Technical Brief for end-line evaluation

Stop Violence Against Girls in Schools

Project (SVAGS) Mafia Tanzania
 PROJECT
OVERVIEW

The Stop Violence against Girls in School (SVAGS) project intended to address the
legal barriers, individual beliefs; and cultural norms, attitudes and behaviors that
perpetuate violence against girls in and around schools. SVAGS worked with
individuals and groups across the entire institutional governance conduit starting
from village, district, regional up to the national level. The project engaged male and
female students, parents, teachers, School Management Committees, police force,
public service providers, religious leaders and policy makers.

WHAT METHODS
WERE USED?
A mixed -method evaluation design was utilized, including a desk review, focus group
discussion (FGDs) and key informant interviews (KIIs) to ensure that the information
generated by the evaluation team was useful to only to Action Aid Tanzania but also
to stakeholders. This highlight paper presents the key findings in line with the main
evaluation questions that were posed in conformity to the key five evaluation criteria
of relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability.

KEY EVALUATION
FINDINGS
Relevance: the focus of the project on legal barriers, individual beliefs; and cultural
norms, attitudes and behaviors that perpetuate violence against girls in and around
schools was confirmed to be very relevant by all categories of the beneficiaries,
partners and other stakeholders. The proposition was supported by 89% of all the
community members who commended the SVAGS for it was addressing issues
around rape, early pregnancy, early marriage, girls family neglect that were real
community priority needs. A similar view was expressed by 90% of all students (both
primary and secondary schools) and 88% of teachers.

Effectiveness: The project effectiveness was assessed by matching the planned

results with the actual project achievements both qualitatively and quantitatively. In
qualitative terms, 59 out of 65 respondents (or 91%) of those who were interviewed
reported that the project objectives had been fully achieved; the rest six (6)
respondents (or 9%) reported that it had been partially achieved. None of the
respondents interviewed had the view that the project failed to achieve its
objectives.
In quantitative terms, review of project documents and quantitative primary data
revealed that all of the measurable indicator targets were achieved as planned.
Findings showed that 84% of the output targets were achieved or exceeded. Key
targets achieved were all 40 Advocacy Groups established as planned; all 80
teachers trained on upholding Promote Rights in Schools’ Charter; 40 school
suggestion boxes (one in each of the schools) were installed as planned and all
planned 175 (100%) service providers and caregivers were trained on girl rights
protection.

Sustainability: ascertaining that the project had a neutral influence on

environmental sustainability, institutional and technical aspects of sustainability were
assessed.
Institutional sustainability: AAT established an advocacy task force linking all
stakeholders at village, district, regional and national levels; community and school
clubs, special desks for gender violence cases and SAWAMA (Sauti ya Wanawake
Mafia) as institutions imbedded systemically in the existing governance systems and
structure that go beyond the project lifespan.
However, all of the institutions were still in their infancy stage when the project was
ending. Considering the good work and significant investments already incurred, it is
advisable that AAT considers extending some support these institutions for at least
one more year beyond the planned project life span. Besides, the project also trained
and involved government officials at all stages of the project implementation; this
has helped imbed the project interventions within the existing governance structures
and systems that were confirmed to be capable of responding to subsequent cases
of violence against girls beyond the project life span. The latter was evidenced by
the local bylaws formulated during the project, staff capacity and motivation to
address violence against girls’ and women, and high priority attached to the girls’
and women violence issues in the development plans across village, ward and district
levels.

