Management Response

: Malawi
: 2021 - 2021 , Malawi (CO)
: End of project evaluation for the Women Empowerment Programme
:
: Malawi
:

Overall findings reflect achievements and results delivered through the WEP Programme. Th County Office further agrees with the overall recommendation that the WEP be extended to maximize on achievement of results and consolidation of the gains in all the components of GBG, WEE and EVAW
: Approved
Recommendation: Programming should continue aligning both national and international normative instruments as part of enhancing country efforts to fulfill commitments therein. However, when designing such similar programmes, there is need to include needs assessment exercises beyond secondary literature reviews to specifically isolate areas of intervention – to avoid spreading interventions thinly. Programme relevance (finding 1-12).
Management Response: The country office already aligns interventions to normative frameworks and uses period national reports that provide evidence on what or where to focus programming on. The Country Office also conducts detailed needs assessments or situational analyses prior to designing of programmes or projects.
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Description:
Management Response Category: Partially Accepted
Thematic Area: Global norms and standards (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Alignment with strategy
Organizational Priorities: Normative Support
UNEG Criteria: Relevance
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Applicable Not applicable 2021/12 Completed From then on, the country office has continued to design and implement programmes or projects aligned with national and international normative instruments and informed by updated and relevant evidence drawn from both primary and secondary data sources. Examples are the Women in Resilience Programme, the Malawi Girls Can Code Project. Proposals on joint programmes have also been submitted with FAO and IOM based on the Post Analysis of the Effects of El Nino and assessments conducted by the UNCT.
Recommendation: Further programme interventions should build on the gains made under the current programme; especially targeting strengthening gender accountability mechanisms at both national and local levels. Following up on government commitments expressed in key normative frameworks should continue – and more public dissemination of how government is doing on such commitments is required. Programme effectiveness (finding 13 – 22)
Management Response: The Country Office will focus on interventions aimed at strengthening gender accountability mechanisms and following up on commitments made by governments in the WEP Programme and Generation Equality Campaign. These are included in the Biennial workplan
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Global norms and standards (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Alignment with strategy
Organizational Priorities: Normative Support
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Include interventions in the BWP aimed at strengthening gender accountability mechanisms and following up on commitments made by governments in the WEP Programme and Generation Equality Campaign. Pamela Mkwamba 2023/12 Completed The current SN (2024 - 2028) by design requires all staff members to integrate gender equality into their respective fields of responsibility. Outcome Four of the SN has two outputs that aim to integrate gender accountability mechanisms with UN Women programming and also ensure there is coordinated effort in strengthening gender accountability with the implementation of the UNSDCF
Recommendation: Further, there is need for sustained efforts on the support provided to help women assume leadership positions. For example, after elections, follow-up activities should follow to build on gains made. It becomes haphazard to only support women aspirants when elections are very close. Programme effectiveness (finding 13 – 22)
Management Response: The Electoral cycle support project will include interventions that support women aspirants in between the elections period - throughout the electoral cycle
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Leadership and political participation (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Promoting inclusiveness/Leaving no one behind
Organizational Priorities: Normative Support
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
The Electoral cycle support project will include interventions that support women aspirants in between the elections period - throughout the electoral cycle Victor Maulidi 2023/12 No Longer Applicable For the for coming 2025 elections, it has not been possible to include interventions that support women aspirants in between the elections period due to limited funding. The Malawi Country office got only USD400,000 for the Electoral Cycle Support Project
Recommendation: Continue lobbying and advocating for inclusive financial capital services; beyond the financial inclusion policy, further programming should push for implementation.
Management Response: UN will continue lobbying for financial inclusion services with a focus on women through lobbying the Malawi Government and the financial institutions.
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Description: This work is already planned in the 2022/2023 BWP as part of lobbying for financial inclusion strategy. The strategy has an implementation plan
Management Response Category: Partially Accepted
Thematic Area: Women economic empowerment (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Advocacy
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
UN will continue lobbying for financial inclusion services with a focus on women through lobbying the Malawi Government and the financial institutions. Therese Gondwe 2023/12 Completed Through the promotion of Village Savings Groups, UN Women is facilitating access to loans that are very accessible and charging low interest. At the macro level and Strategic Level, the Country office is collaborating with Malawi Government, Ministry of Finance, for more financial inclusion of services. The new Strategic Note has interventions on review of policies targeting financial services
Recommendation: Develop more partnerships with the private sector when it comes to women economic empowerment interventions. Women expressed lack of profitable markets and such partnerships would help. Programme effectiveness (finding 13 – 22)
Management Response: The ASWAp-SP II project-Additional financing component has an activity on working with h the Private sector, especially linking farmers to markets.
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Women economic empowerment (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Innovation and technology
Organizational Priorities: Partnership
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
All Women Economic Empowerment initiatives will include components of linking women farmers to markets Therese Gondwe 2023/12 Completed All women economic empowerment initiatives will include components of linking women farmers to markets
Recommendation: Future programming should continue championing innovation in eliminating violence against women and girls. The programme’s use of traditional leaders and structures and male champions are such innovations should need to continue, especially in the context of Malawi where traditional leaders are considered custodians of traditional social and cultural norms. Programme effectiveness (finding 13 – 22)
Management Response: CO will intensify engaging chiefs and male champions while enhancing the capacity of local structures in eliminating violence against women and girls.
