1. Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010)
Progress & challenges with implementation of the Literacy Initiative for Empowerment (LIFE)
Hassana Alidou
LIFE Coordinator

2. Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010)
What is LIFE all about?
A ten-year framework of collaborative action ( ) for enhancing and improving national literacy efforts in the areas of policy, advocacy, capacity-building and innovations
Contribution to the achievement of EFA, UNLD, BfA and MDGs
Focus on 35 countries with literacy rates < 50% and/or a population > 10 million who cannot read or write
85% of the world‘s non-literate population resides in these 35 countries (9 are from Asia-Pacific region)

3. Education for All (EFA)
UNLD
LIFE
Education for All (EFA)
Dakar Goals 3, 4, 5
MDGs
LITERACY

4. Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010)
LIFE aims
to reinforce national and international commitments to literacy,
to support the articulation of sustainable literacy policies,
to strengthen national capacities,
to enhance countries’ innovative initiatives in providing literacy learning opportunities, and
to foster cooperation and solidarity among countries.

5. Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010)
Assessment of LIFE
LIFE reported as one of the highlights in the UNLD Mid-decade review (2008)
LIFE assessed as an effective and efficient mechanism for planning, capacity development & partnership building by external evaluators of UNESCO Education Sector's work (2009)

6. Progress assessed by UIL
Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, December 2010)
Progress assessed by UIL
Evidence of renewed commitment and political will (new ministries, budget increases, first ladies‘ involvement, etc.)
Contribution to the development of capacities for the design of policies (most visible in the case of six LIFE countries receiving extra-budgetary grants)

7. Progress assessed by UIL
Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, December 2010)
Progress assessed by UIL
Improved capacities in delivery of literacy programmes of good quality (gender mainstreaming, curriculum, training of trainers, use of ICTs, multilingual literate environments, etc.)
Experience-sharing, peer review, online discussion forum are examples of how knowledge has been generated and disseminated to promote innovation

8. Mid-Term Review of LIFE in Africa
Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, December 2010)
Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, December 2010)
Mid-Term Review of LIFE in Africa
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
3-5 March 2010
80 participants
National LIFE representatives from 16 countries (Gov’t)
NGOs with good practices,
UNESCO (BREDA, IICBA, HQ, UIL and UNESCO focal points)
Report of Workshop (available in French)
Education for All in Africa (UNESCO Regional Office in Dakar, 2005) 8

9. Review of LIFE in Africa
Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, December 2010)
Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, December 2010)
Review of LIFE in Africa
PART I
Areas of Good Practices:
Advocacy and communication for L/NFE
Strengthening capacity for policy development
Strengthening capacity for the implementation of effective programmes
Knowledge sharing
Mobilization of resources for L/NFE
Innovations 9

10. Good Practices: Advocacy and communcation for L/NFE
Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, December 2010)
Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, December 2010)
Good Practices: Advocacy and communcation for L/NFE
Participation of First Ladies in advocating for literacy and NFE (Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Niger, Mozambique)
‘Programme Vigoureux pour l’alphabétisation’ with the participation of the President (Mali)
Media (Radio/ Television) broadly involved in dissemination and raising awareness for literacy (Nigeria, Niger, The Gambia)
How to use advocacy to improve resource allocation for literacy and NFE? 10

11. Good Practices: Strengthening Capacity for policy development
Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, December 2010)
Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, December 2010)
Good Practices: Strengthening Capacity for policy development
Strategic partnership with technical and financial partners to develop policies: challenges and envisaged solutions (The Gambia)
National consultation on policy development (Guinea)
L/NFE systematically integrated in sectoral programmes: state-of-the art and perspectives (CAR)
Process of developing sub sectorial strategies on L/NFE to be integrated into SWAPs (RDC)
Gender mainstreaming +Adoption of national plan for bilingual education approach (Burkina Faso)
What type of natl. strategy countries have designed in order to carry out down- streaming activities at the regional and provincial levels? 11

12. Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010)
Good Practices: Strengthening capacity for the implementation of effective programmes
International Literacy Prize 2009 (Burkina Faso)
Experience of ALFA TV in Guinea-Bissau
Programme EQJA (Senegal)
Radio éducative pour l’alpha- Training of Trainers (Cap Verde)
How to systematically up-scale literacy activities and (to reach EFA goals 3, 4, 5 by 2015)? 12

13. Good Practices: Knowledge Sharing
Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, December 2010)
Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, December 2010)
Good Practices: Knowledge Sharing
LIFE Website (Senegal)
NFE MIS (Niger, Senegal)
LIFEline (UIL/UNESCO)
How to improve/increase the use of ICT for sharing knowledge, experience and good practice (also for South-South cooperation)? 13

14. Good Practices: Mobilization of resources for L/NFE
Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, December 2010)
Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, December 2010)
FTI et L/NFE (Benin)
Basket funding (Burkina Faso)
Financial allocation by the gouvernement (Nigeria)
How to develop effective strategies in order to mobilize resources at the national level? 14

15. Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010)
What have we learned?
Involvement of highest level decision-makers to mobilise resources
Use of media (radio, TV) for advocacy, training and up-scaling
Strategic partnerships
NFE integrated in (sub-)sector strategies (SWAPs, FTI)
Gender-mainstreaming and adoption of bilingual approach
Knowledge & exchange platforms 15

16. Challenges and Recommendations
Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, December 2010)
Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, December 2010)
PART II:
Challenges and Recommendations 16

17. LIFE conceptual framework
Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, December 2010)
LIFE conceptual framework
Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, December 2010)
Challenge
The countries do not have a clear understanding of LIFE as a framework of collaborative actions set by UNESCO 17 17

18. Country level coordination of LIFE activities
Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, December 2010)
Country level coordination of LIFE activities
Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, December 2010)
Challenges
The role of LIFE focal point is not fully understood
The appointment of LIFE focal point should be revisited
Only LIFE focal points participate in LIFE capacity building activities
Very little evidence of multiplier effect 18 18

19. Recommendations Up-scaling good practices
Promoting South-South cooperation
Using various funding mechanisms such as EFA FTI to mobilise more resources for literacy
Data – conduct effective diagnosis through the collection of accurate data on literacy
Use ICT to expand access and improve quality
Promoting multilingual and multicultural approaches
Linking literacy to TVET

20. UNESCO’s support: Advocacy
Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, December 2010)
UNESCO’s support: Advocacy
Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, December 2010)
Challenges
Literacy and NFE are not prioritized by the gov’ts even though the majority have expressed political support for this sub-sector of education.
Very few countries have increased the budget of literacy and NFE since 2006
A more effective advocacy strategy is needed in most of LIFE countries. 20 20

21. Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010)
UNESCO’s support: Sustainable and cost-effective approach to strengthen national capacity
Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, December 2010)
Challenges
Institutional and organizational capacities needs to be strengthened
Capacity of literacy experts needs to be strengthened:
Advocacy and resource mobilization
Gender-based policy formulation, implementation and evaluation
Curriculum design, implementation and evaluation
Integration of ICT into literacy training and acquisition. 21 21

22. Recommendations Up-scaling good practices
Promoting South-South cooperation
Using various funding mechanisms such as EFA FTI to mobilise more resources for literacy
Data – conduct effective diagnosis through the collection of accurate data on literacy
Use ICT to expand access and improve quality
Promoting multilingual and multicultural approaches
Linking literacy to TVET

23. Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010)
PART III
WAY FORWARD 23

24. The way forward Mid-term evaluation of LIFE is planned for 2011
Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, December 2010)
The way forward
Mid-term evaluation of LIFE is planned for 2011
Ongoing CONFINTEA VI follow-up process: One of the Conference‘s five key thematic strands focuses on literacy & key competencies
E-9 countries process (from Beijing to Belém to Abuja)  Abuja Framework for Action and Cooperation
LIFE will benefit from UNESCO‘s next biennial plan ( ) that emphasizes literacy