Management Response

: Cambodia
: 2020 - 2020 , Cambodia (CO)
: Country Portfolio Evaluation
:
: Cambodia
:

The Cambodia Country Office and RO accepts all the recommendations. The RO and Cambodia team are working together closely to ensure a smooth transition to a program presence: completed the transition of the chairing roles of the PSEA and UNTGG working groups to other agencies (UNICEF and UNFPA), ensuring continuous support to the NAPVAW and TWG-GBV and support for Cambodian National Council for Women in CEDAW monitoring and reporting. The 2021 AWP have identified some key opportunities for integration of programmes to build the capacity of women leaders and youth groups: integrating the Youth Leadership Academy Transformative Leadership Model into the Empower Programme, utilizing the Participatory Photography Project under the Safe and Fair initiative, and working closely with two youth activist groups to build their capacity to work independently.
: Approved
Recommendation: The RO to articulate a clear vision of UN Women’s footprint or exit strategy in Cambodia in line with the UN Women Presence Governance Policy, Guidance and Procedure and to communicate this to stakeholders
Management Response: The RO accepts this recommendation and notes that implementing the proposed actions will have implications beyond the Cambodia context and may be applicable to other offices in transition.
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Description:
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
ELABORATE AND CONTINUOUSLY UPDATE A PLAN THAT CLEARLY ARTICULATES THE LONG-TERM VISION FOR UNW PRESENCE IN CAMBODIA UP TO AND BEYOND 2022 DRD 2022/12 Completed Dec 2022: Progress has been observed. Cambodia is confirmed as a Non-Resident Agency (NRA)/ Programme Presence which a National Country Programme Coordinator has been appointed in late August 2022. According to ROAP organizational chart released by August 2022, National Country Programme Coordinator reports directly to Deputy Regional Director OIC. A regular check-in/meeting with Deputy Regional Director OIC and Head of Strategic Planning and Coordination team of RO has been conducted, starting in September 2022, where NRAs/Programme Presences, including Cambodia office, are able to provide updates on programme implementation and challenges to be addressed with support of ROAP, including resource mobilisation. Programme Assistant pooling of work has been piloting since July 2022, with an aim to eliminate personnel high turn-over and increase efficiency and effectiveness. Lessons learnt have been observed and documented for learning purpose including for sharing with other offices. Previous update: Noted that this will also evolve with the completion of and approval of UNW corporate typology for non-resident presences which is currently ongoing. Note that the proposed timeframe takes account of the need to update on a regular basis and it is envisaged that the first iteration should be completed by 09/21
MEET KEY STAKEHOLDERS TO SEEK THEIR VIEWS AND ENSURE THAT THEY ARE UPDATED ON THE FUTURE UNW FOOTPRINT IN CAMBODIA DRD, RD 2022/12 Completed Dec 2022: Two missions of Regional Director ai conducted in September and early December 2022 respectively. This involves courtesy meetings with women's machinery (Ministry of Women's Affairs and Cambodia National Council for Women), UN Agencies, new Resident Coordinator, UN sister agencies and Civil Society to provide update status of Cambodia Office and seek for continued collaboration to advance programme work and UN Coordination on GEWE. The CPC, supported by RO, has also been fully engaged in the initial steps of identifying the priorities for the next UNSDCF and has been working closely with the Chairs of the UNGTG and other interested agencies to ensure gender is well represented at Outcome level. Previous update: This builds on previous consultations and discussions with stakeholders in 2019 and 2020.
UPDATE UN WOMEN PRESENCE TRANSITION PLAN AND ACTIONS ENSURING OPERATIONAL PLAN AND REGULAR MONITORING DRD and POs with ROM, HRBP Reporting to RD 2022/12 Completed Dec 2022: Office transition process and updates have been included in monthly staff meeting that participated by Cambodia team and Deputy Regional Director. As NRA/Programme Presence, Cambodia programme has been operated as a satellite office under ROAP. Previous update: To be updated quarterly Actions to be included in monthly team meetings as a standing item
Recommendation: UN Women Cambodia to establish a strategy for transitioning key normative and coordination roles to UN partners and other relevant development partners and where possible identify linkages between ongoing programmes and government counterparts to not lose the momentum already achieved and to ensure continuity and continuous learning during and post-transition.
