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NORC at the University Chicago

Democracy, Human Rights & Governance: Learning, Evaluation & Research Activity

Voters check their names outside of a polling station
Generating and promoting the use of data, evidence, and learning to inform DRG programming worldwide
  • Client
    U.S. Agency for International Development
  • Dates
    2015 – 2023

Problem

Protecting and promoting democracies worldwide in a dramatically changing global context marked by democratic decline requires constant learning through data and evidence. 

Establishing and consolidating inclusive and accountable democracies is vital for advancing freedom, dignity, and sustainable development. Countries with ineffective government institutions, rampant corruption, and weak rule of law have a higher risk of civil war and extreme criminal violence.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) funds democracy, human rights, and governance (DRG) programs around the globe to support government transparency and accountability, engagement of civil society and independent media, democratic resilience, democratic elections and political processes, justice, human rights, security, and counter trafficking in persons. To ensure these investments have the desired impacts and result in more effective DRG programming, USAID needs data, evidence, and learning to identify what does and does not work and why.

Solution

NORC conducted research and evaluation to generate high-quality data and evidence on programs in the DRG and cross-cutting sectors.

Under the DRG-LER activity, USAID’s Center for Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance (DRG Center) relied on NORC for data, research, and expertise. For 10 years, NORC served as the DRG Center’s trusted learning partner by supporting and evaluating a variety of DRG and cross-cutting programs. We designed and managed the following evidence generation activities to inform DRG programs around the world:

  • Impact and performance evaluations
  • Assessments
  • Literature and evidence reviews
  • Quantitative and qualitative data collections
  • Research on time-sensitive and strategically important topics
  • Case studies
     

In addition, our team provided learning and dissemination support, developed toolkits, and conducted training for USAID Mission and Operating Unit staff.

Result

NORC bolstered USAID Missions’ ability to positively impact peace and prosperity around the world by protecting and promoting democracies through more effective programming.

Evidence generated through NORC’s robust research helped USAID pinpoint problems and supply solutions for a wide range of programs targeting democratic principles, human rights, and governance. This impact is broad and multi-layered. We produced more than 150 reports providing evaluations, analyses, and recommendations on strengthening governance efforts in over 65 countries in Central Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, Central America, and beyond.

Some examples of our work are:

  • Impact evaluations of a Bystander Training Program in Bangladesh that tested an innovative approach to help the Mission combat a new threat of violent extremism and impact evaluation of USAID PROJUSTICE program in Haiti to assist people held in prison on pre-trial detention, which USAID used to instigate policy change
  • Performance evaluations of a civil society capacity advancement project in Georgia and a program strengthening local public authorities in Moldova
  • Countering trafficking-in-person (C-TIP) assessments in Timor Leste, Mali, and the DRC
  • An assessment framework for women’s political participation and leadership, piloted in Liberia, Nepal, Guatemala, and Guinea, and implemented in Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Honduras, Kyrgyzstan, and Tanzania
  • A literature review and 15 country case studies on democratic backsliding identifying effective interventions to reverse backsliding and comparing countries with open democratic spaces versus those without

Project Leads

“We have helped the DRG Center’s process of learning about what works and what doesn’t. At NORC, we supported the DRG Center with the expertise, skills, and research necessary to generate high quality learning for efficient and effective decision-making.”

Protik Ali

NORC Principal Research Scientist & DRG-LER Project Director

“We have helped the DRG Center’s process of learning about what works and what doesn’t. At NORC, we supported the DRG Center with the expertise, skills, and research necessary to generate high quality learning for efficient and effective decision-making.”

Explore NORC Global Projects

Research Technical Assistance Center

Leveraging expertise of academic institutions worldwide to inform USAID’s policies and programming

Client:

U.S. Agency for International Development

Building Evidence for Decision-Making (BE4D)

High-quality evidence, learning, and adaptive management services for USAID program decisions

Client:

U.S. Agency for International Development

Latin America & Caribbean Learning and Rapid Response

Helping USAID respond quickly to democratic backsliding, citizen security, and governance challenges

Client:

U.S. Agency for International Development
Global Projects