysis of social health components and made an agreement with district hospitals in Kenya on using the tool;

Results not achieved Lessons learned /, success factors and Challenges

Training possibilities for advanced students increased;

• Trained 40 international participants representing 15 UNISOL institutions of 11 African countries;

Learning-teaching materials and curricula on engineering, technical and vocational education and training produced and disseminated;

• Published “Small is Working: Technology for Poverty Reduction” as a VideoCD;

• Strengthened the use of social research data in medical training and public health administration;

Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – Eradication of poverty, especially extreme poverty 02514: The UNISOL-TAPE alliance against poverty Pages 138

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New issue-focused interdisciplinary programmes including health, education and employment issues launched;

• Launched HIV/AIDS programmes; “Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS Research Alliance (SAHARA) Regional Centre for Eastern and Central Africa”;

Partnerships to produce effective information and learning materials and to develop communication strategies established and operational.

• Emphasized the international role of engineers in addressing the MDGs by sponsoring the Engineers Against Poverty (EAP) Conference that focused on the role that engineers have in helping to achieve the MDG goals.

• A major activity planned for the period was the “International Forum on Engineering and Technology for Poverty Reduction”, to be held in Maputo from 9 to 11 November 2005, which was rescheduled to be held from 22 to 24 February 2006 in Pretoria.

Successes: • The EAP Conference was keenly

supported by the United Kingdom Delegation and United Kingdom National Commission. Tony Marjoram, represented UNESCO and made a presentation – “Sixty Years On: UNESCO and the Challenges and Opportunities for Engineering and Poverty Reduction”.

Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – Eradication of poverty, especially extreme poverty 02515: Small-scale mining and sustainable development in Latin America Page 138

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Title of element/unit 02515: Science CCT Poverty eradication: Small-scale mining and sustainable development in Latin America


Justification/Identification of needs/Background Objectives. In Latin America, artisanal and small-scale mining usually occurs in fragile ecosystems and regions of poverty with a predominance of vulnerable social groups. The project aims at catalysing sustainable economic and social development in such environments by supporting the management of small-scale mining. The first phase of the project (2002-2003) concentrated on building up a multiple stakeholder network of persons and institutions including IDRC’s Mining Policy Research Initiative, a strategic 10-year vision and a set of holistic characterization studies of the artisanal and small-scale mining sub-sector in Latin America. These results will guide the future work of the project such as (i) reinforcing training and capacity-building for key stakeholders, exploiting the opportunities provided by modern ICTs; (ii) increasing management capabilities for addressing environmental, technological, economic and social challenges of sustainable local development; and (iii) extending the geographical coverage of the project to additional countries of the region.

Strategies/Implementation An alliance with four key volunteers was carried out: ECLAC (Natural Resources and Infrastructure), NGO Futuro Sostenible, Commission of Energy and Mines of the Congress of the Republic of Peru, and the ILO Regional Office Lima. These volunteers are specialized in mining and public policies.


Expected results Long-term national and regional agendas for the transformation of the small-scale mining sub-sector updated, and institutional commitment to its implementation ensured;

Results achieved • characterization studies of the small-scale mining sub-sector have been conducted

in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru in order to develop national and regional agendas;

• main results and lessons learned are being analysed and will be widely disseminated among stakeholders in the region;

• pilot projects that address the environmental, technological, economic and social challenges of sustainable local development based on artisan and small-scale mining are being implemented in selected Andean countries and Brazil, as an effective contribution to poverty alleviation;

Results not achieved Lessons/Challenges

Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – Eradication of poverty, especially extreme poverty 02515: Small-scale mining and sustainable development in Latin America Page 138

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Capacities of managerial staff developed; regional network of multiple stakeholders working around small-scale mining issues in Latin America consolidated;

• regional seminar held to propose public policies on small-scale mining;

Relevant management and policy information about small-scale mining disseminated.

• published relevant management and policy information on small-scale mining (800 print copies and a CD).

Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – Eradication of poverty, especially extreme poverty 03511: Poverty eradication – building national capacities for research and policy analysis, developing country strategies and action plans and monitoring their implementation Pages 175-176

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Title of element/unit 03511: Poverty eradication – building national capacities for research and policy analysis, developing country strategies and action plans and monitoring their implementation

Inputs/Funding Regular budget: $1,000,000

Justification/Identification of needs/Background This umbrella project is conceived as a fully intersectoral and interregional endeavour to promote poverty eradication at the country level and to develop systematically a UNESCO contribution to the attainment of Millennium Development Goal 1 (MDG 1), namely the halving of poverty by 2015, and to the Millennium Campaign developed jointly by all United Nations agencies, programmes and organizations.

Strategies/Implementation The project comprises three distinct yet interrelated components, which will largely be pursued with and through national partners placing emphasis on action through UNESCO domains in the fight against poverty – i.e. through education, the sciences, culture and communication and information. These components are: (i) capacity-building of national institutions and of field offices, especially in countries at risk of missing the attainment of MDG 1; (ii) engagement and stimulation of national research and policy analysis entities, through grants provided by UNESCO field offices, aimed at the formulation of integrated and participatory national and local strategies, and action plans in Latin America, Asia and the Pacific and Africa; coupled with (iii) monitoring of the impact and relevance of public policies, resulting from such research and policy analysis.


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Expected results Capacities of professionals and institutions in Member States strengthened to undertake research and policy analysis on the effects of development programmes on poor populations;

Results achieved • Series of seminars and other events entitled “Poverty, Next Frontier in

the Human Rights Struggle” supported in the framework of UNESCO action marking the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (Paris, October 2004);

• Establishment of an International Advisory Committee comprising distinguished scholars and policy-makers to advise on the Small Grants endeavour and in its work on poverty and human rights in general;

• Establishment and convening of regional selection committees comprising leading scholars and policy-makers to assist in the pre-selection process of proposals;

• Recommendations to UNESCO by the International Advisory Committee to support some 42 proposals; award winners distributed as follows: sub-Saharan Africa, 17; South Asia, 10; Latin America and the Caribbean, 12; CROP (Comparative Research Programme on Poverty) (University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway) for regional state-of-the-art reviews of research on poverty and human rights, 3;

• Public debate held on the theme “Is poverty a human rights issue?” (held in Nairobi, Kenya, in May 2005) and attended by close to 300 representatives of NGOs and other civil society organizations involved in the struggle against poverty;



Pertinent poverty eradication strategies and action plans developed;

• 39 research proposals selected and granted, which will address different aspects related to poverty and results will feed into national strategies;

• This result has not been fully achieved, as the results of the research will be ready by end 2006.

Capacities in Member States enhanced to manage and evaluate poverty-relevant public policies, including at the local level, in areas of UNESCO’s competence;

• 39 researchers and research teams from countries in Africa, South Asia and Latin America benefited from a capacity-building programme that included four-day training sessions (one in each region) with the participation of outstanding experts;

• This is a long-term result and the aim of the project is to launch the process.


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Capacities of UNESCO field offices strengthened to design, implement and monitor poverty-related activities and projects and to identify and select national partners;

• Four field offices (Bamako, New Delhi, San José and Dar es Salaam) benefited from the organized training sessions;

Citizens’ participation in the formulation of poverty eradication strategies improved in three major geographical regions;

• NGOs actively participated in the formulation and submission of project proposals and included researchers and citizens at grassroot level.

Areas of UNESCO concerns more explicitly included in PRSPs and other country-level poverty eradication initiatives; and joint activities with other United Nations partners promoted in that respect.

• Delays in the implementation of the project did not allow the project to achieve this objective.

Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – Eradication of poverty, especially extreme poverty 03512: Ethical and human rights dimensions of poverty: towards a new paradigm in the fight against poverty Pages 176

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Title of element/unit

03512: Ethical and human rights dimensions of poverty: towards a new paradigm in the fight against poverty

Inputs/Funding

Regular budget: $300,000

Objectives

This project aimed to develop an ethically and rights-based approach to poverty reduction. It was to contribute as an input to the United Nations Millennium Campaign and shall be linked to activities of other partners in that regard, especially at the field level. Poverty is not simply a matter of material deprivation. It is a matter of human dignity, justice, fundamental freedoms and basic human rights. The prevailing paradigm lacks the genuine inclusion of the above-mentioned aspects as a mobilizing force and motivation for poverty eradication. UNESCO with its ethical mandate will address through this project the problem of poverty in terms of moral responsibility, ethical necessity and denial and violation of human rights.


Expected results Better understanding achieved among decision-makers and general public about human rights dimensions of poverty; in that regard, national legal frameworks improved and national NGOs empowered to focus on poverty as a denial of human rights;

Results achieved • Created a network of scholars around the world working on the issue of

poverty and human rights;

• Mobilized national authorities to reflect on a new approach to poverty eradication, by considering poverty through the human rights framework, such as the initiative of the Brazilian Government to organize an important conference in 2006 on this topic and to disseminate the results of this project;



Concept developed of poverty eradication as an ethical precept and necessity; UNESCO-specific input to the United Nations Millennium Campaign developed, both at international and national levels;

• Elaborated a study entitled Impact assessments: a tool for measuring the impact of policies on poverty and economic, social and cultural rights: using the right to health as a case study, in cooperation with the Human Rights Centre (University of Essex), under the supervision of Professor Paul Hunt, United Nations Rapporteur for the right to health;

Publications and recommendations developed and disseminated.

• Produced a compilation of philosophy papers on the philosophical approach to poverty and human rights, which will be co-published with UNESCO and Oxford University Press;

• Finalized the editorial work of three other conceptual papers, addressing the economy, the legal and the political science approach to poverty eradication through the human rights perspective.

Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – Eradication of poverty, especially extreme poverty 03513: Urban poverty alleviation among young and female migrants in China, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Cambodia and Mongolia Pages 177

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Title of element/unit 03513: Urban poverty alleviation among young and female migrants in China, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Cambodia and Mongolia


Objectives This comparative project aims at fighting against poverty through concrete and demonstrative actions, through a participatory approach, providing especially young and female migrants in urban areas with life and basic skills. Building on experience gained by this project during the preceding biennium, it will also seek to enhance awareness of young and female migrants about their legal and human rights, organize vocational training, and deliver concrete services. Overall, the project will attempt to reinforce the voice of migrants, to address structural inequalities and to influence policy-makers in favour of migrants’ needs, through a step-by-step approach in the implementation of public social and educational policies. Best practices will be identified, documented and disseminated to urban areas in other countries and regions.


Expected results Progress achieved in elaborating local/national social and educational public policies in favour of young and female migrants in urban areas;

Results achieved • Dalian municipality assisted migrant labourers with training,

employment promotion, health awareness and social/legal rights protection under the “Migrant Apartment”;

• Mobilized and integrated many other resources for the “Migrant Apartment Project”, for example, the Chinese national “Sun-shine Project” was integrated into our project;

• Seven research and policy recommendation papers delivered on the following topics: Poverty Reduction among Migrants: Concepts, Practice and Policy Implications (February 2005); Basic Rights of Migrants Workers: Improvement Strategies (February 2005); Community Rebuilding among Migrant Labourers (February 2005); Poverty Reduction among Migrant Labourers in the Global Economy (February 2005); Establishing Relationships between Sending and Receiving Areas (February 2005);

• Female Migrant Labourers in the Informal Sector (February 2005);

• Rural Labour Migration: Challenges for Policies (MOST policy paper, July 2005);

Results not achieved • Lots of progress has been done,

but the issue of Hukou (residential permits) still represent an obstacle to upgrading the policy in favour of migrants.

Lessons learned, success factors and challenges • Success factors: Prefecture Government of

Chifeng City provided financial assistance for the Chifeng Migrants’ Home in Beijing in 2004.

Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – Eradication of poverty, especially extreme poverty 03513: Urban poverty alleviation among young and female migrants in China, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Cambodia and Mongolia Pages 177

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Programmes providing life and basic skills, including vocational training, designed and initiated with local and national partners;

• More than 80,000 people benefited from the training session on life and basic skills, health awareness (HIV/AIDS), legal and social rights protection including vocational training;

• More than 1,000 local officials and local partners participated in our Training of Trainers programme to promote the participation of local agencies, which resulted in the establishment of networks within or between different project sites, and a better understanding among local partners and officials of the rural-urban migration issue and the goal of our project;

Participation of NGOs and migrants secured in the implementation of activities;

• Cooperated with Beijing Migrant Women’s Centre, Beijing Culture and Communication Centre for Facilitators and other NGOs to include more migrant people in the project;

Awareness raised among decision-makers and the public about the rights of migrants.

