Scoping Study & Facilitation towards Alignment – Grievance Mechanisms in Garment Industry
The Initiative for Global Solidarity (IGS) at GIZ
Ensuring that effective complaints and remedy mechanisms are in place, is seen as a major factor in establishing decent and safe working conditions. In this light, the Initiative for Global Solidarity (IGS) works together with sector initiatives and local organisations to strengthen complaints mechanisms in the textile and garment industry. We assess the current environment of existing supply chain grievance mechanisms operated by multi stakeholder initiatives and facilitate a participative process towards more alignment and cooperation and ultimately a joint industry-wide grievance system.
Foresight piece: Removal of FATF Recommendation 8 and consequences for civic space
Human Security Collective
Explore advantages and disadvantages of the removal of the FATF Recommendation 8 for the enabling environment of civil society that -in the past 10 years- has been disproportionally affected by the implementation of this recommendation. Will its removal contribute to preventing threats to human rights defenders via the use of CFT regulation or does it actually create a basis for dialogue?
Investigating human rights violations in Fairtrade supply chains
Vrije Universiteit and Fairtrade International
In collaboration with the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Criminal Law and Criminology, we undertake a study of existing human rights issues (and ways to mitigate these) in Fairtrade's coffee and banana supply chains in Ethiopia, Colombia and the Dominican Republic. We look into the relevance of FTI certification systems for human rights, study the human rights due diligence relevance of these interventions and assess the use and relevance of company level complaint mechanisms in Fairtrade supply chains.
CAPACITY BUILDING: MASSIVE ONLINE OPEN COURSE DEVELOPMENT
Alliance for Financial Inclusion
Developed five interactive online learning courses to transfer the knowledge generated within the AFI network to a large number of learners which consist of the staff of AFI member institutions who are geographically dispersed in the various parts of the world, the staff of other institutions working on the following areas and also financial inclusion professionals (individuals) who are not part of the AFI network. The five online learning courses addressed the following areas: a. Inclusive Green Finance; b. Gender Inclusive Finance, c. Anti-Money Laundering; Countering Financing of Terrorism; d. Financial Inclusion Strategies; and e. AFI COVID-19 Policy Response.
ALTERNATIVE FINANCING MODELS FOR AGROECOLOGY AND COMMUNITY MANAGED FORESTRY
MilieuDefensie / Friends of the Earth
Supported MilieuDefensie in the development of a set of knowledge products translating the organization's objectives to stop the financialisation of nature. These products also highlighted finance models that promote and respect indigenous peoples and local communities' knowledge and practice for agroecology and community-based forest management and are part of the organization's capacity building efforts.
Study on influence of Countering the Financing of Terrorism regulation on security of HRDs
Global Initiative against Organised Crime (GITOC)
Investigated the role that countering the financing of terrorism (CFT) laws and regulations play in limiting the operations of Human rights defenders working on organised crime, and document the impact it has on their safety. Specific focus on women's rights. Drafted policy paper for advocacy towards international institutions on how to protect the space for HRDS in light of CFT developments.
POLICY GUIDANCE ON DFL FOR ASEAN COUNTRIES
Alliance for Financial inclusion and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
Developed a policy note intended to identify the current practices of ASEAN countries in the implementation of DFL initiatives, explore approaches to the introduction of DFL in the national context, with a special focus on National Financial Inclusion Strategies (NFIS) and National Financial Education Strategies (NFES), provide regulatory and non-regulatory recommendations to regulators with regards to the implementation of DFL initiatives at the local level, and introduce global and regional best practices to provide ASEAN members with the necessary conceptual framework to identify, address and evaluate DFL initiatives.
DIGITAL FINANCIAL LITERACY (DFL) POLICY GUIDELINES
Alliance for Financial Inclusion
Created a Guideline Note and accompanying Toolkit to help regulators understand, develop, facilitate and regulate tools, interventions and policies directed at promoting digital financial literacy (DFL) and capability whilst building consumer trust in digital platforms.
