Management Response

: Tanzania
: 2014 - 2016 , Tanzania (CO)
: Country Portfolio Evaluation 2014 - 2016
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Tanzania

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UN Women Tanzania overall welcomes the findings of the Country Portfolio Evaluation Report 2016. The overall objective of the Country Portfolio Evaluation (CPE) was meant to be formative for the CO’s and national stakeholders’ strategic learning and decision-making including for the design of the new SN, but also summative to support enhanced accountability for development effectiveness. The Evaluation recognizes that the UN Women CO has positioned itself well in successfully coordinating the UN family, Government and CSOs around the issue of GEWE and women’s rights. In addition, the Evaluation distinguishes that UN Women has provided a combination of policy support, assistance to CSOs , hands-on support to women in the field, and collection of data on GEWE. UN Women has position itself strategically to address women’s leadership and political participation, women’s economic empowerment (WEE) and provide strategic position in violence against women (VAW). Apart from directly working on GEWE related issues, underlying causes of gender inequality and poverty are implicitly addressed with the programme implementation. The scope was the entirety of UN Women's portfolio. The Evaluation found out the relevance of UN Women’s work towards the target groups and their needs was excellent. UN Women is seen as a key partner on GEWE with a high level of credibility. Adequate mapping had ensured the most vulnerable groups of women had been reached in all outcome areas. The work with Government in both Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar was relevant to both the needs of the Government and women themselves. The recommendations from the evaluation covered six main areas: three cover UN Women’s strategic priorities in advancing GEWE, partnerships, evidence on knowledge management and a specific one on Women’s Economic Empowerment.

: Approved
Recommendation: 1. UN Women needs to get strongly involved into joint advocacy for Government disbursement of funds for GEWE
Management Response: UN Women has been supporting a number of initiatives on financing for gender equality, including capacity development of government institutions on GRB tools and methodologies; awareness raising among government officials of a gender responsive Public Expenditure Review exercise; partnership with women members of parliament over gender responsive budget analysis methodologies as well as partnership with civil society organizations over tracking of expenditure for GEWE in local communities. UN Women has been working through different structures and institutions including the macro-policy working group on gender coordinated by the Ministry of Health, Community development, Gender, Elderly and Children, the National Planning Commission, the Ministry of Finance and Planning, Tanzanian Women Cross Party Platform, Tanzania Gender Networking Programme. Advocacy to Mainstreaming Gender Equality and Women Empowerment (GEWE) in the Public Expenditure Review (PER) has been a priority of the Gender Mainstreaming Working Group – Macro Policies (GMWG-MP) working in partnership with the Ministry of Finance and Planning (MOFP) as part of the on-going efforts to strengthen gender responsive budgeting (GRB). There have been discussions over the development of a comprehensive programmatic framework on financing for gender equality that outlines a better structured and comprehensive approach to UN Women’s work in this area.
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Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Capacity development, Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Partnership, Normative Support
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness, Gender equality
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Development of a programmatic approach to financing for gender equality closely linking this work to agenda 2030, SDG localization involving the key actors, including National Planning Commission, Zanzibar Planning Commission, Ministry of Finance and Planning, Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Ministry of Labor and Empowerment in Zanzibar, interested development partners (Canada, Irish Aid, USAID, UK), UN agencies, NBS and civil society organizations UN Women 2017/12 Completed A new program on gender statistics has been adopted with clear linkages to SDG localisation process and UN Women's work on gender responsive planning and budgeting. The program is currently being implemented in partnership with the Tanzania mainland National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the Zanzibar's Office of Chief Government Statistician (OCGS). The programme is hence intended to facilitate availability of accurate information on gender and women’s rights to influence evidence base information for policy and decision making over different approaches to financing for gender equality.
2. Multi-stakeholder meeting on lessons learnt, synergies to be created between the elements of work that have been supported by the Ministry of Finance and Planning, TGNP, TWPG around tracking of resources for GEWE and financing for gender equality more broadly. UN Women 2017/12 Completed An initiative has been supported by UN Women in partnership with the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children on the status of GRB implementation across sectors including the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Agriculture, NBS and other government institutions. The new partnerships with TWPG have adopted a clear focus on deliverables and results through the GRB budget related work.
3. Development of a strategy on financing for gender equality to be supported by the Development Partner Group on Gender across key sectors and policy priorities. UN Women 2018/02 No Longer Applicable A new joint UN effort on financing for all the SDGs is commencing under our new UNSDCF and it may or may not involve the DPG-GE.