• Series of public events successfully organized to raise awareness among decision-makers and the public about the rights of migrants, including the “Together with Migrants” exhibition held in 2003, which was attended by 1,500 people and received substantial media coverage in the Chinese and international press;

• Organized three separate screenings of films dealing with the issue of migration in 2004 and 2005, where Chinese film-makers presented their films supporting migrant workers, followed by a debate among the film-makers, social scientists and audience members.

Challenges: • The result of these events is that they have

been more oriented towards the public than towards decision-makers.

Success factors: • Screenings of films dealing with migration

were very successful, with over 400 attendees from a diverse background (migrants, artists, scholars, United Nations agency representatives, diplomats, journalists as well as the general public). The events received extensive press coverage.

Extrabudgetary resources/Contributions of field offices to the achievement of results Extrabudgetary fund had been raised. The project “Supporting Migrant Children in need” started in 2005 and will continue until 2006.

Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – Eradication of poverty, especially extreme poverty 03514: Combating exploitative migration of women and children in Africa Pages 177

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Title of element/unit 03514: Combating exploitative migration of women and children in Africa


Objectives The project seeks to contribute to the development of specific elements of a policy framework supportive of human security in Africa, with specific emphasis on countering exploitative migration of women and children, and to integrate such dimensions into comprehensive poverty eradication strategies.


Expected results Concepts on the links between poverty and trade in women and children developed and clarified;

Results achieved • Links between poverty and migration, and the condition under which the

latter becomes trafficking in sub-Saharan Africa clarified through research on “Poverty, Gender and Human Trafficking in sub-Saharan Africa: Rethinking Best Practices in Migration Management” by T.D. Truong, jointly published by the CCT project and the International Migration Programme under the Poverty Programme Series in December 2005;

• Conceptual clarification completed through regional research on human trafficking in western Africa (Benin, Nigeria, Togo) and southern Africa (Lesotho, Mozambique, South Africa) focusing on root causes including poverty; research reports finalized in Spring 2005 and used as the basis for the Policy Papers on Human Trafficking in Benin, Nigeria, Togo, Lesotho, Mozambique and South Africa to be published in 2006;

• Links between poverty, trafficking and related issues (slavery, migration, HIV/AIDS, gender discrimination) discussed and developed through informal awareness-raising meeting of the CCT team members on poverty, human rights and human trafficking organized in cooperation with the Poverty Programme coordination team in February 2004;




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The potential of poverty eradication strategies in fighting exploitative migration in Africa actualized;

• Six policy papers on Human Trafficking, Root Causes and Policy Recommendations in Benin, Lesotho, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa and Togo (to be published in 2006);

• Critical analysis conducted on the impact of Structural Adjustment Policies on poverty and exploitative migration in sub-Saharan Africa in “Poverty, Gender and Human Trafficking in sub-Saharan Africa: Rethinking Best Practices in Migration Management”, co-published by the International Migration Section and the Poverty Programme;

• PRSPs and their potential in fighting exploitative migration in Africa were not sufficiently analysed.

Results of practical research, best practices and concrete project evaluations disseminated among policy-makers;

• Existing practices in fighting human trafficking in sub-Saharan Africa shared during a panel discussion on “Best Practices and Strategies to Combat Trafficking of Women and Children in Africa”, organized at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on 8 March 2005 on the occasion of the 49th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (New York, 28 February-11 March 2005);

• Results of the regional research on human trafficking in western Africa (Benin, Nigeria, Togo) and southern Africa (Lesotho, Mozambique, South Africa) disseminated and discussed among representative of governments, communities and NGOs during the subregional workshops on human trafficking organized in Lagos, Nigeria (26-28 September 2005) and Pretoria, South Africa (22-23 November 2005);

• Research report on “Searching for Best Practices to Counter Human Trafficking in Africa: a Focus on Women and Children” by T.D. Truong and MB Angeles disseminated through the CCT project website and on several human trafficking lists/websites;

Awareness raised on the risks linked to exploitative migration among local populations;

• Awareness raised of a number of community representatives and local leaders from Benin, Nigeria, Togo, Lesotho, Mozambique and South Africa during the subregional workshop on human trafficking in western Africa and southern Africa organized in Lagos, Nigeria (26-28 September 2005) and Pretoria, South Africa (22-23 November 2005); local leaders entrusted to disseminate their knowledge among their communities to raise their awareness on the danger of exploitative migration among local populations;

• This result will be enhanced in 2006-2007 by the elaboration of awareness-raising/information material.

Community capacities in preventive education and information enhanced;

• Capacities of a number of community representatives and local leaders from Benin, Nigeria, Togo, Lesotho, Mozambique and South Africa strengthened during the subregional workshop on Human Trafficking in western Africa and southern Africa organized in Lagos, Nigeria (26-28 September 2005) and Pretoria, South Africa (22-23 November 2005); and they will receive further training in 2006-2007 to educate and inform their communities to prevent human trafficking;

• This result will be enhanced in 2006-2007 by the organization of training workshops for stakeholders in western and southern Africa.


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Policy dialogue and sharing of knowledge among various stakeholders intensified.

• Inter-agency network on trafficking research created in June 2004 following a meeting in Rome, Italy, organized by IOM and an inter-agency website on child trafficking launched in September 2004 under the leadership of UNESCO; several IGOs and NGOs participated in a policy dialogue in the elaboration of “Poverty, Gender and Human Trafficking in sub-Saharan Africa: Rethinking Best Practices in Migration Management” (see above);

• Representatives of governments, communities and civil society exchanged knowledge during the subregional workshop on human trafficking in western Africa and southern Africa organized in Lagos, Nigeria (26-28 September 2005) and Pretoria, South Africa (22-23 November 2005); and representatives will take an active part in the dissemination of the policy papers on “Human trafficking, root causes and policy recommendations” in Benin, Lesotho, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa and Togo based on the findings from the workshops in Lagos and in Pretoria (publication planned for early 2006);

• Contributed to the regional symposium on “Causes and prevention means of ritual crimes and conflicts in Central Africa” Libreville, Gabon, 5-7 July 2005; and to the workshop on “Gaps between Dreams and Practice: Promoting Standards for Socio-Cultural Research on the Issues of HIV/AIDS and Human Trafficking” organized by the UNESCO Bangkok Office in Bangkok, Thailand, from 19 to 21 September 2005.

• Success factors: The CCT project is an active contributor to the inter-agency network on trafficking research network.

Extrabudgetary resources/Contributions of field offices to the achievement of results An application for the UBW funding for HIV/AIDS was submitted in the framework of the project for 2006-2007 but was not accepted. Application to other funding agencies is planned for 2006. The Windhoek and Bamako Cluster Offices have increasingly been involved in the programming, implementation and monitoring of the project respectively in southern and in western Africa in close cooperation with Headquarters. The Bamako Office played a key role in the organization of the regional workshop on “Human Trafficking in western Africa: Root Causes and Policy Recommendations” (26-28 September 2005, Lagos, Nigeria). The Head of UNESCO Abuja Office also attended the first day of the meeting. The Windhoek Office actively participated in the regional workshop “Human Trafficking in Southern Africa: Root Causes and Policy Recommendations” (22-23 November 2005, Pretoria, South Africa).

Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – Eradication of poverty, especially extreme poverty 03515: Contributing to the eradication of poverty by strengthening human security in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Benin Pages 177-178

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Title of element/unit 03515: Contributing to the eradication of poverty by strengthening human security in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Benin


Objectives Contribution to the eradication of poverty and the strengthening of human security in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Benin, based on experience under this project in the previous biennium. Strengthening of the capacities of the most deprived sections of the community – in particular women and/or teenage girls as agents of social transformation; exploitation of development information centres for the purpose of developing educational content in programming operations; awareness-raising on AIDS and opportunistic illnesses and malaria; improvements in the supply of drinking water and scientific popularization work; overall analysis of the project and evaluation of its impact from the standpoint of human security and poverty reduction.


Expected results Ongoing pilot projects adopting an intersectoral and multidisciplinary approach to the eradication of poverty and the promotion of human security successfully implemented;

Results achieved • projects successfully implemented in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger;

• extrabudgetary funds mobilized;

• increased participation of the most disadvantaged sections of society in management and decision-making through the promotion of human rights;

Results not achieved • National consultations

and studies in Benin were not carried out because the partners’ approach took longer to put in place. This activity is currently well under way and the Beninese partners were present at the national consultation in Burkina Faso: they have undertaken at the level of the Ministry of Justice to launch the process and have established a follow-up and reflection committee by ministerial decree.


Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – Eradication of poverty, especially extreme poverty 03515: Contributing to the eradication of poverty by strengthening human security in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Benin Pages 177-178

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Approaches validated by pilot projects adapted to and integrated in national policies for reducing poverty.

• initial evaluation of field projects; established a connection between the “field” approach and the conceptual approach; and elaborated and discussed action plans at the first meeting of the follow-up and reflection committees on poverty as a human rights issue, Senegal (March/April 2004);

• project redesigned to build upon the pilot field projects and address policy recommendations especially for the PRSPs revision;

• follow-up committee for Burkina Faso established and follow-up and reflection committees from Mali, Niger and Senegal evaluated and amended their action plans during a meeting in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (4-8 July 2005);

• studies produced for a fresh appraisal of the PRSPs in the light of human rights (five studies on the subject “poverty as a human rights issue” were carried out by national experts from Burkina Faso (2), Mali (2) and Niger (1) with a view to their publication;

• the identification mission to Niger from 26 August to 3 September 2005;

- the Principality of Andorra endowed the pilot project in Niger (2005) with €25,000;

- the Principality of Monaco has given its agreement in principle to contribute €70,000 (for 2006) for pilot projects in Niger, from Princess Caroline of Monaco.

• There were delays in executing action plans and supporting national committees in Mali and Niger due to constraints at the national level. This activity is scheduled to take place in the next biennium.

Extrabudgetary resources /Contributions of field offices to the achievement of results (A) ~$16,500 (FCFA 9 million) World Bank/ANPIP (Niger Agency for the Promotion of Private Irrigation) for the project in Niger (B) ~$2,750 (FCFA 1.5 million) from the Canadian Centre for International Studies and Cooperation (CECI) for the project in Niger (C) ~€25,000 (for 2005) from the Principality of Andorra for pilot projects (Niger) (D) ~€70,000 (for 2006) from Princess Caroline of Monaco for the extension of the pilot project in Niger (under way) (E) Probable contribution (for 2006) from the “coalition of small countries of Europe” (Andorra, Cyprus, Luxembourg, San Marino) for pilot projects (under way) Close cooperation with the Offices in Bamako, Mali and Dakar, Senegal.

Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – Eradication of poverty, especially extreme poverty 04511: Handicraft as a socio-economic and cultural development factor Pages 213-214

Page 26 of 66 Title of element/unit 04511 Handicraft as a socio-economic and cultural development factor


Justification/Identification of needs/Background For disfavoured social groups, especially women and youth, handicraft has the double potential of raising living standards and preserving cultural heritage.

Strategies/Implementation Drawing on the results of the cross-cutting project “traditional crafts as a window to job opportunities for the poorest youth” (2002-2003), the project will be regionally expanded (Mesoamerica, the Caribbean, Africa and Asia-Pacific). Its main objectives are (i) to train women and youth in design, trading and the use of new applied technologies for the creation of handicrafts; (ii) to provide decision-makers with a strategy for small crafts enterprises; (iii) to foster the establishment of craft micro-enterprises; and (iv) to enhance access to regional and world markets for disfavoured artisans. The project’s interregional approach will ensure a focus on South-South cooperation and the exchange of best practices.


Expected results Artisans trained;

Results achieved • training classes (craft traditional techniques, quality, design, business and

marketing skills) were organized for young artisans with limited employment opportunities;

• business techniques were provided to women and out-of-school youth in the poorest areas;

• strategic linkages were established between literacy classes and the provision of working tools to empower poor crafts people in the management of their small enterprises;

• many young women took part in the workshops and have been involved in the planning of activities;

Results not achieved • Some workshops were not

organized or were delayed, for political or administrative reasons.

Lessons learned, success factors and challenges Success factors: • Specialized agencies commented on

the strong leadership demonstrated by UNESCO in Mesoamerica and the Latin Caribbean.