Complaint Building Palm Oil Company: Research on consultation and violations during certification audits
Milieudefensie/Friends of the Earth
Supported Milieudefensie with documentation of consultation processes and land rights violations in Nigeria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone to be used as evidence in complaints filed against company. Conducted general analysis and identification of gaps in consultation and FPIC processes in palm oil certification schemes: gaps between standards/policies and general norms and standards on consultation & experiences of communities and civil society.
Fact-finding work on threats against land rights defenders Uganda
American Bar Association
Supported the ABA Justice Defenders Program in conducting research and fact finding work on threats to land and human rights defenders in Uganda. Interviewed local community members and stakeholders, plus review of court documents and financial agreements. Drafted a report documenting the threats to defenders outlining regional and international obligations and advocacy strategies.
Evaluation labour rights & worker mobilisation in IFI infrastructure projects
Mondiaal FNV
Evaluated the Mondiaal FNV's support to the Global Union Federation (GUF), to lobby International Financial Institutions to improve core labour standards in IFI projects. Assessed whether the interventions for trade union affiliates have contributed to improved labour standards and gender equality and women's participation. Provided insight into the strategies with respect to IFI infrastructure projects’ compliance in South Asia and East Africa. Provided recommendations for future collaboration, follow-up projects and activities.
National Strategy for Financial inclusion – Paraguay
MINISTRY OF FINANCE OF PARAGUAY
In order to advance the financial conclusion objectives of Paraguay framed by the National Strategy for Financial Inclusion (NSFI), the National committee of Financial Inclusion has engaged Dimes to analyze the implementation of the NSFI so far and facilitate the design and development of a renewed NSFI for the following implementation period.
National Strategies for Financial Inclusion and Education: Implementation Challenges
OECD and CAF- development bank of Latin America
This study collects and analyzes challenges encountered in the implementation of national financial inclusion and education strategies in a group of Latin American and Caribbean countries, while introducing learning experiences and success stories. The work seeks to contribute to the progress of the fields of financial inclusion and education; in particular, the establishment of actions necessary to reach and satisfy the needs of the various target populations. The findings allow reflection on the factors that hinder the successful implementation of these policies.
Study – Impact of COVID19 on women’s rights and civic space
WO=MEN - Dutch Gender platform
For WO=MEN we studied Covid-19's consequences for women's rights and civic space through a "quick scan" based on interviews and news. The study explores what are the policy trends and responses in the areas of: political and financial support for women’s organisations and civic space, sustainable economy and BHR, and women, peace and security. It explores how relevant organisations respond to the pandemic’s consequences and provides recommendations on how the Dutch government can best respond.
Theory of Change Development – Ms President Kenya
Media Focus on Africa (MFA)
We created a Theory of Change for one of MFA's core projects: Ms President, a TV reality show aimed to promote the leadership of women and gender equality as critical to countering violence and for achieving the SDGs in Kenya. The show features a group of women competing to become the first ‘female president’ of Kenya. Throughout the show the women go through a capacity-building program, group tasks and elimination process. The ToC was created for the purpose of better measuring impact and progress in the continuation (Season 2) of the program.
Integration of Financial Education in Profuturo digital program
Telefónica Foundation, "La Caixa" Foundation and World Savings Banks Institute (WSBI)
Providing strategic guidance and technical support to integrate financial education into Life Skills curriculum of Profuturo digital educational program for children between 6 and 14 years old. The program is being implemented in 24 countries of Latin America, Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. The work included identification of international best practices in the field of financial education, mapping of existing initiatives in the program’s countries of operation; assessment of the curriculum, and creation of the detailed Road Map for including the most appropriate financial education materials into ProFuturo’s curriculum, with a view towards the pilot in Tanzania.
Assessment of the EU Gender Action Plan II in Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon
The Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation
Conducted an independent assessment of the implementation of the EU Gender Action Plan: its effects on women's rights and engagement with women's rights organisations in Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon. The Plan translates EU policy and political commitments to gender equality into a set of concrete objectives necessary for achieving results for girls and women. The study included field research in Jordan and Lebanon, validation workshops with civil society and interviews with government, experts, EU staff and international organisations..
