Management Response

: Malawi
: 2018 - 2021 , Malawi (CO)
: Mid term evaluation for the Women Empowerment Programme
:
: Malawi
:

The MTR evaluation highlights important findings on results achieved and areas requiring improvement. The Country office will implement recommendations stated in the report for purposes of consolidating on the gains achieved so far in the programme at the same time to maximize on results for the remaining programme period
: Approved
Recommendation: Recommendation 1 (based on conclusion 1)
Management Response: The Country office has commenced institutionalized monthly planning and review meetings with the Ministry of Gender in addition to commencing quarterly programme planning, review and RBM learning sessions involving UN Women implementing partners co -chaired by UN Women and Ministry. This is towards enhancing collaboration and focused on agreed deliverables.
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Description: Recommendation 1 (based on conclusion 1): Conduct regular follow-ups with the MoGCDSW to encourage achievement of outstanding deliverables
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Governance and planning (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Oversight/governance
Organizational Priorities: Partnership
UNEG Criteria: Relevance
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Institutionalization of monthly planning and review meetings with the Ministry of Gender in addition to commencing quarterly programme planning, review and RBM learning sessions involving UN Women implementing partners co -chaired by UN Women and Ministry. Programme Management Specialist 2020/12 Overdue-Initiated Planning and review meetings have been held virtually, in view of COVID 19, with the Ministry of Gender. For example, a partner review meeting was co-hosted with the Ministry. Workshops involving few participants have been conducted jointly with the ministry for example on developing strategic plan for the ministry, chiefs meeting.
Recommendation: Recommendation 2 (based on conclusion 2):
Management Response: The Country office will continue with the GRB initiatives to strengthen capacity of district level stakeholders to strengthen the capacity towards gender responsive budgeting. Training of Trainers will be undertaken in collaboration with of the Ministry of Gender and the Ministry of Finance at national level.
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Description: There is need to conduct further capacity building on GRB at district level
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Governance and planning (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: Normative Support
UNEG Criteria: Relevance, Effectiveness, Efficiency
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
GRB Training for district level stakeholders GBG Specialist 2020/06 Overdue-Not Initiated Trainings planned have been put on hold due to COVID 19.
Recommendation: Recommendation 3 (based on conclusion 2):
Management Response: The Country Office will invest time and effort in (i) customizing and simplifying available guidelines inline with UN Women guidelines and other relevant materials, (ii) the country office will also invest in training of trainers to ensure there is standardization of gender responsive budgeting, (iii) the GRB will be conducted in blocks – thus consolidate stakeholder participation in order to give more time for the trainings
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Description: The duration of the GRB orientation sessions need to be increased
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Governance and planning (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Oversight/governance
Organizational Priorities: Normative Support
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Customizing standard for GRB Training GBG Specialist 2020/03 Overdue-Not Initiated Trainings planned have been put on hold due to COVID 19.
Recommendation: Recommendation 4 (based on conclusion 2):
Management Response: As indicated above the Country office will simplify and customize available UN Women and other relevant manuals on GRB. These will include reference materials and inform specific IEC materials that will be customized. These will be shared with IPs and targeted stakeholders for use. The country office will continue engaging specialists in gender responsive budgeting from the UN Women regional office and headquarters
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Description: There is need to develop and disseminate simple reference materials on GRB to stakeholders
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Governance and planning (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Oversight/governance
Organizational Priorities: Normative Support
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness, Relevance, Efficiency
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
develop and disseminate simple reference materials on GRB to stakeholders GBG Specialist 2020/03 Overdue-Not Initiated Trainings planned have been put on hold due to COVID 19. Guidelines will be disseminated as part of the trainings.
Recommendation: Recommendation 5 (based on conclusion 2)
Management Response: As indicated above the Country office will simplify and customize available UN Women and other relevant manuals on GRB. These will include reference materials and inform specific IEC materials that will be customized. These will be shared with IPs and targeted stakeholders for use and focus will be on guidelines on applying GRB in the budget formulation and implementation process
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Description: Recommendation 5 (based on conclusion 2): There is need to disseminate approved guidelines on GRB
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Governance and planning (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: Normative Support
UNEG Criteria: Efficiency, Relevance
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
disseminate approved guidelines on GRB GBG Specialist 2020/03 Overdue-Not Initiated Trainings planned have been put on hold due to COVID 19. Guidelines will be disseminated as part of the trainings.
Recommendation: Recommendation 6 (based on conclusion 3)
Management Response: The Country office will continue engaging the Reserve Bank of Malawi and microfinance institutions at both national and subnational levels to develop women friendly financial products and services.
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Description: Recommendation 6 (based on conclusion 3): Ensure development of women friendly financial products and services.
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Women economic empowerment (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Advocacy
Organizational Priorities: Partnership
UNEG Criteria: Relevance, Effectiveness, Impact
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Engage the Reserve Bank of Malawi and microfinance institutions at both national and subnational levels to develop women friendly financial products and services WE Specialist 2020/07 Overdue-Initiated The country office continues to engage Reserve Bank and Commercial Bank fulfil their commitments to develop women friendly financial products and services. Last engagement meeting was held in Blantyre with the Reserve Bank in May 2020
Recommendation: Recommendation 7 (based on conclusion 3)
Management Response: Based on identified needs, the country office will continue working with the Reserve Bank of Malawi and Microfinance institutions in orienting women on how to access financial products and services.
