Management Response

: Malawi
: 2021 - 2021 , Malawi (CO)
: Country Programme Evaluation in preparation for developing a new Strategic Note
:
: Malawi
:

UN Women in Malawi CO, in ESARO, is committed to learning from evaluations. This Country Portfolio Evaluation was commissioned by Malawi CO, with the aim of contributing to UN Women's knowledge on what works to advance gender equality and women's empowerment in Malawi with reference to Malawi Country Office. The CPE report provides evidence-based information as an aggregation and synthesis of the recurrent findings, conclusions, lessons learned, good practices and recommendations from evaluation reports, progress reports, consultations with stakeholders and beneficiaries, and other sources collected and analyzed for the period 2018-2022 .The report has emphasized on the need to better coordinate and collaborate with multiple partners, within the UN system, government, CSOs and other stakeholders, based on their core mandates and comparative advantages as this facilitates efficiency, linkages, and synergies, in pursuit of the desired objectives. Such institutions possess the requisite organizational structures, minimum staff complements, basic knowledge and skills of existing programs to mainstream gender interventions within their core business, as well as wider geographic influence. This is also critical for national ownership and sustainability of interventions, beyond project time frame. This was particularly evident on projects where the CO partnered with line ministries and departments, gender and elections coordinating networks, such as Ministry of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare (MOGCDSW), Ministry of Agriculture Irrigation and Water Development (MOAIWD), Gender Coordinating Unit for Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOGCN), Malawi Electoral Support Network (MESN) and Centre for Multiparty Democracy CMD). Future projects supported by the CO should maximize on this partnership arrangement for program successes.
: Approved
Recommendation: Recommendation 1: 1. Optimize use of existing coordination platforms and scale up alternative avenues, such as virtual platforms to enhance information sharing and program focus by multi-sectoral partners. The MOGCDSW, CO, local councils and gender coordination networks should review the available coordination platforms, their membership, frequency of meetings, their suitability for information sharing and identify measures to strengthen them as key vehicles for sustained cross-learning and program focus.
Management Response: The Country Office appreciates the need for improved coordination to enhance collaboration and information sharing through a multisectoral approach, among others. The Country office is already engaging and ensuring existing structures and platforms are functional. This includes the National Gender Machinery structures such as the National Gender Sector Working Group, Thematic Technical Working groups and those aligned to the National Development agenda under the Malawi Vision 2063 namely Pillar Enabler Coordination groups. The Country Office will further enhance its role and visibility as a coordinating agency on gender among the UNCT. The CO will further advance on this recommendation.
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Description: Optimize use of existing coordination platforms and scale up alternative avenues, such as virtual platforms to enhance information sharing and program focus by multi-sectoral partners. The MOGCDSW, CO, local councils and gender coordination networks should review the available coordination platforms, their membership, frequency of meetings, their suitability for information sharing and identify measures to strengthen them as key vehicles for sustained cross-learning and program focus.
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Internal coordination and communication
Organizational Priorities: UN Coordination
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness, Relevance, Efficiency
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Provide technical and financial support in Review and Planning meetings for the coordination platforms. This is ongoing and can be done quarterly. Pamela- Coordination Team 2023/12 Completed UN Women is actively participating in coordination groups such as the UN Gender Group, MEAG, HACT, Communication group. The CO is currently chairing the UN Group on Procurement
Conducting a SWOT analysis of the existing coordination mechanism, identify gaps and develop action plans to support capacity of the gender coordination structures as part of the SN development process Pamela - Coordination Team 2023/07 Overdue-Initiated In the new Strategic Note, the Country Office has adopted a forth Outcome area to enhance coordination. Key expected result is that the GEWE coordination system in Malawi effectively contributes to advancing gender responsive programming, policies and capacities across all sectors and including in DRR and humanitarian action
Document and share success stories, best practices using online platforms, virtual platform Pamela - Coordination Team 2023/12 Overdue-Initiated CO sharing tweets on key results and success stories. New partners are being trained on documentation of success stories and best practices as part of the on boarding process.