• The non-formal education approach has facilitated the combination of the literacy and craft training.

Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – Eradication of poverty, especially extreme poverty 04511: Handicraft as a socio-economic and cultural development factor Pages 213-214

Page 27 of 66 New craft micro-enterprises established

• new crafts shops appeared in many of the areas where the activities took place (it is obvious in the Cambodian villages for instance);

• the number of women and young textile producers increased;

• youth self-employment strategies have been strengthened in cooperation with the government and NGOs;

• women have been encouraged to share their knowledge and skills by working together, and some of the trainees became trainers and/or created women groups dedicated to develop crafts business thanks to the workshops;

• assistance has been given to link the craft centre to markets (for instance in Mozambique);

• a network has been created in Cambodia through the managing committee of the Community Learning Centres through which more initiatives have been shared among the producers (improvement of the quality, creation). Roka CLC in Cambodia, for example, has been successful in responding to the orders of 1,000 to 2,000 basketry products per month;

Success factors: • The project has had a positive impact

on the local economies and an interest in crafts increased.

Success factors: • More people becoming involved in the

crafts area as they begin to understand its market potential.

Digital catalogues of countries’ “handicraft specialities” prepared;

• general information for the creation of an initial database was compiled in Mesoamerica;

• The information gathered has not been digitalized/posted on the Internet.

Informational and educational booklets on processes and techniques of handicraft production prepared and disseminated;

• diagnostical studies of craft development carried out in 10 countries in Mesoamerica and Central America;

• prepared a booklet on Haitian handicrafts;

• training manual in English written and translated in Harare, which included information on indigenous traditional textile techniques;

Challenges: • Additional funding is necessary in order

to translate all the reports into the vernacular languages.

Systematization and evaluation document on transfer of technology and educational purposes prepared.

• to ensure a multiplier effect, the Museum of Ethnology’s Education Department in Viet Nam prepared a user-friendly manual for museums describing the systematic documentation process of the project in print and audiovisual format based on ongoing documentation and learning from the different phases of the project.

Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – Eradication of poverty, especially extreme poverty 04512: Cultural and ecotourism in the mountainous regions of Central and South Asia Pages 214

Page 28 of 66 Title of element/unit 04512: Cultural and ecotourism in the mountainous regions of Central and South Asia

Inputs/Funding Regular budget: $300,000; Extrabudgetary resources: funding obtained from the Government of Norway, Royal Ministry of Foreign Affairs ($745,800) for 2003-2004. The project implementation was extended until August 2006 by agreement with the Norwegian authorities at a review meeting held at UNESCO on 28 October 2005. Renewed funding of €15,000 was also received from the Government of the Principality of Andorra, building on previous Andorran contributions amounting to €30,000.

Justification/Identification of needs/Background The overall goal of this interdisciplinary project is to promote community-based cultural and ecotourism in selected mountain areas in Central and South Asia. The project’s three main objectives are (i) poverty eradication through tourism; (ii) reduction of rural-urban migration; and (iii) preservation of cultural and natural heritage. The project’s second phase will build on previous achievements, exploring forms of sustainable tourism that can provide income-generating activities and extending project activities to Iran and to Bhutan. It will expand the work of capacity-building among local communities, building on the networking of phase one, which has created links between similar activities in six Central and South Asian countries – India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Pakistan and Tajikistan.



Expected results Local capacities in the field of ecotourism management, marketing and service delivery developed;

Results achieved • set up community-run accommodations (bed and breakfasts);

• trained local people (focusing particularly on women and youth) in crafts development, as nature, culture and trek guides and as local accommodation operators, helping to build skills and to contribute to employment and economic opportunities through tourism development;

• new project sites established in India in Himalchal Pradesh and in Sikkim in 2004, in addition to the eight project sites set up in 2002-2003;

Results not achieved Lessons learned, success factors and challenges Success factors: • The project received a “Highly

Commended” Award for the 2005 First Choice Responsible Tourism Awards and has also been awarded the 2005 Global Vision Award for Community Outreach, given by Travel & Leisure Magazine in New York. It has been featured in the August 2005 issue of National Geographic Adventure magazine, in the most recent edition of Lonely Planet for Central Asia and in The Silk Roads Trail Blazer Guide.

Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – Eradication of poverty, especially extreme poverty 04512: Cultural and ecotourism in the mountainous regions of Central and South Asia Pages 214

Page 29 of 66 Regional network aimed at sharing

professional experience and expertise strengthened;

• series of study tours carried out and high quality websites created for all country projects with links to the project website at www.unesco.org/culture/ecotourism;

• completed a film entitled “Between Sky and Mountains” featuring project activities, which will be shown on BBC World;

Rural populations trained in production, marketing and sale of high-quality craft items;

• project writing workshop held in December 2005 in Delhi, India, which focused on extracting best practices and lessons learned from activities undertaken thus far;

Economic development enhanced through local capacity-building in web design and promotion;

• annual income of local communities rose by 50% in 2004 in Ladakh, India, from community-based ecotourism activities implemented by the project, and in Tajikistan annual income for poor local communities quadrupled in the same period from the project’s activities;

• produced high-quality information on the areas the project is working in;

Regional mountain guide training programme set up and local income-generating opportunities stipulated through cultural festivals.

• Organized local cultural festivals.

http://www.unesco.org/culture/ecotourism

Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – Eradication of poverty, especially extreme poverty 04515: Strategy for the sustainable development of tourism in the Sahara Pages 215

Page 30 of 66 Title of element/unit 04515: Strategy for the sustainable development of tourism in the Sahara


Justification/Identification of needs/Background The people of the Sahara, guardians of a precious and fragile cultural heritage, suffer from the many manifestations of poverty: malnutrition, illiteracy, social and cultural exclusion, degradation of the natural environment. The end of the caravan trade, drought, depopulation, accelerated urbanization and more sedentary lifestyles have upset the ancestral balance of these nomadic communities. The social, economic and cultural revival – reduction of poverty – will come through the safeguarding and enhancement of the natural, intangible and tangible cultural heritage, that is, apart from oil and gas resources, the most prominent asset for development in the future.

Strategies/Implementation The project will foster the incorporation of poverty reduction in the Sahara into tourism development strategies, in particular by strengthening cooperation among the 10 Member States concerned (Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Mali, Morocco, Mauritania, Niger, Sudan, Tunisia). The project’s second operational stage will contribute to the establishment of a framework conducive to empowerment and participatory approaches in the fields of culture, environment and tourism. The aim will be to promote the cultural and natural heritage of the Sahara through national and international tourism that meets visitors’ expectations while ensuring resource sustainability and respect for the lifestyles of local communities.



Page 31 of 66 Expected results Decision-makers sensitized to the poverty issues of local communities;

Results achieved • awareness raised about the poverty in the Sahara through the wide dissemination (to

local decision-makers, NGOs and the public) of three publications that were produced about the project, its goals and strategies;

• held a donors meeting for decision makers, private companies, and United Nations agencies in Algiers (January 2004), which resulted in the Government of Algeria and UNDP’s commitment to funding the pilot project “Ksour Route Project” ($500,000);

• held “The Saharan Meetings at UNESCO” at UNESCO Headquarters (May 2005), which included a photo exhibition (will travel to several cities to promote the project and the CCT poverty programme), debates, films, lectures (more than 1,000 people from more than 40 countries participated in the events);

• enlarged and strengthened the project’s network of partners;


Lessons learned, success factors and challenges Challenges: • Deficit of human and financial

resources.

Success factors: • Better involvement of Member

States in the project.

• Visits to the website of the project increased.

• Agreement of cooperation for the implementation of the “Ksour Route Project” in Algeria signed between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Algeria (representing five ministries), UNDP and UNESCO.

Policies/measures – capacity-building – developed to ensure greater local participative governance of poor communities, and acknowledgement of the value of the natural and cultural heritage;

• disadvantaged segments of society were effectively engaged in preparing and launching culture and environmental tourism related projects;

• completed a feasibility study on extending the Ksour Route Project in Morocco and Tunisia (June 2005), and finalized the feasibility study for a multipurpose cultural centre in Agadez (Niger);

• renovated a traditional house in Timbuktu as a cultural and training centre for traditional building skills;

• strengthened the organizational capacities of target groups in the cultural and tourism sectors: 45 cultural and tourism professionals in Mauritania were trained in July 2004; a training session for 30 young girls was launched in Niger and in Algeria for 45 young girls on using the traditional Touareg musical instrument called imzad;

Challenges: • Visibility of the results should be

improved.

• Concept and activities proved to be pertinent, but did not have the human and financial capacity to achieve 100% of the expected results.

Success factors: • The value of cultural heritage was

better acknowledged by communities.

Quality tourism products, associated with the protection and enhancement of the natural and cultural heritage of the Sahara, developed and promoted.

• developed pro-poor tourism circuits that directly benefit the population;

• established a cultural tourism plan in the north of Niger (Agadez) that provides for the creation of jobs for young people living in poverty;

• launched a study on ecocultural tourism in the north Sudan region.

Challenges: • Encouraging tourist companies to

be more involved in the projects.

Success factors: • Cooperating with UNEP for the

publishing of a desert tourism guide on the occasion of the International Year on Desert and Desertification 2006.


Page 32 of 66 Extrabudgetary resources/Contributions of field offices to the achievement of results

UNDP is involved with the project in Algeria and might expand its involvement to Morocco and Tunisia. UNESCO Offices in Rabat, Bamako and Cairo are part of the project’s intersectoral team and are associated with its conception/implementation.

Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – The contribution of ICTs to the development of education, science and culture and the construction of a knowledge society 01525: ICTs for the promotion of literacy, especially in E-9 countries Pages 81

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01525 ICTs for the promotion of literacy, especially in E-9 countries

Inputs/Funding

Regular budget activities: $170,000

Objectives

The project aims to sensitize policy-makers, media professionals and community leaders, especially in E-9 countries, on the importance and catalytic role of literacy for socio-economic development through ICTs and to develop capacity-building of organizers and field personnel of literacy programmes through innovative ICT-based literacy training.


The project had two main goals: (i) to sensitize and enable policy-makers, literacy trainers and practitioners, media professionals, relevant CSOs and community leaders on the critical role of literacy for socio-economic development through appropriate use of ICTs, capacity-building, and identification and dissemination of best practices; and (ii) to enable policy-makers, literacy planners, trainers, researchers and practitioners in the E-9 countries to exchange ideas and information about best practices in ICTs and development of quality ICT-based literacy materials. Project initiatives were planned in consultation with E-9 partners. UNESCO Islamabad focused on coordination and networking of tasks. Studies on best practices were conducted in interested E-9 countries and were based on action-oriented, practical and participatory approaches. In case of development of ICT-assisted material, the focus was on E-9 countries in South Asia. The three E-9 countries in South Asia collaborated and exchanged information in developing ICT-based literacy materials, taking into consideration the particular circumstances in each country and shared qualities and traditions. Activities undertaken in this project were coordinated with other literacy initiatives in the context of the United Nations Literacy Decade (UNLD) in line with efforts aimed at meeting Dakar goals. Identification and sharing of best practices in ICTs in E-9 countries enabled these countries to learn from each other’s expertise and experiences.


Expected results ICT-based model for literacy training developed and tested; literacy practitioners trained; awareness of decision-makers on literacy and empowerment of illiterate poor increased through ICTs.

Results achieved • Studies on good practices in ICT-assisted literacy were completed in

seven of nine E-9 countries;

• ICT-based literacy materials developed in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, focusing on literacy for socio-economic empowerment of the illiterate;

• Sensitization of stakeholders and partners on the importance of literacy for socio-economic development;

• Capacity-building of literacy managers, trainers and field practitioners;

Results not achieved • Two studies respectively in

Nigeria and Indonesia could not take place owing to the non-response from the respective countries.

Lessons learned, success factors and challenges • Lessons: use of ICTs can help in reaching the

unreached. It can help M/S in expanding access.

• Good practices indicate that ICT-generated materials can be effectively used to empower disadvantaged groups and for rural development.

• Success factors: two factors contributed to the success of the project: the potential of ICTs to improve delivery of learning contents, and the collaboration and networking between E-9 offices and countries to encourage exchanges of information and knowledge.

Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – The contribution of ICTs to the development of education, science and culture and the construction of a knowledge society 01525: ICTs for the promotion of literacy, especially in E-9 countries Pages 81

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• Cooperation between E-9 countries particularly in South Asia enhanced;

• Training video/CD-ROM for capacity-building of literacy personnel produced in Pakistan;

• ICT-based materials produced under the project are being pre-tested;

• A compilation of best practices and excerpts from the seven studies completed in 7 E-9 countries is being published jointly by UNESCO Islamabad and the UNESCO Regional Bureau in Bangkok.

• Challenges: E-9 countries, having as backdrop major education problems, mostly related to literacy, access and equity and quality, need substantial support and well defined focus to effectively promote and scale up the use of ICTs in their education systems. Issues relating to the required national capacity to harness this area, as well as costing of the interventions must also be considered.

Extrabudgetary resources/Contributions of field offices to the achievement of results Main partners in E-9 countries were media companies, institutions and organizations associated with ICTs. UNESCO Offices in E-9 countries were closely involved in the activities.

Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – The contribution of ICTs to the development of education, science and culture and the construction of a knowledge society 02522: Small Islands’ Voice (SIV) Pages 139

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Title of element/unit 02522: Science CCT ICT: Small Islands’ Voice

Inputs/Funding Regular budget: $260,000; Extrabudgetary resources: €50,000

Objectives This intersectoral and interregional initiative focuses on small island developing States (SIDS), many of which are LDCs, as well as islands with other affiliations. Through an innovative combination of new and existing information and communication technologies the project aims to promote the effective participation of civil society groups, including young people and the general public in sustainable island development. Building on the experiences of the first project phase during the preceding biennium, Small Islands’ Voice will focus on strengthening the interregional dimension of development and environmental issues through ICT-enabled interregional dialogue, meetings, exchanges and on-the-ground activities. It will also contribute to the review process of the Barbados+10 Programme of Action for SIDS in 2005 and the follow-up at the local level.

Strategies/Implementation This initiative seeks to overcome the isolation of small islands in the Caribbean, Indian Ocean and Pacific regions by building capacity and strengthening modes of local, regional and interregional communication. Based on a solid foundation of community-led activities, views and opinions on environment and development issues are exchanged through adult and youth global Internet forums, supported by radio, television and print media. Raising awareness of sustainable development issues, as well as effective public participation on the ground, promoted by improved ICT capabilities, are integral elements to this initiative.


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Expected results Small islands technological capabilities and personnel capacities in the communication field improved;

Results achieved • A knowledge society was built through a global Internet discussion forum

(www.sivglobal.org) involving all small island developing States (SIDS), with more than 30,000 persons living in small islands connected, with linkages to an even wider audience through national newspapers.

• A knowledge society was built among youth in 12 islands through a youth Internet discussion forum (www.sivyouth.org); this has resulted in specific national youth activities being initiated such as youth exchanges between Seychelles and Maldives. Internet connections and new computer hardware for schools, community centres, multimedia centres and libraries improved in nine island countries

• Communities technological capabilities improved to produce their own radio programmes (Maldives, St Vincent and the Grenadines) and utilizing existing radio programmes so that youth can discuss sustainable development issues (St Vincent and the Grenadines). Existing youth, school-based radio stations expanded to involve communities and especially women (San Andres Archipelago). Two new projects were recently launched in St Vincent and the Grenadines: establishment of a community multimedia centre and community radio station in Bequia, and an activity to reach out to youth at risk through musical expression.

Results not achieved None.


• Linking community-led sustainable development activities such as community visioning (planning) and youth-led HIV/AIDS prevention projects, across the three regions, provides scope for maximizing benefits to a larger number of islands. This is despite the fact that the implementation of some activities has taken longer than initially anticipated. Partnering with other organizations and programmes is crucial for success of this inter-regional cooperation. However, regionalization within organizations is sometimes an impediment to this process.

http://www.sivglobal.org/

http://www.sivyouth.org/


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Awareness about small islands development and environmental issues raised via the SIV youth forum, other online distance learning initiatives and local participatory communication modes.

• Awareness was raised by recent topics discussed on the SIV Youth Forum including: tsunamis, waste problems and the role youth can play in their communities. On SIV Global Internet Forum: climate change, sustainable development, freshwater issues, renewable energy and outer islands provoked much discussion.

• Results of projects relating to promoting cultural diversity, environmental management, community visioning, and social changes ongoing in 12 islands were shared via publications, electronic newsletters, Internet discussions, video production and presentations at international meetings and conferences, e.g. recent keynote address at the Islands of the World VIII Conference

• All activities supported by www.smallislandsvoice.org which is updated monthly and complemented by a quarterly electronic newsletter; two major publications produced “Laying the foundation” and “Voices in a changing world”, one pamphlet in three languages, one booklet “Word on the street” and one DVD “Laying the foundation”; a second SIV video is being produced featuring examples of sustainable island living in the three regions.

• In July 2005, SIV contributed to the interregional planning meeting held in Bequia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, to share experiences and to plan future activities within the framework of Mauritius Strategy implementation.

• SIV was profiled at the regional Caribbean conference to assist the Coastal Regions and Small Islands platform (CSI) in launching the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, held in Jamaica in October 2005. Discussions have been held with partners from the SIDS-Universities Consortium regarding input and collaboration with CSI/SIV.

• Slow and expensive Internet connections in some islands, as well as natural events such as hurricanes, hamper efficient implementation of Internet-based activities, yet also encourage innovation and adaptability by islanders. Partnerships with other organizations (e.g. UNDP in Niue) are proving effective in building ICT capacity and structure.

• Following the recommendations of the July 2005 meeting, the SIV Youth Internet Forum has been re-designed to make it more attractive and user-friendly, and plans are under way for a new phase starting in January 2006.

Extrabudgetary resources/Contributions of field offices to the achievement of results Extrabudgetary funding from the Lighthouse Foundation (€50,000) and UNAIDS ($30,000) were secured for Youth Visioning project implementation activities in 2006-2007. Presently eight Youth Visioning projects are under way (four in the Caribbean, one in the Atlantic Ocean, two in the Indian Ocean and one in the Pacific Ocean). Several other Youth Visioning projects are scheduled to start in early 2006. A Youth Visioning brochure has also been prepared and distributed widely.

http://www.isisa2004.com.tw/index1.htm

http://www.smallislandsvoice.org/

http://www.unesco.org/csi/pub/papers2/siv.htm

http://www.unesco.org/csi/pub/papers3/world.htm

http://www.unesco.org/csi/smis/siv/pub/WordStreet.pdf

Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – The contribution of ICTs to the development of education, science and culture and the construction of a knowledge society 02523: UNESCO/IOC regional ocean subportals as part of the UNESCO knowledge portal Pages 140

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Title of element/unit 02523: Science CC ICT: UNESCO/IOC regional ocean subportals as part of the UNESCO knowledge portal


Objectives The UNESCO/IOC ocean subportals for Africa, Latin America and South-East Asia, as part of UNESCO’s knowledge portal, aim to facilitate access to information and data on all aspects of ocean/coastal research and management. This is achieved using collaborative websites and distance learning technologies, which form part of UNESCO’s knowledge portal efforts. The project will consolidate the foundation laid during its first phase during the preceding biennium, by (i) increasing the number of content providers to better cover the information needs of all focus audiences; (ii) increasing the ability of partners to communicate their expertise to a non-academic audience; (iii) facilitating access to portal and its information (both on the Internet and in other forms); and (iv) improving scientific capacity by e-learning activities.


- Editorial work continued on both Portal Oceanico and the African OceanPortal, with networks of editors (composed of experts in various fields of oceanography and marine science) continuing to produce content and create new topics within the portals

- Editors, and particularly regional coordinators, were required to publicize the portals and undertake promotion activities within their own countries and at regional meetings - In order to increase public awareness and improve access to portal contents, newsletters were produced within the regions highlighting the most interesting/relevant content from the portals - New experts within the regions were recruited and trained to contribute to the portals, widening their scope both geographically and in terms of subjects covered and expertise available. In particular,

substantial editorial work was focused on the creation of a subportal within Portal Oceanico for harmful algal blooms - E-learning course for identification of algal blooms harmful to human health was finalized and taken online by students in the CARSA region - Corresponding practical course was held to complement e-learning component

Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – The contribution of ICTs to the development of education, science and culture and the construction of a knowledge society 02523: UNESCO/IOC regional ocean subportals as part of the UNESCO knowledge portal Pages 140

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Expected results Access to the portal increased both for collaborating editors and target audiences;

Results achieved • A newsletter was produced containing information provided by subportal editors and

the NEPAD secretariat as part of the agreement to pool resources with NEPAD with the aim of improving access to marine-related information throughout Africa.

Results not achieved Lessons/Challenges

Participation in production of content for the portal increased, with a wider range of topics covered;

• The number of editors in Latin America and the Caribbean has increased to 290 registered volunteers in 36 countries following national promotion/training workshop in Argentina, Barbados, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Saint Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago to increase participation and awareness of the subportal in the region.

• Editors from 10 different African nations were trained in the use of the portal and began submitting content.

• African OceanPortal expanded to cover 2,300 knowledge objects across 260 topics.

• Portal Oceanico expanded to cover over 4,600 knowledge objects across 650 topic.s

• Production of informational content by the FANSA group was significantly delayed, with some editorial activities incomplete as of December 2005

• Some administrative delays at Headquarters slowed the processing of contracts for FANSA editors, with consequent impact on the production of content.

E-learning activities to improve scientific capacity developed and implemented.

• Web-based learning module and test course on the identification and taxonomy of algal blooms harmful to human health finalized and approved by IOC experts.

• After training, 16 scientists from the CARSA region were certified in the identification of algal blooms harmful to human health.

• The assistance of regional partners (in particular the sponsorship of the Brazilian Phycological Society) was significant in increasing recognition of the e-learning course and hence the success of the pilot project.

Extrabudgetary resources/Contributions of field offices to the achievement of results In-kind extrabudgetary resources were provided by different partners; African OceanPortal software/editorial training provided during website improvement course funded as part of the ODINAFRICA project (extrabudgetary funds from the Government of Flanders). New editors for the African OceanPortal were trained as part of activities funded by the ODINAFRICA project. The sponsorship of the Brazilian Phycological Society contributed to the success of FANSA e-learning activities. The NEPAD secretariat continued to provide assistance in kind (staff time) contributing to the production of content for the African OceanPortal and associated newsletter. The advice of the Quito and Nairobi Offices on communication activities and their efficient administrative support was felt to be vital in building up the regional networks of experts and encouraging the growth of the portals.

Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – The contribution of ICTs to the development of education, science and culture and the construction of a knowledge society 03521 ICTs as tools to improve local governance in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean Pages 178

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Title of element/unit 03521: ICTs as tools to improve local governance in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean


Objectives This project aims to use ICTs as tools for the reinforcement of social cohesion and local democracy in municipalities in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean region. It is building on the successful experiences of the first project phase that concentrated on partnerships for training in Latin America and Africa and an e-governance portal. The main objectives for this biennium are (i) to provide improved policies and best practices on the basis of the pilot projects in Africa and Latin America, (ii) to reinforce the capacity of city planners and city officials for policy development through more online training courses, (iii) to extend the cooperation between NGOs of city professionals, and (iv) to enlarge the project to the Caribbean.


Expected results Best practices for introducing ICTs in municipal policies prepared and disseminated in all regions; training modules promoting the use of ICT tools for improving local governance evaluated, adjusted and extended for training of city professionals; Cooperation within and between NGOs of city professionals on the introduction of ICTs reinforced in all regions.

Results achieved • An Observatory on government, society and ICTs has been established in

cooperation with the Universidad Externado de Colombia to collect, evaluate and disseminate best practices and training manuals on e-governance; database of best practices made available on the web on issues including social inclusion, education, culture, health, poverty and entrepreneurship.

• State-of-the art reports and needs assessment reports on the use of ICTs to improve citizen participation, transparency and government services have been prepared in Africa and Latin America.

• Best practices for introducing ICTs in municipal policies are disseminated through training activities in Latin America (in cooperation with the Open University of Catalonia), Africa (in cooperation with Fort Hare Institute of Governance and the University of the Western Cape) and the Caribbean region (University of the West Indies).



Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – The contribution of ICTs to the development of education, science and culture and the construction of a knowledge society 03521 ICTs as tools to improve local governance in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean Pages 178

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• A distance learning masters’ course on local e-governance for civil servants, students of public administration and city professionals has been developed and implemented in Latin America in cooperation with the Open University of Catalonia, the International Institute of Governance and the Union of Ibero-American Municipal Professionals.

