Management Response

: Bosnia Herzegovina
: 2021 - 2025 , Bosnia Herzegovina (CO)
: GEF EU Final Evaluation
:
: Bosnia Herzegovina
:

Final evaluation of the project EU Gender Equality Facility Bosnia and Herzegovina was implemented in timely manner and with good cooperation between the consultant, UN Women and key interlocutors, who provided inputs into the evaluation findings, which are rated as positive. GEF was characterized as relevant to improved response of BiH to international obligations and continues to be relevant and becomes even more relevant as BiH gained the status of EU candidate country in December 2022. In terms of coherence, through GEF project, UN Women BiH implemented its integrated mandate, particularly normative, and ensured complementarity with other initiatives focused on increasing capacities of gender equality mechanisms and other governmental stakeholders for gender responsive and EU aligned policy making processes. In terms of effectiveness, GEF project has achieved majority of planned results and it can be expected with high probability that remaining results will be achieved by the end of the project. Small project budget comparative to other GEF projects in the region, particularly in such complex governance architecture and political situation was efficiently allocated to achieve results. When it comes to impact, processes have been initiated and are visible: gender equality mechanisms increased capacities for the EU accession and IPA programming processes, new relations have been established between gender equality and IPA mechanisms, as a result of the project some new initiatives were launched with new partnerships and focused on further alignment of domestic laws and policies to international frameworks, statistical institutions are empowered and gender mainstreaming of sectoral policies has been increasingly applied in policy making. When it comes to sustainability, newly acquired EU candidate status will require further gender mainstreaming of all reforms in the negotiation processes. Project is fully committed to gender equality, and it is grounded in human rights approach. Key limitation of the evaluation is related to the withdrawal from project participation of the stakeholders from Republika Srpska. Their perspective on the reasons for withdrawal, as well as experience with activities in which they initially participated was not fully captured due to the lack of readiness of the main project partner, Gender Centre of Republika Srpska to provide information during the evaluation mission.
: Approved
Recommendation: Support increased country ownership over GEF
Management Response: UN Women together with key project stakeholders will ensure increased country ownership over GEF with increased dialogues with key institutional actors responsible for gender mainstreaming in EU accession process to tailored made project activities and ensure increase leadership over process.
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Description: Support increased country ownership over GEF.
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Leadership and participation in governance systems (SP 2018-2021)
Operating Principles: National ownership
Organizational Priorities: Partnership
UNEG Criteria: Efficiency
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Early pre-design dialogue between key stakeholders, gender equality mechanisms and institutions responsible for the EU integration, in order to design project in line with their needs and create sense of ownership with clear leadership at the same time. AGE/DEI through official IPA channels and procedures UN Women at quarterly meetings with Gender Center and to organize separate meetings with RS Ministry for European integration and int. cooperation 2024/10 Overdue-Initiated Initiated already during GEF 2020-2023 phase: 12/11/2021 - joint meeting held with GIMs and EU integration relevant institutions (after the three separate meetings) 31/08/2022 UN Women Country Representative and GEF Project Manager had a meeting with RS Ministry for EU integrations and int. cooperation (Assistant Minister) 07/12/2022 - meeting with Gender Center RS 17/03/2023 - AGE/GC FBiH/DEI/FBiH EU Office - info at SC no.6 26/05/2023 Meeting between UN Women and RS Ministry for European International and International Cooperation to discuss bridging phase and new GEF.
Recommendation: Discuss among project partners and decide on the key aspects of project design that are currently viewed differently by different stakeholders, particularly in terms of normative/technical support versus operational component, focus on state and entity level or inclusion of cantonal level, etc
Management Response: To ensure increased shared understanding both normative/technical and operation project components among partners, UN Women will broaden the scope of discussion to include widening composition of stakeholders, inclusion of additional actors (civil society) and strengthening gender statistic components and ensuring continuous gender mainstreaming policy making and IPA programming.
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Description: Discuss among project partners and decide on the key aspects of project design that are currently viewed differently by different stakeholders, particularly in terms of normative/technical support versus operational component, focus on state and entity level or inclusion of cantonal level, etc.
