Management Response

: Nepal
: 2012 - 2013 , Nepal (CO)
: Final Evaluation of Project on Making Politics Work with Women (MP3W) in Nepal
:
: Nepal
:

Overall, the project was successful in raising awareness about issues related to women's participation in political and peace processes, Constituent Assembly elections, UNSCR 1325, violence against women, women's human rights, women's empowerment and gender equality concerns and electoral processes. The project provided support to develop a Model Constitution and recommendations for constitutional provisions and two position papers "Electoral system design and affirmative action's for ensuring women's human rights and gender equality" and "Ensuring gender equality under the new federal arrangement in Nepal". Involvement of the political parties' representatives as an advisory member of Women Political Watch Groups (WPWGs) was very strategic and effective.

: Approved
Recommendation: 1. Continue to support gender responsive voter education; develop IEC materials targeting women leaders and voters; advocate for 33% of Constituent Assembly (CA) seats for women; establish Women Political Watch Groups (WPWGs) in other possible districts, linking them with local organizations to increase their institutional capacity; and support dialogue forums for women political leaders.
Management Response: Accepted
More detail
Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Leadership and political participation (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Promoting inclusiveness/Leaving no one behind, Advocacy, Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Normative Support, Operational activities
UNEG Criteria: Gender equality
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
1.1 Develop an interactive voter and civic education orientation/package in Nepali for potential women, vulnerable and excluded groups, community leaders to increase women's role and participation in the upcoming 19 November 2013 Constituent Assembly (CA) election as voters and candidates. This has been initiated as part of the UNDP-UN Women collaboration promoting gender responsive electoral processes. Governance and National Planning (GNP) Unit 2013/12 Completed
Recommendation: Continue to support the development of strategic knowledge products, such as Model Constitution, recommendations for gender responsive constitutional provisions, and position papers on electoral system design and affirmative actions ensuring women's human rights and gender equality for policy advocacy.
Management Response: Accepted
More detail
Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Leadership and political participation (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Knowledge management, Advocacy
Organizational Priorities: Operational activities, Normative Support, UN Coordination
UNEG Criteria: Gender equality, Human Rights
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
2.1 Women's Charter of Demands developed and disseminated to major political parties and the media by the National Women's Commission (NWC) with UN Women support GNP Unit 2013/10 Completed
2.2 The Nepal office draft framework of support for 2014-17 includes the following outcome: Outcome 1.1 The new Constitution of Nepal incorporates principles of substantive equality and non-discrimination in line with CEDAW Senior Management and GNP Unit 2013/12 Completed A background note for Constituent Assembly members on key women's empowerment and gender equality provisions for the Constitution of Nepal has been prepared. The Constituent Assembly promulgated the seventh Constitution of Nepal on 20 September 2015. Coordinated advocacy by UN Women, other UN agencies and partner organizations for a gender responsive constitution contributed to the inclusion in the new constitution of many gender responsive provisions in line with CEDAW and other human rights instruments. Several issues highlighted UN Women’s “Background Note on Key Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality Provisions for Inclusion in the Constitution of Nepal” and key messages on the draft were incorporated in the constitution. The new constitution reinforces positive discrimination in education, health, employment and social security to create special opportunities for women, and guarantees proportional representation of women in all state organs. The constitution has extended the fundamental rights of women to include the right to safe motherhood, the equal right of women to lineage without any gender discrimination, and the equal right of both the spouses in property and family affairs. It recognizes the “sexual and gender minority” community and guarantees their rights to equality, social justice and citizenship by their identity for the first time in the constitutional history of Nepal. However, the constitution has yet to guarantee equal and independent citizenship rights to women.
2.3 Relevant knowledge products will be developed under the new political leadership and participation programme GNP unit 2015/12 Completed UN Women and UNDP jointly prepared a background note on temporary special measures to promote women's representation and participation in local elected bodies in the first quarter of 2014. The background note has been shared with the UNCT, Peace Support Working Group and government agencies and women's groups and development partners and is available on UN website http://www.un.org.np/attachments/select-examples-temporary-special-measures-promote-women%E2%80%99s-representation-and-participat
Recommendation: Engage actively with the media to increase awareness on women's rights issues (participation in political and peace processes, CA elections, UNSCR 1325, violence against women, gender equality concerns and electoral processes.