Management Response: The RO and Cambodia team fully accept this recommendation. In 2020 UNW handed over the PSEA working group to UNICEF and the transition of UNTGG to UNFPA/UNDP was completed in Q1 of 2021. Other Key concerns for the transition strategy include ensuring support to the NAPVAW and TWG-GBV as well as support for Cambodian National Council for Women in CEDAW monitoring and reporting and proposed actions are outlined below.
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: UN Coordination, Partnership
UNEG Criteria: Not applicable
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
TRANSFER THE ROLE OF CHAIRING THE UNTGG TO UNFPA AND UNDP DRD PO Regional P&C Lead 2021/02 Completed Dec 2022: Programme staff (Primary focal point: Country Programme Coordinator, Alternate: Programme Analyst-EVAW and WPS) continue to be the active members of UNGTG Secretariat. Support contributed to UNGTG includes a conduct of gender deep dive funded by ROAP Core as a part of common country analysis-CCA, implementation of 2021 and 2022 GTG annual workplan, and co-presentation of the findings of gender deep dive at the UNCT retreat as a part of formulation of Corporate Framework-CF 2024-2029. In addition, courtesy meeting with both co-chairs (UNFPA's Country Representative and UNDP's Resident Representative) conducted during mission of Regional Director ai to maintain UN Women position in GTG secretariat and to influence CF formulation. Previous update: This role was handed over in February. Programme staff continue to engage as a member of the UNTGG's secretariat, a small group comprising UNFPA, UNW and UNDP.
IDENTIFY A ROAP TEAM MEMBER TO REGULARLY CHECK IN WITH THE UNTGG AND RCO DRD 2021/07 Completed Dec 2022: Key actions recommended in UNCT SWAP Scorecard incorporated in 2021/2022 GTG workplan. They include: Output 2.1 UNCT provides coordinated support to MOWA and other line ministries on GEWE and deepens the engagement with the National Women’s Machinery (including CSOs). This responds to UNCT SWAP Scorecard's recommendation for indicator 3.1 and 3.2. Output 2.2 Support UNCT in operationalizing the Political Engagement Strategy on Gender Based Violence. This is in line with UNCT SWAP Scorecard's recommendation for indicator 3.1 and 3.2. Output 3.1 Strengthen the UNCT gender coordination mechanism. This output associates with SWAP UNCT SWAP Scorecard's recommendation for indicator 5.1 Output 3.2 Organizational Culture fully supports Promotion of GEWE reflects recommendation of SWAP UNCT SWAP Scorecard's recommendation for indicator 4.2&4.3 Members of GTG's secretariat (UNFPA, UNDP, RCO and UNW) have been invited to the regional training on UN-System Accountability Frameworks to Advance GEWE scheduled between 12-17 Sep 2022. Previous update: Coordination is a standing item on the monthly Cambodia all staff meeting which the DRD attends. The DRD also maintains contact with the RC and has provided two briefings (on Gender SWAP Scorecard findings and next steps for the UNTGG as well as on potential joint UN mobilisation around GBV - with the second one done together with UNFPA as the current co-chair of the UNTGG) and meets regularly with the UNFPA Rep (UNTGG co-chair). ROAP has supported RCO to conduct gender marker trainings/webinars for M&E and gender focal persons of UNCT as a part of the implementation UNCT Gender SWAP action points.
WORK WITH RELEVANT UN AGENCIES TO ENSURE THAT CONTINUING SUPPORT IS IN PLACE FOR GEWE POLICIES, INSTITUTIONS AND PROCESSES CURRENTLY SUPPORTED BY UNW POs, CPC and DRD 2022/06 Ongoing Dec 2022: This action is envisaged as taking place over an extended period since some support will be ongoing as part of programmes currently in place until 2022/23. Key priorities will include support for NAPVAW Implementation, including final evaluation, and the TWG-GBV where UNFPA will play a key role; support for CEDAW monitoring and reporting where OHCHR will be engaged; support for integration of gender in CC of the EmPower phase two (2023-2027), where UNDP/UNEP are key partners and support for gender responsive migration governance where ILO is engaged.
