Workers’ Awareness Capacity Building Program

Background:
The Ethiopian Trade Union is one of the oldest civil society organizations in Ethiopia. As such it is also one of the first associations established to defend collective and individual rights.
With the support from the Royal Norwegian Embassy NCA have through the past 3-4 years provided financial support to a training program for representatives from different unions around the country. In basic the training covers issues related to labour law, healthy working environment, gender issues, etc.

Purpose/ Objective:
The general objective of the evaluation is to assess and provide recommendations on the project “Trade Unions Capacity Building Program” which CETU has agreed to implement in collaboration with the Norwegian Church Aid. The evaluation assessed critically and analytically CETU’s progress and performance against its planned objectives as well as the overall mission, vision and values of CETU. It particularly focused on project context and design, governance, project objectives, the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, outcome, sustainability and lesson learned.

Methodology:
Based on two sources of information:
1. Review of documents
2. Interview and discussions with heads of branch offices involved.

Key Findings:
In general the objective is met to raise awareness of workers, union leaders and officials of the trade unions, including government institutions on the rights of workers, relationship between workers and employers as well as with government.
Awareness on safe and healthy working conditions is also a major input.
This refers to both the national policies as well as international.
As many as 272 individuals participated in 6 trainings in 6 different locations.

Recommendations:
1. Sustainability- given the number of trade unions and their members, it might not be possible for CETU to continue as actual implementer of the different trainings in all its operational areas. Therefore, Training Department of CETU shall focus on providing Training of Trainers and leave the trainings to the regional branch offices
2. Effectiveness- mechanisms should be designed to follow and measure the outcomes (and impacts) of the training programs
3. Gender- due attention should be given to increase the number of women taking part in the capacity building programs. There must be a strong coordination between the two sections; Education and Training and Women Workers Affairs on the design and implementation of trainings
4. Financial Administration- Without disregarding the importance of being flexible in the administration and utilization of financial resources, CETU shall also consider providing equal attention to adhere to budget limits and lines. This can be avoided through having a realistic budget plan which takes in to account changing circumstances or market fluctuations

Comments from Norwegian Church Aid (if any):
NCA/Eth has found this partnership with CETU very interesting and encouraging. It gave the opportunity to get some insight into the life and working situation in different industries and other working places. The trade unions and members are still few, but growing.
We do regret the Embassy have decided to stop this program and strategic partnership with the NCA.