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Women economic empowerment (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Promoting inclusiveness/Leaving no one behind
Organizational Priorities: Engaging men and boys
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
CO will intensify engaging chiefs and male champions while enhancing the capacity of local structures in eliminating violence against women and girls. Nelly Ngwaluko 2023/12 Completed The approach of engaging chiefs and male champions has been adopted for all programmes under the Gender Based Governance, Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls, DRR and Humanitarian Assistance. The Country office is using an integrated approach in programming.
Recommendation: Further programme interventions should build on the gains made under the current programme; especially targeting strengthening gender accountability mechanisms at both national and local levels. Following up on government commitments expressed in key normative frameworks should continue – and more public dissemination of how government is doing on such commitments is required Programme effectiveness (finding 13 – 22).
Management Response: The Country Office will focus on intervention aimed at strengthening gender accountability mechanisms and following up on commitments made by governments in the WEP Programme and Generation Equality Campaign
More detail
Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Global norms and standards (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Oversight/governance
Organizational Priorities: Normative Support
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
The Country Office will focus on intervention aimed at strengthening gender accountability mechanisms and following up on commitments made by governments in the WEP Programme and Generation Equality Campaign Victor Maulidi 2023/12 Completed On annual basis, the country office includes plans and budget to support the Malawi Government on the CEDAW, CSW and other commitments including the Generation Equality Campaign
Recommendation: Continue investing in capacity building for UN Women Staff, CSOs partners and Government stakeholders in gender project management, results-based management and monitoring and reporting Programme efficiency (finding 23 – 26).
Management Response: Through the BWP, the Country office will implement capacity for UN Women Staff, CSOs partners and Government stakeholders in gender project management, results-based management and monitoring and reporting
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: Culture of results/RBM
UNEG Criteria: Efficiency
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
the Country office will implement capacity for UN Women Staff, CSOs partners and Government stakeholders in gender project management, results-based management and monitoring and reporting Francis Matita 2022/12 Completed The country office organizes sessions for Staff and Project Partners in project management, results-based management and monitoring and reporting. New Responsible Partners are taken through an orientation in these areas as part of the on boarding process. For the year 2024 alone, three sessions have been conducted targeting staff and Responsible Partners.
Recommendation: Continue ensuring programming is aligned to UN Women global strategic plan, UNDAF; as well as alignment with other UN agency programmes to ensure sustained gains and avoiding duplications Programme coherence (finding 27 – 29).
Management Response: The Country will develop a new Strategic Note in 2022/23 which will be aligned to the new UN Women Strategic Plan and the UNDAF
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Alignment with strategy
Organizational Priorities: Organizational efficiency
UNEG Criteria: Not applicable
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
The Country will develop a new Strategic Note in 2022/23 which will be aligned to the new UN Women Strategic Plan and the UNDAF Yemi Falayajo 2023/12 Completed The new Strategic Note (2024-2028) was developed and approved
Recommendation: For the benefits of the programme to be sustained; future programmes should isolate best practices (taking into account UN Women Malawi comparative advantage) for continuation. Strengthening accountability mechanisms should continue. Pushing for inclusion market and financial opportunities for women groups should continue, and work through partners on the same. Programming on elimination of violence should also continue, building on innovations made such as engagement of traditional structures, male champions, and working with children and young people in schools.
Management Response: Recommendation noted. Future programmes will isolate best practices (taking into account UN Women Malawi comparative advantage) for continuation. Strengthening accountability mechanisms will continue. Pushing for inclusion market and financial opportunities for women groups should continue, and work through partners on the same. Programming on elimination of violence should also continue, building on innovations made such as engagement of traditional structures, male champions, and working with children and young people in schools
More detail
Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Promoting inclusiveness/Leaving no one behind
Organizational Priorities: Operational activities
UNEG Criteria: Gender equality
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Programmes and projects isolate best practices (taking into account UN Women Malawi comparative advantage) for continuation. Strengthening accountability mechanisms will continue. Pushing for inclusion market and financial opportunities for women groups should continue, and work through partners on the same. Programming on elimination of violence should also continue, building on innovations made such as engagement of traditional structures, male champions, and working with children and young people in schools Yemi Falayajo 2022/12 Completed Programmes and projects isolate best practices (taking into account UN Women Malawi comparative advantage) for continuation. Strengthening accountability mechanisms will continue. Pushing for inclusion market and financial opportunities for women groups should continue, and work through partners on the same. Programming on elimination of violence should also continue, building on innovations made such as engagement of traditional structures, male champions, and working with children and young people in schools
Recommendation: Proper exist strategies should be put in place for such programmes. Well thought-through exit strategies should take into account how benefits realized could be continued. (finding 32 – 34)
Management Response: All new programmes for UNW and partner projects should include a component on exit strategy as part of the proposal
More detail
Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Culture of results/RBM
UNEG Criteria: Sustainability
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
All new programmes for UNW and partner projects should include a component on exit strategy as part of the proposal Francis Matita 2023/12 Completed it is now mandatory for Proposals submitted by UN Women and Prospective Partners to have a dedicated section on the exit strategy.
Recommendation: Programming of this nature should establish and build-in robust mechanisms for beneficiary participation. There has to be room where beneficiaries provide input into programming through well-spaced feedback-loops in addition to the mid-term and end-term evaluations.
Management Response: Beneficiaries already provide input into programming during the design, mid-term evaluation and end term evaluations
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Description:
Management Response Category: Rejected
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Promoting inclusiveness/Leaving no one behind
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Human Rights
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
No Action beneficiaries already provide input into programming during the design, mid-term evaluation and end term evaluations Francis Matita 2023/12 Completed Beneficiaries already provide input into programming during the design, mid-term evaluation and end term evaluations