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Leadership and participation in governance systems (SP 2018-2021)
Operating Principles: Promoting inclusiveness/Leaving no one behind
Organizational Priorities: Normative Support
UNEG Criteria: Human Rights
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Discuss and decide if project shall retain focus on normative/technical support, or also include operational component which is usually justified as component which delivers ‘more tangible results’. UN Women 2024/03 Completed GEF bridging phase (04-12/2023) includes activity for the technical support to the 3 relevant ministries in sectors: ARD - agriculture and rural development; COIN - competitiveness and innovations; DRL - democracy and rule of law. This activity has been implemented with three trainings for the sectoral institutions and civil society organizations in above mentioned sectors.
Keep focus on gender mainstreaming of the EU accession related policy making and IPA programming. UN Women 2024/03 Completed GEF bridging phase currently encompasses analysis of Action documents from 2019-2024 in accordance with OECD markers. Analysis will serve for future IPA III programming. The analysis has been finalized and it encompasses measurement of IPA funded actions having gender equality and/or women/girls’ empowerment as a significant or main objective.
Discuss dilemma related to scope versus depth of the project: whether project includes broader circles of stakeholders (more representatives of ministries, cantonal or local levels), or it should be designed to support more in-depth sectoral work with gender analysis, gender mainstreaming of policies, providing capacity building, guidelines and other forms of support to selected sectoral stakeholders. UN Women 2024/03 Completed Project y1 - 42 institutions involved (BiH, FBiH, RS level); project y2 - 45 nominated (BiH, FBiH, RS level); FBiH request to address cantonal and/or local level to be addressed in phase II in parallel with more in-depth sectoral work with gender analysis, gender mainstreaming of policies, providing capacity building. Second phase of the project is approved, and it will include cantonal and/or local level stakeholders.
Discuss how civil society are included, since their role in the EU related policy making is required: whether this includes capacity building of women’s and gender equality organizations for the EU processes, or the focus is kept on the NGOs with sectoral focus, or both with the adequate balance. UN Women 2024/03 Completed 6 priority sectors CSOs (ARD – agriculture and rural development; COIN – competitiveness and innovations; DRL – democracy and rule of law; C&E – climate and environment; Security; employment) interviewed (10/22)/workshops done based on their needs assessment (12/22(/guide on gender mainstreaming in IPA III programming produced and presented (02/23) and to be distributed in GEF bridging period; GEF bridging period – joint workshop organized with priority sectors civil society and institutions (12/23) Two more workshops were organized in Q1 2024: Competitiveness and Innovation and Democracy and Rule of Law.
Agree together with the Agency for Statistics of BiH on the roadmap of the support for further improvement of gender responsive statistics that will be aligned with their synchronization with the Eurostat statistics. UN Women 2024/01 Completed Meetings with BHAS held in February and March 2023; additional activities identified for the bridging period Q2-Q4 2024. In Q1 of 2024, second enriched partial Gender Equality Index was produced, whereby gender statistics were improved.
Recommendation: Be creative in capacity building strategies, go beyond ‘traditional’ trainings and workshops.
Management Response: To explore creative and non-traditional approaches, UN Women will conduct need assessment, ensure increased number of online and in person trainings, workshops utilizing innovative tools and ensure participation of gender focal points and higher-level staff from competent institutions.
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Governance and planning (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Promoting inclusiveness/Leaving no one behind
Organizational Priorities: Partnership
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Conduct needs assessment for capacity building among governmental stakeholders and explore forms of capacity buildings that will be more suitable for them. UN Women 2024/12 Completed GEF bridging period – joint workshop organized with priority sectors civil society and institutions. (12/23) Two more workshops organized in Q1 2024 on Rule of Law and Democracy and Competitiveness and Innovation.
Design online trainings with concrete examples and guides, step-by-step, or similar tools that will enable stakeholders to use it according to their needs, to return when needed and to adjust dynamics of learning to their time and work focus. UN Women 2024/12 Initiated Online trainings and usage of innovative tailor-made tools for stakeholders are planned in design of the next phase of GEF. Log frame of the project, in consultation with key stakeholders will be developed and will provide more details on specific program interventions.
Include more exchange in smaller, less formal groups, with learning along concrete planning, with the aim to induce proposals of new IPA projects, policy planning or legal changes. UN Women 2024/12 Initiated Learning modalities that include smaller, less formal groups are embedded in the design of the next phase of GEF. Log frame of the project, in consultation with key stakeholders will be developed and will provide more details on specific program interventions.