• Over 80 students of local administration and local officials from over 15 countries participated in the first training course in Latin America; similar courses have been developed for Africa and the Caribbean. Course materials have been exchanged between the three regions. The number of participants in each course is around 40.

• Two training manuals on e-governance have been published and widely disseminated, one on the concept of e-democracy and the participation of citizens in the formulation of public policies, and one on e-service delivery for citizenship.

• A training activity has been started at the University of the West Indies to introduce the concepts of e-governance at the municipal level. The virtual campus platform of the University of the West Indies is used for this course to have the widest possible reach in the Caribbean region.

• A third training manual is

prepared in draft format on legal aspects of e-governance.

• Cooperation has been established with associations of city professionals such as the Union of Ibero-American Municipal Professionals (UIM) and the Colombian Federation of Municipalities, as well as with university or other training institutes that focus on city professionals and students of public administration, including the Institute for Governance IIG, the Observatory of Society, Governance and ICTs of the Universidad Externado de Colombia (Latin America), the Fort Hare Institute of Governance, and the University of the Western Cape (Africa) and CARICAD and the University of the West Indies (Caribbean Region). Information, best practices and training materials have been exchanged between the different regions.

Extrabudgetary resources/Contributions of field offices to the achievement of results • A proposal for extrabudgetary support has been approved by the Spanish Government to support training activities in e-governance within the framework of the project. The total amount of the support is

still under negotiation. • In-kind support has been received from various partners in the project, including the Observatory on Governance at the Universidad Externado de Colombia, the Open University of Catalonia and the

University of the West Indies. The Open University of Catalonia made available their online platform for virtual masters’ courses.

Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – The contribution of ICTs to the development of education, science and culture and the construction of a knowledge society 03522: Electronic network of UNESCO Chairs in Africa and African Virtual UNITWIN Research and Training Network Pages 178-179

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Title of element/unit 03522: Electronic network of UNESCO Chairs in Africa and African Virtual UNITWIN Research and Training Network


Objectives The project focuses on two main objectives. The first is using information and communication technologies to strengthen regional cooperation in Africa between UNESCO Chairs with a view to promoting joint research, teaching and advocacy programmes in the areas of human rights, good governance, democracy, gender issues and peace. The electronic network is also expected to help reduce the information and digital gap between Africa and other parts of the world in these areas. The second objective is to examine the interest and modalities for setting up an African Virtual UNITWIN Research and Teaching Network.


Expected results Information in the areas of human rights, democracy, gender issues and peace made available on a website and disseminated among academics, students, policy-makers, NGOs, African social scientists

Results achieved • Regional electronic network created among UNESCO Chairs and

associated institutions working on human rights, gender issues, democracy and a culture of peace in sub-Saharan Africa through an interactive website that includes an electronic library, and is a collaborative work platform where articles and research results are published.

• Network widened to include specialists and representatives from African national human rights commissions, ECOWAS and the African Commission.


Lessons learned, success factors and challenges • Challenges: Creating an enabling

environment for the daily use of information technologies in universities which are constrained by lack of computers and software. Getting more NGOs and policy-makers involved in the network.

• Success factors: The Regional Electronic Network is a good way of increasing the cooperation between Chairs, and providing a platform for the sharing of ideas.

Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – The contribution of ICTs to the development of education, science and culture and the construction of a knowledge society 03522: Electronic network of UNESCO Chairs in Africa and African Virtual UNITWIN Research and Training Network Pages 178-179

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NGOs and information managers trained in website publishing and management and on operations of virtual networks, as well as on the creation and uploading of electronic content in the substantive areas of the project (human rights, democracy, good governance, gender issues and peace)

• Trained Chair members and specialists from research institutes, universities and NGO’s as well as one information manager based at the UNESCO Dakar Office on the use of SPIP software for web page publishing.

• The training was provided, but to a limited number of people. The training would need to be longer and involve more people to effectively involve many of the Chairs more actively in the web page publishing. There is the constraint of overall workload they have, not enough ready access to computers, and a non-prioritization of new technologies in their academic and teaching tasks.

• Challenges: Mobilizing additional resources to allow training in web page publishing, and promoting the use of collaborative platforms to more university professors, teachers, students as well as to human rights NGOs. This would also ideally include some assistance for purchasing equipment and software.

Interaction and cooperation among UNESCO Chairs strengthened and synergies realized in social sciences, communication and education

• Strengthened cooperation among UNESCO Chairs and associated research institutions as well as with other partners, including national human rights institutions, through the Regional Electronic Network and face-to-face scientific conferences.

• Challenges: Maintaining a dynamic, updated website, and making sure that the necessary human and financial resources are there to help this take place.

• Successes: Work being undertaken in African universities on human rights, democracy, equality of women, and a culture of peace is becoming more visible through the World Wide Web.

Feasibility study on African Virtual UNITWIN Research and Teaching Network conducted

• Feasibility study conducted; however, at this stage it is too costly to embark on a specific programme of regional on line teaching. Other facilities can be used, such as the AUF programmes.

• The feasibility was studied, however it was considered difficult to create a virtual network on teaching at this stage, and decided rather to concentrate on research, web publishing and advocacy together with exchanging information on teaching programmes.

• Challenges: Finding adequate funding, if funds were available it would still be of great interest to arrange a course on how to create inter-active teaching programmes/materials around one specific area to begin with, for instance on economic, social and cultural rights, or on peace and conflict resolution.

Extrabudgetary resources/Contributions of field offices to the achievement of results This project was implemented from the field, with the team leader being the Regional Adviser for Social and Human Sciences, UNESCO Dakar Office and the Deputy Leader the Director of the UNESCO Bamako Office.

Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – The contribution of ICTs to the development of education, science and culture and the construction of a knowledge society 04521: ICTs for World Heritage preservation and promotion Pages 216

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Title of element/unit 04521 ICTs for World Heritage preservation and promotion


Objectives The project aims to use modern information and communication technologies to engage young people in preservation and promotion of the world heritage and sustainable development of the environment. Likewise the project will, with the help of modern ICTs, foster cross-cultural communication on World Heritage issues among the countries of Northern and Central Europe and Asia that are located in the area of three seas, the Baltic, Black and Caspian Seas.


Expected results Common informational and educational space developed on the World Heritage for sustainable development in the countries of the Baltic, Black and Caspian Seas

Results achieved • Workshop to launch the cross-cutting intersectoral project “The Great

Volga River Route-Uniting the Seas (Baltic, Black and Caspian Seas)” in favour of World Heritage Education for Sustainable Development with the Support of ICTs (October 2004, Kazan, Republic of Tatarstan, Russian Federation).



Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – The contribution of ICTs to the development of education, science and culture and the construction of a knowledge society 04521: ICTs for World Heritage preservation and promotion Pages 216

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Young people involved in the protection of the world and national heritage

• World Heritage in Young Hands website up and running at the following web address: http://whc.unesco.org/education.

• About 100 teachers and students trained through workshops/forums including: (i) an International Workshop on World Heritage Educational Multimedia Resource Material (March 2005), Pont du Gard, France; (ii) Youth Forum on Sustainable Development and World Heritage: Cultural Implications in Helsinki (Finland, June 2005); (iii) Workshop on Sustainable Development and World Heritage: Preservation of the Environment in Bucharest, Romania (July 2005); and (iv) Workshop “The Great Volga River Route: A scientific approach – ASPnet schools, scientists and World Heritage experts working together” in Novorossiysk, Russian Federation (November 2005).

• A booklet of selected World Heritage sites and biosphere reserves has been produced in both printed and electronic versions; 40 specific projects have been launched at the national level.

• Two episodes of the cartoon series Patrimonito’s World Heritage Adventures on Urnes Church, Norway and the Sub-Antarctic Islands, New Zealand, have been completed.

• Preparation of a prototype CD-

ROM entitled World Heritage Educational Multimedia Material – Many countries and cultures = one common universal civilization” is in production.

Best practices on heritage nomination files prepared and disseminated through new information and communication technologies

• A number of nomination files have been scanned and are available for consultation online, during the session of the World Heritage.

• New Nomination format available to all States Parties online on the World Heritage Centre website.

• A searchable online database of World Heritage Committee Decisions is available online since April 2005, and facilitates the follow-up of the implementation of the Decisions (including on Nominations) by all States Parties.

Extrabudgetary resources/Contributions of field offices to the achievement of results Extrabudgetary funding (Norwegian FIT) served for achieving expected result No. 2: activities 2, 3 and 4. Total amount: $93,000. The UNESCO Moscow Office has prepared the website and participated in the organization and facilitation of workshops for 04521 Culture CCT.

http://whc.unesco.org/education

Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – The contribution of ICTs to the development of education, science and culture and the construction of a knowledge society 04522: DIGI-ARTS subportal/UNESCO knowledge portal Pages 216

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Title of element/unit 04522 DIGI-ARTS subportal/UNESCO knowledge portal


Objectives The DIGI-ARTS project, an Internet subportal that will serve artists, in particular adolescents and young people, aims to promote creativity, cultural and artistic diversity and intercultural dialogue. The site was set up in the previous biennium as part of the UNESCO knowledge portal. In the second phase, the aim of the project will be to build cultural self-development capacities and capacities for expression and exchanges in the field of digital creation.

Strategies/Implementation In particular, the activities will seek to: (i) create a facility for artistic creativity for a network of young people, the “Young Digital Creators”, in order to promote exchanges on major themes such as war and peace, ethics and tolerance, ecology and environment, etc.; (ii) establish a programme of seminars and workshops broadcast online through the e-learning system; and (iii) strengthen the international exchange network and the information centre on digital arts research and history.


Expected results Network for the encouragement of dialogue among young people from different geocultural regions on the main themes promoted by UNESCO established and operational

Results achieved • Two sessions (2004 and 2005) of the Young Digital Creators (YDC)

programmes on water, HIV/AIDS and urbanization organized with the participation of over 130 schools (ASPnet), training centres and youth clubs from different regions; HIV/AIDS web programme for Caribbean youth in development.

• Fourth YDC programme “Digital Storytelling: The History and Culture of Peace in Africa” created and launched at WSIS, Tunis, 2005; pilot version of YDC educators resource kit elaborated; Arabic and Hebrew version of the step-by-step lesson plans of the YDC programme “scenes and sounds of my city” prepared.

• First training session of YDC “sound of our water” programme, aimed at raising the awareness on issues critical to water through digital art and technology among young people in the Gulf region.


Lessons learned, success factors and challenges • The “virtual library” section of the

portal provides users with major publications related to art, science and technology, while as the “regional directories” map a network of institutions in the field of activities of training and research, also comprised of biographies and websites for digital artists.

Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – The contribution of ICTs to the development of education, science and culture and the construction of a knowledge society 04522: DIGI-ARTS subportal/UNESCO knowledge portal Pages 216

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Artists and young people trained in the field of digital arts, in particular through an e-learning system, and access to specific and diversified regional content

• More than 1,500 students participated in three seminars on theory/practice of media arts (in English and Spanish). Online courses developed/held worldwide, including: (i) 44 online courses and tutorials on creative digital tools in French, Spanish and Chinese; (ii) “Master classes on Arts, Design and Technology in the Arab States”, targeting 65 post-graduate students with the support of an interregional networking panel of academic institutions; practical seminar for beginners on a step-by-step approach to creating a short electroacoustic piece.

• Launching and delivery of UNESCO Digital Arts Award 2005 on the theme of “City and Creative Media”, especially targeting digital artistic communities in recognizing their creative digital practices and the development of cultural content.

Decentralized networks of specialists and institutions working in the field of digital creation established.

• Extension of a content-specific African network of actors engaged in ICT-based arts and creative industries; workshop on “networking activities in digital arts for Africa and future developments” organized at Ars Electronica 2005 (September 2005, Linz) with the participation of cultural actors representing institutions in Africa.

• Production, launching and distribution of DIGI-ARTS Africa Infopack, an online and offline communicational tool serving as the networking backbone to building relations between role players in various interdisciplinary research and activities related to digital cultural practices in Africa.

