Management Response

Recommendation:

RECOMMENDATION 1 There is need to use research findings to inform next cycle of programming particularly how women and girls in perennial conflicts areas can be involved in PSOs, as well as to review existing gender integration polices and frameworks to increase level of utilization. Based on both research and symposiums recommendations, there is need for further interrogation on some findings affecting the full implementation of WPS policies, frameworks and work-plan within the Eastern Africa region. This will be an opportunity for UN Women-Kenya to support the advancement of gender integration within the region.

Management Response:

MANAGEMENT RESPONSE UN Women Kenya has committed to expand the evidence base on the impact of conflict on women and girls, the diverse roles that women and girls play in conflict, and the positive and transformative impact of including women’s active leadership and participation in peace and security decision making processes. The recommendation to interrogate persisting barriers that continue to limit the translation of progressive frameworks from policy to practice is well noted, and has been utilized by UN Women to inform future programmes and interventions regarding the full implementation of WPS polices including the Kenya National Action Plan on UNSCR 1325, and the Gender Pillar of the National Strategy to Counter Violent Extremism.

Key Actions Responsible Deadline Status Comments In future project proposals include a critical analysis of the challenges and gaps related to the translation of progressive policies from theory to practice and develop practical strategies to address these. UN Women KCO (Programme Analysts, Peace and Security Specialist, M&E Officer) 2020/06 Completed

Recommendation:

RECOMMENDATION 2 To comprehensively address peace and security issues across the conflict prone counties, there is need to consider expanding the project activities to neighbouring counties of Samburu, Marakwet, Isiolo, Laikipia, Parts of Meru, and Baringo. Evidence from the findings of the two studies and evaluation interviews, it was clearly indicated that peace, security and crime issues are transnational and dynamic. They require precise and coherent focus on how best to mitigate them – which some UN Women-Kenya has been addressing since 2014 in partnership with IPSTC. To safeguard these consolidated results from the four counties, there is need for UN Women-Kenya to expand the program of PSO within other conflict prone counties and the larger Eastern Africa region.

Management Response:

MANAGEMENT RESPONSE Due to limited sources of funding UN Women often has to prioritize specific counties where programmatic interventions will be implemented under any given project. UN Women Kenya also utilizes a programmatic approach to implement interventions in counties where UN Women is more broadly supporting efforts towards gender equality and women’s empowerment, specifically regarding women’s leadership in decision-making, ending violence against women, and women’s economic empowerment. Where possible UN Women will endeavor to expand women, peace and security interventions into the recommended counties, and prioritize those that are most affected by conflict.

Key Actions Responsible Deadline Status Comments UN Women will continue to prioritize key counties most affected by conflict to address key peace and security concerns while adopting a programmatic approach to deepen the transformative impact of UN Women’s interventions given the inter-linkages between the women, peace and security agenda and UN Women’s other key areas of programming, namely women’s leadership in decision making, ending violence against women, and women’s economic empowerment UN Women KCO (Peace and Security Unit) 2020/12 Completed

Recommendation:

RECOMMENDATION 3 There is need to monitor the implementation of the MoD Gender Policy to document gains made, disseminate to the lower levels, and a review to include the civilian component. Findings from the gender assessment revealed that there exist challenges in the implementation of gender integration polices and frameworks within the Eastern Africa region. It would be prudent therefore, for IPSTC to follow up on the implementation of the MoD policy to learn and share the same with wider Eastern Africa region audience and beyond.

Management Response:

UN Women Kenya provided technical and financial support to the Ministry of Defense to develop a Gender Policy. UN Women has continued to provide support to the Ministry of Defense to disseminate the policy to as staff and personnel within different levels of the Ministry of Defense. UN Women will where possible provide support to IPSTC to undertake an analysis of the implementation of the Gender Policy, and share best practices and lessons learned with other peace and security stakeholders within Kenya and the East African region.

Key Actions Responsible Deadline Status Comments Funds allowing provide technical and financial support to IPSTC to review the implementation of the Ministry of Defense Gender Policy and document and disseminate best practices and lessons learned to peace and security stakeholders in Kenya and the East African region. UN Women KCO, IPSTC, Development Partners 2020/12 Completed

Recommendation:

RECOMMENDATION 4 There is need to document the project in the form of short videos to measure impacts, capture lessons learned, best practices and showcase results and outcomes from beneficiaries’ perspectives. During the evaluation process, there were a lot of successes reported by the respondents owed to the support received from UN Women and IPSTC - particularly how training courses have sharpened their knowledge and skills on gender equality and human rights, and opened opportunities for them. All these and many more needs to be documented into short video clips to be used during next trainings or IPSTC open days.

Management Response:

This is a good recommendation but coming at the end of the project. Under the project Integrating Gender in Peace Support Operations in Eastern Africa there were no funds ear marked for the documentation of successes in video format. However, should IPSTC receive funds to document and disseminate their best practices and lessons learned UN Women Kenya encourages the Centre to utilize interactive and innovative platforms and tools to disseminate their results, lessons learned and best practices to stakeholders and interested parties in Kenya and the region.

Key Actions Key Action not added.

Recommendation:

RECOMMENDATION 5 The few female soldiers trained have started making positive changes to themselves and their immediate cohorts. To increase this numbers to strategic and decision-making positions, there in need for many of them to have the required skills and exposed to opportunities within the military and advance the few to ToTs to train fellow females. The component of training female soldiers enlisted a lot of learning and excitement for the few who attended- particularly on UN mandates, UNSCR 1325 and other selected topics. Owing to the benefits thus far reported, it’s a component UN Women-Kenya can consider in the next programming cycle. Alternatively consider already trained female soldiers to be trainers -of-trainers.

Management Response:

Funds allowing, UN Women Kenya will seek avenues to support ToT activities for female officers whose gender capacity has been built to cascade their knowledge to other officers, both female and male where relevant.

Key Actions Responsible Deadline Status Comments If UN Women receives further funding to integrate gender in peace support operations UN Women can consider a ToT as a key activity to build on and expand results from the project Integrating Gender in Peace Support Operations in Eastern Africa. UN Women, IPSTC 2020/12 Completed