Management Response: Accepted
More detail
Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Leadership and political participation (SPs before 2018), Women economic empowerment (SPs before 2018), Ending violence against women (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Advocacy, Capacity development, Knowledge management
Organizational Priorities: UN Coordination, Normative Support, Operational activities
UNEG Criteria: Human Rights, Gender equality
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
3.1 The Nepal office draft framework of support for 2014-17 includes the following output to take forward the above recommendation: Output 3.1.3 Media houses commit to implementing gender responsive reporting (on key GE/WE issues including VAW/G) in line with the GON Information and Communication policy Senior Management and GNP Unit 2013/12 Completed Media Advocacy Group (MAG) is on board and is working with media to implement gender responsive reporting.
3.2 Support a study reviewing the portrayal of women in the media and organize a consultation with media houses and the Ministry of Information and Communication and Women Children and Social Welfare to discuss gender responsive media reporting GNP Unit 2014/12 Completed Since 2014 until 2017, the NCO and Media Advocacy Group (MAG) have been engaged in a partnership to help achieve gender responsive reporting and improve public awareness on critical women’s rights issues, including VAWG. This initiative specifically aims to strengthen the collective capability of the media to implement gender- responsive reporting on key gender equality and women’s empowerment (GEWE) issues, including VAW/G. This is supported with a National Mass Communication Policy to review gender sensitivity in media to help accelerate the promotion public understanding of women’s rights and GEWE issues.
Recommendation: Prioritise women's leadership and participation as a key focus area of intervention in the forthcoming strategic plan of the office.
Management Response: Accepted
More detail
Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Leadership and political participation (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Knowledge management, Capacity development, Advocacy
Organizational Priorities: Operational activities, Normative Support, Culture of results/RBM
UNEG Criteria: Gender equality, Human Rights
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
4.1 The Nepal office draft framework of support for 2014-17 prioritizes women's leadership and political participation as a key thematic area with the following Outcome and Outputs: Outcome 1.3 Women's representation in major political parties, judiciary, civil service, security sector and trade unions enhanced; Output 2.1.3 Networks of excluded women [rural women farmers, conflict affected, trafficked survivors, returnee migrant workers, home base workers, HIV positive women] have voice and agency to influence local and national decision making processes for sustainable development; Output 4.1.1 Government officials [MOPR, MOWCSW and DCC] able to implement and monitor NAP on UNSCRs 1325 and 1820 commitments at the national and local level in collaboration with CSOs Senior Management , Women Economic Empowerment (WEE), WPS and GNP Units 2013/12 Completed
4.2 The office has initiated the process of developing a four year programme on women?s leadership and political participation Senior Management and GNP Unit 2014/03 Completed Draft programme document developed.
Recommendation: Encourage collaboration and coordination among implementing partners in planning, designing and implementing project activities to ensure synergy.
Management Response: Accepted (UN Women in all its projects has been deliberately including systematic consultations with key stakeholders at all stages of the programming cycle).
More detail
Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Leadership and political participation (SPs before 2018), Governance and planning (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Not applicable, Internal coordination and communication
Organizational Priorities: Partnership, Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Efficiency
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
5.1 The Nepal office draft framework of support for the period 2014-17 benefits from feedback from consultations with government, civil society, the UN and development partners held during September to October 2013 Senior Management 2013/10 Completed
5.2 The Nepal office draft framework of support for 2014-17 in the the Organisational Effectiveness and Efficiency Framework (OEEF) includes plans to organize regular strategic partner meetings Senior Management Team 2014/12 Completed The UN Women NCO has developed the Strategic Note for the period 2018-2022 which explicitly underlines the partnership approach of the NCO with the government, civil society, women’s groups and the private sector in collaboration with other UN agencies, using evidence-based advocacy and capacity development to strengthen implementation of gender equality norms and standards. Additionally, a Strategic Partnership and Resource Mobilization (SPRM) Unit has been formed to lead NCO’s efforts to strengthen coordination and partnership. Additionally, NCO is drafting a diversity strategy for the period 2018 to 2022 and the implementation action plan for 2018 and 2019. The strategy is expected to further strengthen collaboration and coordination among implementing partners in planning, designing and implementing project activities.