Recommendation: UN Women should prioritise coordination and policy and advocacy engagement and leave direct implementation to other stakeholders to the maximum possible extent
Management Response: UN Women partially agrees with this recommendation. UN Women has not been implementing directly, except for strategic activities such as capacity building of partners, evaluations and research. Resource allocation between partners and UN Women testifies that partners do most of the direct implementation across the different priority thematic areas. Direct implementation is a preferred modality in cases where UN Women considers this a strategic investment for capacity development of partners.
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Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: Operational activities, Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness, Efficiency
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
1.Mapping of existing opportunities for normative engagement of UN Women across different thematic areas of work, with focus on WEE, VAW, WLPP and Financing for Gender Equality. UN Women 2017/09 Completed This reflection has been integrated in the development of the 2018 AWP with considerations of policy/normative work mainstreamed across the different thematic areas.
2. Assessment of UN Women capacities and additional resources required for the effective engagement in key policy discussions and dialogue. UN Women 2017/09 Completed The assessment will be part of the evaluation of the SN which will be conducted in the second quarter of 2022.
Recommendation: UN Women needs to re-strategize its partnership involvement
Management Response: UN Women accepts this recommendation. UN Women routinely conducts institutional assessments to ensure selection of relevant and capable partners. Specific measures have been taken to overcome identified weaknesses. Such strategies and systems need to be further elaborated and strengthened.
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Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: Partnership
UNEG Criteria: Efficiency, Effectiveness, Sustainability
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
UN Women will identify new strategies and methods which will ensure capacity building is effectively integrated as part of the IP project implementation on the basis of specific needs and priorities. UN Women 2017/03 Completed Initiated as part of negotiations of new partnership agreements with CSOs as well as government institutions.
2. UN Women will broaden its partnership base through a mapping of existing organizations in different thematic areas relevant for the implementation of UN Women’s mandate; and through calls for proposals UN Women 2017/12 Completed Calls for proposals have been initiated for the work on WEE and EVAW especially in the context of the Kigoma JP. Procurement of consultancy firm services to develop a strategy of engagement with community leaders and media is currently ongoing under the Thematic Area of Women's Leadership and Political Participation.
3. A comprehensive capacity assessment of partners working on GE and WE will be undertaken to be followed by the preparation of a capacity building plan UN Women 2017/12 Completed Capacity assessment of all new partners is a standard part of the contracting/ LPAC process.
4. Organize learning events with partners to share good practices, lessons learnt and ideas on capacity development that will help advance the agenda on GEWE at a national level UN Women 2020/12 Completed Between 2018 and 2020, the Country Office (CO) conducted a total of 4 trainings and knowledge sharing workshops to staff and its implementing partners on different topics like gender integration and mainstreaming in programs, results-based management, and financial management. In overall the CO has observed a significant improvement on the integration of gender and RBM into partners’ programs, policies and monitoring and evaluations systems. Efforts on capacity development of partners including the sharing of knowledge, good practices and lessons learnt will be sustained even more systematically following the development of the KM strategy by the CO.
Recommendation: UN Women needs to find a broader and more structural approach to supporting WEE
Management Response: UN Women accepts this recommendation and has started refocusing the WEE portfolio along these lines. UN Women is working in close partnership with the National Economic Empowerment Council under the Prime Minister’s Office -among other initiatives- and has supported the National Economic Empowerment Policy review as well as the Empowerment Funds assessment to identify entry points of strategic and effective support for women in local communities and in particular women entrepreneurs.
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Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Women economic empowerment (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Partnership, Operational activities, Normative Support
UNEG Criteria: Sustainability, Impact, Effectiveness, Efficiency
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
1. Roll the Local Content Policy with a gender lens to ensure local entrepreneurs (particularly women) can link into global value chains. UN Women 2017/12 Completed In 2018, UN Women partnered with the Tanzania Women Chamber of Commerce (TWCC), through the United Nations Kigoma Joint Program to enhance the inclusion of women in the income generating activities and increase competitiveness in their small enterprises. The women entrepreneurs are also supported to participate in national and international trade exhibitions. Hence linked up to the global value chains.
2. Support the National Economic Empowerment Council to develop and roll out guideline for the Informal finance groups UN Women 2017/12 No Longer Applicable We have maintained contacts with NEEC and engaged on a number of events. For instance, during socio- economic analysis of COVID- 19, we engaged NEEC to provide an overview on the support required to women small businesses and opportunities to support women business amidst COVID-19 in 2020. Due to lack of funding, the CO is no longer pursuing a formal partners with the NEEC. On the WYDF, UN Women continues to support implementation through capacity strengthening on the implementation of Women and Youth Development Fund for the local Government Authorities in Kigoma, Dodoma and Katavi regions.