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Description: Recommendation 7 (based on conclusion 3): Conduct orientations targeting women on accessing ‘women friendly financial products and services.
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Women economic empowerment (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Promoting inclusiveness/Leaving no one behind
Organizational Priorities: Partnership
UNEG Criteria: Gender equality
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Conduct orientations targeting women on accessing ‘women friendly financial products and services. WE Specialist 2020/06 Overdue-Initiated The country office continues to engage Reserve Bank and Commercial Bank fulfil their commitments to develop women friendly financial products and services. Last engagement meeting was held in Blantyre with the Reserve Bank in May 2020
Recommendation: Recommendation 8 (based on conclusion 6):
Management Response: The Country Office will enhance its efforts in engaging the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Malawi Bureau of standards to identify and link farmers to better markets at both local, national and international levels. Women farmers will be supported to participate in district level, national and international trade fairs.
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Description: Recommendation 8 (based on conclusion 6): support cooperatives in identification of markets.
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Women economic empowerment (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: Agriculture
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Support cooperatives in identification of markets. WE Specialist 2020/12 Overdue-Initiated Through the WEP, the country office engages the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Malawi Bureau of standards to identify and link farmers to better markets at both local, national and international levels. Local, national and international trade fairs have not been held due to the COVID situation and the political environment.
Recommendation: Recommendation 9 (based on conclusion 6):
Management Response: The Country office will roll out the BuyFromWomen platform as an innovation to link women farmers with potential markets/investors
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Description: Recommendation 9 (based on conclusion 6): Strategize on other innovative ways of promoting networking between beneficiaries and potential markets/investors.
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Women economic empowerment (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Promoting inclusiveness/Leaving no one behind
Organizational Priorities: Agriculture
UNEG Criteria: Impact
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
The Country office will roll out the BuyFromWomen platform as an innovation to link women farmers with potential markets/investors WE Specialist 2020/03 Overdue-Initiated The platform still being developed
Recommendation: Recommendations 10 (based on conclusion 6):
Management Response: The Country Office will identify successful businesswomen to act as mentors to upcoming entrepreneurs. These will be individual women or women from cooperatives and companies
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Description: Recommendations 10 (based on conclusion 6): Scale-up the component of linking entrepreneurs to mentors
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Women economic empowerment (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: Agriculture
UNEG Criteria: Efficiency
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
The Country Office will identify successful businesswomen to act as mentors to upcoming entrepreneurs. These will be individual women or women from cooperatives and companies WE Specialist 2020/03 Overdue-Initiated African Women Leaders’ Network Malawi Chapter have been launched in January 2020. The roll out of the AWLN will identify leaders in the private sector in the context of the mentorship dialogues
Recommendation: Recommendation 11 (based on conclusion 5):
Management Response: The Country office will engage the Malawi Bureau of Standards, and other relevant implementing partners on capacity building on branding and packaging for cooperatives.
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Description: Recommendation 11 (based on conclusion 5): Capacitate cooperatives to start doing their own branding and packaging to ensure sustainability of results.
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Women economic empowerment (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: Agriculture
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
The Country office will engage the Malawi Bureau of Standards, and other relevant implementing partners on capacity building on branding and packaging for cooperatives. WE Specialist 2020/06 Overdue-Not Initiated Activity on hold due to the COVID 19 situation.
Recommendation: Recommendation 12 (based on conclusion 7):
Management Response: The Country office will engage the Malawi Bureau of Standards, and other relevant implementing partners on capacity building on branding and packaging for cooperatives.
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Description: Recommendation 12 (based on conclusion 7): UNW needs to intervene to ensure that cooperatives and entrepreneurs obtain Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) certification to enable them to sell goods at recognized shops/supermarkets.
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Women economic empowerment (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: Agriculture, Climate change
UNEG Criteria: Relevance
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
The Country office will engage the Malawi Bureau of Standards, and other relevant implementing partners on capacity building on branding and packaging for cooperatives. WE Specialist 2020/03 Overdue-Initiated Activity on hold due to the COVID 19 situation.
Recommendation: Recommendation 13 (based on conclusion 8).
Management Response: The Country office will engage Farmer based organizations such as cooperatives on having women’s voice in CSA policies and practices. This will include promotion of innovative Climate Smart Agriculture technologies such as the Green house farming technology for horticultural value chain.
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Description: Recommendation 13 (based on conclusion 8) There is need to strategize on how the cooperatives can incorporate climate smart agriculture into their value chains
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Women economic empowerment (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: Agriculture
UNEG Criteria: Relevance
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
The Country office will engage Farmer based organizations such as cooperatives on having women’s voice in CSA policies and practices. This will include promotion of innovative Climate Smart Agriculture technologies such as the Green house farming technology for horticultural value chain. WE Specialist 2020/06 Overdue-Initiated Installation of Green Houses just been completed under the Climate Smart Agriculture Projects. These have been done by Thandwe Company
Recommendation: Recommendation 14 (based on conclusion 9)
Management Response: The Country Office will engage the MoGCDSW and UNICEF to source and train volunteer groups in using the case management registers
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Description: Recommendation 14 (based on conclusion 9) There is need to provide volunteer groups with case books for recording cases in order to track and follow-up on cases such as early marriages, GBV etc. where necessary.
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Ending violence against women (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: Normative Support
UNEG Criteria: Human Rights
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
The Country Office will engage the MoGCDSW and UNICEF to source and train volunteer groups in using the case management registers Programme Management Specialist 2020/03 Overdue-Not Initiated Postponed due to the COVID 19 situation
Recommendation: Recommendation 15 (based on conclusion 9)
Management Response: The Country Office will offer business startup capital to girls who have been recalled from early marriages through the Spotlight Programme.
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Description: Recommendation 15 (based on conclusion 9) Strategize on ways of supporting girls who have been re-called from early marriage
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Women economic empowerment (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: Youth engagement
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
The Country Office will offer business startup capital to girls who have been recalled from early marriages through the Spotlight Programme EVAW Specialist 2020/06 Overdue-Initiated Partners have been identified that will engage vulnerable women and girls through in economic empowerment through the Spotlight Programme
Recommendation: Recommendation 16 (based on conclusion 10)
Management Response: The Country office will enhance adoption and application of the SASA Approach in guiding volunteers during awareness meetings and campaigns in order to initiate a gradual process of change
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Description: Recommendation 16 (based on conclusion 10) Identify and adopt standard social norms change methodologies
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Ending violence against women (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Alignment with strategy
Organizational Priorities: Normative Support
UNEG Criteria: Sustainability
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
The Country office will enhance adoption and application of the SASA Approach in guiding volunteers during awareness meetings and campaigns in order to initiate a gradual process of change EVAW Specialist 2020/03 Overdue-Initiated New CSO partners identified under the Spotlight e.g. OXFAM, CARE International are applying the SASA approach.
Recommendation: Recommendation 17:
Management Response: The Country office will continue building capacity of partners in RBM, aligning of results frameworks and implementation plans to the Annual Workplan. Quarterly review and planning meetings will be held to monitor and assess progress.
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Description: Recommendation 17: Re-evaluate the scopes of work for implementing partners to ensure that all planned activities for the remaining half of the programme are done
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Governance and planning (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Oversight/governance, Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: Normative Support
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
The Country office will continue building capacity of partners in RBM, aligning of results frameworks and implementation plans to the Annual Workplan. Quarterly review and planning meetings will be held to monitor and assess progress Programme Management Specialist MER Specialist 2020/06 Overdue-Initiated Importance and essence of Results Based Planning and reporting highlighted at the Partners’ meeting. CO is currently brainstorming on how to deliver the RBM training in modules
Recommendation: Recommendation 18:
Management Response: The Country office has enhanced processes of aligning Results frameworks and implementation plans in line with the WEP Programme Results frameworks and the UN Women Annual Workplan. Quarterly review and planning meetings will be held to monitor and assess progress
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Description: Recommendation 18: consider scaling up of activities to encourage a wider reach.
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Alignment with strategy
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Not applicable
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
The Country office has enhanced processes of aligning Results frameworks and implementation plans in line with the WEP Programme Results frameworks and the UN Women Annual Workplan. Quarterly review and planning meetings will be held to monitor and assess progress MER Specialist 2020/05 Overdue-Initiated The Country office has actively engaged internal and external stakeholders in the alignment of WEP programme results framework to the AWP results framework. CO will continue this alignment and engagement of partners. The Country Office
Recommendation: Recommendation 19:
Management Response: The Country Office will implement quarterly monitoring and supervisory visits to implementing partners
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Description: Recommendation 19: Conduct regular supervision visits to the districts.
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Oversight/governance
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
The Country Office will implement quarterly monitoring and supervisory visits to implementing partners MER Specialist 2020/12 Overdue-Initiated Field visits ongoing among teams (EVAW), with MER specialist providing guidance and support
Recommendation: Recommendation 20:
Management Response: The Country office will continue its collaboration efforts with the MoGCDSW through the (i) institutionalized monthly planning and review meetings with the Ministry of Gender (ii) The Country office will also implement quarterly programme planning, review and RBM learning sessions involving UN Women implementing partners co -chaired with the Ministry.
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Description: Recommendation 20: Consider conducting quarterly interactive knowledge sharing workshops targeting IPs.
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Alignment with strategy
Organizational Priorities: Partnership
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
The Country office will continue its collaboration efforts with the MoGCDSW through the (i) institutionalized monthly planning and review meetings with the Ministry of Gender (ii) The Country office will also implement quarterly programme planning, review and RBM learning sessions involving UN Women implementing partners co -chaired with the Ministry Programme Management Specialist 2020/12 Overdue-Initiated Virtual meetings are being held for example under the Social Protection Cluster. So far 1 partners review meeting was held co-chaired with the Ministry of Gender