Recommendation: Continue to raise the awareness of general public and political parties on the implications of gender gaps, gender based violence, participation of women in politics etc.
Management Response: Accepted
More detail
Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Governance and planning (SPs before 2018), Women economic empowerment (SPs before 2018), Leadership and political participation (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Knowledge management, Advocacy, Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: Normative Support, Operational activities, Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness, Gender equality, Efficiency
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
6.1 The Nepal office draft framework of support for 2014-17 prioritizes women's leadership and political participation as a key thematic area with the following outputs: Output 1.1.1 Women's caucus and gender equality advocates able to influence the inclusion of gender responsive provisions in line with international standards [CEDAW] in the new Constitution and Output 1.3.1 Gender equality advocates and women's groups have enhanced lobbying capacity to promote the representation and leadership of women in major political parties, judiciary, civil service, security sector and trade unions enhanced Senior Management and GNP Unit 2013/12 Completed
6.2 Facilitate consultation between gender equality advocates/women's groups and political parties at the national and local level in the second quarter of 2014 GNP Unit 2014/12 Completed A series of consultations were organized specifically around the constitution drafting process at the national level. Consultations will continue on other relevant issues.
Recommendation: Support long-term capacity development (of Women Political Watch Groups (WPWGs)/CA members/Women's Caucus) interventions to enhance women's political leadership and participation.
Management Response: Accepted
More detail
Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Leadership and political participation (SPs before 2018), Women economic empowerment (SPs before 2018), Governance and planning (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: Operational activities, Normative Support, Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Efficiency, Gender equality, Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
7.1 The Nepal office draft framework of support for 2014-17 prioritizes women's leadership and political participation as a key thematic area with the following Outcome 1.3 Women's representation in major political parties, judiciary, civil service, security sector and trade unions enhanced Senior Management and GNP Unit 2013/12 Completed
7.2 Facilitate consultation between gender equality advocates/women's groups and political parties at the national and local level GNP unit 2014/12 Completed In April 2017, a two-day national conference, ‘Towards Planet 50:50: Enabling Women’s Leadership and Representation in Local Governance in Nepal’. The GTG conducted the National Conference, through the coordination and co-leadership of NCO, jointly with the Election Commission of Nepal (ECN) and Sajha Abhiyan (a women leaders’ coalition). The conference served as a platform to collectively advocate for a gender-responsive local election and contribute to gender mainstreaming in local governance. A Charter of Demand for an Inclusive Local Elections, which was developed by the Civil Society Advisory Group and Sajha Abhiyan with technical and financial support of NCO, was disseminated in the conference to foster collective advocacy for substantive equality in the local election. The programme was inaugurated by Right Honorable Speaker Onsari Ghartimagar and chaired by Chief Election Commissioner of ECN, Dr. Ayodhi Prasad Yadav. A total of 541 representatives (313 female) from the government, Inter-Party Women's Alliance (IPWA), Sajha Abhiyan and Association of Community Radio Broadcasting participated in the inauguration session. In addition, there were 516 participants, including 334 women leaders, in technical sessions for the two-day event
7.3 Support consultations for the women's caucus members to discuss gender responsive provisions for the Constitution in line with international standards [CEDAW] GNP Unit 2014/12 No Longer Applicable The Constituent Assembly at the time agreed to not forming a caucus. There is now a separate Parliamentary Committee responsible for women, children, senior citizen and social welfare.
7.4 Strengthen the institutional capacity of networks of excluded women [rural women farmers, conflicted-affected women, trafficking survivors, returnee migrant workers, home-based workers, HIV-positive women] to influence local and national decision making processes for sustainable development WEE Unit 2015/12 Completed A partnership with a consortium of six networks of excluded women was initiated in 2016 to enhance leadership capacity of excluded women and their networks to participate/represent in local-level decision-making processes. The partnership is currently ongoing and will be completed in September 2018.