Recommendation: Recommendation 2: The CO, in collaboration with MOGCDSW and NGOGCN should intensify targeted advocacy and lobbying for expedited political and administrative approvals for legal, policy and strategic frameworks
Management Response: The country will continue its resource mobilization efforts while working together with like-minded institutions and stakeholders, including the UNCT, in supporting the Malawi Government to implement reforms in Laws and Policies
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Description: The country office does not have resources to support intensification of targeted advocacy and lobbying for expedited political and administrative approvals
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Global norms and standards (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Capacity development, Promoting inclusiveness/Leaving no one behind
Organizational Priorities: Normative Support
UNEG Criteria: Impact
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
As part of the SN development UN Women MCO will conduct stakeholders’ analysis to identify influencers Francis _ MER 2023/07 Completed Stakeholder analysis was conducted. These were consulted during the SN development process. New CSOs have been identified to partner with UN Women in the implementation of the SN
Recommendation: The CO should facilitate technical capacity building of Department for Human Resources Management Development (DHRMD), in gender transformation, and resource mobilization, to implement a sustained program that focuses on women empowerment and development in leadership positions in the context of the dynamic operating environment in the public sector
Management Response: It is not the mandate of DHRMD to implement programs on women empowerment and development in leadership positions as is being recommended. CO does not build the capacity of Government Agencies in resource mobilization, technical skills development, and proposal development.
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Description:
Management Response Category: Rejected
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: Operational activities
UNEG Criteria: Not applicable
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Invite officials from DHRMD to participate in RBM, financial management and learning and sharing workshops Francis - MER 2023/12 Overdue-Initiated The Coordination focal person will be supported by MER Specialist
Recommendation: Recommendation 4: 4. The CO should support the process to popularize and disseminate newly approved guidelines and the yet to be enacted amended Public Finance Management Act at all levels.
Management Response: The Country Office has been working with MoGCDSW, MoLGRD and NLGFC and the existing working relationship offers a good entry point for further engagements. Also, existing platforms for coordination are looking at issues of financing in relation to achieving strategic milestone in the Malawi Vision 2063. This is an ideal recommendation to ensure financing is gender responsive and contributes to achievement of Gender Equality in Malawi
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Global norms and standards (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Advocacy
Organizational Priorities: Normative Support
UNEG Criteria: Relevance, Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Work with MoGCDSW, MoLGRD and NLGFC, Ministry of Finance, NPC, and others to ensure existing budgetary frameworks are gender responsive and complied to Victor - GBG 2024/12 No Longer Applicable The WEP II was not funded. These proposed activities have therefore been dropped
Cascade GRB interventions including budget tracking for improved service delivery at local government level to ensure impact on the ground Victor _ GBG 2024/12 No Longer Applicable The WEP II was not funded. These activities have therefore been dropped
Recommendation: Recommendation 5: 5. The CO and MOGCDSW should continue partnering with NSO to build capacity of MDAs and councils in generation, dissemination, and utilization and of sex and age disaggregated data
Management Response: The CO is already continuing its partnership with NSO and Ministry of Gender in engaging other Government ministries, departments and agencies including CSO on Gender Statistics. Following the assessment of the national statistical systems, a proposal was developed and efforts to mobilize resources is ongoing to ensure interventions are implemented to ensure generation, dissemination, and utilization of gender statistics.
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Governance and planning (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: Partnership
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness, Relevance, Impact
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Continue resource mobilization to ensure funds are secured for strategic implementation of interventions that can sustain gender statistics work in the country Victor GBG 2024/12 Initiated The Country office has received USD100,000 to support implementation of the labour survey from Regional Office. A new resource mobilization strategy has been put into effect
Recommendation: The CO should jointly work with FAO and the Agriculture Sector Technical Working Group, ensure that the positive changes being registered in the agriculture sector (by various partners) are consolidated and captured in the agriculture sector wide gender reports, to influence planning, decision making, and policy Agree
Management Response: CO takes this recommendation wholly and will ensure it provides the necessary reports and review consolidated reports to ensure it incorporates best practices and key achievements gained through UN Women’s implementation
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Women economic empowerment (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Capacity development, Innovation and technology, National ownership
Organizational Priorities: Climate change, Agriculture
UNEG Criteria: Impact, Sustainability, Relevance
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Provide result-oriented reports to Ministry of agriculture – Department of Agriculture and Extension Services (DAES) on the ASWAP Project Pamela _ WEE team 2023/02 No Longer Applicable The ASWAP Project phased out