DGGF Knowledge Agenda on SME Finance
Triple Jump BV
Supported Triple Jump and PwC – managing the part of the Dutch Good Growth Fund (DGGF) Financing Local SMEs initiative – with the knowledge sharing program of Seed Capital & Business Development facility of DGGF (SCBD/DGGF). Support included organisation of the knowledge sharing event “Closing the SME Finance Gap: Empowering Young & Women Entrepreneurs in Frontier Markets” in the fall 2019. The event created a platform to identify which strategies work in closing the finance gap for the ‘missing middle’ SMEs in frontier markets and build collaborations towards the emergence of diverse local SME finance ecosystems.
Support to OECD/INFE Technical Assistance projects on Financial Education
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
Working with the OECD and its International Network on Financial Education (INFE) team, we provide support to the OECD Technical Assistance Projects on Financial Education in Eurasia and South Eastern Europe. The support includes drafting mapping documents, creating the materials for technical workshops on financial education for various target groups -such as youth, rural populations, MSMEs, and migrants and their families- and organizing multi-stakeholder regional conferences on financial education.
Regulation and Financial Education in Latin America
Association of Supervisors of Banks of the Americas (ASBA) and Sparkassenstiftung für internationale Kooperation
In this project we uncovered the singularities of Financial Education and its Relationship with Banking Regulation and Supervision in the Latin American context. Dimes was involved in the design and implementation of instruments to assess the degree of involvement of authorities in financial education. Likewise, we designed instruments that allow identifying principles, norms, procedures and good practices in the application of financial education strategies of both public and private entities, as well as the challenges of implementation.
Training on Human Rights and Corporate Accountability
Amnesty International The Netherlands
Developed and piloted a training on human rights and business for the Human Rights Capacity-Building Programme (HURICAP) for Amnesty International The Netherlands focusing on documenting and monitoring evidence on (corporate) human rights abuses in Africa, and more recently the Middle East. The training aims to provide local communities and human rights defenders with the judicial and non-judicial tools to hold corporations accountable for human rights violations and the skills to gather sufficient evidence not only on human rights violations but also on corporate structures
Responsibility for Women’s Rights and Civic Space by International Financial Institutions
The Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation
Implemented investigative study into how women's rights and women's organisations are incorporated into policy of international financial institutions and how rights are affected by IFI funded projects in the MENA region, with a focus on the backlash against human rights defenders. Assessment of impacts of such policy on gender equality; available accountability mechanisms for women's rights; and the negative consequences of counter terrorism measures were part of this study. 56 interviews with key informants were conducted in field work in Egypt and Jordan.
Implementing Restorative Justice with Child Victims
International Observatory for Juvenile Justice
External final evaluation of the EU funded Implementing Restorative Justice with Child Victims-project. Responsible for the development and design of an evaluation report on the project results, including its effectiveness, its processes, and its efficiency. The project has as its main objective to protect and address the needs of young victims of crime through validated RJ processes and to participate in the implementation of the Directive on procedural safeguards for children suspected or accused in criminal proceedings (Article 19.3.).
Sustainable Garment Supply Chains
Fair Wear Foundation
Conduct an evaluation of FWF’s work place education training and factories’ complaints systems, targeting rights building and remediation in garment factories in 8 countries. Fair Wear Foundation is a non-profit organisation that works with brands, factories, trade unions, NGOs and sometimes governments to verify and improve workplace conditions for garment workers production countries in Asia, Europe and Africa. The study includes on site qualitative assessment of complaints mechanism and training in garment factories in China and Vietnam. In addition, Dimes provided support to FWF on internal reporting for its Strategic Partnership work.
Implementation of the National Financial Education Framework Tanzania
National Bank of Tanzania/Financial Sector Deepening Trust
Provision of technical support to the Bank of Tanzania in the implementation of Tanzania's National Financial Education Framework, ensuring the public is educated and informed of their rights, responsibilities and redress options in the financial sector. The project forms part of the five year implementation plan adopted by the National Council for Financial Inclusion, extending financial services to vulnerable target segments (youth, women, rural poor). Dimes' work focuses on the institutionalisation of the framework, establishing a funding strategy, a consumer strategy,
preparing the educational system for stakeholders involved, and on measuring levels of financial capability.