7.5 Support government training institutions [Administrative Staff College, National Judicial Academy, Local Development Training Academy, Revenue Administration Training Center] to review their curricula and enhance their institutional capabilities to deliver gender responsive training to civil servants GNP Unit 2015/12 Completed The National Judicial Academy (NJA) trained justice sector actors including judges, court officials, public prosecutors and police in 5 districts (total 155 males and 188 female participants from Dang, Dailekh, Surkhet, Achham and Kailali districts) to enhance their knowledge, skill, attitudes and court practices to implement substantive equality and gender sensitive judicial procedures on in-camera hearing, continuous hearing and evidence protection for promoting gender-responsive justice. With the support of UN Women, the Local Development Training Academy (LDTA) trained 186 government officials on GRB and their roles in local planning process through the "Ensuring a Participatory and Secure Transition (EPST)" joint UN Women and UNDP project. LDTA also provided training to about 250 government officials and representatives of NGOs/women’s groups on GRB and NAP on UNSCRs 1325 and 1820 under the GPI/CT project in 2016. UN Women is supporting the Nepal Administrative Staff College (NASC) to integrate Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) and Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) in the training curriculum and provide trainings to further enhance capacities of Government officials. In 2017, five government officials of the Staff college took part in intensive GRB training in Bangkok. The Administrative Staff College completed a training needs assessment exercise and drafted a training manual on GRB. The detail training package will be pilot tested in 2018 and implemented gradually.
Recommendation: Partner with the Election Commission, National Women's Commission (NWC) and Ministry of Women Children and Social Welfare (MoWCSW) to strengthen their institutional capacities to promote women's rights and gender equality .
Management Response: Accepted
More detail
Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Governance and planning (SPs before 2018), Women economic empowerment (SPs before 2018), Leadership and political participation (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: Normative Support, Operational activities, Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness, Gender equality, Efficiency
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
8.1 The Nepal office draft framework of support for 2014-17 prioritizes women's leadership and political participation as a key thematic area with the following outputs: Output 1.2.1 Election Commission staff at national and local levels able to implement the Election Commission Gender Policy and Output 5.1.1 Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare [MOWCSW] is able to formulate and implement a national women?s empowerment and gender policy in collaboration with National Planning Commission and gender equality advocates Senior Management and GNP Unit 2014/12 Completed
8.2 Facilitate orientation workshops for Election Commission [EC] staff on the Election Commission Gender Policy at the national level and support the development of an action plan for the Election Commission Gender Policy GNP Unit 2014/12 Completed As one of the only two UN agencies requested by the Government of Nepal (GoN) to provide technical assistance in the local elections, the NCO brought together government, UN, international development partners and civil society to mount an organized, coherent and high-pitched collective campaign to advance Nepali women’s equal participation and representation in the elections. A landmark national conference on the theme: Towards Planet 50:50: Enabling women’s leadership and representation in local governance in Nepal , which was held through NCO’s leadership and coordination, became a historic platform to galvanize support from over 500 participants in the inaugural and technical sessions who raised questions on inclusion of women from a practical, real time perspective. UN Women mobilised the UN GTG to support the National Conference on Election in April 2017 inviting 300 women leaders, political party representatives, CSOs and Media from 75 districts. UN Women also supported voter’s education and development of Gender Equality Checklist, a monitoring tool in line with the Gender Policy of the Election Commission in 2017. The objective of this checklist is to conclude whether national and international commitments related to gender equality monitoring have been met during the elections.
8.3 The Nepal office in partnership with the National Women Commission (NWC) is implementing a project to strengthen the capacities of NWC members and officials with DANIDA support. GNP Unit 2013/12 Completed
8.4 Provide technical support to MoWCSW to formulate a national women's empowerment and gender policy in collaboration with National Planning Commission and gender equality advocates Senior Management and GNP Unit 2014/12 Completed In November-December 2017, MoWCSW presented an updated draft National Gender Equality Policy (NGEP) to UN Women and other international development partners. Following discussions (internal and with key international development partners), UN Women agreed that major revisions were needed for the draft NGEP, both in terms of structure and content, in particular in relation to the shift of Nepal to a federal state. This feedback was shared with MoWCSW in December 2017.Due to the change in Government, further progress has been stalled.