Extrabudgetary resources/Contributions of field offices to the achievement of results In support of the DIGI-ARTS project development, the Government of Republic of Korea has provided extrabudgetary fund resources of $30,000, enabling the reinforcement of human resources (supernumerary professional services P2) during June–November 2004. Field offices were actively involved in the implementation of the project. The Havana Office has undertaken the development of a post-graduate module on media arts. The CI and ED unit of the Beirut Office helped in the creation of the “Master module on Art, Design, and Technology in the Arab States”. The Bamako Office launched the programme “History of Africa and culture of peace” at WSIS. The development of a YDC educators’ resource kit and a Caribbean youth-friendly web application on “culture and HIV/AIDS” by the Kingston Office is in process. Collaborative initiatives in the field of Art, science and technology were led by the Doha and Rabat Offices, especially training and the production of a booklet on water.

Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – The contribution of ICTs to the development of education, science and culture and the construction of a knowledge society 05521 ICTs helping to fight HIV/AIDS: changing young people’s behaviour through preventive education schemes Pages 248-249

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Title of element/unit 05521 ICTs helping to fight HIV/AIDS: changing young people’s behaviour through preventive education schemes

Inputs/Funding Regular budget $200,000; Extrabudgetary $90,000

Objectives The project aims at increasing awareness of HIV/AIDS prevention among young people, based on the new possibilities offered by information and communication technologies (ICTs). It will promote access to comprehensive and reliable youth-friendly information in quest of behavioural changes. Furthermore, it will seek to encourage a spirit of analysis on the part of the youth involved on how to use ICTs more actively in the fight against HIV/AIDS and turning these recommendations into concrete preventive actions. Youth-led, youth-servicing non-governmental organizations and volunteers will be involved in HIV/AIDS preventive activities with the use of ICTs – e.g. collecting materials, creating web pages related to the topic, contacting volunteers with people in need through the Internet.

Strategies/Implementation The strategy included: (i) design and implementation of information and communication schemes allowing to reach and involve in preventive activities a large number of young people from affected areas; (ii) encouraging governmental and non-governmental organizations to commit to the HIV/AIDS preventive work and non-formal educational schemes through improved use of ICTs – e.g. capacity-building, collecting materials, elaborating databases, creating web pages related to the topic, launching interactive debates and forums, etc.; and (iii) empowering youth leaders and enabling them to better coordinate their messages and research with reliable information concerning means and resources to facilitate efficient HIV/AIDS prevention.

Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – The contribution of ICTs to the development of education, science and culture and the construction of a knowledge society 05521 ICTs helping to fight HIV/AIDS: changing young people’s behaviour through preventive education schemes Pages 248-249

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Expected result Information packages and training schemes for improving HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention adapted to regional contexts and disseminated among disadvantaged youth; youth-friendly websites and youth information centres created and partnerships developed with existing Internet cafes and other meeting points; information on HIV/AIDS, including best preventive practices and experiences prepared and disseminated through traditional media and ICTs.

Results achieved • (i) Youth leaders trained in ICT skills and youth information centres

and networks developed in Burkina Faso, Congo, Mozambique, United Republic of Tanzania, Nicaragua and Bulgaria; (ii) websites on HIV/AIDS prevention set up in Bulgaria and United Republic of Tanzania and one launched for French-speaking countries (http://www.sida-jeunes.org/); (iii) first virtual library for texts on HIV/AIDS and youth participation and prevention in Latin America produced on CD-ROM and made available online: http://www.iniciativalatinoamericana.org/bv/); various info-materials (CD-ROM, books, leaflets, radio and television programmes) developed in the project countries.

• More than 40,000 young people sensitized about the risks of HIV/AIDS and its prevention.

• Access to preventive information for young people improved through a subregional initiative (Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras and Panama); six television programmes on HIV/AIDS prevention and the role of youth produced (in more than 1,000 copies) and broadcast on major television channels and on the Internet; eight training workshops in ICT skills organized, as well as four electronic forums ensuring interactive communication of youth at national level and one regional videoconference.

• Within the framework of the UNESCO - UNAIDS Youth Initiative on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights, a subregional training workshop on human rights and HIV/AIDS for youth was organized in February 2005, in Lima, Peru (http://ar.geocities.com/jovihde/inicio.html). A training session on communication and media for the participants took place on this occasion.

Results not achieved • All Expected results were

duly achieved during the biennium.

Lessons learned, success factors and challenges • Young people are among the most affected worldwide

by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. In the light of the UNGASS Declaration and its targets to contain the spread of the epidemic, awareness-raising campaigns directed to youth, supported by non-formal education and increased access to information sources emerged as an essential preventive element and a central pre-condition for reducing the prevalence of HIV/AIDS among youth.

• Through the implementation of this CCT project, good potential and capacity to work in an intersectoral manner was demonstrated. This could be a strong factor for creating further synergies in other regular programme activities.

• The cooperation with field offices proved to be quite successful when a clear definition of objectives, expectations and responsibilities with respect to the proposed activities was fixed by the team.

• Finally, team work provided an excellent framework for complementarity – for successfully covering areas in the competence of the different sectors and units.

Extrabudgetary resources/Contributions of field offices to the achievement of results Extrabudgetary funding was received from UNAIDS and other partners, such as the French Ministry of Youth and Sports. Moreover, a partnership on a co-funding basis was successfully developed with the World Bank to assess and strengthen the capacities of youth NGOs in Latin America to participate effectively in HIV/AIDS preventive activities.

http://www.iniciativalatinoamericana.org/bv/

http://ar.geocities.com/jovihde/inicio.html

http://www.sida-jeunes.org





Results-based report for: Projects relating to cross-cutting themes – The contribution of ICTs to the development of education, science and culture and the construction of a knowledge society 05522 Harnessing ICTs for the audiovisual industry and public service broadcasting in developing countries Pages 249

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05522: Harnessing ICTs for the audiovisual industry and public service broadcasting in developing countries

Inputs/Funding


Objectives

The project aims to advise developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America in the potentials of ICT-enhanced broadcasting, both in their audiovisual industry and public service broadcasting. Member States are supported in their international commitments and national policies in the audiovisual field and ICTs, by analysing current trends in broadcasting and formulating recommendations to the various partners involved. A second component of the project contributes to bridging the knowledge gap between developed and developing countries by providing capacity-building in broadcasting and audiovisual policy, and encouraging pilot innovative solutions. The third component concerns content development on major societal and development issues.


The project has two main components: (1) conducting research on broadcasting and audiovisual services worldwide and disseminating the results in order to foster debate at the national level among concerned ministries (communications, culture, trade) about the economic and cultural challenges of the AV industry; (2) develop a set of best practices of public service broadcasting which provides a concrete proposal to broadcasters particularly in developing countries of programming at the service of citizens.


Expected results Recommendations concerning broadcasting and audiovisual policies published, disseminated and discussed in regional and national forums; policy-makers from developing countries advised in broadcasting and audiovisual policy-making and strategy; awareness raised among local authorities on the importance of cultural diversity and its expression through ICTs. Production staff of broadcasters trained in ICT use; content produced and disseminated on major societal and development issues, including HIV/AIDS discrimination, human rights, tolerance and peace issues.

Results achieved • Six comprehensive studies on current international broadcasting

and audiovisual services and flows completed, revised, translated (English/French/Spanish) and edited for publication.

• Three subregional workshops organized (Bogotá, Dakar and Singapore) in order to disseminate the results of the studies and foster debate among culture/communication and trade sectors in each participating country.

• 200 audiovisual production proposals dealing with issues on human rights, peace, tolerance, MDGs, freedom of expression and intercultural communication studied and seven scripts representing all regions and genres selected to develop a set of AV best practices in PSB programming.

• Virtual training provided to the seven production teams selected during a one-year period.


Lessons learned, success factors and challenges • AV policies remain a major challenge and “terra

incognita” for many developing countries and should be dealt with in the context of international (and national) realities and contradictions. Developing countries, particularly LDCs often request for advice and guidance in this complex field.

• Intersectoral cooperation with CLT on the first component of the project and with SHS on the second one proved to be extremely useful and allowed to have a comprehensive approach to important issues with multidisciplinary implications.

• A face-to-face interaction with the production group would have facilitated the implementation of this project, particularly its content production component and at the stage of rough cut evaluation.

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• Seven selected scripts produced; seven resulting productions packaged in an internationally attractive kit to be distributed worldwide.

Extrabudgetary resources/Contributions of field offices to the achievement of results This CCT project was implemented in close contact with and the participation of the following field offices: Bangkok, Dakar, Quito and San José.

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05523: ICTs for intercultural dialogue and diversity: developing communication capacities of indigenous peoples

Inputs/Funding


Objectives

The globalization process increasingly puts at risk cultural resources of indigenous peoples. This project aims at preserving these resources through access to ICTs and indigenous content development. By fostering intercultural dialogue between marginalized indigenous peoples and other groups in both urban and rural settings, the use of ICTs will contribute to assert indigenous peoples’ identity, and fight discrimination. Additionally, this project will enable indigenous stakeholders to acquire greater mastery of ICTs, thus opening up opportunities for traditional and innovative income-generating activities.


These include: - training indigenous communities in the use of ICTs for the generation of audiovisual content; - production of audiovisual content reflecting indigenous viewpoints and cultures; - dissemination of content produced by indigenous populations at the national, regional and international levels contributing to the dialogue among cultures and civilizations.


Expected results Indigenous community leaders trained in ICT use; indigenous cultural content produced for television, radio and new media; awareness raised at national and international levels about indigenous creativity and about the importance of cultural diversity expressed through ICTs.

Results achieved • 10 young Quechuas trained in audiovisual production; eight

documentaries produced by the trainees and broadcast and showcased locally and internationally.

• 15 Lecos, Tsimanes, Esse Ejjas, Mosetenes, Tacanas, Baures and Aymaras of Bolivia trained; one fiction and four documentaries produced by the trainees and showcased locally and internationally.

• Six Bakoya (Pygmies) of Gabon trained and several pilot documentaries compiled into one collective 45-minute documentary and video clips produced.

• Feasibility study on setting up of an ICT centre carried out; local Himba leaders trained in ICT used, particularly audiovisual production and archiving; one pilot linear DVD produced on Himba land and history.


Lessons learned, success factors and challenges • The “indigenous” concept is not understood and

accepted by all countries and becomes easily politicized even for the most well-intentioned and neutral initiatives.

• Some indigenous communities have established strong associations and institutions which truly represent their interests. Some are still far from achieving this and may sometimes be “represented” by individuals or groups who are not really involved in the life of the community and may not serve their interests in the long run.

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• San community members trained in cultural management and “immersive photography” techniques; San audiovisual archives integrated into an interactive “living archive” DVD.

• An evaluation of the project was launched, conducted by the Faculty of Information Technology at the University of Technology in Sydney (Australia); evaluation work started with the conception of a questionnaire which was then distributed to participating indigenous trainees and project leaders.

• The final evaluation shall be ready for release in early 2006.

• Indigenous peoples are often considered as an “object” of interest but not as a source of information and viewpoints. In order to generate media messages successfully, indigenous media professionals need to develop and apply the highest quality standards, which will in turn help fight the stereotypes which lead mainstream media and the public at large to believe that indigenous content is mediocre or low quality.

Extrabudgetary resources/Contributions of field offices to the achievement of results This CCT project was implemented with the active participation of the following field offices: Delhi, Havana, Libreville and Quito. The Faculty of Information Technology at the University of Technology in Sydney (Australia) has contributed in kind to the evaluation of this project, representing an amount of $26,020.

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Title of element/unit 05524: E-campus – Improving open distance learning

Inputs/Funding Regular budget activities: $300,000

Objectives The main goal of this project is to accelerate the adoption and best use of ICT-assisted Open Distance Learning (ODL) as a crucial pillar of the virtual university concept. It will be anchored in the Mediterranean, Africa, Asia and Latin America in cooperation with universities and open distance learning providers. The project has three objectives: (i) to establish common standards and to assure quality control for the development of feasibility studies in Africa and Asia prepared ODL modules; (ii) to build up a public domain virtual library of ODL modules; and (iii) to establish centres providing technical and methodological support and training in ODL. It draws on the experience of the last biennium’s “virtual universities” project and interrelates with the EU Avicenna project in the Mediterranean area and the project of the establishment of an international Guide for the Creation of Electronic Theses proposed to UNESCO by a consortium of four universities in Canada, Chile, Germany and France.


