Global LIFE Mid-term
Evaluation Report
2006-2011:
Looking Forward with
LIFE
(Literacy Initiative for Empowerment)
www.unesco.org/uil
Overview:
•
•
•
•
What is LIFE all about?
LIFE: mid-term evaluation (2006-11)
Progress in literacy rates
Implementation process of LIFE:
Achievements, challenges and lessons learned
• Major achievements and challenges with
regard to LIFE strategic objectives
• The value added by LIFE
• The way forward
What is LIFE all about?
 A ten-year framework of collaborative action (2006-2015)
 For enhancing and improving national literacy efforts in the
strategic areas for action on




advocacy
partnership-building
capacity-development for policy & empowering programmes
innovation and knowledge-sharing
 LIFE processes should be country-led and country-specific,
embedded in national policies and strategies
 Contribution to the achievement of EFA, UNLD, BFA, DESD &
MDGs
 Targets the 35 countries with literacy rates < 50% and/or a
population > 10 million reported to be non-literate
= 85% of the world‘s non-literate population
Contribute to the
achivement of the MDGs
Phase 1
Africa:
(18 + 1)
Mali,
Niger, Nigeria,
Senegal
Egypt,
Arab States: Morocco,
Yemen,
(6)
Sudan
Asia &
the Pacific:
(9)
Bangladesh
Pakistan
Latin America &
the Caribbean: Haiti
(2)
Phase 2
Phase 3 (*)
Benin, Burkina
Faso, Gambia,
Democratic
Republic of Congo,
Ethiopia,
Mozambique
Central African
Republic, Chad,
Djibouti, Eritrea,
Guinea, GuineaBissau,
Madagascar,
Sierra Leone
Mauritania
South Sudan (2011)
Iraq
Afghanistan,
China, India,
Indonesia,
Papua New
Guinea
Iran, Nepal
Brazil
(*) Phasing abolished 2008
The overall goal (development
objective) of LIFE is:
• To empower people, especially rural women
and girls, who have inadequate literacy
skills and competencies.
The strategic objectives of LIFE are:
• To reinforce national and international commitment to
literacy through advocacy and communication.
• To support the articulation of policies for sustainable
literacy within sector-wide and national development
frameworks.
• To strengthen national capacities for programme
design, management and implementation.
• To enhance countries’ innovative initiatives and
practices in providing literacy learning opportunities.
LIFE: mid-term evaluation (2006-11)
• Pragmatic approach: focus on progress made with
regard to the overall goal and four objectives promoted
by LIFE
• Action-oriented and bottom-up approach:
evaluation process began at the end of 2009 in LIFE
countries and regions (Africa →Asia & Pacific →Arab
Region→Brazil →Haiti)
• Process of collective reflection: brought together
all relevant stakeholders to assess achievements,
analyse challenges, and identify good practice
Main purpose of the report:
• To analyse the overall progress achieved in
the pursuit of the four objectives and expected
results of LIFE;
• To highlight inspiring innovations, success
stories, challenges and lessons learned; and
• To develop forward-looking strategies and
action points for the remaining period of the
initiative (2012-2015).
Progress in adult literacy rates,
however, too slow
• Adult literacy rates have increased by on average
3.1 percentage points in the majority of the (35)
LIFE countries compared to the global average of
1.9 percentage points over the period 1995-2004 to
2005-2009
(29 LIFE countries →increase, 3 LIFE countries
→ decrease in adult literacy rates) ▲
• However, 24 LIFE countries showed an increase in
numbers of non-literate adults ▼
Modest progress in terms of
reducing gender disparities
• In 10 LIFE countries the share of reported nonliterate women decreased ▲, while 21 LIFE
countries faced increases ▼
• Only 6 (out of 32) LIFE countries (with available
data) recorded a net decrease in the number of
illiterate women
= Much remains to do to address gender disparities
in adult literacy
Implementation process of LIFE:
Achievements and challenges
• Positive response to the LIFE initiative: stakeholders believe
that LIFE is an important framework to boost literacy efforts
• Well-functioning coordination structures were beneficial
• Extra-budgetary funding (UNESCO‘s CapEFA Programme) has
given enhanced impact
• Difficult to create, renew and maintain momentum for literacy
• Challenge in creating a common understanding of the initiative
• Need for a platform for exchange of experience and knowledge
was made explicit
Some lessons learned:
Experience has demonstrated that LIFE processes are most
successful and potentially sustainable…
• if the approach is flexible and streamlined into national agendas
and structures;
• if strong ownership and partnerships are established;
• if technical support is available in response to demand;
• if there is a common understanding of LIFE as a framework for
collaborative action, shared by many partners;
• if activities are able to raise public awareness and obtain media
attention.
Major achievements
(with regard to strategic objectives):
• Mobilisation of many people and additional resources through
sucessful advocacy events, campaigns and strategies (e.g. social
mobilisation)
• Different actors were brought to work together (e.g. governments
and civil society organisations)
• Development of (new) partnerships and coordination structures,
trend towards decentralised schemes at sub-national levels
• Renewed policies, strategies and action plans, trend towards
enlarged vision of literacy as a continuum and part of LLL
• Enhanced capacities among policy-makers and providers
• Successful experiences and innovative approaches piloted
Major challenges
(with regard to strategic objectives):
• Continuity of coordination structures and more formalised
approaches to partnerships & coordination
• Low priority given to literacy, political instability
• Weak mobilisation of resources (e.g. private sector), major funding
gaps
• Policies not conducing to concrete actions on the ground
• Continued lack of understanding of literacy as a continuum
(isolated campaigns vrs. sector-wide & integrated approaches)
• Weak capacities at sub-national levels affecting quality of delivery
• Upscaling of innovative pilot experiences and sustainability
The value added by LIFE
• Promotion of a broader concept of literacy and integrated
approaches
• Availability of know-how and technical assistance
• Development of networks and South-South cooperation
• Promotion of effective coordination structures and
mechanisms
• Increased sensitivity to linguistic-, cultural-, and gender
issues
• Sustained enhancement of capacity
The value added by LIFE (cont.)
• Rich experience and significant lessons
learned from the first five years of
implementing LIFE which can be applied
in subsequent years!!!
The way forward
LIFE continues to be relevant and fit for purpose in
accelerating literacy.
Strategic focus on:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Improving coordination and communication
Working towards an enlarged concept of literacy
Mobilising adequate resources for literacy
Strengthening capacities for better policies & programmes
Improving quality of teaching and learning
Bringing a clear focus on women
Using LIFE as a platform for South-South cooperation
Revewing the LIFE strategy to plan the next five years
[LINK
to online document]