Recommendation: Recommendation 7 The MOGCDSW, in collaboration with the CO, should undertake a comprehensive evaluation of the impact of interventions focusing on GEWE related socio-cultural norms and practices to assess the extent of transformation, as well as related service coverage, in order to inform program consolidation and scale up plans
Management Response: The CO will collaborate with the global SI end evaluation to undertake a comprehensive evaluation of the impact of interventions focusing on GEWE related cultural norms and practices in consultation with MOGCDSW
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Knowledge management, Evidence, Data and statistics
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Impact
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
UN Women ensures the TORs of the SI evaluation include an assessment of impact of interventions on social norm change Francis - MER 2023/12 Completed The TORs of the SI include an assessment of the impact of interventions on social norm change
Recommendation: Recommendation 8: The CO should review its staff requirements in the context of the envisaged portfolio, and establish a database of pre-qualified consultants, to shorten the recruitment process
Management Response: Accepted CO envisages system changes (Moving from ATLAS to Quantum) that will already consider delays and provide a mechanism for enabling timely recruitments. As such CO will adapt accordingly to fit within system timeframes once such systems changes are affected
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Description: The CO should review its staff requirements in the context of the envisaged portfolio, and establish a database of pre-qualified consultants, to shorten the recruitment process
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Not applicable
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Mobilize potential consultants to register as potential suppliers or vendors Mable - Procurement and HR 2023/12 Completed This was done as part of the transition from ATLAS to Quantum
Recommendation: Recommendation 9: The CO should review the Resource mobilization strategy in alignment with that of the ESARO , focusing on both short and long-term strategies for addressing GEWE challenges in Malawi.
Management Response: This is critical and in line with this recommendation the CO has already planned to review and finalize and implement a Resource Mobilization Strategy.
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Resource mobilization
Organizational Priorities: UN Coordination, Normative Support, Partnership, Organizational efficiency
UNEG Criteria: Relevance, Effectiveness, Sustainability, Efficiency
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Develop and implement a Resource Mobilization Strategy Programme Management Specialist 2023/12 Completed The strategy was developed by the MER Specialist in consultation with UN Women Staff
Develop a standardized, clear, and transparent beneficiary selection criteria/ procedure targeting the “poorest of the poor” developed and applied Programme Management Specialist 2023/12 Overdue-Initiated The full criteria will be developed when the new SN comes into play
Recommendation: Recommendation 10: The CO, in collaboration with the Government of Malawi, should review the implementation arrangement of the project in ASWAp, so as to reduce the route through which the funds flow from the MOAIWD to the CO, to avoid delays in funds disbursements.
Management Response: There is already agreed funding arrangement between the WB and Government of Malawi until the program period ,hence ,UN Women relies on the same to access funds which has to be through Ministry of Agriculture
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Description:
Management Response Category: Rejected
Thematic Area: Women economic empowerment (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Resource mobilization
Organizational Priorities: Agriculture, Climate change
UNEG Criteria: Not applicable
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Engage Min of Agriculture to ensure the fund transfers are prioritized to minimize or eradicate disbursement delays. Pamela - WEE 2023/06 No Longer Applicable ASWAP Project phased out
Facilitate exchange session with MOA and the WB on challenges identified gaps and jointly agree on mitigating measures Pamela - WEE 2023/06 No Longer Applicable The ASWAP Project phased out
Recommendation: The CO should strengthen the RBM system as a continuous learning opportunity until RBM is institutionalize as a culture of results. Specific attention is required in the development, systematic numbering, tracking, and consolidation of output and outcome indicator results at project and CO levels, throughout the SN period.
Management Response: The CO will ensure that RBM capacity efforts are systematically planned, institutionalize utilization or update increased through periodic reviews and refreshers. The country office has conducted RBM training for staff and partners and as a result the quality of reports has improved compared to reports from past years
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Knowledge management, Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: Culture of results/RBM
UNEG Criteria: Not applicable
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Incorporate RBM in annual plans learning sessions including pre-arranged periodic RBM trainings targeting all staff, and partners. Biannual for partners and staff Francis- MER 2023/12 Completed The 2024-2025 BWP includes RBM training for UNW Staff, Government stakeholders and partners
Recommendation: The CO needs to maintain and strengthen its focus on capacity building of existing institutions and structures in leadership for gender mainstreaming, coordination, implementation, and monitoring, as this has proved to be an effective strategy in fostering sustainability
Management Response: CO agrees with the recommendation and undertakes to provide technical support and advisory wherever applicable to ensure strategic capacity building that will sustain gender mainstreaming, coordination, implementation, and monitoring is consistent. For choice of partners, focus on mandate and footprint at district level will be maintained.
