Management Response

: Timor Leste
: 2017 - 2017 , Timor Leste (CO)
: Programme Evaluation for Institutional Strengthening for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Timor-Leste
:
: Timor Leste
:

The evaluation of the project “Institutional Strengthening for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Timor-Leste” was launched to support the Government of Timor-Leste in implementation of the priorities set forth in the Fifth Government Programme 2012-2015. The project was funded by the Government of Norway through the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Under Development Results Impact 5 and country impact 4 for three and half years from June 2013 to December 2016. The overall goal was defined for the Government of Timor-Leste to demonstrate increased accountability for the implementation of GE commitments. The project planned to achieve two outcomes: • Gender equality provisions of the Programme of the Fifth Constitutional Government in three selected ministries (Finance, State Administration and Justice) implemented by 2017 • Gender equality advocates’ capacities to demand accountability increased The evaluation addressed the criteria of project relevance, effectiveness and efficiency, and sustainability, and specifically: 1) Assessed the relevance of the project’s contribution to the intervention at national levels and alignment with international agreements, and national priorities on Gender equality, women’s empowerment. 2) Assessed effectiveness and efficiency in progressing towards the achievement of project results. 3) Assessed the sustainability of the project in achieving sustained results 4) Identified and validated lessons learned, good practices and examples and innovations of efforts that support gender equality and human rights in area of work. 5) Provided actionable recommendations with respect to UN Women’s future gender mainstreaming interventions. Many of the recommendations from the evaluation were initiated following the evaluation and have become a reference for the design of new programmes, which will builds on and consolidate the strengths and avoid some of the weakness of the previous programme design and implementation.