Expected results Distance training materials developed, adapted and translated; university digital libraries established; feasibility studies in Africa and Asia prepared; ODL methods and guidelines accessible online and offline; ODL support and training centres in Africa, Asia and Latin America established; staff capacities improved to develop and provide ODL services; quality insurance criteria adopted; international Guide for the Creation of Electronic Theses elaborated and disseminated.

Results achieved • Mapping, surveys, feasibility studies: (i) mapping study on e-

campus in 10 countries: Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe; (ii) survey on distance learning in 12 countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo; (iii) survey on distance education in Brazil; (iv) feasibility study for the creation of university curricula on e-learning in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea, Argentina and Venezuela.

• Methodology and capacity-building: (i) model for Great Mekong Subregion VU (GMS-VU); (ii) training unit to e-learning set up and 23 staff from five higher education institutions trained in DRC.

Results not achieved • The International Guide for the

Creation of Electronic Theses could not be produced.

Lessons learned, success factors and challenges • E-campus projects and projects related to ICT for

education require a multidisciplinary approach and therefore intersectoral teams with competencies in ICT, higher education, teacher training, correspond to the nature of projects.

• Field offices enable project to comply with local specificity and requirements.

• The role of Headquarters is to give a broad and coherent view and approach.

• Administrative processes of CCT project do not correspond to the organizational structure of UNESCO, which implies some increase of administrative workload and complexity.

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• Training centres, capacity-building and international partnership: (i) CEEVU: Armenia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Ukraine; (ii) GMS-VU: Cambodia, China, Lao DPR, Myanmar, Thailand, Viet Nam, in partnership with Belgium and Denmark; (iii) Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, in partnership with the University of Strasbourg (France); (iv) UNESCO Chairs in distance education networked in Brazil; and partnership of VIRTUS (digital library of courses and theses in Brazil) established with Cape Verde and Angola.

• Technical development: (i) e-campus platform from the University of Strasbourg established in CA (Moodle based, and other open source software); (ii) localization of e-distance learning platform in South-East Asia (VClass) improved; (iii) education blocks e-learning platform model (Mexico).

Extrabudgetary resources/Contributions of field offices to the achievement of results 1. Resources employed:

RDC: extrabudgetary resources for the e-learning platform from the United States funds Perspectives for Central Asia for 2006-2008: project proposal to the Tempus Taccis Programme of the European Commission.

2. UNESCO Offices in Almaty, Accra, Nairobi, Kinshasa, New Delhi and Tehran contributed actively to the achievement of results, and especially partnership establishment, coordination of CA partners and

technical issues.

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Title of element/unit 05525: Preserving our digital heritage


Objectives With the emerging information society, more and more knowledge resources are distributed and stored in digital form. This project aims at the preservation and lasting accessibility of multilingual and multicultural digital heritage. It builds on UNESCO’s campaign for the preservation of the world’s digital heritage launched under the previous biennium that resulted in the development of technical guidelines, the preparation of a Draft Charter and raising awareness of a range of stakeholders. The objective is to launch a number of pilot projects for digital preservation worldwide, to focus on capacity-building through a series of regional training workshops and to foster the implementation of principles contained in the international Charter.


Expected result Demonstration projects in digital preservation implemented; experts trained in digital preservation project management; countries supported in formulating national policies pertaining to digital heritage.

Results achieved • More than 550 experts in developing countries trained in long-term

preservation of, and access to, digital heritage through: (a) a regional workshop on the Preservation of Electronic Materials in Asia and the Pacific, held in Kuala Lumpur (December 2004); (b) a workshop on Preservation of and Open Access to Digital Scientific Data, held in Beijing, in cooperation with CODATA and the Chinese Academy of Science (June 2004); (c) an international seminar on Electronic Records: From Current Use to Digital Memory held in Tunis (May 2005); (d) a regional workshop on preserving digital heritage for archivists from the countries of the Bangkok cluster; and (e) a workshop on preservation of digital heritage for 40 Caribbean participants held in Kingston, in cooperation with the ITC4D Jamaica NGO (July 2005).

• Over 100 participants from Andean countries (Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela and Chile), sensitized to digital heritage through a seminar at the National Library and the National Archive of Colombia (November 2005).

• A study on the current practices and policies for the selection, digitization storage preservation and provision of access to digital

Results not achieved • No pilot projects were

implemented due to insufficient funding.

Lessons learned, success factors and challenges • The course in Jamaica was based on a model

course held in Rio de Janeiro in December 2003. They were both building on the UNESCO Guidelines for Preservation of Digital Heritage.

• Implementation of the project was greatly enhanced when benefiting from strong commitment of local partners, when support by line ministry was available, and when the activities were clearly in line with national development policies and strategies.

• Good relationship with counterparts contributed to smoother progress and timely actions.

• As a result of a feasibility study carried out in 2004, a proposal for the creation of a UNESCO Chair on the Preservation of Digital Heritage to be located at the Technological University of Panama, is being considered.

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content created by public and public-supported institutions in Botswana, Ethiopia and South Africa was launched in September 2005; it aims at (i) assessing the situation regarding preservation of information through both traditional and digital options; and (ii) making recommendations on policy orientations and the development of a national preservation plan.

• A study was conducted at the Institute of Ethiopian Studies (IES) to assess the conservation needs for safeguarding its documentary and iconic collections, provision of staff training and acquiring equipment for the digitization. Based on its results, a project to digitize 1,000 photographs in the IES collections has been launched and is expected to take place over a 12-month period.

• The meeting of the three teams has been rescheduled for January 2006. National consultative workshops to share the recommendations with policy-makers and professionals are expected to take place by March 2006.

• On completion, the selected photographs will be made available via the Internet and on CD-ROM to scholars and researchers. Staff are being trained, photographs inventoried and identified, and the original photos along with their housing preserved. The IES collection contains approximately 38,000 photos some of which date back to 1850.

Extrabudgetary resources/Contributions of field offices to the achievement of results A number of projects (mainly capacity-building) funded by IFAP in 2004 and 2005 are being implemented. An agreement was reached with the Central Bank of Ecuador for the production, in February 2006, of an interactive self-training tutorial based on the UNESCO Guidelines for the Preservation of Digital Heritage. The course material is being prepared in PHP and HTML for publication on the Internet. This project is closely linked to the project of “Testing Guidelines for the Preservation of Digital Heritage”.

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Title of element/unit 05526: ICT-supported distance education for secondary schools in Asia, Africa and Latin America

Inputs/Funding


Objectives

The main goal of this project is to develop and launch successful ICT course delivery systems to secondary schools and community centres in Asia and Africa, thus providing opportunities for better learning to students in disadvantaged areas. The project will concentrate on the production and promotion of (open source-based) alternative models and methodologies of course delivery in secondary education, South-South experience sharing and the gender perspective. It will draw on the Dakar Framework for Action, the conclusions of the Inter-Agency Consultative Group on Secondary Education and Youth Affairs, the Information for All Programme (IFAP) and the UNESCO INFOYOUTH Programme.


The project has global coverage and outreach linking sites in Africa (Namibia), Asia (Kazakhstan) and Latin America (Ecuador). The aim is to innovate and test different Open and Distance Learning (ODL) approaches and systems at the secondary school level around the world and identify the most sustainable ODL modes for each region. The project is an operational intervention at the country level. The methodology is guided by the UNESCO “Information and Communication Technology in Education” series. The objective is to bring concrete benefits for marginalized population. Hence, the four main questions about the ODL system in construction, are: (i) is it accessible? (ii) is it appropriate? (iii) is it accredited? and (iv) is it affordable?


Expected results Functional ICT-based delivery systems established; recommendations on effective ICT-supported distance education delivery models and methodologies for secondary schools in disadvantaged areas produced and disseminated; quality-distance education course delivered; student-centred teaching and active learning stimulated.

Results achieved • Educational decision-makers, practitioners, researchers and IT

professionals in Ecuador, Kazakhstan and Namibia are constructing the ICT-based education delivery system which is accessible, appropriate and affordable for students in rural areas, school drop-outs and unemployed adults without secondary school qualifications. Nationwide needs surveys were followed by capacity-building efforts which include: awareness raising among educational decision-makers and training of trainers, tutors, content developers, area coordinators and learners in the pilot centres in each country. Project materials are being disseminated in local languages through the LINUX-based Open Educational Resource database of instructional materials, e-learning courses and CD-ROMs.

Results not achieved • It is not yet possible to talk

about the establishment of one common “interoperable” ODL system for all sites because of the different network archi-tecture, language, managerial structure, data formats and standards historically available in each site. However, through identifying similarities and establishing a good information exchange network, in-depth research into the “features” of the universal ODL platform is possible.

Lessons learned, success factors and challenges • It is the first time that such a multilingual (English,

Russian/Kazak, Spanish and Mongol) and coordinated initiative in the area of alternative modes of educational delivery has been conducted by UNESCO. This experience needs to be mainstreamed into the flow of information about ODL worldwide which is generated by the Bangkok Regional Office and UNESCO Headquarters.

• The issue of Learning Management System (LMS) is a key to every ODL initiative, notwithstanding its geographical location. The experience of launching ODL system in the three countries led to the following conclusions: (a) there is no such thing as a free LMS.


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• Specific results by country included:

(i) in Ecuador: construction of a high school programme (Baccalaureate) delivered online to the marginalized and the poor; partnerships and strategic alliances established with the Foundation UVIA and the “Working Boy” programme of the Ministry of Social Welfare and Fundación Pro-niño; provincial governments, NGOs and private companies; trainers, tutors and teachers being trained;

(ii) in Namibia: the project builds on the previous television and correspondence-based courses developed by the Namibia College for Open Learning (NAMCOL) to produce the next generation of ODL using ICT. There are some 80 NAMCOL face-to-face tutorial centres throughout Namibia. After the joint assessment study, conducted with the South African Institute for Distance Education (SAIDE) the NAMCOL Computer-Based Learning Centre (CBLC) trained the Area Coordinators/Subject Tutors, and they cascaded basic ICT training to learners. Storyboards were prepared and converted into web-based lessons with blended solutions, using mainly Flash and Dreamweaver. Courseware was posted on the NAMCOL website and distributed on CD-ROMs to learners.

• An external evaluation carried out one and a half year after the beginning of the project, found that the NAMCOL staff gained valuable skills in producing and testing web-based course materials. NAMCOL’s reputation as a high quality service provider in education was enhanced through this project.

• In Kazakhstan, project is directed at students in remote areas. Partners are the Ministry of Education and Science of Kazakhstan and the Republican Centre for Informatization of Education, local researchers and practitioners. The project included: (a) needs assessment by an ODL expert from the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg; (b) development of the ODL concept, courseware methodology and the prototype system; (c) building of the nation-wide consensus on the ODL standards and principles; (d) training of trainers from five pilot sites in rural regions; and (e) seeking ways to lower Internet tariffs for non-profit activities.

• LINUX was selected as the operating system, and Moodle as the software for the LMS. The instructional materials and training courses adapted to local conditions are available through the Open Educational Resource database. The training courses are ongoing in selected provinces of Kazakhstan.

Countries should be aware of consultants who resell so-called “free” LMS. In other cases, companies may disguise costs of LMS and courseware development for future commercialization by asking donor organizations to provide scholarships to poor students to access the courseware; (b) LMS is not endemic to each country. Despite language and cultural differences, all participating countries choose more or less the same basic set of components in the LMS and course delivery modes.

• A number of challenges remain. Problems with Internet access at times hindered communication between learners and online tutors. Training in blended solutions was not sufficient and developers initially struggled to use it effectively in developing web-based materials. The storyboard developers and the production team had to struggle against the clock with complex Internet searches for appropriate material and their existing workload, etc. This in turn impacted on web-based materials not being fully controlled for quality.

• It is recommended that training for content developers and production team involve all aspects in creating interactive e-learning materials; full-time staff be employed for the purposes of searching for information for course materials and coordination of all web-based learning; external evaluation systems be put in place for quality control purposes of all web-based materials before uploading it on the website.

• A set of guidelines, standards and laws are being developed which should constitute a normative base for the establishment of ODL system in Kazakhstan.

• Once initial costs of the development of LMS are borne, it can be distributed upon request to ODL institutions. The project can be legitimately considered as an initial investment in the ODL R&D. To ensure that this investment leaves its trace, there is a need for a strategic decision to further invest in synthesis of those ODL systems developed in those countries and production of the short LMS and courseware development software.