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Global norms and standards (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: Culture of results/RBM, Organizational efficiency
UNEG Criteria: Gender equality
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Maintain capacity building as core in programming targeting institutions and existing structures Programme Management Specialist 2023/12 Overdue-Initiated All project activities include activities on providing technical support to CSO implementing partners and government stakeholders
Organize training on Gender analysis, mainstreaming for staff and partners Programme Management Specialist 2024/12 Not Initiated Will be implemented in 2024
Recommendation: The CO needs to strategize on funding modalities, so that numerous short-term projects are avoided and ensure that interventions are capable of addressing root causes of gender inequity.
Management Response: CO agrees with the recommendation and is moving in the direction so more strategic and systematic engagement of few relevant partners that can deliver . In addition, the CO need to diversify its donor base to non-traditional ones and strengthen existing partnership
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Resource mobilization
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Gender equality, Impact
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Maintain robust partner on-boarding process and ensure few best suited partners are engaged Aaron - Operations Team 2023/06 Overdue-Initiated UN Women will ensure the partner selection process including due diligence (Capacity Risk Assessment) remains robust to ensure best suited partners are engaged and enabled to implement Result oriented interventions
Undertake Resource mobilization for large amount multi-year projects/advocate and lobby for SN funding rather than short term projects Programme Management Specialist 2023/12 Overdue-Initiated This will facilitate long term project which can facilitate sustainable results
Recommendation: There is a need to develop and implement a more robust strategy to disseminate and popularize legal and policy instruments that directly promote gender equality and human rights, in order to address resistance from some quarters of society, particularly males and traditional leadership.
Management Response: Country Office will incorporate this in its new SN under its coordination role, to disseminate and popularize legal and policy instruments
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Global norms and standards (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Oversight/governance, Advocacy
Organizational Priorities: Normative Support
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness, Relevance, Impact, Gender equality
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Popularize legal and policy instruments including national plans and strategies through existing programmes. Programme Management Specialist 2023/02 Overdue-Initiated UN Women will do this including its work with implementing partners/grantees.
Translate legal and policy instruments and disseminate widely for public consumption Programme Management Specialist 2023/10 Overdue-Initiated This will be part of programming for all Thematic Teams
Recommendation: The CO should enhance documentation of success stories that are impacting on gender and social dynamics, arising from innovative approaches to women empowerment interventions. In addition, it should reflect the gains from such approaches in agriculture sector wide gender reports, to influence policy direction.
Management Response: This is a critical endeavour and CO will continue its efforts in that direction
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Women economic empowerment (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Knowledge management, Resource mobilization, South-South cooperation
Organizational Priorities: Culture of results/RBM
UNEG Criteria: Impact, Human Rights
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Produce and disseminate Annual reports documenting and highlighting successes and impact of programmes/project Faith - Communications Team 2023/12 Overdue-Initiated Other knowledge products such as newsletters (country and regional level) will also seek to highlight success stories
Produce audio-visuals and disseminate at public gatherings and collaborate with media for wider outreach Faith - Communications Team 2023/12 Overdue-Initiated UN Women need to invest in human and financial resource to popularize its work
Recommendation: The CO, in collaboration with UNCT partners, should strive to streamline and consolidate the projects portfolio within the scope of the current pillar focus, which remains relevant and comprehensive in addressing GEWE issues
Management Response: In line with its coordination mandate on Gender equality, CO will strengthen its efforts within and through UNCT especially at this critical time a new Cooperation Framework is being developed. Additionally, at CO programming level, CO will maintain robust partner selection processes including capacity assessments (due diligence) to select few and best suited partners with requisite technical capacity to implement result-oriented projects
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Alignment with strategy
Organizational Priorities: UN Coordination
UNEG Criteria: Efficiency, Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Participate and provide technical input into new CF to ensure critical gender thematic focus areas are covered Francis MER 2023/06 Completed UN Women Co - led on 2 outcome areas. The CF was finalized and awaiting official signing
Undertake Capacity Assessments and document the same through the partner selection and technical support to partners Aaron - Operations 2023/12 Overdue-Initiated To be conducted in collaboration with all the TEAM leads