Women’s Rights in the Extractives Industry
Solidaridad/Simavi
Creation of evidence base for and development of advocacy strategy for the Simavi and Solidaridad’s Golden Line programme, targeting women’s rights and economic empowerment of women living in and around gold mining communities in Ghana and Tanzania. Designed communication, evaluation and strategy implementation tools regarding national and international advocacy focused on increasing policymakers’ consideration of gender in responsible policies and practices as well as grassroots and national-level advocacy focusing on raising the voices of women and communities regarding women’s economic rights, in order to influence national priority setting and policy making.
Gender Equality and Diversity Strategy
HIVOS
Dimes supported Hivos in the development of the organisation's Gender Equality and Diversity Strategy (2018-2021), with an associated Action Plan and key gender and diversity tools that will be use to promote the integration of gender equality and diversity in Hivos’ policies, processes, administration and programming. The Strategy, Action Plan and Tools will guide the actions of all Hivos offices to mainstream gender and diversity into its programme/project development and management cycle; advocacy, communications and fundraising efforts; information and management systems and monitoring.
Financial Literacy Needs of Migrants in CIS countries
Developing Markets Associates Limited (DMA)
Engaged by DMA to provide expert and technical support for the project on Financial Literacy for Migrants and their Families, as part of OECD/INFE Technical Assistance Project on Financial Education in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), supported by the Ministry of Finance of Russian Federation. Analysis of the results of mapping of financial education initiatives for migrants and their families in six countries - Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan, desk research and interviews, analysis of financial literacy needs among (labour) migrants and their families, and provision of targeted recommendations for related financial education initiatives.
National Assessment of Electronic Cash Transfers for Food Security in Ethiopia
The World Bank/L-IFT
Project Management of nation-wide evaluation of the pilot of World Bank’s electronic Product Safety Net Program (e-PSNP). The PSNP in Ethiopia was set up by the government as part of a strategy to address chronic food insecurity. It provides cash or food to people who have predictable food needs in a way that enables them to improve their own livelihoods. Dimes was responsible for the training and selection of supervisors and enumerators, managing the design,piloting and testing of research tools,liaising with government and donors to include their priorities in research, and the analysis and reporting.
Representation of Vulnerability in Financial Inclusion Policies
Bellarmine University
Dimes conducted a study into the representation of socio-economic inequality in economic policy and the targeting of vulnerable populations with(in) national financial inclusion strategies in Latin America. See more in Publications section.
Evaluation of Schoolbank Initiative Uganda
CYFI
External evaluation of Schoolbank project Uganda, for Child and Youth Finance International, an organization focused on strengthening the economic rights and empowerment of youth. SchoolBank aims to increase the economic empowerment of children and youth by providing them with access to appropriate banking products and a (girl) empowerment curriculum.
Monitoring and Evaluation Framework
Child Helpline International
Creation of Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for this child rights focused CSO. Ensure high level of programme quality through performance monitoring, evaluation and reporting on global child helpline data, and provide leadership and coordination in the development, dissemination and promotion of strategies, standards and tools. Development of overall framework for monitoring and evaluation of programmes and projects in accordance with Child Helpline International’s strategy and focus on building internal capacity on M&E.
Financial Capability and Inclusion of Strivers Nigeria
Enclude
Enclude has supported the design and implementation of the Striver program for the Mastercard Centre for Inclusive Growth. The program focuses on enabling young small and micro enterprise owners, mostly women, known as Strivers, to grow their businesses by partnering with local actors to provide financial education and facilitate access to finance. Dimes served as a financial capability expert throughout the project.
Financial Inclusion of Children and Youth: A 10-year Retrospective Study
Proyecto Capital
Proyecto Capital has supported the development of Financial inclusion and Education Strategies in Latin America. This study is part of a greater project, which objective was to document this experience and its influence in the field and in the region. Dimes supported this ambitious work by completing a retrospective study exploring financial inclusion and financial education initiatives linked to conditional cash transfers directed specifically to the youth segment.
Guest Lectures on Financial Inclusion
Kansas University
Preparation of course materials for master classes (PhD & Master students) on financial inclusion research and policy worldwide. Dimes taught 5 master classes on financial inclusion and its link to responsible business conduct in the finance sector and provided research consultation on local youth financial capability research project