: Approved
Recommendation: RECOMMENDATION 1: A second phase of the project is needed to support the on-going initiatives in the Government and civil society, with focus on their institutional strengthening, built on the achievements and lessons learned from past experiences. For instance, the work with the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries that has been initiated by the project needs be continued in a systematic manner.
Management Response:
Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Women economic empowerment (SPs before 2018), Governance and planning (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Gender equality
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
1. UN Women will hire a WEE officer and continue support to MAF for approval of the Gender Equality Strategy and continued training and strengthening the Gender Focal Point System 2. UN Women will develop second phase to the project UN women , WEE unit UN Women's GM Unit 2017/08 Completed UNW hired WEE Officer in Sept 2017 and is exploring next phase of programming with donors. A consultant for strategic partnership been hired for finding better approach from UN Women to partners & donors
2. UN Women will develop second phase to the project UN Women's GM Unit 2017/09 Completed Pending donor interest/ funding resources on institutional strengthening, Depending on the outcome, changes in structure and key priorities of the new Government, work with some of the partners might not be relevant anymore.
Recommendation: RECOMMENDATION 2: Programming on Gender Responsive Budgeting is the key programme for integration of gender into all sectors, in particular into hard or non- traditional sectors of finance, trade, industry, extractive industry, agriculture, construction, infrastructure, environment or tourism,
Management Response:
Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Governance and planning (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: UN Coordination
UNEG Criteria: Gender equality
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
1. UN Women continues to work with SEM and the PMO to develop legal framework on GRB UN Women's GM Unit 2017/12 Completed UNW Head of Office has initiated discussions with various donors and development partners to explore interest/ funding opportunities on institutional strengthening. UN Women will be responsible for the action in collaboration with SEM & PMO. GRB Policy Note developed with Prime Minister's Office in 2017 with UN Women's support.
Recommendation: RECOMMENDATION 3: Programming on economic empowerment of women, especially of rural women, should be integrated with advocacy of gender advocates for gender responsive budgeting,
Management Response:
Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Women economic empowerment (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Advocacy, Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: UN Coordination
UNEG Criteria: Gender equality
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
1. The CO is integrating Its gender-responsive planning and budgeting approach across impact areas on Women, Peace and Security and Women's Economic Empowerment, with dedicated activities in the respective workplans by 2017. UN Women Timor-Leste 2017/09 Completed Its been incorporated in 2018 Annual Workplan
Recommendation: RECOMMENDATION 4 : Special attention to integration of training in specialized training institutions of Government / public administration should be considered in order to achieve better sustainability of results.
Management Response:
Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Sustainability
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
1. The CO is developing a training on gender responsive planning and budgeting and gender equality to integrate as part of annual institutional planning and budgeting practices. UN Women's GM Unit 2017/12 Completed A training on gender-responsive planning and budgeting have been conducted by The Secretary of State for Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (SEIGIS) jointly with Planning, M&E unit (UPMA) of Prime Minister's Office as part of planning and budgeting process.
2. The CO aims to work with the National Institute on Public Administration to develop inception training material on gender equality for Civil Servants UN Women WPS Unit 2018/12 Completed The CO started discussion with SEIGIS to explore the partnership with Civil Service Commission and INAP.
Recommendation: RECOMMENDATION 5: Roll out development and implementation of pilot models in two or three selected municipalities / districts
Management Response:
Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Peace and security (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Not applicable, Knowledge management
Organizational Priorities: Partnership
UNEG Criteria: Gender equality
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
1. The CO will work with SEM and PMO to integrate GRB/GM into the Planning system of three target municipalities as part of its WPS Programming UN Women WPS Unit 2018/06 Completed SEIGIS provided the training for the participants from 3 municipalities in 2017.
Recommendation: RECOMMENDATION 6: Further support partnerships among women’s rights groups and non-traditional NGO partners such as human rights groups with focus on social accountability
Management Response:
Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Peace and security (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Promoting inclusiveness/Leaving no one behind
Organizational Priorities: Partnership
UNEG Criteria: Gender equality, Human Rights
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
1. The WPS project will ensure that in their new call partnerships women's groups are linked to non-traditional NGO partners. UN Women WPS Unit 2017/09 Completed
Recommendation: RECOMMENDATION 7: Utilize innovative strategies (social media) while continuing public awareness raising reaching out to remote rural areas.
Management Response:
Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Advocacy, Internal coordination and communication
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Gender equality
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
1. The CO will be developing a media campaign using innovative strategies, with specific target of three municipalities, through their WPS project UN Women WPS Unit 2018/06 Completed Communications Consultant have been contracted to develop communication material on Women, Peace and Security Agenda.
Recommendation: RECOMMENDATION 8: Engage all stakeholders early in the design of programme, particularly with the non-traditional, new partners in new geographic locations or thematic areas
Management Response:
Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Peace and security (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Culture of results/RBM
UNEG Criteria: Impact
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
1. The CO will organize consultations in the three target municipalities UN Women Timor-Leste 2017/09 Completed
Recommendation: RECOMMENDATION 9: Assess the potential and opportunities for continued work in Oecusse and select partners that could deliver desired results in effective and efficient manner
Management Response:
Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Governance and planning (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Partnership
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness, Efficiency
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
1. The CO will map partners, which will include assessment of potential partners in Oecusse as part of the Baseline Women Timor-Leste 2017/09 Completed The Assessment being done by the NGO partner.
Recommendation: RECOMMENDATION 10: Strong linkages between UN Women programmes and projects should be continued while keeping in mind the project specific planned outcomes and outputs during implementation, monitoring and reporting processes
Management Response:
Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Governance and planning (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Internal coordination and communication, Knowledge management
Organizational Priorities: Culture of results/RBM
UNEG Criteria: Efficiency, Relevance, Effectiveness, Impact
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
1. UN Women will organize monthly programme meetings. UN Women Timor-Leste 2017/06 Completed
2. Joint mid-year review of programmes will be organized UN Women Timor-Leste 2017/06 Completed
Recommendation: RECOMMENDATION 11: In addition to the UN Women corporate reporting system, a project / programme specific system for data collection ensures systematic data collection and use in daily project monitoring work, and allows capturing results at impact, intermediate and immediate outcome levels
Management Response:
Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Governance and planning (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Knowledge management, Internal coordination and communication
Organizational Priorities: Culture of results/RBM
UNEG Criteria: Impact, Effectiveness, Relevance, Efficiency
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
1. The CO National M&E Officer is supporting systematic monitoring of results, developing of tools and systems UN Women Timor-Leste 2017/06 Completed
2. The CO is reviewing the UN Women TL monitoring system and tools for more systematic project monitoring UN Women Timor-Leste (M&E Officer and WPS Unit) 2017/07 Completed Baseline been done with details information on the Indicators.
Recommendation: RECOMMENDATION 12: Ensure iterative process for review of project performance measurement framework that would reflect changing or evolving development contexts of country
Management Response:
Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Governance and planning (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Knowledge management
Organizational Priorities: Culture of results/RBM
UNEG Criteria: Efficiency, Relevance, Effectiveness, Impact
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
1. The CO will ensure yearly reviews of projects. UN Women Timor-Leste 2017/12 Completed The baseline of WPS project have been done. UN did the reflection on its project (WPS) internally and with the partners. Will keep this practice for better planning, monitoring and implementation of the projects.
Recommendation: RECOMMENDATION 13: Allocate adequate resources for systematic monitoring, including follow up surveys, satisfaction surveys and other in-depth analytical tools
Management Response:
Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Knowledge management
Organizational Priorities: Culture of results/RBM
UNEG Criteria: Impact, Effectiveness, Relevance, Efficiency
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
1. The CO will allocate specific budget for M&E in all projects Women Timor-Leste 2017/06 Completed The CO includes an M&E budget between 5-10% for new projects.
Recommendation: RECOMMENDATION 14: Overall, training and refresher trainings on results based management for country offices would help to keep the focus of specific programmes and projects on track and maximise efficiency and effectiveness
Management Response:
Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Capacity development, Knowledge management
Organizational Priorities: Culture of results/RBM
UNEG Criteria: Efficiency, Relevance, Effectiveness, Impact
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
1. The CO will develop an M&E manual for Programme Staff and programme partners UN Women Timor-Leste 2018/06 Completed A staff learning needs assessment on RBM and M&E has been undertaken by the CO and the manual planned to be share in December 2018.
Recommendation: RECOMMENDATION 15: UN Women should carry out evaluability assessment of projects at the beginning of the project implementation, identify challenges and gaps for systematic monitoring of project’s progress.
Management Response:
Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Governance and planning (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Culture of results/RBM
UNEG Criteria: Impact
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
1. The CO will organize project baselines which help assess the evaluability of the projects UN Women Timor-Leste 2017/06 Completed
Recommendation: RECOMMENDATION 16: Consider establishing a project steering committee that would assess progress and make management decisions vis-a-vis planned results. It is also useful for facilitating networking among stakeholders, better coordination, synergies and potential joint activities, Alternatively, a project advisory committee or technical committee could be established to serve for quality assurance of project activities, provide advice to programme as well as assist in gaining greater national ownership of the project. It also promotes sharing experiences among stakeholders.
Management Response:
Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Governance and planning (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Culture of results/RBM
UNEG Criteria: Impact, Sustainability
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
1. The CO will establish steering committees or similar advisory structures for future projects. UN Women Timor-Leste 2017/01 Completed