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• To conclude, the milestone results have been achieved so far are: (i) thorough needs assessments conducted; (ii) ODL institutions’ capacity reinforced through training of trainers, tutors and learners, and scholarships granted to learners (Ecuador); (iii) contents developed (see Physics CD-ROM – Namibia); (iv) donation of equipment (15 computers – Kazakhstan); (v) profile and needs of learners’ refined low-income, rural and disadvantaged groups; (vi) quality control and monitoring (Manual from Namibia); and (vii) clear steps for expanding beyond pilot stage (in 2006-2007).

Extrabudgetary resources/Contributions of field offices to the achievement of results - Proposal to AfDB with ERC’s assistance for SADC ODL initiatives (Africa). - Other links explored: “Asia Link” and the six Framework Programme of the European Commission; KERIS (Korean Education and Research Information Service); Microsoft (after recent partnership agreement);

Commonwealth of Learning (COL). - Alignment with national education programmes: “ICT Vision 2010” (Kazakhstan); Namibian ICT for education Strategic Plan; Mongolia’s “Learning for Life” project.

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Title of element/unit 05528: Strengthening telecentres in Central America


Objectives One of the main objectives of this project is to promote subregional agreements to apply technical, economic and professional criteria for the development, strengthening and cooperation between telecentres. The centres play a major role in giving poor and marginal populations access to new information and communication technologies in Central America. The project will also contribute to establish and execute national policies for the establishment, financing and evaluation of telecentres, facilitate research and evaluate the development and impact of telecentres in the region.


The main objective of the project was to promote national policies for the establishment, financing and evaluation of telecentres, facilitate research on the development and impact of telecentres in the region. The first action was to develop a network of contacts related with telecentres (also called “infocentros” or “infoplazas”) in order to get a clear vision of the situation at national and regional level. Also, with the cooperation of partners, to get access to studies, declarations and other relevant documents of interest.

Two regional meetings with main actors at national and regional level were subsequently held in San Salvador, El Salvador and Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala, in order to (i) review the situation, advances, considerations and the vision of national governments of Central America concerning follow-up to WSIS; and (ii) to receive direct inputs of telecentres operators, members of national networks, representatives of national science and technology councils and from institutions in charge of telecommunication regulations. After the Guatemala’s meeting, where the themes of the final studies were validated, international consultants were involved in the preparation of documents on national and regional regulations about telecentres, technical and financial sustainability, creation of contents, connectivity indicators in rural sectors in Central America and a policy proposal for the creation, development and evaluation of telecentres. The results were presented to relevant partners and actors in the field of ICTs, including the directors of UNESCO Chairs on communication of Panama, Mexico and Guatemala.


Expected results Common Central American strategy formulated for the establishment, development, financing and evaluation of telecentres; Subregional technical, organizational, administrative and financial model for telecentres developed;

Results achieved • A National Policy Framework for the establishment, development,

financing and evaluation of the telecentres was formulated and presented.

• The Organization promoted the follow-up of the Action Plan and Declaration of Santo Domingo1 and the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity in relation to the creation of local contents in telecentres.


Lessons learned, success factors and challenges • ICTs are important tools to carry out projects in

support of development, especially in rural and marginalized communities. In this regard, telecentres are fundamental instruments to access and receive services as basic education, health, as well as to process administrative requirements.

1 The Action Plan and the Declaration of Santo Domingo were the final documents prepared by the participants of the International Forum on Local Cultural Expression and Communication, held in

Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) in November 2003.

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National policies for the establishment, development, financing, and evaluation of the telecentres formulated and disseminated.

• UNESCO fostered its relationships with the main actors, organizations and associations involved in telecentres and obtained the creation and exchange of documents regarding ICTs.

• A network for exchanging information related to telecentres, infoplazas, infocentros and CMCs was created with the participation of governmental institutions, NGOs, community initiatives and other organizations engaged.

• UNESCO is recognized as an important partner in activities related to ICTs uses and applications as well as the ethical, social, economical and cultural implications of the “knowledge societies”.

• Common Central American guidelines for the establishment, development, sustainability and evaluation of telecentres.

• Cultural diversity is another important factor to take into consideration, as is the need to improve the participation of indigenous people, women and youth in these initiatives.

• Coordination between the telecentres operators and networks, national institutions in charge of telecommunication regulations and national councils of science and technology is another key issue.

• Connectivity and ICT costs – especially infrastructure – in Central America is a big challenge, requiring more synergies and alliances between public and commercial sectors, and participation of universities and academic centres. Efforts focused on promoting cooperation between main actors in the region, trying to achieve a common vision and common strategies for telecentres development in the region.

• A success external factor that contributed to the development of the project were the discussions and debates held at the national, subregional and regional levels for the preparations of WSIS Phase II, in which UNESCO took an active part.

Extrabudgetary resources/Contributions of field offices to the achievement of results Headquarters provided some inputs and guidelines concerning ICT applications and Community Multimedia Centres. The UNESCO Office in Guatemala collaborated in preparation of the second regional encounter held in Guatemala City in November 2005.

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Title of element/unit 05529: Free open source software for information processing and education


Objectives Building on UNESCO’s Free Software Portal, the main goal of the project is to promote and encourage use of free open source software in the Organization’s fields of competence and to contribute to their development and distribution as “global public goods” serving UNESCO’s Member States. A web-based collaborative working environment will catalyse and coordinate the production and dissemination free of charge of selected UNESCO open source tools for processing information, communicating knowledge and facilitating education. The whole development is based on the “Open Source Software/Free Software” (OSSFS) development model, thus encouraging international solidarity, collaboration and voluntary community work among institutions, programmers and computer users.


Expected results UNESCO Free Software Portal consolidated in harmony with UNESCO’s fields of competence, extended and made available in several languages; awareness raised about free software as a technical and economical viable alternative to the use of proprietary software; mechanisms for the OSSFS development of UNESCO software projects established; software development plan, architecture and design documents published; source code of all software tools available.

Results achieved • The UNESCO Free Software Portal has been improved and extended,

thus increasing its popularity.

• Awareness about Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) and visibility of UNESCO increased through the organization of two international workshops on (a) “Economic Evaluation of Free and Open Source Software Solutions for African Education” and (b) “Free and Open Source Software for Information Processing and Education in the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP): Experiences, Opportunities and Strategies”; and support for the second Latin American and Caribbean conference of free software developers and users (LACFREE 2005), in Brazil.

• Mechanisms for the FOSS development of UNESCO software projects established by launching the initiation phase of the OpenIDAMS; the development of CDS/ISIS Open Source applications for Internet ISIS database handling and library management respectively; and Partnership between the National Informatics Centre in New Delhi, UNESCO and OneWorld Knowledge Network to develop a new software tool – to be called Open eNRICH – for the creation and exchange of locally relevant knowledge within and among communities.


Lessons learned, success factors and challenges • Lessons learned: Commercial solutions have led

the world learning and research communities to use software products of a handful software companies, preventing them from software development and applications to real local needs. To change such trends, UNESCO should pursue its efforts to increase awareness of FOSS solutions in collaboration with FOSS partners.

• Illegal reproduction of software is subject to penalties. However, legal and ethical measurements are not sufficient to prevent successfully such practices in many countries. FOSS offer constructive ways of reducing illegal reproduction of software and protect human right of the world learning and research communities. More importantly FOSS stimulates ream talents of software development among grassroots populations as shown by the case of India.

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• Maya Language Writer for OpenOffice developed in Spanish and the library automation software GNUTeca finalized in Spanish; support provided to the “Chinese Information Bridge pilot project” aimed at putting in place an “information box” with Internet link to a central system, where up-to-date information on topics of interest to rural women are stored.

• Four-day training workshop on Greenstone Digital Library organized by the Beijing office in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (November 2005).

• Success factors: in 2005-2006, thanks to governments’ active involvement and support to FOSS, the Latin America and the Caribbean region became one of the leading continents in understanding the potential of FOSS and replacing commercial software solutions by FOSS. Region-wide conferences LACFREE I and II on FOSS have been good evidence showing to what extent the governments did devote their time and efforts to FOSS issues.

• Challenges: Financial constraints are one of the major challenges. Although FOSS is literally free and open, successful applications of best FOSS solutions to local needs should be based on in-depth research, testing, training, application to meet real local software environments, which require funding. Issues related to copyright of software by some local end-users should also be addressed.

Extrabudgetary resources/Contributions of field offices to the achievement of results • Contribution to a documentary on “Software for Development: Documentary and Case Studies” to be produced by UNDP-APDIP. • Further development of Greenstone Digital Library system to allow interoperability with the MIT DSPACE archiving system. • The Brazilian Government and several NGOs contributed in terms of human and financial resources to the organization of LACFREE 2005.

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Title of element/unit 05530: UNESCO knowledge portal


Objectives UNESCO has a key role to play as a global knowledge broker in its areas of competence, involving the gathering, transfer, dissemination and sharing of information, data, knowledge and best practices. The creation of a comprehensive Internet-based UNESCO knowledge portal initiated in the last biennium, shall serve as an entry point to a range of diversified knowledge put at the public disposal, as a public repository and as a means of action; the availability of a content-rich, diversified public domain tool is a key ingredient in the construction of knowledge societies. The UNESCO portal comprises several interactive thematic and sectoral subportals, including an education portal, the UNESCO/IOC Regional Ocean subportals, the Digi-Arts subportal, and the communication and information WebWorld subportal. The UNESCO knowledge portal offers access to a pool of information and data, especially from the public domain, on education, the sciences, culture and communication. The portal is supported through the web team of the Bureau of Public Information (BPI), which ensures consistency and overall content presentation, and a specifically designed technical infrastructure provided through the Division of Information Systems and Telecommunications (ADM/DIT).


Expected results A comprehensive, multidisciplinary knowledge portal with several subportals in UNESCO’s fields of competence and portal applications for the Organization’s stakeholder groups established and operational; increased access to information and data in the public domain in education, science, culture, communication and information provided; a clearing house/knowledge base of materials, research and best practices created; active participation of National Commissions and networking of national and international partners ensured, including parliamentarians, NGOs and the private sector; increased visibility of UNESCO’s programmes and activities worldwide promoted.

Results achieved • As foreseen, the main activities undertaken during this biennium are

about capacity-building and development of professionalism in order to improve impact, coherence and quality of the UNESCO portal content. A common culture of the UNESCO web portal is currently created through skills shared between all web workers (content providers and web editors at Headquarters and field offices).

• Four training modules have been developed with the help of an external company, for Headquarters and field staff: UNESCO and its web presence; Writing for the Web; Managing Web Content and Using the Content Management System.

• Staff training continued in July-December 2005 through the organization at Headquarters of 17 sessions for content providers and three for web editors with the results of 160 persons trained from all sectors. In the field, 85 persons from all field offices and institutes were trained through five-day workshops held in Dakar, Nairobi, Beirut, Moscow, Bangkok, Quito and Paris for institutes. E-learning modules are being released.

Results not achieved • National Commissions and

local stakeholders are not yet playing, at this stage of portal development, the expected role.

Lessons learned, success factors and challenges • There were a number of scattered initiatives, not

sufficiently rooted in programme implementation strategy.

• Top management support for a house-wide initiative is absolutely critical.

• Web mainstreamed projects are cost-effective in the sense that impact can easily be increased without reinventing tools, methods and templates.

• The user-driven adopted approach was instrumental for the mobilization process.

• The technical infrastructure was improved through the strengthening of the functional/technical architecture and the setting up of a higher degree of availability of hardware and software. An assessment of UNESCO portal technical platform was started with a world famous independent company and results and recommendations are expected to be available by March 2006.

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• Since October 2005, the UNESCO portal is online in six languages providing information and data about 150 UNESCO themes and UNESCO’s action in 191 Member States. The overall content is estimated at 1 million pages and 50,000 PDF documents. One million visitors per month (around 5 million pages viewed/month) consult the main parts of the portal.

Extrabudgetary resources/Contributions of field offices to the achievement of results Results were achieved through synergies from different sectors, field offices and institutes and more particularly through cost-sharing in which the budget allocated under the CCT-ICT served as seed money and leverage for mobilizing other resources mainly from BPI, HRM, BFC and DIT. Field units’ (field offices and institutes) engagement was critical in responding positively to the training proposals and in sending staff members to the week-long workshop regionally organized.

results achieved for the individual main lines of action...

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