Include higher level staff of line ministries and other institutions in capacity building processes, not necessarily through trainings or workshops but through other forms such as meetings, exchanges, round tables, where they will be able to exchange, to be informed and to become more aware and knowledgeable how to use gender mainstreaming in their policy and programming work. UN Women 2024/12 Initiated 03/2023 - new members of the Council of ministers approached for the new round of social media campaign on importance of gender equality in their sectors and IPA III programming 04/2023 - 4 meetings with the chairperson of Council of Ministers and 3 priority sectors' ministers (ARD/COIN/DRL) planned based on EU Approximation report.
Use more gender focal points network for increasing outreach or replicating project capacity building activities within the ministries. UN Women 2024/12 Initiated More active role of gender focal points is envisioned within new phase of GEF. Log frame of the project, in consultation with key stakeholders will be developed and will provide more details on specific program interventions.
Recommendation: Continue with exchange activities, among stakeholders within the country and regionally.
Management Response: UN Women will support more regular interactions and exchanges between different key stakeholders in particular gender equality and European integration focal points.
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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: Sustainability
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Support more regular interaction and exchange within three networks: gender focal points, IPA coordinators and GAP coordinators. UN Women 2024/12 Initiated More regular interaction and exchange within gender focal points, IPA coordinators and GAP coordinators will take place during new phase of GEF.
Support exchange between civil servants mandated for gender equality or IPA roles within ministries. UN Women 2024/12 Initiated During the joint workshop organized with priority sectors civil society and institutions in December 2023, there was intensified exchange of knowledge on IPA III programming and importance of CSO inclusion in consultation process.
Organize regional exchanges between UN Women teams, but particularly between governmental stakeholders UN Women 2024/12 Initiated Under the Adriatic Ionian Initiative, exchange of knowledge took place in July 2023 between gender focal points
Recommendation: Use broader expertise, develop pool of experts for gender mainstreaming of the EU accession and IPA programming in general and for sectors.
Management Response: UN Women will invest in building pool of national, regional and global experts in gender mainstreaming of EU accession process through cooperation with other UN agencies, key stakeholders and GEF projects across region.
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Leadership and political participation (SPs before 2018), Governance and planning (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Oversight/governance
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Sustainability
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
As GEF project expands its areas of interest to different aspects of the EU integration agenda (transport, energy, environment, etc.), cooperation with other UN agencies might be used more. UN Women 2024/11 Initiated Through coordination mandate, UN Women will utilize well developed cooperation and collaboration with UN Agencies and international partners, intensified with new joint programmes and initiatives, to ensure GEF expansion to other areas of EU integration agenda.
Invest in building pool of experts in the country, increasing or merging the expertise related to the EU integration, IPA programming and gender equality. UN Women 2024/10 Overdue-Initiated UN Women will ensure existing consultations with other national and international partners and other UN Agencies entail discussion on expanding pool of experts especially in the area of EU integration and gender equality.
Recommendation: Simplify project monitoring framework
Management Response: To ensure simplified and coherent monitoring framework, UN Women will revise existing indicators and review baseline, milestones and target data.
More detail
Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Governance and planning (SPs before 2018), Leadership and political participation (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Internal coordination and communication
Organizational Priorities: Operational activities
UNEG Criteria: Efficiency
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Define indicators at the output level which are currently missing. UN Women 2024/04 Completed Indicators were revised during the creation of new UN Women Bi-Annual Work Plan 2024-2025. However, UN Women will contract additional expertise to ensure indicators are SMART and well aligned with UN Women corporate strategic documents (UN Women SP) and upcoming revision of United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework.
Avoid indicators for which there are no baseline data. UN Women 2024/04 Completed Indicator revision during the creation of new UN Women Bi-Annual Work Plan 2024-2025 ensured that each indicator contains baseline data. Baseline data will be included based upon the information from the GEF 2020-2023.
Be sure that indicators framework contains SMART indicators. UN Women 2024/04 Completed Indicators were revised during the creation of new UN Women Bi-Annual Work Plan 2024-2025. However, UN Women consulted additional expertise to ensure indicators are SMART and well aligned with UN Women corporate strategic documents (UN Women SP) and upcoming revision of United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework.