Management Response

: Nigeria
: 2018 - 2022 , Nigeria (CO)
: COUNTRY PORTFOLIO EVALUATION
:
: Nigeria
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The CO acknowledges the evaluators’ conclusions and finding on the Country Portfolio and will continue to work for strategically positioning UN Women’s work on gender equality and women’s empowerment within the country’s priorities and the UN system coordination. The CO will build on the CPE findings and recommendation for the future programme cycle and will ensure the next annual plans and related implementation are aligned to the Covid-19 crisis and post-crisis realities. All recommendations from the CPE were accepted and a related plan for their implementation is reflected in this management response.

: Approved
Recommendation: Intensify engagement in the lead up to key strategic events in 2020, such as “A Year of Action” and ensure integration of gender perspectives in the context of Covid-19 and its ensuing post-pandemic recovery implications.
Management Response: The CO agrees with the recommendation to intensify the engagement in the country’s strategic orientation frameworks to ensure they are influenced by international gender equality commitments. For this purpose, UN Women CO Nigeria embarked on implementing a number of actions for addressing this recommendation from different thematic areas of intervention. Under the WPS thematic area, UN Women continued to provide support to the Government of Nigeria for the implementation of the UNSCR 1325 recommendations, the review of the Nigeria’s 2nd NAP, and preparatio of the 3rd NAP in the context of emerging issues including COVID-19 and post pandemic recovery, climate security and security sector reforms. In humanitarian action, the CO has conducted a joint Rapid Gender Analysis to identify the gender impact of COVID-19 on the conflict-affected population during the active period of the COVID-19. The CO is also working with humanitarian architectures in the Northeast, Including UN agencies, International Non-Governmental organizations, National, and regional governments, and the civil society organizations to ensure that COVID-19 response is gender-responsive. The CO will also continue to work with the Northeast humanitarian community to develop joint gender analysis/assessment of post-COVID-19 pandemic recovery. Beyond the analysis and assessment, from 2021 onward, the CO will identify strategic partnerships and develop a joint programme with a focus on supporting women’s economic empowerment to overcome the impact of COVID-19, and amplify women voices and leadership in the recovery process.
Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Global norms and standards (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Oversight/governance
Organizational Priorities: UN Coordination
UNEG Criteria: Gender equality
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Engage in UNCT-led common country assessment formulation and influence the incorporation of gender issues including from a humanitarian perspective UNW-NGA 2022/02 Completed
Develop joint gender analysis on the gender impact of covid-19 on conflict-affected population and advocate for the utilization of funds in Covid-19 response UNW-NGA 2021/01 Completed
Conduct a joint post-COVID-19 pandemic gender assessment to inform the development of COVID-19 pandemic recovery programming within the humanitarian-development nexus UNW-NGA 2022/01 Completed
Develop joint programming on post-COVID-19 recovery response UNW-NGA 2022/01 Completed
Recommendation: Develop a coherent business case and agenda to better formalize the revitalized partnership with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs for sustainable impact.
Management Response: The CO has accepted the recommendation for sustaining and strengthening partnerships with relevant government ministries, especially the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and state parastatals. The recent restructuring of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs requires coherent strategic partnership relations with UN Women for GEWE policy and programmatic actions. UN Women has initiated this partnership. Furthermore, UN Women is currently strengthening its partnership with other MDAs, Legislature, Judiciary and Security agencies at both national and state levels.
Description:
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
Conduct Planning/Review meeting between UN Women and the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs to enhance partnership in the various thematic areas of work. UNW-NGA 2022/01 Ongoing
Institute Joint Planning Process between UN Women Nigeria CO and the FMWASD UNW-NGA 2022/01 Completed
Technical Assistance to the Ministry of Women Affairs UNW-NGA 2022/01 Completed
Recommendation: Ensure continuity of UN Women’s leadership of the Gender Technical Group (GTG) and other gender coordination mechanisms without interruption to sustain the momentum created.
Management Response: The CO agrees with the recommendation to to ensure UN Women’s continuous leadership of the GTG and other coordination mechanisms within the UN System, and effective monitoring of implementation of the UNCT’s work on GE and gender mainstreaming. UN Women will therefore continue to provide a quality leadership to the work of the GTG and ensure effectively supports the UNCT and RC in the area of gender equality , and promotes accountability of the UN system in Nigeria on GEWE commitments. As part of the effoet, UN Women will collaborate with other UN partners, international and national organizations to identify complementarities to develop joint strategic work, using IASC gender accountability framework as a starting point. Currently, UN Women has sought to amplify its strategic impact through developing a Gender in Humanitarian Action framework for the Northeast, seconding a staff member to support the GiHA component through expert deployments. Through GenCap deployment, UN Women established a Gender Technical Team in the Northeast to play a strategic role in advocating for and supporting gender integration in the humanitarian response and will focus on effective engagement of sector members in driving GiHA in Northeast response. In addition, the CO will enhance leadership in providing technical advice and support to the Operating Humanitarian Country Team, (OHCT) Inter Sector Working Group (ISWG) and humanitarian sectors in the Northeast. The CO office will also make targeted efforts toward utilizing, Regional, HACRO and HQ level expertise on GiHA through guidance and technical supports. In 2019, the CO in close collaboration with other UN agencies, mobilized and provided technical support to women-led organizations to established into women civil society networks in Yobe and Borno states. UN Women is coordinating the conduct of a Gender Scorecard Assessment of the UNCT in Nigeria.
Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Global norms and standards (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: Normative Support
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Chair the annual GTG Retreat with GTG AWP and budget as key outcomes UNW-NGA 2022/01 Completed
Request for Norcap deployment to support the Gender technical group in Maiduguri and co-chair group with other UN agency such as OCHA,UNHCR or UNFPA. UNW-NGA 2021/01 Completed
Ensure consistency in staffing required for the work needed to support GTG. UNW-NGA 2022/01 Completed
Develop and lead the technical implementation of a system-wide strategy for UNCT following the gender scorecard exercise UNW-NGA 2022/01 Completed
Fundraising through RC for pulled funding to expert to train and implementation of gender markers in UN INFO and implementation of gender scorecard action plan. UNW-NGA 2022/01 Completed
Provide training in gender mainstreaming in the CCA and next generation UNDAF. UNW-NGA 2021/01 Completed
Recommendation: In consultation with regional and headquarters Human Resources, organize an HR-mapping exercise and analysis of functions, and develop a plan to fill major capacity gaps and to build a more stable workforce.
Management Response: The CO acknowledges the recommendation and has embarked on strengthening HR structures in support to programmes and operations for increased efficiency. Capacity building actions have also started in different areas to address related gaps.
Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Efficiency
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Conduct HR mapping exercise and analysis of functions to fully capture office and workforce capacity and determine how to deliver on high-priority areas. To fill the staffing gap, the CO will take deliberate steps to ensure that costs of the critical staff on operations and programmes are included In project documents submitted to, and negotiated with donors. UNW-NGA 2021/01 Completed
Strengthening ECOWAS operations for effective programme delivery UNW-NGA 2021/01 No Longer Applicable
Recommendation: Rethink the strategy towards achieving inclusive political participation in the 2023 election.
Management Response: UN Women agrees with the recommendation and feels the need to advance the outcomes on lessons learned from previous elections to influence increased women’s participation in the 2023 general elections. The CO is progressively working on addressing barriers faced by women for effectively engaging in elections, especially at the level of political parties.
Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Leadership and political participation (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: Normative Support
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Resume the work of the working group on enhancing women’s participation (IFES, NDI, ECES and UN Women) to ensure implementation of agreed-upon actions ahead of the 2023 election. UNW-NGA 2021/12 Completed
Address the root causes of the exclusion and under-representation of women in mainstream politics for a better outcome in the 2023 elections UNW-NGA 2021/01 Ongoing
Mobilize advocates for political parties to create special platforms for the selection and presentation of female candidates. UNW-NGA 2022/01 Completed
Create/strengthen platforms for addressing violence towards women candidates and encourage party support for affirmative actions on WPP UNW-NGA 2022/01 Ongoing
Recommendation: Enhance proactive planning/sequencing and business processes to ensure greater efficiency.
Management Response: The CO agrees with the recommendation to enhance pro-active planning/sequencing and business processes to ensure greater efficiency. However, some aspects of this recommendation are not fully realistic especially the recruitment of staff ahead of project signing. Efforts are being made to ensure a prompt availability of resources from the beginning of a new project/programme.
Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Oversight/governance
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Efficiency
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Put in place a risk management plan for managing potential risks linked to delays in projects kick-off, low delivery, and capacity gaps. UNW-NGA 2022/01 Completed
Ensure that suitable security arrangements are in place in Maiduguri office, for both staff in-station and visiting personnel. UNW-NGA 2022/01 Completed
Recommendation: Enhance monitoring and Results-Based Management (RBM) capabilities to demonstrate impact
Management Response: UN Women accepted the recommendation to enhance monitoring and RBM capabilities for greater impact. Efforts are ongoing for learning from previous surveys, studies and research conducted within different thematic areas. The CO is also strengthening its monitoring and evaluation efforts and using lessons learnt for advocacy and knowledge on GEWE issues. Under the WPS Programme, baseline and mid-term evaluation reports were disseminated to partners for guidance in improving ongoing similar interventions. Moreover, Programme partners are being provided with technical support and capacity building trainings on Project Management and Monitoring from an RBM approach, including in humanitarian programming.
Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Evidence, Data and statistics
Organizational Priorities: Culture of results/RBM
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Use and widely disseminate research and evaluation recommendations in the CO programming UNW-NGA 2021/11 Completed
Incorporate mid-line and end-line surveys to monitor the impact where they are missing. UNW-NGA 2021/01 Ongoing
Conduct regular Planning/Review Meeting with Implementing Partners (IPs) and Programme Steering Committees (PSC) UNW-NGA 2021/12 Completed