Technical sustainability: the SVAGS project demonstrated significant

enhancement of technical sustainability through tailor made and practical oriented
training offered to different categories of beneficiaries, in workshops; and
development of training manuals that ensure replication of the same training.. The
evaluation team found that, as an outcome of several workshops and trainings, both
teachers and community members expressed their interest and commitment through
verifiable plans and on-going activities to continue with the project activities beyond
the project life span.
 PROJECT OUTCOMES ACHIEVED
OUTCOME ACHIEVED ARE SUMMARIZED IN TABLE 1
The net enrollment rate in secondary schools had increased by 7% since 2017 when compared to baseline data
The net enrollment rate in primary schools had increased by 5% when compared to baseline values.
School attendance increased by 5% and 6 % for both primary and secondary schools when compared to
baseline values.
The project also increased the proportion of female students who complete primary education and join
secondary schools by 10%
Drop- out rate for girls in primary and secondary schools decreased by 3%
Awareness of children’s rights increased by 55% when compared to baseline data.
For attitudes related to gender norms and malpractices among school children, the tendency was consistent
biases towards boys at the baseline and vice versa at the end-line.
The proportion of respondents who supported equal chance of participation of both boys and girls with respect
to gender norms increased from 37% in the baseline to 82% at the end-line [45 percentage increase] ✓ The
proportion of those expressing biases towards boys was reduced from 63% in the baseline to 18% at the end-
line [-71% decrease].
The proportion of respondents who supported equal chance of participation of both boys and girls with respect
to practices and malpractices increased from 69% in the baseline to 79% at the end-line [+10% increase]. The
proportion of those expressing biases towards boys was reduced from 31% in the baseline to 21% at the end-
line [-10% decrease].
The proportion of respondents who supported equal chance of participation of both boys and girls with respect
to practices and malpractices increased from 69% in the baseline to 79% at the end-line [+10% increase]. The
proportion of those expressing biases towards boys was reduced from 31% in the baseline to 21% at the end-
line [-10% decrease].
 LESSONS
LEARNED
The use of multiple stakeholders during program planning and
implementation has increased the flexibility of the approach, to meet a
variety of local needs and ensured sustainability of the project.
Use of multiple approaches to stop violence against girls is crucial. This
approach helped the project to reach broad and wide targeted audiences
in both school and community level.
Strong AAT leadership and coordination mechanism with participation of all
stakeholders (including civil society, program, religious leaders, Local
government authorities,) play crucial roles from the first day of the project
launch.
Presence of a robust monitoring and evaluation system also contributed to
the success of the program.
The Joint Supportive supervision between AAT team and local government
officials improved working relationships between AAT, government officials,
SAWAMA, community and Teachers. It also improved knowledge, skills and
performance of different awareness creation actors.
It is possible to establish local project implementer that can implement
project activities beyond the project life span. The existence of SAWAMA
plays a significant role in stopping violence against girls. It is likely that the
SAWAMA will continue to function as a result of the training they have
received and their commitment to supporting the schools and communities.
It is possible to convene a network of organizations of similar agenda to
influence relevant laws, policies and community agreements. AAT provided
a sole platform for different partners (Tanzania Child Rights Forum, Save
the Children, Pathfinder, Haki- Lima, TENMET and TTU) to come together
through a wide network of technical working groups to work jointly to
review the Marriage act of 1971 to match with the Child act of (2009).
Extensive consultations with stakeholders preceded the design of the
SVAGS program. National, district and community level consultative and
design workshops were conducted where stakeholders, including the
Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, the President’s Office
Regional Administration and Local Government, and civic society
organizations participated- These consultations cultivated a sense of
ownership (sustainability) and support for the program.
RECOMMENDATIONS

The project interventions need to be extended for at least two more years in order
validate the preliminary lessons and provide technical support to help and nurture the
upcoming community and local level institutions, namely SAWAMA and the media (TV,
radio and newspapers) that hold the potential as both communication channels for
behavior change and change agents to foster sustainability of the already registered
significant achievements of SVAGS project
In order to circumvent the challenge of staff turnover, ATTZ should consider training more
teachers empathizing on “training of trainers and adult learning” to enable them continue
to train others thereafter as a short-term solution; and work with the ministry of Education,
Science and Technology to review and integrate girls and women's rights as compulsory
courses in the curricula for Teachers Training Colleges and Primary Schools.
In order to enhance the inherent robustness of the M & E system, AATZ should develop a
protocol that will ensure compilation of baseline data for all indicators prior
implementation of any project.