Evaluation : mid-term performance evaluation of the Colombia human rights activity

The evaluation team conducted 136 key informant interviews and 15 group discussions to answer six evaluation questions. The evaluation found that HRA remains relevant through its regional presence and technical and contextual expertise. While HRA has incorporated activities that adequately respond to the institutional challenges that governmental entities face, there are particular strategies that can be strengthened, including issues on illegal mining, targeting Afro-Colombians, and protecting human rights leaders and defenders. HRA has contributed to and improved understanding of human rights standards among the most relevant municipal government officials and vulnerable beneficiary groups. The additional effects on beneficiaries include leadership, empowerment, and self-esteem at the individual level, which spill over into strengthening civil society and their community and family spheres. HRA’s institutional strengthening strategy is oriented toward sustainability through its emphasis on supporting activities and processes linked to public policy. However, two challenges under HRA’s control undermine the sustainability of its activities: 1) intensive technical assistance runs the risk of creating dependency from government officials on its regional advisors, and 2) short-term grants limit CSOs from fully implementing their projects. Finally, HRA has limited capacity and a constrained sphere of influence to achieve the objectives of its response component under the status quo. In the absence of high-level discussions between USAID and AGO officials, HRA has been strategic in approaching the AGO. However, this has resulted in a piecemeal strategy rather than a high-level comprehensive strategy that aligns with the ambitious objective of this component.