CONTINUE MEASURING PROGRESS TO DOCUMENT LESSONS LEARNED AND SHARE WITH PARTNERS CPC, POs and DRD 2021/12 Ongoing Dec 2022: The work with women CSO leaders on feminist leadership work is documented. Convening space for peer review is needed prior sharing wider with external audiences. Participatory photography approach to understand lives and experiences of Cambodian women migrant workers via Safe and Fair project, under the EVAW portfolio, has been developed throughout 2021 and 2022. Sharing and learning actions for both projects has been prioritized in planning for 2023. Previous update: The Cambodia team is working with the consultant who led feminist leadership work with women CSO leaders to document learning from the programme. The EVAW team are also working with a consultant to capture experiences and lessons learned. It is envisaged that both of these exercises will be completed in 2021 and shared in 2022.
Recommendation: Identify entry points within current programming efforts and those of UN partners (such as the ILO ) to continue capacity building efforts at grassroots level targeting women leaders, youth leaders, LGBTIQ persons, women migrant workers, women with disabilities and women living with HIV to ensure that gains made are sustained and nurtured.
Management Response: The RO and Cambodia office accepts this recommendation. In the 2021 AWP, we have already identified some opportunities for integration of these efforts into ongoing programmes: We are integrating the youth leadership academy, transformative leadership model, into the work of the empower porgramme as well as using practices developed under this initiative in the participatory photography project under Safe and Fair. We are also working with two young activist groups originally convened by the office to build their capacity to work independently.
More detail
Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: UN Coordination
UNEG Criteria: Not applicable
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
MAP POTENTIAL LINKAGES TO UN AND OTHER PROGRAMMES DRD, CPC and POs 2021/09 Ongoing Dec 2022: Youth Leadership Academy (YLA) has been integrated into the EmPower Project implementation-YLA Group 3 completed successfully. Previous update: Preparatory conversations with several relevant agencies have already taken place, including with ILO which is integrating transformative leadership practices into its Better Factories Cambodia programme with factory workers.
HOLD CONSULTATIONS WITH RELEVANT STAKEHOLDERS TO IDENTIFY HOW UNCT CAN SUPPORT CIVIL SOCIETY IN FUTURE DRD, CPC and POs 2021/11 Ongoing Dec 2022: Though the process has not been formalised yet, with the support of UN Women, women CSOs (about 10 organisations) have engaged with consultations on gender deep dive (coordinated/facilitated by RCO and UNGTG for UNCT) conducted in January 2022 as a part of common country analysis-CCA. More women CSOs attended vising and strategic prioritisation workshop of CF process conducted on November 24th and 25th, 2022. Previous update: There has been some consultation with women CSO leaders but it will be Important to formalise this process. The Cambodia team has been advocating for more women-led CSOs to be engaged in UNCT-CSO dialogues that are conducted and these consultations can feed into this advocacy.
ADVOCATE FOR AND SUPPORT A UNCT-WIDE STRATEGY FOR BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF CIVIL SOCIETY, ENSURING LNOB AND FEMINIST PRINCIPLES DRD, CPC and POs 2022/06 Ongoing The timeline envisaged for this action takes account of the current worsening COVID situation in Cambodia in which it may be challenging to get the UNCT to focus on this topic. There are, however, several UN agencies with an interest in this, which can potentially be mobilised via the Theme Groups on both Gender and Human Rights.
PARTICIPATORY PROCESS WITH BREAKTHROUGH AND LOVE IS DIVERSITY TEAMS TO IDENTIFY STATEGIES FOR THESE GROUPS TO TRANSITION TO WORKING INDEPENDENTLY CPC, POs and SSA 2021/12 Completed Dec 2022: Love is Diversity and BREAKTHROUGH have independently implemented and expanded its social media movement campaign with a limited support from UN Women in 2022. Both movements have networked with other local movements and CSOs to advocate for LGBTI rights and social norm changes. Movement and coalition building has continued to be significant for social transformation, with meaningful civic participation, lessons learnt from the two movements should be leveraged for advancing GEWE's work. Previous update: The Breakthrough and Love is Diversity teams are both activist groups originally convened by UNW Cambodia, trained in social media and media skills and now operating semi-autonomously with minimal support. The purpose of this process will be to support them to plan for their transition to working independently after 2022.