3. Support the development of an M&E system for the National Economic Empowerment Council. UN Women 2017/12 No Longer Applicable
4. Develop a UN Joint Program on Women’s Economic Empowerment combining both normative work and targeted support to women entrepreneurs, women’s groups and in particular marginalized groups (pastoralist, HIV + women, Women with disabilities) UN Women 2017/06 Completed In May 2020, UN Women started implementing a new joint programme with UNFPA aiming at strengthening social and economic resilience of rural women and adolescent girls in Singida and Shinyanga regions through support from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). UN Women will focus on empowering women and young female farmers’ by improving agricultural production, collective marketing, entrepreneurship skills and enhancing land tenure security. This new JP will support Local Government Authorities to execute their normative work through training for LGA officials to enhance women economic empowerment in relation to women’s Agricultural participation and access to land.
Recommendation: UN Women should develop and implement a strategy for the structural engagement of men to achieve progress in GEWE
Management Response: UN Women Accepts this recommendation and is strengthening existing programmes in this area
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Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Promoting inclusiveness/Leaving no one behind
Organizational Priorities: Engaging men and boys
UNEG Criteria: Efficiency, Effectiveness, Sustainability
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
1. Develop a national strategy for the promotion, advocacy and implementation of the global UN Women He For She campaign. UN Women 2017/12 Completed The HeForShe Strategy for the National Assembly was approved and is expected to be launched and implemented in the subsequent strategic note. A total of 197 male MPs (183 NA and 14 ZHoR) have signed up to become male champions to promote GEWE. In November 2021, the President of Zanzibar and Chairman of the Revolutionary Council, H.E. Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi signed up as a national HeForShe champion and member of the newly initiated HeForShe Alliance. The President committed to appoint more women to decision-making roles and underlined the need for the Parliament of Tanzania and the Zanzibar House of representatives to review laws and policies that deny women equal rights. He also committed to address violence against women and promote women’s economic rights in Zanzibar, and called upon Ministries, Government Departments and Agencies to take actions in promoting GEWE.
2. Support National Assembly (NA) relevant committees to participate in the development, adoption and implementation of a HeforShe advocacy strategy to promote male MPs as champions and change agents for promoting gender equality June – December 2017 UN Women Tanzania Not Initiated This action is integrated in UN Women’s programmatic interventions under the Legislative Support Program II. To be implemented in 2017. UN Women 2017/12 Completed The HeForShe strategy for the parliament is in place. In 2020, through UN Women support, 197 male MPs (183 NA) and (14 ZHoR) were identified and trained. In 2020 they worked closely with the women MPs to promote GEWE.
Recommendation: Women needs to use a more structural approach on evidence gathering and knowledge management, including by involving academia and ensuring essential human resources for M&E are in place
Management Response: UN Women accepts this recommendation. The CO recognizes the need to develop a more comprehensive approach on evidence gathering, data collection and knowledge management.
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Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Knowledge management
Organizational Priorities: Normative Support, Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness, Efficiency, Relevance
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Terms of Reference for an International M&E Specialist have been developed and recruitment process will begin in February 2017. UN Women 2017/04 Completed M&E specialist was recruited and is in office from June 2018.
2. A comprehensive knowledge management strategy needs to be developed for the entirety of the programmatic portfolio of UN Women’s work in Tanzania. UN Women 2017/07 No Longer Applicable The development of Knowledge management strategy will be done in the new SN.
3. Capacity building of partners and staff members on M&E and knowledge management. UN Women 2017/07 Completed Capacity building of staff members in this thematic area was prioritized in 2018 through the participation of 5 staff members in the Regional workshop on RBM. Capacity building of partners was prioritized for the last quarter of 2018 following the recruitment of a M&E Specialist and M&E analyst who have started providing continuous M&E capacity building to partners. In 2019, internal capacities in RBM were strengthened by conducting a successful RBM training in March to 24 UN Women staff and 47 participants from implementing partners. The EVAW team held a separate capacity building workshop for their IPs in September, which also provided RBM guidance. As part of the continuous and sustained approach on building the capacity of staff and partners on RBM and M&E, the CO is working with partners in project development phase, and during monitoring visits. The CO M&E staff are continuously supporting partners to define a set of common standards defining M&E and consensus of the characteristics of a functional M&E system at their organizations. Specific areas of support has been the promotion of a culture of data use, strengthening governance structures to spearhead M&E activities, and M&E skills building: training on M&E fundamentals and building the capacity of the partners’ senior staff for RBM leadership.
4. Mapping of academic institutions to inform strengthening partnership with academia on data collection on GEWE. UN Women 2020/12 Completed UN Women will build on previous partnership with Dar Es Salaam University on the development of a Country Gender Profile to expand a mapping of academic institutions with expertise on issues related to GEWE. A partnership with the University has been initiated so far in relation to the work on Women's Leadership and Political Participation.